公开(公告)号：US12078754B1

公开(公告)日：2024-09-03

申请号：US17138172

申请日：2020-12-30

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： David Hutchison ,  James Dunphy ,  Pierre-Yves Droz

IPC分类号： G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G05D1/00

CPC分类号： G01S7/4813 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S7/4972 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G05D1/024

摘要： The present disclosure relates to optical transmitter modules, lidar systems, and methods of their manufacture. An example optical transmitter module includes a transparent substrate and a plurality of wires disposed along the transparent substrate. The optical transmitter module includes driver circuitry electrically-coupled to at least a portion of the plurality of wires and one or more light-emitter devices electrically-coupled to at least a portion of the plurality of wires. The light-emitter device(s) are configured to emit light pulses. The optical transmitter module also includes a fast axis collimation lens disposed along the transparent substrate. The fast axis collimation lens is configured to collimate the light pulses so as to provide collimated light. The optical transmitter module also includes one or more waveguide structures disposed along the transparent substrate within an optical region. The optical transmitter module also includes a lid configured to provide a sealed interior volume.

公开(公告)号：US11994802B2

公开(公告)日：2024-05-28

申请号：US17464185

申请日：2021-09-01

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： James Dunphy ,  David Hutchison

IPC分类号： G03F7/20 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G03F7/26 ,  G02B5/08

CPC分类号： G03F7/201 ,  G03F7/0005 ,  G03F7/2008 ,  G03F7/2014 ,  G03F7/26 ,  G03F7/7015 ,  G02B5/0891

摘要： Systems and methods described herein relate to the manufacture of optical elements and optical systems. An example system may include an optical component configured to direct light from a light source to illuminate a photoresist material at a desired angle and to expose at least a portion of an angled structure in the photoresist material, where the photoresist material overlays at least a portion of a top surface of a substrate. The optical component includes a container containing an light-coupling material that is selected based in part on the desired angle. The optical component also includes a mirror arranged to reflect at least a portion of the light to illuminate the photoresist material at the desired angle.

公开(公告)号：US11714233B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-01

申请号：US17835464

申请日：2022-06-08

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： James Dunphy ,  David Hutchison ,  Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Yeh-Jiun Tung

IPC分类号： G02B6/125 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G02B6/42 ,  G02B6/122 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42

CPC分类号： G02B6/125 ,  G01S7/4815 ,  G02B6/1228 ,  G02B6/4202 ,  G01S7/4812 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42

摘要： One example LIDAR device comprises a substrate and a waveguide disposed on the substrate. A first section of the waveguide extends lengthwise on the substrate in a first direction. A second section of the waveguide extends lengthwise on the substrate in a second direction different than the first direction. A third section of the waveguide extends lengthwise on the substrate in a third direction different than the second direction. The second section extends lengthwise between the first section and the second section. The LIDAR device also comprises a light emitter configured to emit light. The waveguide is configured to guide the light inside the first section toward the second section, inside the second section toward the third section, and inside the third section away from the second section.

公开(公告)号：US20230055071A1

公开(公告)日：2023-02-23

申请号：US17982078

申请日：2022-11-07

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： Pierre-Yves Droz ,  David Neil Hutchison ,  James Dunphy ,  Nathaniel Golshan ,  Ralph Hamilton Shepard

IPC分类号： G01S17/02 ,  G02B27/09 ,  G02B6/122

摘要： One example system comprises a light source configured to emit light. The system also comprises a waveguide configured to guide the emitted light from a first end of the waveguide toward a second end of the waveguide. The waveguide has an output surface between the first end and the second end. The system also comprises a plurality of mirrors including a first mirror and a second mirror. The first mirror reflects a first portion of the light toward the output surface. The second mirror reflects a second portion of the light toward the output surface. The first portion propagates out of the output surface toward a scene as a first transmitted light beam. The second portion propagates out of the output surface toward the scene as a second transmitted light beam.

公开(公告)号：US20220018942A1

公开(公告)日：2022-01-20

申请号：US17490428

申请日：2021-09-30

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： James Dunphy ,  David Hutchison

IPC分类号： G01S7/481 ,  G02B6/12

摘要： One example system comprises a plurality of substrates disposed in an overlapping arrangement. The plurality of substrates includes at least a first substrate and a second substrate. The system also comprises a first waveguide disposed on the first substrate to define a first optical path on the first substrate. The first waveguide is configured to guide light along the first optical path and to transmit, at an output section of the first waveguide, the light out of the first waveguide toward the second substrate. The system also comprises a second waveguide disposed on the second substrate to define a second optical path on the second substrate. An input section of the second waveguide is aligned with the output section of the first waveguide to receive the light transmitted by the first waveguide. The second waveguide is configured to guide the light along the second optical path.

公开(公告)号：US20210124269A1

公开(公告)日：2021-04-29

申请号：US16666952

申请日：2019-10-29

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： James Dunphy ,  David Hutchison

IPC分类号： G03F7/20 ,  G02B6/42

摘要： The present disclosure relates to systems and methods relating to the fabrication of light guide elements. An example system includes an optical component configured to direct light emitted by a light source to illuminate a photoresist material at one or more desired angles so as to expose an angled structure in the photoresist material. The photoresist material overlays at least a portion of a first surface of a substrate. The optical component includes a container containing a light-coupling material that is selected based in part on the one or more desired angles. The system also includes a reflective surface arranged to reflect at least a first portion of the emitted light to illuminate the photoresist material at the one or more desired angles.

公开(公告)号：US11892572B1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-06

申请号：US17138079

申请日：2020-12-30

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： James Dunphy ,  David Schleuning ,  Ralph Shepard

IPC分类号： G02B26/08 ,  G01S7/497

CPC分类号： G01S7/497 ,  G02B26/0833

摘要： The present disclosure relates to multi-channel optical transmitter modules, lidar systems, and methods that involve micromirror devices. An example optical transmitter module includes at least one light-emitter device and a plurality of micromirror devices optically-coupled to the at least one light-emitter device. The at least one light-emitter device is configured to emit respective light beams toward an environment via the micromirror devices. The micromirror devices are configured to deflect the light beams. The optical transmitter module also includes a controller having at least one processor and a memory. The controller is configured to carry out operations. The operations include receiving information indicative of a retroreflector object in the environment. The operations include, based on the received information, causing at least one micromirror device of the plurality of micromirror devices to deflect at least one light beam so that the at least one light beam does not interact with the retroreflector object.

公开(公告)号：US20230333319A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-19

申请号：US18337119

申请日：2023-06-19

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： James Dunphy ,  David Hutchison ,  Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Yeh-Jiun Tung

IPC分类号： G02B6/125 ,  G02B6/122 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G02B6/42 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42

CPC分类号： G02B6/125 ,  G02B6/1228 ,  G01S7/4815 ,  G02B6/4202 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S7/4812

摘要： One example LIDAR device comprises a substrate and a waveguide disposed on the substrate. A first section of the waveguide extends lengthwise on the substrate in a first direction. A second section of the waveguide extends lengthwise on the substrate in a second direction different than the first direction. A third section of the waveguide extends lengthwise on the substrate in a third direction different than the second direction. The second section extends lengthwise between the first section and the second section. The LIDAR device also comprises a light emitter configured to emit light. The waveguide is configured to guide the light inside the first section toward the second section, inside the second section toward the third section, and inside the third section away from the second section.

公开(公告)号：US20230055675A1

公开(公告)日：2023-02-23

申请号：US18046403

申请日：2022-10-13

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： Hongqin Shi ,  Yeh-Jiun Tung ,  James Dunphy ,  Cesar Gensoli

IPC分类号： G03F7/20

摘要： The present application relates to contact immersion lithography exposure units and methods of their use. An example contact exposure unit includes a container configured to contain a fluid material and a substrate disposed within the container. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface, and the substrate includes a photoresist material on at least the first surface. The contact exposure unit includes a photomask disposed within the container. The photomask is optically coupled to the photoresist material by way of a gap comprising the fluid material. The contact exposure unit also includes an inflatable balloon configured to be controllably inflated so as to apply a desired force to the second surface of the substrate to controllably adjust the gap between the photomask and the photoresist material.

公开(公告)号：US20230003852A1

公开(公告)日：2023-01-05

申请号：US17363658

申请日：2021-06-30

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： James Dunphy ,  Caner Onal ,  David Schleuning

IPC分类号： G01S7/497 ,  G01S7/48 ,  G01S17/931

摘要： The present disclosure relates to light detection and ranging (lidar) systems, lidar-equipped vehicles, and associated methods. An example method includes causing a firing circuit to trigger emission of an initial group of detection pulses from at least one light-emitter device of a lidar system in accordance with an initial set of one or more light-emission parameters. The method also includes causing the firing circuit to trigger emission of one or more test pulses and receiving, from at least one detector, information indicative of one or more return test pulses. The method yet further includes determining, based on the received information, a presence of a retroreflector based on an intensity of the return test pulse. The method additionally includes determining a subsequent set of light-emission parameters and causing the firing circuit to trigger emission of a subsequent group of detection pulses in accordance with the subsequent set of light-emission parameters.