The disclosed technology can be implemented in photonics integrated circuit (PIC) to provide an optical frequency detection device for measuring an optical frequency of light using two Mach-Zehnder interferometer where the delay imbalance in the first interferometer is configured to be one quarter wavelength longer than that of the second interferometer to produce an additional phase difference between the two arms. The two outputs of each interferometer are then detected by two photodetectors to produce two complementary interference signals. The difference between the two complementary interference signals of the first interferometer is a sine function of the optical frequency while the difference between the two complementary interference signals of the second interferometer is proportional to a cosine function of the optical frequency. Using the sine/cosine interpretation algorithm commonly used for the rotation encoders/decoders, any increments in optical frequency can be readily obtained.

There is provided a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system including a first LiDAR and a second LiDAR mounted on a vehicle bumper; a LiDAR data merge unit receiving data from the first LiDAR and the second LiDAR, aligning LiDAR times through time synchronization, and then converting the data into a point cloud type and merging the data; an electronic control unit (ECU) providing inertial data of the vehicle for correcting the data merged in the LiDAR data merge unit; and an SLAM unit correcting the data merged in the LiDAR data merge unit by using the inertial data of the vehicle received from the ECU to obtain LiDAR odometry for estimating a movement of the vehicle, generating a 3D map of a road on which the vehicle travels, and extracting a location and a traveling route of the vehicle inside a road.

Provided is a laser device, comprising a laser light source, a collimating lens that collimates the light output from the laser light source, and a diffuser plate that diffuses the light from the laser light source before collimating the light.

A light module has a carrier with a circuit die. On the top side of the carrier, a light-emitting diode die, and a charge store component are electrically connected to the conduction path terminal fields of a transistor by means of die-to-die bondings. The electrical connection between the two dies and the conduction path of the transistor is as short as possible. A terminal field is situated in each case on the top side of the two dies, which terminal fields are connected to one another using a first bonding wire. The charge store component is charged by means of a charging circuit which is electrically connected to the charge store component via a second bonding wire. The second bonding wire is longer than the first bonding wire. The light module may be part of a LIDAR apparatus.

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) apparatus is provided that includes a laser source configured to emit a laser beam in a first direction. The apparatus also includes lensing optics configured to pass a first portion of the laser beam in the first direction toward a target, return a second portion of the laser beam into a return path as a local oscillator signal, and return a target signal into the return path. The apparatus also includes a quarter-wave plate configured to polarize the laser beam headed in the first direction and polarize the target signal returned through the lensing optics. The apparatus also includes a polarization beam splitter configured to pass non-polarized light through the beam splitter in the first direction and reflect polarized light in a second direction different than the first direction, wherein the polarization beam splitter is further configured to enable interference between the local oscillator signal and the target signal to generate a mixed signal. The apparatus also includes an optical detector configured to receive the mixed signal.

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.

The receiver captures an electromagnetic transmission carrying a bauded signal, such as a transmission from an orbiting satellite, and processes it for Doppler shift analysis. The electromagnetic transmission is captured and a non-linear operation is performed to expose a cyclostationary feature of the captured transmission that will define a rate-line. This rate-line will exist at a frequency that is related to the bauded signal and Doppler shift relative to the motion of the transmitter to the receiver. The rate-line frequency is tracked in time to generate data indicative of a Doppler shift associated with the satellite and processed by an estimator fed by satellite propagator to supply positioning, navigation and timing services at the receiver output.

Techniques for optimizing a scan pattern of a LIDAR system including a bistatic transceiver include receiving first SNR values based on values of a range of the target, where the first SNR values are for a respective scan rate. Techniques further include receiving second SNR values based on values of the range of the target, where the second SNR values are for a respective integration time. Techniques further include receiving a maximum design range of the target at each angle in the angle range. Techniques further include determining, for each angle in the angle range, a maximum scan rate and a minimum integration time. Techniques further include defining a scan pattern of the LIDAR system based on the maximum scan rate and the minimum integration time at each angle and operating the LIDAR system according to the scan pattern.

A laser scanner and a system with a laser scanner for measuring an environment. The laser scanner includes an optical distance measuring device, a support, a beam steering unit rotatably fixed to the support which rotates around a beam axis of rotation. The beam steering unit includes a mirrored surface which deflects radiation used in the optical distance measurement and an angle encoder for recording angle data. The optical distance measurement is performed by a progressive rotation of the beam steering unit about the beam axis of rotation and the continuous emission of a distance measurement radiation, the emission being made through an outlet area arranged in the direction of the mirrored surface on the support, the receiving optics for receiving radiation are arranged on the support, and wherein the outlet area has a lateral offset with respect to the optical axis of the receiving optics.

Methods and systems for performing three dimensional LIDAR measurements with an integrated LIDAR measurement device are described herein. In one aspect, a return signal receiver generates a pulse trigger signal that triggers the generation of a pulse of illumination light and data acquisition of a return signal, and also triggers the time of flight calculation by time to digital conversion. In addition, the return signal receiver also estimates the width and peak amplitude of each return pulse, and samples each return pulse waveform individually over a sampling window that includes the peak amplitude of each return pulse waveform. In a further aspect, the time of flight associated with each return pulse is estimated based on a coarse timing estimate and a fine timing estimate. In another aspect, the time of flight is measured from the measured pulse due to internal optical crosstalk and a valid return pulse.