公开(公告)号：US11922829B2

公开(公告)日：2024-03-05

申请号：US17529745

申请日：2021-11-18

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： Ralph Hamilton Shepard ,  Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Simon Verghese

IPC分类号： G09F13/04 ,  G09F9/33 ,  G09F13/22 ,  G09F13/30 ,  G09F21/04

CPC分类号： G09F13/0413 ,  G09F9/33 ,  G09F13/22 ,  G09F13/30 ,  G09F21/04 ,  G09F13/044 ,  G09F2013/222

摘要： This technology relates to a display mounted messaging system. The display mounted messaging system may include a light emitting diode (LED) display attached to a housing of a sensor. The housing of the sensor may rotate. The display mounted messaging system may also include an LED controller which is configured to selectively activate and deactivate at least one LED in the LED display, to provide a message in the direction of an intended recipient.

公开(公告)号：US11906671B2

公开(公告)日：2024-02-20

申请号：US16700543

申请日：2019-12-02

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Simon Verghese

IPC分类号： G01S7/497 ,  G01S7/48 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/04 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G05D1/00

CPC分类号： G01S7/497 ,  G01S7/4804 ,  G01S17/04 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G05D1/0231

摘要： In one example, a LIDAR device includes a light sources that emits light and a transmit lens that directs the emitted light to illuminate a region of an environment with a field-of-view defined by the transmit lens. The LIDAR device also includes a receive lens that focuses at least a portion of incoming light propagating from the illuminated region of the environment along a predefined optical path. The LIDAR device also includes an array of light detectors positioned along the predefined optical path. The LIDAR device also includes an offset light detector positioned outside the predefined optical path. The LIDAR device also includes a controller that determines whether collected sensor data from the array of light detectors includes data associated with another light source different than the light source of the device based on output from the offset light detector.

公开(公告)号：US20240012447A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-11

申请号：US18473591

申请日：2023-09-25

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： David Sobel ,  Pieter Kaspenberg ,  Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Srikanth Muroor

IPC分类号： G06F1/12 ,  G06F1/08

CPC分类号： G06F1/12 ,  G06F1/08

摘要： A method and system to provide timebase synchronization for multiple processors in a multi-processor sensor system, where each processor operates according to a respective reference clock, and where the processors' respective reference clocks are off sync from each other. An example method includes simultaneously injecting a synchronization pulse respectively into the multiple processors. Further, the method includes recording for each processor, according to the processor's respective reference clock, a respective synchronization-pulse timestamp of the simultaneously injected synchronization pulse, comparing the respective synchronization-pulse timestamps recorded for the processors, and, based on the comparing, computing for each processor a respective time offset. Additionally, the method includes using the per-processor computed time offsets as a basis to provide a synchronized timebase across the processors.

公开(公告)号：US11860305B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-02

申请号：US16453401

申请日：2019-06-26

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Caner Onal ,  William McCann ,  Bernard Fidric ,  Vadim Gutnik ,  Laila Mattos ,  Rahim Pardhan

IPC分类号： G01S7/481 ,  G05D1/02 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/4911 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/86 ,  G01S13/931 ,  G01S17/931

CPC分类号： G01S7/4813 ,  G01S7/4816 ,  G01S7/4817 ,  G01S7/4818 ,  G01S7/4911 ,  G01S13/931 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/86 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G05D1/024 ,  G05D2201/0213

摘要： Described herein is a LIDAR device that may include a transmitter, first and second receivers, and a rotating platform. The transmitter may be configured to emit light having a vertical beam width. The first receiver may be configured to detect light at a first resolution while scanning the environment with a first FOV and the second receiver may be configured to detect light at a second resolution while scanning the environment with a second FOV. In this arrangement, the first resolution may be higher than the second resolution, the first FOV may be at least partially different from the second FOV, and the vertical beam width may encompass at least a vertical extent of the first and second FOVs. Further, the rotating platform may be configured to rotate about an axis such that the transmitter and first and second receivers each move based on the rotation.

公开(公告)号：US11822377B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-21

申请号：US17647633

申请日：2022-01-11

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： David Sobel ,  Pieter Kaspenberg ,  Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Srikanth Muroor

IPC分类号： G06F1/12

CPC分类号： G06F1/12

摘要： A method and system to provide timebase synchronization for multiple processors in a multi-processor sensor system, where each processor operates according to a respective reference clock, and where the processors' respective reference clocks are off sync from each other. An example method includes simultaneously injecting a synchronization pulse respectively into the multiple processors. Further, the method includes recording for each processor, according to the processor's respective reference clock, a respective synchronization-pulse timestamp of the simultaneously injected synchronization pulse, comparing the respective synchronization-pulse timestamps recorded for the processors, and, based on the comparing, computing for each processor a respective time offset. Additionally, the method includes using the per-processor computed time offsets as a basis to provide a synchronized timebase across the processors.

公开(公告)号：US11808887B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-07

申请号：US16272258

申请日：2019-02-11

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Caner Onal ,  Michael Marx ,  Blaise Gassend

IPC分类号： G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/04 ,  G01S7/483 ,  G01S7/487 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G06V10/60 ,  G06V10/145 ,  G06V20/00 ,  G06F18/22

CPC分类号： G01S7/4817 ,  G01S7/483 ,  G01S7/487 ,  G01S7/4815 ,  G01S7/4873 ,  G01S17/04 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G06F18/22 ,  G06V10/145 ,  G06V10/60 ,  G06V20/00

摘要： One example method involves a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device focusing light from a target region in a scene for receipt by a detector. The method also involves emitting a primary light pulse. The method also involves directing, via one or more optical elements, the primary light pulse toward the target region. The primary light pulse illuminates the target region according to a primary light intensity of the primary light pulse. The method also involves emitting a secondary light pulse. At least a portion of the secondary light pulse illuminates the target region according to a secondary light intensity of the secondary light pulse. The secondary light intensity is less than the primary light intensity.

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：US20230324521A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-12

申请号：US18334039

申请日：2023-06-13

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Caner Onal ,  Simon Ellgas ,  Augusto Tazzoli

IPC分类号： G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/931

CPC分类号： G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/931

摘要： Example embodiments relate to pulse energy plans for light detection and ranging (lidar) devices based on areas of interest and thermal budgets. An example lidar device includes a plurality of light emitters configured to emit light pulses into an environment in a plurality of different emission directions. The lidar device also includes circuitry configured to power the plurality of light emitters. Further, the lidar device includes a plurality of detectors configured to detect reflections of light pulses emitted by the plurality of light emitters. In addition, the lidar device includes a controller configured to (i) determine a pulse energy plan based on one or more regions of interest in the environment and a thermal budget and (ii) control the circuitry based on the pulse energy plan. The pulse energy plan specifies a pulse energy level for each light pulse emitted by each light emitter in the plurality of light emitters.

公开(公告)号：US20230273305A1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-31

申请号：US18313741

申请日：2023-05-08

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： Ralph Shepard ,  Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Matthew Last ,  Bryce Remesch

IPC分类号： G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/89

CPC分类号： G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S2007/4975

摘要： The present disclosure relates to optical systems and methods of their operation. An example optical system includes an optical component and one or more light sources configured to emit a light signal. The light signal interacts with the optical component so as to provide an interaction light signal. The optical system also includes a detector configured to detect at least a portion of the interaction light signal as a detected light signal. The optical system additionally includes a controller configured to carry out operations including causing the one or more light sources to emit the light signal and receiving the detected light signal from the detector. The operations also include determining, based on the detected light signal, that one or more defects are associated with the optical component.

公开(公告)号：US11714171B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-01

申请号：US16830680

申请日：2020-03-26

申请人： Waymo LLC

发明人： Pierre-Yves Droz ,  David Hutchison

IPC分类号： G02B6/10 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G02B19/00 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G02B27/09 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/00 ,  G02B5/00 ,  G02B6/08

CPC分类号： G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4813 ,  G01S7/4816 ,  G01S7/4818 ,  G01S17/00 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G02B5/003 ,  G02B5/005 ,  G02B6/08 ,  G02B19/0014 ,  G02B19/0076 ,  G02B27/0994

摘要： The present disclosure relates to limitation of noise on light detectors using an aperture. One example implementation includes a system. The system includes a lens that focuses light from a scene toward a focal plane. The system also includes an aperture defined within an opaque material. The system also includes a plurality of waveguides. A given waveguide of the plurality has an input end that receives a portion of light transmitted through the aperture, and guides the received portion toward an output end of the given waveguide. A cross-sectional area of the guided portion at the output end is greater than a cross-sectional area of the received portion at the input end. The system also includes an array of light detectors that detects the guided light transmitted through the output end.