Patent ID: 8958057
Filing Date: 2015-02-17
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
1. A lidar apparatus comprising: a lidar transmitter that includes a laser source that produces a laser beam, a scan mirror or scan-mirror assembly angularly adjustable to deflect the beam in at least two orthogonal directions, and an afocal optical unit for magnifying the beam deflection; said transmitter having an aperture for transmitting the beam; a lidar receiver that does not share the transmitter aperture; wherein: the receiver comprises plural separate discrete receiver modules, each having an aperture whose area is individually smaller than the area of the transmitter aperture, and each being either: aggregate aperture area of the plural receiver modules is larger than the area of the transmitter aperture; a beam expander, disposed between the laser and the mirror or mirrors, for controlling the beam waist or divergence, or both, particularly at the mirror or mirrors; and means for effectively providing a “zoom” function; wherein the effectively-providing means in turn comprise: