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公开(公告)号：US11614542B1
公开(公告)日：2023-03-28
申请号：US15675652
申请日：2017-08-11
Applicant: Zoox, Inc.
Inventor： Denis Nikitin , Riley Andrews , Adam Lee Berger
Abstract: A lidar photosensor amplification circuit may include light sensors; amplifiers corresponding respectively to the light sensors, in a powered-on state, to amplify output signals of the respective light sensors as amplified outputs; and switches corresponding respectively to the amplifiers, where individual switches may be controlled to pass a respective amplified output in a closed state or disconnect the amplified output in an open state. The lidar photosensor amplification circuit may be controlled by a controller according to timing rules that conserve power supplied to photosensor amplification circuit, reduce heat produced by the light sensor board, and do not aggravate cross-talk between sensors. The timing rules include staging an amplifier for a staging time before the corresponding light sensor is to be read, closing a switch after the staging time has passed, and powering down the amplifier and opening the switch after a reading time passes.
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公开(公告)号：US11255951B1
公开(公告)日：2022-02-22
申请号：US15487380
申请日：2017-04-13
Applicant: Zoox, Inc.
Inventor： Ryan McMichael , Adam Berger , Brian Pilnick , Denis Nikitin , Brian Alexander Pesch
Abstract: Techniques are described for aligning optical components within a LIDAR assembly. The techniques may be performed to align the optical components during manufacturing or assembly of the LIDAR assembly. For example, a first optical element (e.g., one of a light source or light sensor) may be installed in the LIDAR assembly. An optimal alignment for a second optical element (e.g., the other of the light source or light sensor) may be determined and the second optical element may be installed at the optimal alignment. The optimal alignment for the second optical element may be determined based on detected signals, for example, which may correspond to an alignment resulting in a strongest return signal, highest quality return signal, and/or minimal interference. Additionally or alternatively, techniques may be used to align optical components at runtime by using an actuator to move one or more components of the LIDAR assembly during operation.
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公开(公告)号：US20210199764A1
公开(公告)日：2021-07-01
申请号：US17181960
申请日：2021-02-22
Applicant: Zoox, Inc.
IPC: G01S7/48 , G01S7/4865 , G01S17/10 , G01S17/931 , G01S7/487
Abstract: A LIDAR sensor assembly includes a laser light source to emit laser light, and a light sensor to produce a light signal in response to sensing reflections of the laser light emitted by the laser light source from a reference surface that is fixed in relation to the LIDAR sensor assembly. A controller of the LIDAR sensor assembly can process a plurality of samples of reflected light signals, process the samples to remove erroneous readings, and then provide accurate distance measurement. The system can use low-pass filters, or other components, to filter the plurality of samples to enable the “actual,” or primary, reflected light signal (i.e., light signal reflected off of a surface in an environment external to the sensor assembly, as opposed to extraneous, internal reflections off of lenses or other components or noise) to be identified and an accurate time of flight to be calculated.
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公开(公告)号：US20200158876A1
公开(公告)日：2020-05-21
申请号：US16198208
申请日：2018-11-21
Applicant: Zoox, Inc.
Inventor： Turhan Karadeniz , Ryan McMichael , Robert Nicholas Moor , Denis Nikitin , Subasingha Shaminda Subasingha
Abstract: Sensors, including time-of-flight sensors, may be used to detect objects in an environment. In an example, a vehicle may include a time-of-flight sensor that images objects around the vehicle, e.g., so the vehicle can navigate relative to the objects. The sensor may generate first image data at a first configuration and second image data at a second configuration. The first image data and the second image data may be combined to provide disambiguated depth and improved intensity values for imaging the environment. In some examples, the first and second configurations may have different modulation frequencies, different integration times, and/or different illumination intensities. In some examples, configurations may be dynamically altered based on depth and/or intensity information of a previous frame.
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公开(公告)号：US11841438B2
公开(公告)日：2023-12-12
申请号：US16588347
申请日：2019-09-30
Applicant: Zoox, Inc.
Inventor： Subasingha Shaminda Subasingha , Turhan Karadeniz , Denis Nikitin , Harrison Thomas Waschura
IPC: G01S17/93 , G01S17/08 , G01S7/48 , G01S17/931
CPC classification number: G01S17/931 , G01S7/4808 , G01S17/08
Abstract: Sensors, including time-of-flight sensors, may be used to detect objects in an environment. In an example, a vehicle may include a time-of-flight sensor that images objects around the vehicle, e.g., so the vehicle can navigate relative to the objects. Sensor data generated by the time-of-flight sensor can return unreliable pixels, e.g., in the case of over-exposure or saturation. In some examples, multiple exposures captured at different exposure times can be used to determine an overall saturation value or metric representative of the sensor data. The saturation value may be used to control parameters of the sensor. For instance, the saturation value may be used to determine power control parameters for the sensor, e.g., to reduce over- and/or under-exposure.
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Patent Agency Ranking
公开(公告)号：US20210255287A1
公开(公告)日：2021-08-19
申请号：US17092787
申请日：2020-11-09
Applicant: Zoox, Inc.
Inventor： Ryan McMichael , Adam Berger , Brian Pilnick , Denis Nikitin , Riley Andrews
IPC: G01S7/4865 , G01S7/4863 , G01S7/484 , G01S7/487 , G01S7/481 , G01S17/42 , G01S17/14 , G01S17/10
Abstract: A LIDAR system emits laser bursts, wherein each burst has at least a pair of pulses. The pulses of each pair are spaced by a time interval having a variable duration to reduce effects of cross-talk. For example, certain embodiments may have multiple emitter/sensor channels that are used sequentially, and each channel may use a different duration for inter-pulse spacing to reduce the effects of cross-talk between channels. The durations may also be varied over time. The emitters and sensors are physically arranged in a two-dimensional array to achieve a relatively fine vertical pitch. The array has staggered rows that are packed using a hexagonal packing arrangement. The channels are used in a sequential order that is selected to maximize spacing between consecutively used channels, further reducing possibilities for inter-channel cross-talk.
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公开(公告)号：US10830894B2
公开(公告)日：2020-11-10
申请号：US16198208
申请日：2018-11-21
Applicant: Zoox, Inc.
Inventor： Turhan Karadeniz , Ryan McMichael , Robert Nicholas Moor , Denis Nikitin , Subasingha Shaminda Subasingha
Abstract: Sensors, including time-of-flight sensors, may be used to detect objects in an environment. In an example, a vehicle may include a time-of-flight sensor that images objects around the vehicle, e.g., so the vehicle can navigate relative to the objects. The sensor may generate first image data at a first configuration and second image data at a second configuration. The first image data and the second image data may be combined to provide disambiguated depth and improved intensity values for imaging the environment. In some examples, the first and second configurations may have different modulation frequencies, different integration times, and/or different illumination intensities. In some examples, configurations may be dynamically altered based on depth and/or intensity information of a previous frame.
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公开(公告)号：US11733354B2
公开(公告)日：2023-08-22
申请号：US17181960
申请日：2021-02-22
Applicant: Zoox, Inc.
IPC: G01C3/08 , G01S7/48 , G01S7/4865 , G01S17/10 , G01S17/931 , G01S7/487
CPC classification number: G01S7/4808 , G01S7/4865 , G01S7/4876 , G01S17/10 , G01S17/931
Abstract: A LIDAR sensor assembly includes a laser light source to emit laser light, and a light sensor to produce a light signal in response to sensing reflections of the laser light emitted by the laser light source from a reference surface that is fixed in relation to the LIDAR sensor assembly. A controller of the LIDAR sensor assembly can process a plurality of samples of reflected light signals, process the samples to remove erroneous readings, and then provide accurate distance measurement. The system can use low-pass filters, or other components, to filter the plurality of samples to enable the “actual,” or primary, reflected light signal (i.e., light signal reflected off of a surface in an environment external to the sensor assembly, as opposed to extraneous, internal reflections off of lenses or other components or noise) to be identified and an accurate time of flight to be calculated.
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公开(公告)号：US11726186B2
公开(公告)日：2023-08-15
申请号：US16588267
申请日：2019-09-30
Applicant: Zoox, Inc.
Inventor： Subasingha Shaminda Subasingha , Turhan Karadeniz , Denis Nikitin , Harrison Thomas Waschura
CPC classification number: G01S7/4865 , G01S7/4868 , G01S17/10 , G01S17/86 , G01S17/89 , H04N23/73
Abstract: Sensors, including time-of-flight sensors, may be used to detect objects in an environment. In an example, a vehicle may include a time-of-flight sensor that images objects around the vehicle, e.g., so the vehicle can navigate relative to the objects. Sensor data generated by the time-of-flight sensor can return pixels subject to over-exposure or saturation, which may be from stray light. In some examples, multiple exposures captured at different exposure times can be used to determine a saturation value for sensor data. The saturation value may be used to determine a threshold intensity against which intensity values of a primary exposure are compared. A filtered data set can be obtained based on the comparison.
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公开(公告)号：US11561292B1
公开(公告)日：2023-01-24
申请号：US16550156
申请日：2019-08-23
Applicant: Zoox, Inc.
Inventor： Subasingha Shaminda Subasingha , Turhan Karadeniz , Robert Nicholas Moor , Mehran Ferdowsi , Denis Nikitin
Abstract: Sensors, including time-of-flight sensors, may be used to detect objects in an environment. In an example, a vehicle may include a time-of-flight sensor that images objects around the vehicle, e.g., so the vehicle can navigate relative to the objects. Sensor data generated by the time-of-flight sensor can return unreliable pixels, e.g., in the case of over- or under-exposure. In some examples, parameters associated with power of a time-of-flight sensor can be altered based on a number of unreliable pixels in measured data and/or based on intensity values of the measured data. For example, unreliable pixels can be determined using phase frame information captured at a receiver of the sensor.
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