PLADAR: Planar Lidar
Uber is seeking to patent a planar Lidar sensor – with a very broad claim: “A planar-beam, light detection and ranging (PLADAR) system, the PLADAR system comprising: a laser scanner emitting a planar-beam; and a detector array to detect reflected light from the planar beam.”
The basic concept is based on a recognition that using more and more fixed lasers to generate vertical channels is impractical. Therefore, Uber suggest generating a beam plane (planar laser beam) in combination with many individual photodetectors to generate the required vertical resolution.
Uber deserves credit at least for inventing a new term. It appears that PLADAR for Planar Lidar has not previously been used in any patent application.
(US patent application publication 20170255199)