A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) apparatus is provided that includes an optical source to emit a first optical beam having a first frequency and a second optical beam having a second frequency and a dispersive element to deflect the first optical beam having the first frequency at a first angle and the second optical beam having the second frequency at a second angle.

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) apparatus is provided that includes an optical source to emit a first optical beam having a first frequency and a second optical beam having a second frequency and a dispersive element to deflect the first optical beam having the first frequency at a first angle and the second optical beam having the second frequency at a second angle.

A LIDAR system, preferably including one or more: optical emitters, optical detectors, beam directors, and/or processing modules. A method of LIDAR system operation, preferably including: determining a signal, outputting the signal, receiving a return signal, and/or analyzing the return signal.

The present invention relates to an FMCW-LiDAR distance measurement apparatus in which a light source, in particular a laser, generates a frequency modulated transmission light beam as a transmission signal having a predetermined frequency deviation and transmits said frequency modulated transmission light beam into a measurement zone; a light receiver receives light reflected by objects in the measurement zone as a reception signal; a mixer mixes at least a portion of the transmission signal with the reception signal and with an oscillator frequency to generate a mixed signal; and the oscillator frequency is adapted to a desired measurement zone to achieve a high measurement accuracy in the desired measurement zone.

A LIDAR device for detecting an object comprising a transmitter unit having at least one laser for emitting at least one laser beam; and a receiver unit for receiving laser light that was reflected by the object. The transmitter unit further has at least one beam replication unit for replicating the at least one laser beam to form at least two replicated beams.

A frequency shift light modulator includes a resonator and a diffraction grating including a plurality of grooves arranged in parallel in a displacement direction of the resonator, and the diffraction grating is provided on the resonator. By providing the diffraction grating on the resonator, it is easy to realize miniaturization and increase in accuracy of the frequency shift light modulator. Further, it is easy to realize application to a high frequency region in a MHz band, that is, high frequency modulation. It is possible to efficiently obtain an effect based on a combination of the resonator and the diffraction grating.

A method for Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensing of a scene is provided. The method includes performing, by a ToF sensor including at least one photo-sensitive sensor pixel, a plurality of first ToF measurements using a first modulation frequency in order to obtain first measurement values. A respective correlation function of each of the plurality of first ToF measurements is periodic and exhibits an increasing amplitude over distance within a measurement range of the ToF sensor. The method further includes determining a distance to an object in the scene based on the first measurement values. Performing the plurality of first ToF measurements includes for at least one of the plurality of first ToF measurements controlling the photo-sensitive sensor pixel to selectively store, in at least two charge storages of the photo-sensitive sensor pixel, part of charge carriers generated in the photo-sensitive sensor pixel during the at least one of the plurality of first ToF measurements by incident light. In addition, performing the plurality of first ToF measurements includes for the at least one of the plurality of first ToF measurements controlling the photo-sensitive sensor pixel to selectively prevent another part of the charge carriers generated during the at least one of the plurality of first ToF measurements from reaching the at least two charge storages.

The techniques of this disclosure enable lidar systems to operate as fast-scanning FMCW lidar systems. The fast-scanning lidar system alternates chirp patterns frame by frame as a way to increase scanning speed, without adding additional hardware. Each consecutive pair of frames includes a frame with a long chirp pattern with multiple chirps and a frame with a short chirp pattern with as few as a single chirp, which is derived from the long chirp pattern assuming a constant object velocity between frames. The chirp pattern applied to each pixel is consistent within each frame but different from one frame to the next. The combined duration of two consecutive frames is less than the combined duration of two consecutive frames of a traditional FMCW lidar system that uses the same chirp pattern from one frame to the next. The shorter duration increases frame rate, scanning speed, or overall throughput of the fast-scanning lidar system.

A MEMS scanning device may include: a movable MEMS mirror configured to pivot about at least one axis; at least one actuator operable to rotate the MEMS mirror about the at least one axis, each actuator out of the at least one actuator operable to bend upon actuation to move the MEMS mirror; and at least one flexible interconnect element coupled between the at least one actuator and the MEMS mirror for transferring a pulling force of the bending of the at least one actuator to the MEMS mirror. Each flexible interconnect element out of the at least one interconnect element may be an elongated structure comprising at least two turns at opposing directions, each turn greater than 120°.

A MEMS scanning device may include: a movable MEMS mirror configured to pivot about at least one axis; at least one actuator operable to rotate the MEMS mirror about the at least one axis, each actuator out of the at least one actuator operable to bend upon actuation to move the MEMS mirror; and at least one flexible interconnect element coupled between the at least one actuator and the MEMS mirror for transferring a pulling force of the bending of the at least one actuator to the MEMS mirror. Each flexible interconnect element out of the at least one interconnect element may be an elongated structure comprising at least two turns at opposing directions, each turn greater than 120°.