Scan mirror systems and methods

Abstract

A system to scan a field of view with light beams can include a scanning mirror arrangement having a mirror and a drive mechanism configured to rotate the mirror about an axis between two terminal positions; at least one light source configured to simultaneously produce at least a first light beam and a second light beam directed at the mirror from different directions. Upon rotation of the mirror, the first and second light beams can scan a field of view. The scanning mirror arrangement may include a mirror; hinges attached at opposite sides of the mirror; and a drive mechanism attached to the hinges and configured to twist the hinges resulting in a larger twist to the mirror, wherein the hinges are disposed between the drive mechanism and the mirror.

1 . A system to illuminate a field of view (FOV) for a vehicle, comprising:
 a first light source and a second light source that are adapted for attachment to the vehicle, wherein a first light source is arranged on a first side of the vehicle and the second light source is arranged on a second side of the vehicle, wherein the first light source emits a first light beam that illuminates the FOV in a direction of travel of the vehicle, and wherein the second light source emits a second light beam that also illuminates the FOV in the vehicle's direction of travel;   a first camera that is arranged on the first side and a second camera that is arranged on the second side, wherein the first camera is arranged to detect reflection of the first light beam in the FOV of the vehicle's direction of travel and the second camera is arranged to detect reflection of the second light beam in the FOV of the vehicle's direction of travel; and   in response to the first camera or the second camera detecting one or more retroreflective reflections of the corresponding first or second light beams in the FOV of the vehicle's direction of travel, the first light source and the second light source are arranged to emit pulses of the first light beam and the second light beam, wherein the pulses of the first and second light beams are arranged to reduce an amount of the one or more retroreflective reflections detected by the first camera and the second camera.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more retroreflective reflections, further comprise retroreflective reflection of the first or second light beams from one or more atmospheric conditions in the illuminated FOV in the vehicle's direction of travel, wherein the one or more atmospheric conditions include snow, rain, hail, sleet, fog, dust, smoke, or air pollution. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pulses of the first and second light beams, further comprise emitting the pulses of first light beam and the second light beam 180 degrees out of phase to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the arrangement of the first light source and the first camera on the first side and the arrangement of the second light source and the second camera on the second side, further comprises:
 attaching the first light source on or towards a left side of a front side or a top side of the vehicle;   attaching the first camera on or towards the left side of the vehicle's front side or top side;   attaching the second light source on or towards a right side of the vehicle's front side or top side; and   attaching the second camera on or towards the right side of the vehicle's front side or top side.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first side and the second side, further comprise arrangement on the vehicle that is either parallel or perpendicular to each other: 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third light source arranged on one of the first side or the second side of the vehicle;   a third camera arranged on the one of the first side or the second side of the vehicle; and   in response to the first camera, the second camera, and the third camera detecting one or more reflections of the corresponding first, second, or third light beams in the FOV of the vehicle's direction of travel, providing trifocal three dimensional (3D) motion tracking of one or more objects in the FOV of the vehicle's direction of travel.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first scanning mirror arrangement and a second scanning mirror arrangement, wherein the first and second light sources are arranged to direct the first light beam and the second light beam at each mirror of each scanning mirror arrangement, wherein a direction of the first light beam toward each mirror differs from another direction of the second light beam toward each mirror, wherein the first and the second light beams are arranged to separately scan the FOV in the vehicle's direction of travel.   
     
     
         8 . A method to illuminate a field of view (FOV) for a vehicle, comprising:
 employing a first light source and a second light source to illuminate the FOV in a direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein a first light source is arranged on a first side of the vehicle and the second light source is arranged on a second side of the vehicle, wherein the first light source emits a first light beam that illuminates the FOV in the vehicle's direction of travel, and wherein the second light source emits a second light beam that also illuminates the FOV in the vehicle's direction of travel;   employing a first camera that is arranged on the first side and a second camera that is arranged on the second side to detect reflection of the first light beam in the FOV of the vehicle's direction of travel and the second light beam in the FOV of the vehicle's direction of travel; and   in response to the first camera or the second camera detecting one or more retroreflective reflections of the corresponding first or second light beams in the FOV of the vehicle's direction of travel, the first light source and the second light source are arranged to emit pulses of the first light beam and the second light beam, wherein the pulses of the first and second light beams are arranged to reduce an amount of the one or more retroreflective reflections detected by the first camera and the second camera.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more retroreflective reflections, further comprise retroreflective reflection of the first or second light beams from one or more atmospheric conditions in the illuminated FOV in the vehicle's direction of travel, wherein the one or more atmospheric conditions include snow, rain, hail, sleet, fog, dust, smoke, or air pollution. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the pulses of the first and second light beams, further comprise emitting the pulses of first light beam and the second light beam 180 degrees out of phase to each other. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 providing a third light source arranged on one of the first side or the second side of the vehicle;   providing a third camera arranged on the one of the first side or the second side of the vehicle; and   in response to the first camera, the second camera, and the third camera detecting one or more reflections of the corresponding first, second, or third light beams in the FOV of the vehicle's direction of travel, providing trifocal three dimensional (3D) motion tracking of one or more objects in the FOV of the vehicle's direction of travel.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 providing a first scanning mirror arrangement and a second scanning mirror arrangement, wherein the first and second light sources are arranged to direct the first light beam and the second light beam at each mirror of each scanning mirror arrangement, wherein a direction of the first light beam toward each mirror differs from another direction of the second light beam toward each mirror, wherein the first and the second light beams are arranged to separately scan the FOV in the vehicle's direction of travel.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the arrangement of the first light source and the first camera on the first side and the arrangement of the second light source and the second camera on the second side, further comprises:
 providing attachment of the first light source on or towards a left side of a front side or a top side of the vehicle;   providing attachment of the first camera on or towards the left side of the vehicle's front side or top side;   providing attachment of the second light source on or towards a right side of the vehicle's front side or front side; and   providing attachment of the second camera on or towards the right side of the vehicle's front side or top side.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first side and the second side, further comprise arrangement on the vehicle that is either parallel or perpendicular to each other: 
     
     
         15 . A processor readable non-transitory computer readable media that includes instructions, wherein execution of the instructions by one or more processors enables a plurality of actions that provide for illumination of a field of view (FOV) for a vehicle, wherein the plurality of actions, comprise:
 employing a first light source and a second light source to illuminate the FOV in a direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein a first light source is arranged on a first side of the vehicle and the second light source is arranged on a second side of the vehicle, wherein the first light source emits a first light beam that illuminates the FOV in the vehicle's direction of travel, and wherein the second light source emits a second light beam that also illuminates the FOV in the vehicle's direction of travel;   employing a first camera that is arranged on the first side and a second camera that is arranged on the second side to detect reflection of the first light beam in the FOV of the vehicle's direction of travel and the second light beam in the FOV of the vehicle's direction of travel; and   in response to the first camera or the second camera detecting one or more retroreflective reflections of the corresponding first or second light beams in the FOV of the vehicle's direction of travel, the first light source and the second light source are arranged to emit pulses of the first light beam and the second light beam, wherein the pulses of the first and second light beams are arranged to reduce an amount of the one or more retroreflective reflections detected by the first camera and the second camera.   
     
     
         16 . The processor readable non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more retroreflective reflections, further comprise retroreflective reflection of the first or second light beams from one or more atmospheric conditions in the illuminated FOV in the vehicle's direction of travel, wherein the one or more atmospheric conditions include snow, rain, hail, sleet, fog, dust, smoke, or air pollution. 
     
     
         17 . The processor readable non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the pulses of the first and second light beams, further comprise emitting the pulses of first light beam and the second light beam 180 degrees out of phase to each other. 
     
     
         18 . The processor readable non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 providing a third light source arranged on one of the first side or the second side of the vehicle;   providing a third camera arranged on the one of the first side or the second side of the vehicle; and   in response to the first camera, the second camera, and the third camera detecting one or more reflections of the corresponding first, second, or third light beams in the FOV of the vehicle's direction of travel, providing trifocal three dimensional (3D) motion tracking of one or more objects in the FOV of the vehicle's direction of travel.   
     
     
         19 . The processor readable non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 15 ,
 providing a first scanning mirror arrangement and a second scanning mirror arrangement, wherein the first and second light sources are arranged to direct the first light beam and the second light beam at each mirror of each scanning mirror arrangement, wherein a direction of the first light beam toward each mirror differs from another direction of the second light beam toward each mirror, wherein the first and the second light beams are arranged to separately scan the FOV in the vehicle's direction of travel.   
     
     
         20 . The processor readable non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the arrangement of the first light source and the first camera on the first side and the arrangement of the second light source and the second camera on the second side, further comprises:
 providing attachment of the first light source on or towards a left side of a front side or a top side of the vehicle;   providing attachment of the first camera on or towards the left side of the vehicle's front side or top side;   providing attachment of the second light source on or towards a right side of the vehicle's front side or top side; and   providing attachment of the second camera on or towards the right side of the vehicle's front side or top side.