Abstract: A self-stabilizing integrally-molded pillar filling structure for underground mines is provided, belonging to the field of supporting structures, which includes an airbag, and the airbag is provided with a feed filling port and a gas inflation port; a telescopic bearing piece, and the telescopic bearing piece is fixedly provided on an inner surface of the airbag and is capable of expanding and contracting with volume change of an inner cavity of the airbag; and steel hoops, and the steel hoops are fixedly provided on an outer surface of the airbag.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a laser beam generation system. The laser beam generation system includes a first laser chip configured to generate a first polarized laser beam and a second laser chip configured to generate a second polarized laser beam. The laser beam generation system also includes a polarizer configured to combine the first polarized laser beam and the second polarized laser beam to generate a third laser beam.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system. In an example, the LiDAR system includes a laser source, a scanner, a beam deflecting unit, and a controller. The laser source is configured to emit a laser beam towards an object. The scanner is configured to receive a returned laser beam from the object, and deflect the returned laser beam towards a beam deflecting unit to form a first laser beam traveling along a first direction. The first direction deviates from a reference direction by a deviation angle. The beam deflecting unit is configured to receive the first laser beam, and deflect the first laser beam to form a second laser beam towards a photosensor. The controller is configured to dynamically control a deflection angle of the beam deflecting unit to cause the second laser beam to be deflected towards the photosensor to compensate the deviation angle.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide receivers for light detection and ranging (LiDAR). In an example, a receiver includes an acousto-optical (AO) beam deflecting unit configured to receive an input laser beam and a controller configured to cause an acoustic signal to be applied to the AO beam deflecting unit to deflect the input laser beam for a deflection angle and form an output laser beam towards a beam sensor. The deflection angle between the input and the output laser beams is nonzero.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a range estimation system for the optical sensing system. The exemplary range estimation system includes an optical detector array configured to receive a laser pulse returned from an object. The optical detector array includes a plurality of detector elements each configured to measure an intensity of the returned laser pulse. The range estimation system further includes a processor. The processor is configured to calculate an intensity-related value based on the intensities of the returned laser pulse measured using the optical detector array. The processor is further configured to determine a traveling time of the laser pulse based on the calculated intensity-related value. The processor is also configured to estimate a range between the object and the optical sensing system based on the traveling time of the laser pulse.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide an optical sensing system, an integrated transmitter module for the optical sensing system, and an optical sensing method performed using the optical sensing system. The exemplary optical sensing system includes an integrated transmitter module configured to emit an optical signal into an environment surrounding the optical sensing system. The integrated transmitter module includes a laser emitter, one or more driving integrated circuits, and one or more optics integrated into a chamber that is hermetically sealed. The optical sensing system further includes a photodetector configured to receive the optical signal reflected from the environment and convert the received optical signal to an electrical signal. The optical sensing system additionally includes a readout circuit configured to convert the electrical signal to a digital signal. The photodetector and the readout circuit are located outside the chamber enclosing the integrated transmitter module.

Abstract: An optical system may include an emitter array to emit a plurality of beams of light, and a lens array. The lens array may be arranged to collimate and direct each of the plurality of beams of light. A pitch between lenses of the lens array may be larger than a pitch between emitters of the emitter array in order to cause the plurality of beams of light to be directed such that they diverge after exiting the lens array. The optical system may include a diffractive optical element to distribute each of the plurality of beams of light into a plurality of beamlets in association with creating a light pattern. The divergence of each of the plurality of beams of light may cause a plurality of zero-order beamlets, each corresponding to one of the plurality of beams of light, to diverge after exiting the diffractive optical element.

Abstract: A structured light system may include a semiconductor laser to emit light and a diffractive optical element to diffract the light such that one or more diffracted orders of the light, associated with forming a structured light pattern, are transmitted by the diffractive optical element. The diffractive optical element may be arranged such that the light is to be incident on the diffractive optical element at a substantially non-normal angle of incidence. The substantially non-normal angle of incidence may be designed to cause the diffractive optical element to transmit a zero-order beam of the light outside of a field of view associated with the diffractive optical element.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide for a LiDAR system. The LiDAR system may generate a first FOV that is large and has rough resolution and a second FOV that is smaller and has a finer resolution. For an area of importance, such as along the horizon where pedestrians, vehicles, or other objects may be located, the second FOV with the finer resolution may be used. Using fine resolution for the area of importance may achieve a higher-degree of accuracy/safety in terms of autonomous navigation decision-making than if coarse resolution is used. Because the use of fine resolution is limited to a relatively small area, a reasonably sized photodetector and laser power may still be used to generate a long distance, high-resolution point-cloud.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide for a LiDAR system. The LiDAR system may dynamically select a first FOV of a far-field environment to be scanned at a rough resolution and a second FOV including important information, as indicated based on object data from a previous scanning procedure, to be scanned at a fine resolution. For example, an area-of-interest, such as along the horizon where pedestrians, vehicles, or other objects may be located, may be scanned with the finer resolution. Using fine resolution for the area-of-interest may achieve a higher-degree of accuracy/safety in terms of autonomous navigation decision-making than if coarse resolution is used. Because the use of fine resolution is limited to a relatively small area, a reasonably sized photodetector and laser power may still be used to generate a long distance, high-resolution point-cloud.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for improving the light collection efficiency in coaxial LiDAR systems. A coaxial LiDAR system includes a photodetector, a first polarization beam splitter configured to receive a returned light beam including a first linear polarization component and a second linear polarization component and direct the different linear polarization components to different respective directions, a polarization beam combiner configured to transmit the first linear polarization component from the first polarization beam splitter to the photodetector, a non-reciprocal polarization rotator configured to transmit the second linear polarization component from the first polarization beam splitter, and a second polarization beam splitter configured to reflect the second linear polarization component from the non-reciprocal polarization rotator towards the polarization beam combiner.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a receiver in an optical sensing system. The exemplary receiver includes a movable detector configured to receive optical signals reflected or scattered from an object scanned by the optical sensing system. The receiver further includes an actuator configured to move the movable detector. The receiver also includes a controller configured to determine a plurality of target positions of the movable detector for receiving the optical signals. The controller is further configured to control the actuator to move the movable detector to the plurality target positions according to a movement pattern.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide receivers for light detection and ranging (LiDAR). In an example, a receiver includes a beam reflecting unit comprising a plurality of digital micromirror devices (DMDs). The beam reflecting unit is configured to receive an input laser beam returned from an object being scanned by the LiDAR and reflect the input laser beam by at least one DMD selectively switched to an “ON” state at an operation angle to form an output laser beam towards a detector. The detector is configured to receive the output laser beam.

Abstract: In some examples, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises: an illuminator having an adjustable field of view (FOV), the FOV being adjusted based on setting a direction of propagation of light to illuminate the FOV; a light detector; and a controller configured to: control the illuminator to project the light along a first direction of propagation to illuminate a first FOV; control the illuminator to project the light along a second direction of propagation to illuminate a second FOV; detect, using the light detector, reflected light received from the first FOV and the second FOV to generate one or more detection outputs for a combined FOV including the first FOV and the second FOV; and perform at least one of a detection operation or a ranging operation of an object in the combined FOV based on the one or more detection outputs.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide receivers for light detection and ranging (LiDAR). In an example, a receiver includes an acousto-optical (AO) beam deflecting unit configured to receive an input laser beam and a controller configured to cause an acoustic signal to be applied to the AO beam deflecting unit to deflect the input laser beam for a deflection angle and form an output laser beam towards a beam sensor. The deflection angle between the input and the output laser beams is nonzero.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide receivers for light detection and ranging (LiDAR). In an example, a receiver includes a beam converging device and an EO beam deflecting unit. The beam converging device is configured to receive a laser beam from an object being scanned by the LiDAR and form an input laser beam. The EO beam deflecting unit is configured to generate a non-uniform medium having at least one of a refractive index gradient or a diffraction grating, receive the input laser beam such that the input laser beam impinges upon the non-uniform medium, and form an output laser beam towards a photosensor. An angle between the input and the output laser beams is nonzero.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide receivers for light detection and ranging (LiDAR). In an example, a receiver includes a beam reflecting unit having a plurality of digital micromirror devices (DMDs). The beam reflecting unit is configured to receive an input light beam returned from an object being scanned by the LiDAR, reflect a signal in the input light beam by at least one first DMD selectively switched to an “ON” state at an operation angle to form an output signal towards a detector, reflect a noise signal in the input light beam away from the detector by at least one second DMD selectively switched to an “OFF” state at a non-operation angle. The receiver also includes the detector configured to receive the output signal.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide receivers for light detection and ranging (LiDAR). In an example, a receiver includes a beam converging device, an AO beam deflecting unit, and a beam sensor. The beam converging device is configured to receive a laser beam from an object being scanned by the LiDAR and form an input laser beam. The AO beam deflecting unit is configured to generate a diffraction grating along a propagating direction of an acoustic wave, receive the input laser beam such that the input laser beam impinges upon the diffraction grating, and form an output laser beam towards the beam sensor. An angle between the input and the output laser beams is nonzero.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a receiver in an optical sensing system for receiving a light beam. The receiver includes a first polarizer configured to pass the light beam of a first polarization. The receiver further includes an electro-optical layer coated with patterned transparent electrodes. An electric field is applied to a selected area of the electro-optical layer through the patterned transparent electrodes, and the electro-optical layer changes a portion of the light beam from the first polarization to a second polarization. The receiver also includes a second polarizer configured to selectively pass the portion of the light beam of the second polarization. The receiver additionally includes a detector configured to receive the portion of the light beam output from the second polarizer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide transmitters for light detection and ranging (LiDAR). The transmitter includes a laser source, a light collimator, and a beam shifter. The laser source is configured to provide a native laser beam. The light collimator is configured to collimate the native laser beam to form an input laser beam transmitting along a lateral direction. The beam shifter is configured to shift the input laser beam along a vertical direction perpendicular to the lateral direction by a displacement to form an output laser beam. The output laser beam and the input laser beam are parallel to each other.