Abstract: A lidar system includes a lidar transmitter and a control circuit. The lidar transmitter can controllably fire a plurality of laser pulse shots into a field of view, and the control circuit can (1) detect a target based on a return from a laser pulse shot fired at a first shot angle, and (2) in response to the detected target, (i) schedule a pulse burst to be fired at the target, wherein the pulse burst comprises a second laser pulse shot to be fired at a second shot angle and a third laser pulse shot to be fired at a third shot angle, wherein the first shot angle is between the second and third shot angles, and (ii) control the lidar transmitter to fire the scheduled pulse burst.

Abstract: A lidar system can include a lidar transmitter and a lidar receiver, where the lidar transmitter controllably transmits a pulse burst toward a target in a field of view and where the lidar receiver resolves an angle to the target based on returns from the pulse burst. The pulse burst can include a first pulse fired at a first shot angle and a second pulse fired at a second shot angle.

Abstract: A lidar system comprises an optical amplification laser source, a mirror, and a control circuit. The optical amplification laser source can generate laser pulses for transmission as laser pulses shots into a field of view, the optical amplification laser source comprising a seed laser, a pump laser, and an optical amplifier. The mirror can be is scannable to control where the laser pulse shots are fired into the field of view, and the control circuit can control the seed laser to adjust its seed energy to control energy levels for a first laser pulse shot and a second laser pulse shot within a pulse burst to be transmitted from the optical amplification laser source via the mirror.

Abstract: A lidar system includes a lidar transmitter and a control circuit. The lidar transmitter can controllably fire a plurality of laser pulse shots into a field of view, and the control circuit can (1) detect a target based on a return from a laser pulse shot fired at a first shot angle, and (2) in response to the detected target, (i) schedule a pulse burst to be fired at the target, wherein the pulse burst comprises a second laser pulse shot to be fired at a second shot angle and a third laser pulse shot to be fired at a third shot angle, wherein the first shot angle is between the second and third shot angles, and (ii) control the lidar transmitter to fire the scheduled pulse burst.

Abstract: A lidar system comprises an optical amplification laser source, a mirror, and a control circuit. The optical amplification laser source can generate laser pulses for transmission as laser pulses shots into a field of view, the optical amplification laser source comprising a seed laser, a pump laser, and an optical amplifier. The mirror can be is scannable to control where the laser pulse shots are fired into the field of view, and the control circuit can control the seed laser to adjust its seed energy to control energy levels for a first laser pulse shot and a second laser pulse shot within a pulse burst to be transmitted from the optical amplification laser source via the mirror.

Abstract: A lidar system comprises (1) a lidar transmitter that switches from a baseline scan pattern to a pulse burst mode in response to a detection of a target in a field of view for the lidar transmitter, wherein the lidar transmitter transmits a pulse burst toward the target when in the pulse burst mode, and (2) a lidar receiver that refines an angle to the target based on returns from the pulse burst.

Abstract: A lidar system can include a lidar transmitter and a lidar receiver, where the lidar transmitter controllably transmits a pulse burst toward a target in a field of view and where the lidar receiver resolves an angle to the target based on returns from the pulse burst. The pulse burst can include a first pulse fired at a first shot angle and a second pulse fired at a second shot angle.