Hybrid lidar system

Abstract

A hybrid LIDAR system 100 includes a flash-based LIDAR detector array. A broad laser emitter is operatively connected to the LIDAR detector array for flash-based LIDAR sensing. A first beam steering mechanism is operatively connected with the broad laser emitter for scanning a scene with a broad beam from the broad laser emitter. A second beam steering mechanism is operatively connected with the LIDAR detector array for directing returns of the broad beam from the scene to the LIDAR detector array.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of generating LIDAR data comprising:
 directing a laser beam from a wide beam laser emitter through a first beam steering mechanism to scan a scene;   directing returns of the laser beam from the scene with a second beam steering mechanism to a LIDAR detector array;   generating time of flight data for returns of the laser beam for a plurality of detector points in the LIDAR detector array for each pulse of the laser beam; and   associating positional data with the time of flight data to generate LIDAR data.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein directing a laser beam includes steering the laser beam with the beam steering mechanism over a conical field of regard. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising detecting positional data regarding the first and second beam steering mechanisms. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the first beam steering mechanism includes a first Risley prism pair, and wherein the second beam steering mechanism includes a second Risley prism pair that is co-aligned with the first Risley prism pair, and wherein detecting positional data includes detecting prism positions for at least one prism in the first and second Risley prism pairs. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising controlling the first and second beam steering mechanisms to maintain alignment of the LIDAR detector array and the broad laser emitter. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising controlling LIDAR actuation with a LIDAR controller operatively connected to the LIDAR detector array and to the broad laser emitter. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising associating geo-location data with the LIDAR data to generate a raw 3-d point cloud with all metadata required for geo-registration of detected LIDAR points. 
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising obtaining the geo-location data from an inertial navigation system (INS) operatively connected to the LIDAR detector array. 
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising associating metadata with the LIDAR data using a real-time computer operatively connected to the LIDAR detector.