公开(公告)号：US11042004B1

公开(公告)日：2021-06-22

申请号：US15790333

申请日：2017-10-23

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Ralph Shepard ,  Pierre-yves Droz

IPC: B32B41/00 ,  G02B7/00 ,  G02B27/09 ,  B29C65/48 ,  B29C65/00 ,  G01S7/481 ,  B29L11/00

Abstract: Systems and methods can align of one or more optical beams with respect to one another, an optical axis, a far-field location, and/or a near-field location. An example method includes coupling, with an index-matched epoxy, a plurality of adjustable optical surfaces and an optical element. Each adjustable optical surface of the plurality of adjustable optical surfaces is associated with a respective light-emitter device of a plurality of light-emitter devices. Additionally, the method includes causing at least one light-emitter device to emit light that interacts with at least one adjustable optical surface and an optical element to provide a transmitted light beam. The method also includes receiving information about a beam profile of the transmitted light beam, comparing the beam profile to a desired beam profile, and adjusting a position of the at least one adjustable optical surface with respect to the optical element based on the comparison.

公开(公告)号：US20210124018A1

公开(公告)日：2021-04-29

申请号：US16660949

申请日：2019-10-23

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Blaise Gassend ,  Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Ralph Shepard

IPC: G01S7/484 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/10

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and vehicles that could include a rotatable base configured to rotate about a first axis and a refractive optical window coupled to the rotatable base. The refractive optical window includes a flat window portion and a prism window portion or a curved refractive optical window. The LIDAR system could additionally include a mirror assembly coupled to the rotatable base. The mirror assembly includes a plurality of reflective surfaces. The mirror assembly is configured to rotate about a second axis. The second axis is substantially perpendicular to the first axis. The LIDAR system also includes a light-emitter device coupled to the rotatable base. The light-emitter device is configured to emit light pulses that interact with the mirror assembly and the refractive optical window such that the light pulses are directed into a first field of view within an environment of the LIDAR system.