公开(公告)号：US12134384B2

公开(公告)日：2024-11-05

申请号：US18218290

申请日：2023-07-05

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： David I. Ferguson ,  Nathaniel Fairfield ,  Anthony Levandowski

IPC: B60W30/18 ,  G05D1/00 ,  G06V20/56 ,  G06V20/58

Abstract: Methods and devices for detecting traffic signals and their associated states are disclosed. In one embodiment, an example method includes a scanning a target area using one or more sensors of a vehicle to obtain target area information. The vehicle may be configured to operate in an autonomous mode, and the target area may be a type of area where traffic signals are typically located. The method may also include detecting a traffic signal in the target area information, determining a location of the traffic signal, and determining a state of the traffic signal. Also, a confidence in the traffic signal may be determined. For example, the location of the traffic signal may be compared to known locations of traffic signals. Based on the state of the traffic signal and the confidence in the traffic signal, the vehicle may be controlled in the autonomous mode.

公开(公告)号：USRE48961E1

公开(公告)日：2022-03-08

申请号：US15799926

申请日：2017-10-31

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Daniel Gruver ,  Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Gaetan Pennecot ,  Anthony Levandowski ,  Drew Eugene Ulrich ,  Zachary Morriss ,  Luke Wachter ,  Dorel Ionut Iordache ,  Rahim Pardhan ,  William McCann ,  Bernard Fidric ,  Samuel William Lenius ,  Peter Avram

IPC: G01C3/00 ,  G01S7/48 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G01C3/02 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/66 ,  G01S17/87 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/93 ,  G01S17/86

Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes one or more wheels positioned at a bottom side of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes a first light detection and ranging device (LIDAR) positioned at a top side of the vehicle opposite to the bottom side. The first LIDAR is configured to scan an environment around the vehicle based on rotation of the first LIDAR about an axis. The first LIDAR has a first resolution. The vehicle also includes a second LIDAR configured to scan a field-of-view of the environment that extends away from the vehicle along a viewing direction of the second LIDAR. The second LIDAR has a second resolution. The vehicle also includes a controller configured to operate the vehicle based on the scans of the environment by the first LIDAR and the second LIDAR.

公开(公告)号：USRE48874E1

公开(公告)日：2022-01-04

申请号：US16890789

申请日：2020-06-02

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Gaetan Pennecot ,  Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Drew Eugene Ulrich ,  Daniel Gruver ,  Zachary Morriss ,  Anthony Levandowski

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/89

Abstract: A LIDAR device may transmit light pulses originating from one or more light sources and may receive reflected light pulses that are then detected by one or more detectors. The LIDAR device may include a lens that both (i) collimates the light from the one or more light sources to provide collimated light for transmission into an environment of the LIDAR device and (ii) focuses the reflected light onto the one or more detectors. The lens may define a curved focal surface in a transmit path of the light from the one or more light sources and a curved focal surface in a receive path of the one or more detectors. The one or more light sources may be arranged along the curved focal surface in the transmit path. The one or more detectors may be arranged along the curved focal surface in the receive path.

公开(公告)号：US20210278503A1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-09

申请号：US17194447

申请日：2021-03-08

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Gaetan Pennecot ,  Zachary Morriss ,  Samuel Lenius ,  Dorel lonut lordache ,  Daniel Gruver ,  Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Luke Wachter ,  Drew Ulrich ,  William McCann ,  Rahim Pardhan ,  Bernard Fidric ,  Anthony Levandowski ,  Peter Avram

IPC: G01S7/48 ,  G01S17/93 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/66 ,  G01S17/87 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G01C3/02

Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes one or more wheels positioned at a bottom side of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes a first light detection and ranging device (LIDAR) positioned at a top side of the vehicle opposite to the bottom side. The first LIDAR is configured to scan an environment around the vehicle based on rotation of the first LIDAR about an axis. The first LIDAR has a first resolution. The vehicle also includes a second LIDAR configured to scan a field-of-view of the environment that extends away from the vehicle along a viewing direction of the second LIDAR. The second LIDAR has a second resolution. The vehicle also includes a controller configured to operate the vehicle based on the scans of the environment by the first LIDAR and the second LIDAR.

公开(公告)号：US20180011196A1

公开(公告)日：2018-01-11

申请号：US15714326

申请日：2017-09-25

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Gaetan Pennecot ,  Zachary Morriss ,  Samuel Lenius ,  Ionut Iordache ,  Daniel Gruver ,  Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Luke Wachter ,  Drew Ulrich ,  William Mccann ,  Rahim Pardhan ,  Bernard Fidric ,  Anthony Levandowski ,  Peter Avram

IPC: G01S17/93 ,  G01S17/87 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/481

CPC classification number: G01S17/93 ,  G01C3/02 ,  G01S7/4808 ,  G01S7/4813 ,  G01S7/4815 ,  G01S7/4816 ,  G01S7/4817 ,  G01S17/023 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/66 ,  G01S17/87 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/936

Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes one or more wheels positioned at a bottom side of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes a first light detection and ranging device (LIDAR) positioned at a top side of the vehicle opposite to the bottom side. The first LIDAR is configured to scan an environment around the vehicle based on rotation of the first LIDAR about an axis. The first LIDAR has a first resolution. The vehicle also includes a second LIDAR configured to scan a field-of-view of the environment that extends away from the vehicle along a viewing direction of the second LIDAR. The second LIDAR has a second resolution. The vehicle also includes a controller configured to operate the vehicle based on the scans of the environment by the first LIDAR and the second LIDAR.

公开(公告)号：US09864063B2

公开(公告)日：2018-01-09

申请号：US15493066

申请日：2017-04-20

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Daniel Gruver ,  Pierre-yves Droz ,  Gaetan Pennecot ,  Anthony Levandowski ,  Drew Eugene Ulrich ,  Zachary Morriss ,  Luke Wachter ,  Dorel Ionut Iordache ,  Rahim Pardhan ,  William McCann ,  Bernard Fidric ,  Samuel William Lenius

IPC: G01C3/08 ,  G01S17/93 ,  G01S17/87 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/10

CPC classification number: G01S17/93 ,  G01C3/02 ,  G01S7/4808 ,  G01S7/4813 ,  G01S7/4815 ,  G01S7/4816 ,  G01S7/4817 ,  G01S17/023 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/66 ,  G01S17/87 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/936

Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes one or more wheels positioned at a bottom side of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes a first light detection and ranging device (LIDAR) positioned at a top side of the vehicle opposite to the bottom side. The first LIDAR is configured to scan an environment around the vehicle based on rotation of the first LIDAR about an axis. The first LIDAR has a first resolution. The vehicle also includes a second LIDAR configured to scan a field-of-view of the environment that extends away from the vehicle along a viewing direction of the second LIDAR. The second LIDAR has a second resolution. The vehicle also includes a controller configured to operate the vehicle based on the scans of the environment by the first LIDAR and the second LIDAR.

公开(公告)号：US20170219713A1

公开(公告)日：2017-08-03

申请号：US15493066

申请日：2017-04-20

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Daniel Gruver ,  Pierre-yves Droz ,  Gaetan Pennecot ,  Anthony Levandowski ,  Drew Eugene Ulrich ,  Zachary Morriss ,  Luke Wachter ,  Dorel Ionut Iordache ,  Rahim Pardhan ,  William McCann ,  Bernard Fidric ,  Samuel William Lenius

IPC: G01S17/93 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/87 ,  G01S17/89

CPC classification number: G01S17/93 ,  G01C3/02 ,  G01S7/4808 ,  G01S7/4813 ,  G01S7/4815 ,  G01S7/4816 ,  G01S7/4817 ,  G01S17/023 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/66 ,  G01S17/87 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/936

Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes one or more wheels positioned at a bottom side of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes a first light detection and ranging device (LIDAR) positioned at a top side of the vehicle opposite to the bottom side. The first LIDAR is configured to scan an environment around the vehicle based on rotation of the first LIDAR about an axis. The first LIDAR has a first resolution. The vehicle also includes a second LIDAR configured to scan a field-of-view of the environment that extends away from the vehicle along a viewing direction of the second LIDAR. The second LIDAR has a second resolution. The vehicle also includes a controller configured to operate the vehicle based on the scans of the environment by the first LIDAR and the second LIDAR.

公开(公告)号：US12196884B2

公开(公告)日：2025-01-14

申请号：US17366768

申请日：2021-07-02

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Pierre-yves Droz ,  Gaetan Pennecot ,  Anthony Levandowski ,  Drew Eugene Ulrich ,  Zach Morriss ,  Luke Wachter ,  Dorel Ionut Iordache ,  William McCann ,  Daniel Gruver ,  Bernard Fidric ,  Samuel William Lenius

IPC: G01S7/48 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S13/931 ,  G01S17/86 ,  G01S17/87 ,  G01S17/931

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that relate to a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device. The LIDAR device includes a fiber laser configured to emit light within a wavelength range, a scanning portion configured to direct the emitted light in a reciprocating manner about a first axis, and a plurality of detectors configured to sense light within the wavelength range. The device additionally includes a controller configured to receive target information, which may be indicative of an object, a position, a location, or an angle range. In response to receiving the target information, the controller may cause the rotational mount to rotate so as to adjust a pointing direction of the LIDAR. The controller is further configured to cause the LIDAR to scan a field-of-view (FOV) of the environment. The controller may determine a three-dimensional (3D) representation of the environment based on data from scanning the FOV.

公开(公告)号：US20230339469A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-26

申请号：US18218290

申请日：2023-07-05

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： David I. Ferguson ,  Nathaniel Fairfield ,  Anthony Levandowski

IPC: B60W30/18 ,  G06V20/56 ,  G06V20/58 ,  G05D1/02 ,  G05D1/00

CPC classification number: B60W30/18154 ,  G06V20/56 ,  G06V20/582 ,  G06V20/584 ,  G05D1/0231 ,  G05D1/0088 ,  B60W2555/60 ,  B60W2556/50

Abstract: Methods and devices for detecting traffic signals and their associated states are disclosed. In one embodiment, an example method includes a scanning a target area using one or more sensors of a vehicle to obtain target area information. The vehicle may be configured to operate in an autonomous mode, and the target area may be a type of area where traffic signals are typically located. The method may also include detecting a traffic signal in the target area information, determining a location of the traffic signal, and determining a state of the traffic signal. Also, a confidence in the traffic signal may be determined. For example, the location of the traffic signal may be compared to known locations of traffic signals. Based on the state of the traffic signal and the confidence in the traffic signal, the vehicle may be controlled in the autonomous mode.

公开(公告)号：US20210217306A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-15

申请号：US17215732

申请日：2021-03-29

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Chris Urmson ,  Bradley Templeton ,  Anthony Levandowski ,  Eric Teller ,  Brian Cullinane

IPC: G08G1/01 ,  G08G1/048

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for providing information about road features. A server can receive reports from information sources associated with a road feature that can include a road intersection. Each report can include source data obtained at a respective time. The source data from the reports can be stored at the server. The server can construct a phase map, where the phase map is configured to represent a status of the road feature at one or more times. The server can receive an information request related to the road feature at a specified time. In response to the information request, the server can generate an information response including a prediction of a status related to the road feature at the specified time. The prediction can be provided by the phase map and is based on information request. The information response can be sent from the server.