Four Technology Clusters Defining Solid-State LiDAR
Solid-state LiDAR eliminates the large-scale mechanical rotating assemblies found in traditional LiDAR systems, replacing them with electronic, photonic, or micro-electromechanical beam-steering mechanisms to deliver compact, reliable, and cost-effective 3D sensing. Based on the patent and literature dataset spanning 2012–2026, the field organises around four primary technical mechanisms — and understanding their distinct trade-offs is the starting point for any IP or R&D strategy in this space.
Cluster 1: Flash LiDAR with Arrayed Emitter-Detector Architectures
Flash LiDAR illuminates the full field of view in a single pulse, capturing 3D depth maps using SPAD (Single-Photon Avalanche Diode) arrays, InGaAs focal plane arrays, or CMOS ToF sensors. This eliminates any beam-steering mechanism at the cost of higher peak power requirements per pulse. OPSys Tech’s Eye-Safe Long-Range Solid-State LiDAR System (JP, 2024) uses sequenced groups of laser emitters with overlapping detector FOVs to build a scalable flash architecture. Atieva’s Flash LiDAR with Adaptive Illumination (EP, 2023) employs a spatial light modulator (SLM) to dynamically adjust illumination zone size and intensity within the FOV — a significant step toward energy-adaptive flash systems. Fraunhofer’s SPAD-based LiDAR fabricated in 0.35 µm automotive CMOS with coincidence-based background rejection was published in 2018, and Politecnico di Milano reviewed the full SPAD and SiPM array landscape for long-range LiDAR in 2021.
Cluster 2: MEMS Mirror-Based Scanning LiDAR
MEMS mirrors offer a quasi-solid-state solution — retaining a microscale moving element while eliminating large-scale mechanical rotation. The University of Arizona demonstrated an All-MEMS LiDAR using a hybrid architecture: a 2D-MEMS mirror for fine beam steering combined with Digital Micromirror Devices (DMDs) for wide-FOV scanning at 37° and 140 mm² aperture, achieving 0.57°(H) × 0.23°(V) angular resolution. Infineon Technologies Austria published robustness testing results for a 1D resonant MEMS LiDAR — a 10° × 11° FOV system operating at up to 29 Hz frame rate — against automotive-grade vibration conforming to the LV124 standard in 2022.
The University of California, Berkeley demonstrated a 16,384-pixel solid-state LiDAR (128×128 focal plane switching array) with a 70°×70° field of view, monolithically integrated on a 10×11 mm² silicon photonic chip combining grating antennas with MEMS-actuated optical switches for random-access beam addressing at sub-MHz speeds — among the highest-resolution solid-state LiDAR demonstrations reported as of 2026.
Cluster 3: Optical Phased Arrays and Silicon Photonics
OPA-based LiDAR achieves fully non-mechanical beam steering by phase-shifting an optical wavefront across an array of nanoscale antenna elements fabricated in standard silicon photonics processes. This approach promises the highest level of integration but faces challenges in optical efficiency and sidelobe suppression. Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s 2021 work on blind zone-suppressed hybrid beam steering proposed a 1D long-emitter array with multiwavelength flash emission, achieving 5% blind zone suppression and 0.06°/point deflection step at 4.2 µs scanning speed. Qualcomm’s Solid-State Electronic LiDAR (EP, 2023) uses electrically controllable light-direction-changing elements generating successive diffraction grating patterns to steer laser intensity maxima across the FOV — a pure electronic steering approach compatible with semiconductor manufacturing, as documented by WIPO-registered filings.
Cluster 4: Novel Light Source Integration — PCSELs and Multi-Wavelength Systems
A nascent cluster involves the replacement of conventional edge-emitting or VCSEL sources with photonic-crystal surface-emitting lasers (PCSELs) and multi-wavelength architectures. National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University’s 2022 review identifies PCSEL’s narrow beam divergence and symmetric profile as ideal for compact ToF LiDAR. OPSys Tech’s Multi-Wavelength LiDAR System (EP, 2026) projects two differently wavelength-coded beam profiles onto the same target plane, generating a composite point cloud whose angular resolution depends on the relative offset of the two profiles — effectively achieving super-resolution from wavelength interleaving. Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation patented a 360° field-scanning LiDAR with no moving parts (JP, 2024) using a spiral phase plate resonator and conical mirror with frequency-adjusted laser tuning for angular steering.
An OPA achieves beam steering by controlling the relative phase of light emitted from an array of nanoscale antenna elements fabricated on a silicon photonics chip. Because there are no moving parts, OPA promises the highest level of miniaturisation and CMOS manufacturing compatibility — but faces ongoing challenges in optical efficiency and sidelobe suppression that limit commercial deployment as of 2026.
From Exploration to System Integration: The Patent Timeline
The solid-state LiDAR patent record from 2012 to 2026 divides cleanly into three temporal bands, each reflecting a distinct phase of industrial maturity — from early proof-of-concept exploration through rapid industrialisation to the current phase of system-level integration and product differentiation.
Early foundation (2012–2017): The earliest signals are dominated by general LiDAR sensing principles and application exploration. Waymo’s Long Range Steerable LiDAR System (IL, 2017) and companion filings in Singapore reflect early investment by autonomous driving pioneers in fiber-laser-based scanning architectures. Flash LiDAR for UAV applications was explored as early as 2012 by Guilin University of Technology. KAIST demonstrated high-resolution flash LiDAR using Pockels cell polarization modulation in 2016.
Active development phase (2018–2022): The bulk of records cluster in this period, reflecting rapid industrialisation. Infineon Technologies Austria published MEMS-based LiDAR research for autonomous driving in 2018. The University of Florida published a comprehensive MEMS mirror review in 2020. Silicon photonics OPA approaches were reviewed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics in 2019. Tsinghua University proposed a compact MEMS-based 3D imaging LiDAR vision system in 2019. Hesai Technology and Hesai Photonics filed multiple US design patents from 2021–2022 for compact LiDAR form factors.
Maturation and system integration (2023–2026): The most recent filings signal a move from component-level innovation to system-level integration and product differentiation. OPSys Tech filed a Distributed Modular Solid-State LiDAR System (EP, 2025) and a Multi-Wavelength LiDAR System (EP, 2026). Hesai Technology filed a US design patent as recently as March 2026. Velodyne LiDAR USA filed a GaN-based multi-channel illumination driver (EP, 2024). Qualcomm filed for solid-state electronic LiDAR using electrically controllable diffraction gratings (EP, 2023).
Explore the full solid-state LiDAR patent dataset — search, filter, and analyse filings across all jurisdictions with PatSnap Eureka.
Explore LiDAR Patents in PatSnap Eureka →Who Holds the IP: Assignee and Geographic Landscape
US jurisdiction is the most heavily represented filing destination in this dataset, accounting for the majority of design and utility patents from Chinese, American, and European assignees alike. EP filings appear for OPSys Tech, Qualcomm, Iris Industries, Velodyne, and Atieva. JP filings cover Northrop Grumman Systems, Velodyne, and OPSys Tech. IL and SG filings appear exclusively for Waymo, signalling a targeted geographic prosecution strategy for a core autonomous driving architecture.
Hesai Technology Co., Ltd. and Hesai Photonics Technology Co., Ltd. (China) are the single most prolific solid-state LiDAR filers in the analysed dataset with at least 9 active US design patents spanning 2021–2026, covering compact LiDAR housing form factors and signalling aggressive product design IP accumulation for automotive market entry.
The top assignees by filing volume in this dataset are:
- Hesai Technology / Hesai Photonics (China): At least 9 active US design patents, 2021–2026, covering compact LiDAR housing form factors.
- Waymo LLC (US): 6 active/inactive patents across IL and SG jurisdictions, 2017–2024, all covering variants of the same long-range steerable fiber laser LiDAR.
- OPSys Tech Ltd. (Israel): 3 substantive utility patents (JP 2024, EP 2025, EP 2026) covering distributed flash LiDAR and multi-wavelength architectures — the most technically diverse and recent filer in this dataset.
- Beijing Voyager Technology Co., Ltd. (China): 4 active US design patents, 2022–2024, for LiDAR component industrial design.
- Velodyne LiDAR USA / Velodyne LiDAR, Inc. (US): Active patents in EP and JP covering 3D imaging architecture and GaN-based multi-channel illumination drivers, 2021–2025.
- Volvo Car Corporation (Sweden): 2 active US design patents, 2023–2024, for vehicle-integrated LiDAR sensors — the leading European OEM filer in this dataset.
Academic and research contributions are concentrated in China (Tsinghua, Shanghai Jiao Tong, National University of Defense Technology, Harbin Engineering University, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University/Taiwan), the US (UC Berkeley, MIT, University of Florida, University of Arizona), Germany (Infineon Technologies Austria AG, Fraunhofer), and Singapore (A*STAR, Nanyang Technological University). This academic activity aligns with broader trends in photonics and semiconductor research tracked by IEEE and Nature journals.
“Hesai Technology and Beijing Voyager together account for more than 13 active US design patents in this dataset — signalling an aggressive strategy to establish IP presence in the largest commercial LiDAR market.”
Application Domains Driving Demand
Autonomous vehicles and ADAS represent the dominant application sector in this dataset, with the broadest range of assignees and the highest concentration of active patents. Beyond automotive, solid-state LiDAR is establishing footholds in robotics, UAV mapping, space science, and industrial geoscience — each with distinct technical requirements and IP dynamics.
Autonomous Vehicles and ADAS
Beijing Voyager Technology, Hesai Technology, SZ DJI Technology, Volvo Car Corporation, Polestar Performance, and TuSimple all hold active US design patents for vehicle-integrated LiDAR form factors (2021–2024). Waymo holds multiple active patents for steerable LiDAR systems across Singapore, Israel, and IL jurisdictions (2017–2024). A System and Method for Avoidance of Forward Collision using Solid State LiDAR (IN, 2020) represents an early-stage forward-collision application filing. Bosch Car Multimedia Portugal developed an automotive LiDAR evaluation and testing platform (published 2021–2022). The safety standards and testing frameworks for automotive LiDAR are increasingly referenced against guidelines from ISO functional safety standards.
Robotics and SLAM
Nanyang Technological University published on lightweight 3D localization and mapping for solid-state LiDAR (2021), addressing the algorithmic challenges created by solid-state LiDAR’s narrow FOV relative to mechanical sensors. National University of Defense Technology (Changsha) proposed RSS-LIWOM — a rotating solid-state LiDAR system extended to 360° by servo motor, combined with a multi-sensor fusion odometry algorithm (2023). Harbin Engineering University proposed a solid-state LiDAR-inertial-visual fusion framework with quadratic motion compensation (2023).
Solid-state LiDAR’s narrow field of view relative to mechanical rotating sensors creates specific algorithmic challenges for SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) in mobile robotics. Research groups at Nanyang Technological University (2021), National University of Defense Technology (2023), and Harbin Engineering University (2023) have each published sensor fusion frameworks specifically designed to compensate for this limitation in solid-state LiDAR platforms.
UAV, Space, and Industrial Applications
Flash LiDAR was identified for UAV deployment as early as 2012 by Guilin University of Technology. The University of Florida assessed uncrewed aircraft system LiDAR data quality in 2019, and Oregon State University evaluated UAS-based laser scanning accuracy against terrestrial reference systems in 2019. Iris Industries SA patented a Short Wavelength Infrared LiDAR (EP, 2022) for eye-safe operation at ranges exceeding 200 m using microlaser arrays and compact emitter-detector modules. NASA Langley Research Center presented solid-state laser/LiDAR systems for airborne and spaceborne Earth and Planetary Science missions (2020). MIT developed a Small All-Range Lidar for Asteroid and Comet Core Missions (2021) using fiber lasers with pseudo-noise coding. Fraunhofer UK assessed diode lasers for spaceborne LiDAR applications with enhanced sampling coverage (2022).
Track solid-state LiDAR application patents across automotive, robotics, and aerospace with PatSnap Eureka’s AI-powered search.
Search Application Patents in PatSnap Eureka →Emerging Directions and Whitespace Opportunities
Based on filings and publications dated 2023–2026 within this dataset, five directional signals are visible — each representing either a technical discontinuity or an underprotected IP frontier.
1. Multi-wavelength point cloud enhancement: OPSys Tech’s Multi-Wavelength LiDAR System (EP, filed 2026) represents a shift toward wavelength-multiplexed LiDAR. Two differently wavelength-coded beam profiles are projected onto the same target plane, generating a composite point cloud whose angular resolution depends on the relative offset of the two profiles — effectively achieving super-resolution from wavelength interleaving. This is a non-obvious architecture with strong IP differentiation potential.
2. Distributed and modular solid-state transmitter systems: OPSys Tech’s Distributed Modular Solid-State LiDAR System (EP, 2025) separates the transmitter into physically distinct modules whose FOVs overlap at range — enabling conformal integration into vehicle body surfaces rather than discrete sensor pods. This approach is directly aligned with the automotive OEM trend toward flush-mounted LiDAR.
3. GaN-based drive electronics for multi-channel LiDAR: Velodyne LiDAR USA’s Multi-Channel LiDAR Illumination Driver (EP, 2024) using GaN-based IC technology signals a push toward higher-speed, higher-efficiency pulse generation critical for dense flash LiDAR arrays.
4. Silicon photonics MEMS-integrated focal plane arrays: UC Berkeley’s 16,384-pixel FPSA on a 10×11 mm² silicon photonic chip (2022) represents a pre-commercial milestone. The convergence of MEMS actuation with silicon photonics waveguide routing on a monolithic chip is likely to generate significant patent activity through 2026–2028.
5. LiDAR-inertial-visual sensor fusion algorithms for solid-state platforms: Papers from Harbin Engineering University (2023) and National University of Defense Technology (2023) reflect growing algorithmic innovation to compensate for solid-state LiDAR’s narrow FOV in mobile robotics SLAM — an area where software patents and algorithm licensing may become strategically significant. This aligns with broader sensor fusion research trends documented by IEEE.
Multiple research groups are publishing advanced odometry and mapping frameworks optimised for solid-state LiDAR’s narrow FOV, but patent filings in this area are sparse in this dataset. This represents a strategic opportunity for robotics and autonomous systems companies to establish IP claims before commercialisation consolidates.
Strategic Implications for IP and R&D Teams
The solid-state LiDAR patent landscape in 2026 presents distinct risk and opportunity signals for IP counsel, R&D directors, and competitive intelligence teams — depending on whether they are incumbents, new entrants, or technology suppliers.
Chinese manufacturers are dominating design patent volume in US jurisdiction. Hesai Technology and Beijing Voyager together account for more than 13 active US design patents in this dataset, signalling an aggressive strategy to establish IP presence in the largest commercial LiDAR market. Western OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers should monitor this for freedom-to-operate risk. Patent landscape analysis tools such as PatSnap’s patent analytics platform can help teams map exposure systematically.
OPSys Tech is the highest-velocity utility filer in 2025–2026. With three substantive patents covering distributed flash, multi-wavelength, and eye-safe long-range architectures, OPSys Tech represents an under-watched but technically sophisticated IP accumulator with strong differentiation from incumbents.
The MEMS-silicon photonics convergence is the highest-risk whitespace for incumbents. A monolithic 16,384-pixel chip with 70°×70° FOV and sub-MHz random-access addressing — as demonstrated by UC Berkeley — would obsolete current product architectures. R&D teams should assess exposure to this technological discontinuity. The broader photonics semiconductor landscape is tracked by WIPO‘s technology trends reports.
Automotive OEM LiDAR integration is shifting from add-on sensors to body-conformal modules. Volvo and Polestar holding vehicle LiDAR design patents, combined with OPSys Tech’s distributed transmitter architecture, suggests the industry is moving toward LiDAR embedded flush with vehicle surfaces — creating new industrial design IP battlegrounds.
Algorithmic IP for solid-state LiDAR SLAM and sensor fusion is an underprotected frontier. Multiple research groups are publishing advanced odometry and mapping frameworks optimised for solid-state LiDAR’s narrow FOV, but patent filings in this area are sparse in this dataset — representing a strategic opportunity for robotics and autonomous systems companies to establish claims before commercialisation consolidates. PatSnap’s competitive intelligence tools can help teams identify and monitor this whitespace.