Luminar Technologies, Inc.

Luminar, LLC

Laurance S Lingvay

Jason M Eichenholz

Alain Villeneuve

Austin K Russell

Joseph G LaChapelle

Scott R Campbell

David Welford

Lawrence Shah

Mark A Drummer

Cheng Zhu

To dynamically control power in a lidar system, a controller identifies a triggering event and provides a control signal to a light source in the lidar system adjusting the power of light pulses emitted by the light source. The triggering event includes identifying a particular type of object within a threshold distance of the lidar system. In some scenarios, the power is adjusted to address eye-safety concerns.

Method for dynamically controlling laser power

To dynamically control power in a lidar system, a controller identifies a triggering event and provides a control signal to a light source in the lidar system adjusting the power of light pulses provided by the light source. Triggering events may include exceeding a threshold speed, being within a threshold distance of a person or other object, an atmospheric condition, identifying residue on a surface of a window of the lidar system, etc. In some scenarios, the power is adjusted to address eye-safety concerns.

In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit light at one or more wavelengths between 1200 nm and 1400 nm. The lidar system also includes a scanner configured to scan the emitted light across a field of regard of the lidar system and a receiver configured to detect a portion of the emitted light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The lidar system further includes a processor configured to determine the distance from the lidar system to the target based at least in part on a round-trip time for the portion of the emitted light to travel from the lidar system to the target and back to the lidar system.

Lidar system operating at 1200-1400 NM

To dynamically control power in a lidar system, a controller identifies a triggering event and provides a control signal to a light source in the lidar system adjusting the power of light pulses provided by the light pulse. Triggering events may include exceeding a threshold speed, being within a threshold distance of a person or other object, an atmospheric condition, etc. In some scenarios, the power is adjusted to address eye-safety concerns.

In one embodiment, a laser system includes a seed laser diode configured to produce a free-space seed-laser beam and a seed-laser focusing lens configured to focus the seed-laser beam. The laser system also includes a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) that includes a front facet, a back facet, and a waveguide extending from the front facet to the back facet. The SOA is configured to: receive, at the front facet, light from the focused seed-laser beam; amplify the received light as the received light propagates along the SOA waveguide from the front facet to the back facet; and emit, from the back facet, an amplified free-space beam that includes the amplified received light. The laser system further includes a mounting platform, where one or more of the seed laser diode, the seed-laser focusing lens, and the SOA are mechanically attached to the mounting platform.

Amplifier assembly with semiconductor optical amplifier

In one embodiment, a fiber-optic amplifier includes an optical gain fiber configured to amplify input light received from a seed laser. The optical gain fiber includes a first gain section configured to: receive the seed-laser input light and co-propagating pump light; and amplify the seed-laser input light as it propagates along the first gain section. The seed-laser input light and the co-propagating pump light propagate along the first gain section in a same direction. The optical gain fiber also includes a second gain section configured to: receive the amplified input light from the first gain section; receive counter-propagating pump light; and further amplify the amplified input light as it propagates along the second gain section. The amplified input light and the counter-propagating pump light propagate along the second gain section in opposite directions. The fiber-optic amplifier also includes a first pump laser diode and a second pump laser diode.

Fiber-optic amplifier

In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit a ranging pulse of light that is directed into a field of regard of the lidar system. The lidar system also includes a fiber-optic splitter configured to split off a portion of the ranging pulse of light to produce a trigger pulse of light that is directed to a receiver of the lidar system. The receiver is configured to detect, at a first time, at least a portion of the trigger pulse of light; and detect, at a second time subsequent to the first time, a portion of the ranging pulse of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The lidar system further includes a processor configured to determine the distance from the lidar system to the target based at least in part on the first time and the second time.

Lidar system with optical trigger

A light source includes a laser configured to emit a ranging pulse including a sequence of fast pulses. A lidar system uses one or more properties of the sequence of fast pulses to determine a signature of the ranging pulse. A receiver includes a detector element configured to detect a light signal and a signature detection circuitry configured to determine whether the detected light signal corresponds to the signature of the emitted ranging pulse. The lidar system is configured to generate a pixel value based on the detected light signal if the detected light signal corresponds to the signature of the emitted ranging pulse.

Reducing the number of false detections in a lidar system

In one embodiment, a laser system includes a seed laser diode configured to produce a free-space seed-laser beam. The laser system also includes a pump laser diode configured to produce a free-space pump-laser beam. The laser system further includes an optical-beam combiner configured to combine the seed-laser and pump-laser beams into a combined free-space beam and a focusing lens configured to focus the combined beam. The laser system also includes an optical gain fiber that includes an input end configured to receive the focused beam. The laser system also includes a mounting platform, where one or more of the optical-beam combiner, the focusing lens, and the input end of the gain fiber are mechanically attached to the platform.

Fiber laser with free-space components

In one embodiment, an optical amplifier includes a first pump laser diode and a second pump laser diode. The first pump laser diode is configured to produce pump light that includes a first amount of optical power at a first wavelength, and the second pump laser diode is configured to produce pump light that includes a second amount of optical power at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength. The optical amplifier also includes an optical gain fiber configured to receive the pump light from the first and second pump laser diodes and provide optical gain for an optical signal propagating through the optical gain fiber. The optical amplifier further includes a controller configured to adjust the first amount of optical power produced by the first pump laser diode and the second amount of optical power produced by the second pump laser diode.

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Orlando, FL, United States of America

Laurance S Lingvay