Infineon Technologies Ag

Hendrikus Van Lierop

Wojciech Kudla

Jaap Verheggen

Norbert Druml

Boris Kirillov

Alexander Hulsker

Franz Michael Darrer

Christoph Steiner

Philipp Greiner

Marcus Edward Hennecke

Stephan Gerhard Albert

Ievgeniia Maksymova

Maksym Sladkov

Vladimir Petrovic

Andre Roger

Alexander Melzer

Romain Ygnace

Paul Meissner

Thomas Thurner

Michiel Helsloot

Alberto Garcia Izquierdo

Kaveh Samadi Khah

An oscillator system includes an oscillator structure configured to oscillate about a first axis according to a first oscillation and oscillate about a second axis according to a second oscillation; a first driver configured to drive the first oscillation, detect first zero-crossing events of the first mirror, and generate a first position signal based on the detected first zero-crossing events; a second driver configured to drive the second oscillation, detect second zero-crossing events of the second mirror, and generate a second position signal based on the detected second zero-crossing events; and a synchronization controller configured to receive the first and the second position signals, and synchronize at least one of a phase or a frequency of the second oscillation with at least one of a phase or a frequency of the first oscillation, respectively, based on the first and the second position signals.

Synchronization of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) mirrors

A Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system includes a LIDAR transmitter and a controller. The LIDAR transmitter, driven by the controller, scans a field of view with laser beams, where each laser beam has a beam width that, when projected into a field of view, coincides with an angle region of the field of view. The LIDAR transmitter transmits a first plurality of laser beams in a first scan, where a first plurality of angle regions covered by the first plurality of laser beams are mutually exclusive of each other. The LIDAR transmitter transmits a second plurality of laser beams in a second scan, where a second plurality of angle regions covered by the second plurality of laser beams are mutually exclusive of each other. Each of the second plurality of angle regions partially overlaps with a different corresponding one of the first plurality of angle regions.

Oversamplng and transmitter shooting pattern for light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system

A Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system is provided. The LIDAR system includes a LIDAR transmitter configured with a first field of view and configured to transmit laser beams into the first field of view at a plurality of discrete transmission angles in order to scan the first field of view with the laser beams; a LIDAR receiver configured with a second field of view and configured to receive reflected laser beams from the second field of view and generate electrical signals based on the received reflected laser beams; and a controller configured to shift at least one of the first field of view or the second field of view based on a misalignment in order to optimize an overlap of the first field of view and the second field of view.

Transmitter and receiver calibration in 1D scanning LIDAR

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system is provided. The LIDAR system comprises at least two lasers configured to emit aligned beams of light and a mirror configured to deflect the beams of light emitted by the lasers. The mirror is supported to be pivotable with respect to an axis of the mirror so as to allow the beams of light to scan a field of view of the LIDAR system. The LIDAR system further comprises a driver configured to drive the mirror into oscillations and a controller. The controller is configured to control at least one laser so as to selectively change a size of the field of view and/or to control the driver so as to selectively change the size of the field of view.

Lidar system selectively changing a size of the field of view

An apparatus for light detection and ranging is provided. The apparatus includes a reflective surface configured to oscillate about a rotation axis, and a plurality of light sources each configured to controllably emit a respective light beam via an optical system onto the reflective surface. Further, the apparatus includes a controller configured to control emission times of the plurality of light sources so that the reflective surface emits a plurality of light beams to an environment according to a first sequence of beam directions for a first measurement, and according to a second sequence of beam directions for a subsequent second measurement.

Apparatuses and method for light detection and ranging

A sensor module includes a window structure configured to permit the passage of transmitted light and received light between an inside of the sensor module and a field-of-view; a transmitter configured to transmit a transmit light beam; a scanning structure configured to rotate about at least one scanning axis, the scanning structure configured to receive the transmit light beam from the transmitter and direct the transmit light beam towards the window structure and the field-of-view; a light detector configured to detect a reflected light beam that corresponds to the transmit light beam; and at least one processor configured to measure a time-of-flight of a round trip light beam comprising of the transmit light beam and the reflected light beam, compare the time-of-flight to a threshold time, and detect a dirt formation on the window structure on a condition that the time-of-flight is less than the threshold time.

Dirt detector on a LIDAR sensor window

A method of monitoring a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) oscillating structure includes: driving the MEMS oscillating structure configured to oscillate about a rotation axis according to an operating response curve during which the MEMS oscillating structure is in resonance, wherein the MEMS oscillating structure is a non-linear resonator; inducing an oscillation decay of the MEMS oscillating structure at predefined tilt angle such that an oscillation of the MEMS oscillating structure decays from the predefined tilt angle over a decay period; measuring at least one characteristic of the oscillation decay; and determining a mechanical health of the MEMS oscillating structure based on the at least one characteristic of the oscillation decay.

Monitoring of MEMS mirror properties

The present disclosure relates to a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor comprising a detector configured to generate a first detector signal at a first delay time following an emission of a first light pulse and to generate at least one second detector signal at the first delay time following an emission of at least a second light pulse; and a processor configured to generate a combined signal for the first delay time based on a combination of the first detector signal and the at least one second detector signal. Depending on the type of combination, the combined signal can be used for interference detection or mitigation.

Interference detection and mitigation for lidar systems

A multi-mirror system includes a first mirror configured to oscillate about a first axis; a second mirror configured to oscillate about a second axis; a first driver configured to drive an oscillation of the first mirror, detect first zero-crossing events of the first mirror, and generate a first position signal based on the detected first zero-crossing events; a second driver configured to drive an oscillation of the second mirror, detect second zero-crossing events of the second mirror, and generate a second position signal based on the detected second zero-crossing events; and a synchronization controller configured to receive the first and the second position signals, and synchronize at least one of a phase or a frequency of the oscillation of the second mirror with at least one of a phase or a frequency of the oscillation of the first mirror, respectively, based on the first and the second position signals.

A MEMS device includes a body pivoting around a pivot axis, a support, and a suspension structure mechanically coupling the body to the support. The suspension structure includes a torsion element defining the pivot axis, and first and second spring elements extending with an angle relative to the pivot axis on opposing sides of the torsion element so that a distance between at least portions of the first and second spring elements is changing in the direction of the pivot axis. The extension of the first and second spring elements in the direction of the pivot axis is larger than the extension of the torsion element in the direction of the pivot axis.

MEMS device with suspension structure and method of making a MEMS device

Systems and methods are provided for monitoring properties of a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) oscillating structure. A system includes a MEMS oscillating structure configured as a non-linear resonator to oscillate about a rotation axis; a driver configured to generate a driving force for driving the MEMS oscillating structure about the rotation axis according to an operating response curve during which the MEMS oscillating structure is in resonance, the driver further configured to decrease the driving force when the MEMS oscillating structure is at a predefined tilt angle to induce an oscillation decay of the MEMS oscillating structure; a measurement circuit configured to measure an oscillation frequency and a tilt angle amplitude of the MEMS oscillating structure during a decay period; and processing circuitry configured to determine at least one characteristic of the MEMS oscillating structure based on at least one of the measured oscillation frequency and the measured tilt angle amplitude.

A mirror device includes a frame, a mirror body arranged in the frame and rotatable around a rotation, support beams connected between the mirror body and the frame and a leaf spring providing torsional stiffness with respect to a rotation of the mirror body around the rotational axis. The leaf spring has a maximum thickness that is smaller than a minimum width thereof, where the leaf spring has openings that reduce the thickness thereof or the penetrate the leaf spring in the thickness direction.

Mirror device having leaf spring with openings

A device is provided for detecting and/or regulating an amplitude of an oscillation of an oscillatory body about an oscillation axis, wherein a change in a capacitance between at least one electrode of the oscillatory body and a stationary electrode takes place during the oscillation of the oscillatory body. The device comprises a detection circuit for detecting a signal representing a measure of the change in capacitance; and an evaluation circuit for determining information from the signal, wherein the evaluation circuit is designed to calculate the amplitude of the oscillation of the oscillatory body from the determined information and an ascertained period of the oscillation of the oscillatory body and/or to regulate the amplitude of the oscillation of the oscillatory body using the determined information and the ascertained period of the oscillation of the oscillatory body.

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Bj Weert, Netherlands

Hendrikus Van Lierop