公开(公告)号：US20220191604A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-16

申请号：US17685480

申请日：2022-03-03

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Choon Ping Chng ,  Cheng-Han Wu ,  Jun Hou ,  Xuan Zhong

IPC: H04R1/04 ,  H04R1/22 ,  H04R1/08

Abstract: A sensor module comprising a housing defining an internal cavity, the housing including an aperture, at least one microphone positioned in the internal cavity spaced from the aperture, a first barrier proximate the aperture, and a second barrier positioned between the at least one microphone and the first barrier.

公开(公告)号：US20220191466A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-16

申请号：US17121861

申请日：2020-12-15

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Andy Wong ,  Nirav Dharia

IPC: H04N17/00 ,  H04N5/232 ,  G06T7/00 ,  H04N7/18 ,  B08B1/00 ,  B08B3/04 ,  B08B5/02 ,  B08B13/00

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems, vehicles, and methods for detecting optical defects in an optical path of a camera system. An example system may include an image sensor configured to provide images of a field of view via an optical path that extends through an optical window. The system also includes at least one phase-detection device and a controller. The controller is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory so as to carry out various operations, including receiving, from the image sensor, first pixel information indicative of an image of the field of view. The operations additionally include receiving, from the at least one phase-detection device, second pixel information indicative of a portion of the field of view. The operations yet further include determining, based on the first pixel information and the second pixel information, at least one optical defect associated with the optical path.

公开(公告)号：US20220188560A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-16

申请号：US17123440

申请日：2020-12-16

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Nirav Dharia ,  Lucian Ion

IPC: G06K9/32 ,  H04N5/232 ,  G06K9/00 ,  G06T7/246 ,  H04N5/235

Abstract: A system includes an image sensor having a plurality of pixels that form a plurality of regions of interest (ROIs), and configured to operate at a frame rate higher than a threshold rate. The system also includes an image processing resource. The system further includes control circuitry configured to perform operations that include obtaining, from the image sensor, a full-resolution image of an environment. The full-resolution image contains each respective ROI of the plurality of ROIs. The operations also include selecting a particular ROI based on the full-resolution image, and detecting an object of interest in the particular ROI. The operations include determining a mode of operation by which subsequent image data generated by the particular ROI is to be processed. The operations further include processing, based on the mode of operation and the frame rate, the image data comprising a plurality of ROI images of the object of interest.

公开(公告)号：US20220187687A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-16

申请号：US17117534

申请日：2020-12-10

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Shashank Sharma ,  Matthew Last ,  Ralph Shepard

IPC: G03B17/55 ,  H05K1/02 ,  H04N5/232 ,  H04N5/225

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to optical systems, vehicles, and methods for providing improved thermal images. An example optical system includes a housing, a thermal camera disposed inside the housing, and an optical window coupled to an opening of the housing. The optical system also includes a heater assembly. The heater assembly includes a window heater and at least one connector extending from the window heater. The window heater is thermally coupled to an inner surface of the optical window. The window heater is configured to maintain the optical window at a desired temperature.

公开(公告)号：USD954571S1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-14

申请号：US29724585

申请日：2020-02-18

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Designer： YooJung Ahn ,  Jared S. Gross ,  Thomas Southworth ,  Chun Chen ,  Ricky Wong

公开(公告)号：US11363745B1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-14

申请号：US16922836

申请日：2020-07-07

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Scott Duncan ,  Prasanna Kalkura ,  Victor Tang ,  Joongmin Yoon ,  Tianqi Li

IPC: H05K5/00 ,  H05K9/00 ,  G06F3/041 ,  H05K5/04 ,  H05K7/14 ,  H05K5/02 ,  B60R16/02 ,  H01R13/6596 ,  B60W60/00 ,  B60K35/00 ,  B60W50/14

Abstract: Example embodiments described herein involve a structural support for shielding from electromagnetic interference between components in a display system and for discharging electrostatic charges. The display system may be implemented in an autonomous vehicle. A display system may include a screen, a printed circuit board (PCB), and a cast housing comprising a metal. At least the screen and the PCB may be grounded to the cast housing. The cast housing may shield at least the screen and the PCB from electromagnetic interference. A grounding cable may be connected to the cast housing via a self-tapping screw, the grounding cable extending to an electrical ground.

公开(公告)号：US20220180753A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-09

申请号：US17666808

申请日：2022-02-08

Applicant: WAYMO LLC

Inventor： Joshua Seth Herbach ,  Philip Nemec ,  Nathaniel Fairfield

IPC: G08G1/00 ,  G06F9/48 ,  G06F9/54 ,  B60W50/029 ,  G05D1/02 ,  G05D1/00 ,  G06F9/46

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a system having a memory, a plurality of self-driving systems for controlling a vehicle, and one or more processors. The processors are configured to receive at least one fallback task in association with a request for a primary task and at least one trigger of each fallback task. Each trigger is a set of conditions that, when satisfied, indicate when a vehicle requires attention for proper operation. The processors are also configured to send instructions to the self-driving systems to execute the primary task and receive status updates from the self-driving systems. The processors are configured to determine that a set of conditions of a trigger is satisfied based on the status updates and send further instructions based on the associated fallback task to the self-driving systems.

公开(公告)号：US20220179057A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-09

申请号：US17437115

申请日：2020-03-13

Applicant: WAYMO LLC

Inventor： Gil SHOTAN ,  Luke WACHTER ,  Colin BRALEY ,  Christian LAUTERBACH ,  Xiaoxiang HU ,  Ming ZOU

IPC: G01S7/497 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/931

Abstract: One example method involves obtaining a plurality of scans of a field-of-view (FOV) of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device disposed inside a housing. Obtaining each scan of the plurality of scans comprises: transmitting, through a plurality of sections of the housing, a plurality of light pulses emitted from the LIDAR device in different directions toward the housing; and detecting a plurality of returning light pulses comprising reflected portions of the transmitted plurality of light pulses that are reflected back toward the LIDAR device. The method also involves detecting an obstruction that at least partially occludes the LIDAR device from scanning the FOV through the housing based on the plurality of scans.

公开(公告)号：US20220179056A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-09

申请号：US17115705

申请日：2020-12-08

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Colin Andrew Braley ,  Antonio Teran Espinoza

IPC: G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G06T7/50 ,  G01S17/86

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for using naturally collected data in sensor calibration. One of the methods includes obtaining, using a first, calibrated sensor, a first plurality of raw sensor measurements of an environment; determining, from the first plurality of raw sensor measurements, a Truncated Signed Distance Field (TSDF)-based model of surfaces in the environment; obtaining, using a second sensor, a second plurality of raw sensor measurements of the environment; determining a multi-dimensional point cloud representation of the environment; and determining refined values of the set of calibration parameters of the second sensor based on a difference between, for each data point, (i) the multiple values that define the data point and (ii) multiple values that define a target data point derived from the TSDF-based model of surfaces in the environment.

公开(公告)号：US20220176962A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-09

申请号：US17116314

申请日：2020-12-09

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： David Smith ,  Kevin Yoon

IPC: B60W30/18 ,  B60W60/00 ,  G01C21/34

Abstract: A method includes identifying, based on grade data of a route of an autonomous vehicle (AV), a segment of the route that has a grade value that meets a threshold grade value. Responsive to identifying the segment, the method further includes generating, based on the grade data and physical vehicle data of the AV, driving constraint data for the segment of the route. The method further includes causing a routing module of the AV to generate, based on the driving constraint data for the segment of the route, short time horizon routing data corresponding to a portion of the segment. The AV is to travel the portion of the segment of the route based on the short time horizon routing data.