Patent ID: 8744741

Claim:
A Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) apparatus comprising: a light source means for emitting a light ray at plural angular intervals, and arranged such that the light ray is rotatable about a rotational centre to sense features through 360° about the rotational centre; a parabolic object mirror having a focal point, the object mirror being positioned such that the rotational centre of the light ray is substantially located at the focal point and the object mirror falls within an angular range of less than 180°, and successive emitted light rays once reflected from the object mirror follow a substantially parallel path; reception means for receiving reflected light from one or more features in a path of the light ray; and analysis means for calculating a position at which one or more features are present based on an angle at which the light ray was emitted and a time delay associated with received reflected light, wherein, when the light ray is reflected by the object mirror, the analysis means takes into account the object mirror reflection, and a position of the one or more features is calculated using a Cartesian coordinate system having a reference point at the focal point, and wherein, when the light ray is emitted at an angle such that the light ray is not reflected by the object mirror, the analysis means calculates a polar coordinate position for any feature which reflects light from the light ray.