Abstract: Three-dimensional LiDAR scanning combines a solid-state fast scanning device such as an optical switch and a slower scanning device such as a mirror and may include a switch architecture for a large port-count optical switch to provide frame rates of 100 Hz or higher with improved resolution and detection range. A controller provides adjustable scanning of the field-of-view (FOV) with respect to scan area, scan or frame rate, and resolution for a frame, detected object, or time slices of a scan. A controller combines RGB data with NIR data to match 3D images with color 2D images. A controller or computer processes point cloud data to generate vector cloud data to identify, categorize, and track objects within or beyond the FOV. Vector cloud data provides lossless compression for storage/communication of road traffic and scene data, object history, and object sharing beyond the FOV.

Abstract: A scanning LiDAR with no moving parts includes a laser transmitter with a first magneto-optic switch delivering pulses to a first linear fiber array to a field of view (FOV), a receiver with optics directing reflected light to a second, orthogonal linear fiber array coupled to a second magneto-optic switch to deliver the light to a detector, and a controller to process detector signals and generate FOV data. A scanning method for improving resolution includes scanning along a first direction, directing light reflected from an object along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction to form a received beam provided to a detector, processing detector signals to generate a pixel array, and varying an intensity profile within a pixel to move peak intensity in a continuous manner within the pixel by synchronously varying polarization of the transmitted and received light using associated Faraday rotators and phase masks.