Patent ID: 11874376
Assignee: AURORA OPERATIONS, INC.
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  B | IPC B  G

Claim 16:
17. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:
a transmitter comprising a first grating coupler, the transmitter configured to output a transmit beam;
a receiver comprising a second grating coupler spaced apart from the first grating coupler and a third grating coupler spaced apart from the first grating coupler;
a scanner configured to receive the transmit beam from the transmitter, direct the transmit beam to an environment, receive a return beam from reflection of the transmit beam by an object located in the environment, and direct the return beam to the receiver;
a collimator between the transmitter and the scanner, the collimator configured to collimate the transmit beam;
a circulator between the collimator and the plurality of second grating couplers, each second grating coupler of the plurality of second grating couplers configured to receive a respective component of the return beam from free space from the circulator;
a first mixer and a second mixer respectively coupled with one of the second grating coupler or the third grating coupler; and
a local oscillator configured to switch a reference signal between the first mixer and the second mixer;
a steering system;
a braking system; and
a vehicle controller comprising one or more processors configured to:
determine at least one of a range to the object or a velocity of the object using the return beam and the reference signal; and
control operation of at least one of the steering system and the braking system responsive to the at least one of the range or the velocity.