A lidar system for scanning a field of regard is described having first and second light beams and first and second detectors. The light beams pass through a lateral beam shifting device prior to being directed to a beam scanner. The lateral beam shifting device reduces the overall size of the emitted and returned light beams thus reducing the size of scanner components. Lateral beam shifting devices may be a single rhomboid prism, a pair of rhomboid prisms, a pair of mirrors, or a single mirror or prism.

Method and apparatus for using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) to assist the visually impaired. In some embodiments, a LiDAR system is affixed to a selected finger of a user and used to emit light pulses within a field of view (FoV) before the user. Reflected pulses are detected to generate a point cloud representation of the FoV. A sensory input is provided to the user that describes the point cloud representation of the FoV. The sensory input may be haptic, auditory or some other form. In some cases, a glove is worn by the user and a separate LiDAR system is affixed to each finger portion of the glove to provide a composite scanning and detection operation. Preconfigured hand gestures by the user can be used to change the operational configuration of the system.

The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, systems and methods of optical sensing that utilize optimized processing of multiple sensing channels for efficient and reliable scanning of environments. The optical sensing includes multiple optical communication lines that include coupling portions configured to facilitate efficient collection of various received beams. The optical sensing system further includes multiple light detectors configured to process collected beams and produce data representative of a velocity of an object that generated the received beam and/or a distance to that object.

Method and apparatus for enhancing resolution in a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system. In some embodiments, an emitter emits light in the form of multiplexed beams of randomized, multiple wavelengths across a field of view (FoV). A detector uses one or more detection channels to detect the multiplexed beams reflected from a target within the FoV to decode range information associated with the target. The multiplexed beams may be generated by multiple light sources such as laser diodes, or a single source such as a frequency comb device. Randomization may be applied via a pseudorandom bit sequence modulator, and multiplexing/demultiplexing may be performed using waveguides and micro-resonance rings (MRRs). The multiplexed beam may be emitted using an optical phase array (OPA) integrated circuit device to scan the FoV simultaneously using the different wavelengths. The range information can be used to adaptively adjust the wavelengths in a subsequent scan.

There is provided an image module package including a substrate, a photo sensor chip, a molded transparent layer and a glass filter. The substrate has an upper surface. The photo sensor chip is attached to the upper surface of the substrate and electrically connected to the substrate. The molded transparent layer covers the photo sensor chip and a part of the upper surface of the substrate, wherein a top surface of the molded transparent layer is formed with a receptacle opposite to the photo sensor chip. The glass filter is accommodated in the receptacle.

A laser-scanner for a LIDAR system scanning in a scanning direction, having a laser-source to emit a plurality of individual light-beams into a plurality of angular-ranges which are situated next to one another transversely to the scanning-direction. A receiver-optics of the laser-scanner is configured to concentrate reflected portions of the emitted-light-beams on exposure-regions of a sensor-plane of the laser-scanner that are situated next to one another transversely to the scanning-direction. A plurality of sensor-pixels of the laser-scanner are situated next to one another in the sensor-plane transversely to the scanning-direction. The sensor pixels are situated at an offset vis-a-vis the exposure-regions transversely to the scanning-direction. A control-electronics of the laser-scanner is configured to actuate the laser-source so that a plurality of light-beams is emitted in a time-staggered manner such that no more than the reflected portion of one of the light-beams impinges upon a sensor-pixel at the same time.

Methods, devices and systems provide improved detection, sensing and identification of objects using modulated polarized beams. An example polarization sensitive device includes an illumination source, and a modulator coupled to the illumination source to produce output beams in which polarization states or polarization parameters of the output beams are modulated to produce a plurality of modulated polarized beams. The device further includes a polarization sensitive detector positioned to receive a reflected portion of modulated polarized beams after reflection from an object and to produce information that is indicative of modulation and polarization states of the received beams. The information can be used to enable a determination of a distance between the polarization sensitive device and the object, or a determination of a polarization-specific characteristic of the object.

A lidar sensor. The lidar sensor includes a light source and a fly eye lens arrangement having a first microlens arrangement and a second microlens arrangement. The first microlens arrangement comprises a plurality of identical first microlenses stacked along a first axis. The second microlens arrangement comprises a plurality of identical second microlenses stacked along a second axis. The fly-eye lens arrangement is configured to generate, based on a light generated by the light source, a scanning beam for scanning an environment of the lidar sensor. The scanning beam includes a first sub-beam generated by the first microlens arrangement and a second sub-beam generated by the second microlens arrangement. Predefined optical properties of the first microlens arrangement and predefined optical properties of the second microlens arrangement differ from one another in order to generate a scanning beam having a predefined light intensity distribution.

A lidar sensor. The lidar sensor includes a light source and a fly eye lens arrangement having a first microlens arrangement and a second microlens arrangement. The first microlens arrangement comprises a plurality of identical first microlenses stacked along a first axis. The second microlens arrangement comprises a plurality of identical second microlenses stacked along a second axis. The fly-eye lens arrangement is configured to generate, based on a light generated by the light source, a scanning beam for scanning an environment of the lidar sensor. The scanning beam includes a first sub-beam generated by the first microlens arrangement and a second sub-beam generated by the second microlens arrangement. Predefined optical properties of the first microlens arrangement and predefined optical properties of the second microlens arrangement differ from one another in order to generate a scanning beam having a predefined light intensity distribution.

A state detection device includes a camera configured to capture an image of an imaging area where a driver is present, a laser configured to emit light toward the imaging area, and an optical member configured to emit the light of the laser with spreading to a predetermined irradiation area.