公开(公告)号：US11994591B2

公开(公告)日：2024-05-28

申请号：US17115180

申请日：2020-12-08

Applicant: Zoox, Inc.

Inventor： Subasingha Shaminda Subasingha ,  Yongzhe Chen ,  Mehran Ferdowsi ,  Samuel Holladay ,  Turhan Karadeniz ,  Robert Nicholas Moor ,  Joseph Patrick Warga ,  Harrison Thomas Waschura ,  Silas Kogure Wilkinson

IPC: G01S17/931 ,  B60W60/00 ,  G01S13/931 ,  G01S15/931 ,  G06T7/521 ,  G06T7/55 ,  G06T7/70

CPC classification number: G01S17/931 ,  G01S13/931 ,  G01S15/931 ,  G06T7/521 ,  G06T7/55 ,  G06T7/70 ,  B60W60/001 ,  B60W2554/402 ,  B60W2554/4041 ,  G06T2207/10028 ,  G06T2207/30241 ,  G06T2207/30252

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. An estimated depth of an object may be determined from the first image data, and an actual depth of the object may be determined from the second image data, based on the estimated depth. In examples, the first and second configurations have different modulation frequencies such that a nominal maximum depth in the first configuration is greater than the nominal maximum depth in the second configuration.

公开(公告)号：US20210161033A1

公开(公告)日：2021-05-27

申请号：US16691521

申请日：2019-11-21

Applicant: Zoox, Inc.

Inventor： Carter William McEathron ,  Laura Rose Plaxico ,  Anubhav Thakur ,  Jaime Andres Ocampo Villegas ,  Nicholas John Swatko ,  Silas Kogure Wilkinson

IPC: H05K7/20 ,  G06F1/20 ,  B60H1/00 ,  B60R16/023

Abstract: A thermal management assembly may implement cooling techniques to cool at least a portion of a computer system with one or more cooling systems. The techniques may include using a thermal management assembly in fluid communication with the cooling system(s) to supply fluid from at least one of the cooling systems to at least a portion of the computer system. The techniques may also or instead include using a first thermal coupling to transfer thermal energy between the first cooling system and the computer system and a second thermal coupling to transfer thermal energy between the second cooling system and the computer system. Cooling a computer system using the cooling techniques described herein lowers an operating temperature of the computer system thereby mitigating heat related computer failure.

公开(公告)号：US11988775B1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-21

申请号：US16719565

申请日：2019-12-18

Applicant: Zoox, Inc.

Inventor： Harrison Thomas Waschura ,  Turhan Karadeniz ,  Ryan McMichael ,  Robert Nicholas Moor ,  Denis Nikitin ,  Subasingha Shaminda Subasingha ,  Joseph Patrick Warga ,  Silas Kogure Wilkinson

IPC: G01S7/484 ,  G01S17/10

CPC classification number: G01S7/484 ,  G01S17/10

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 be impacted by glare. In some examples, an emitter system for illuminating a field of view can be dynamically altered to provide different illumination intensities at different regions in the field of view. For instance, locations at which a highly-reflective object or other object that is likely to cause glare may be illuminated at a lower illumination intensity, e.g., to reduce the likelihood of pixel saturation in measured data associated with the object.

公开(公告)号：US20220180539A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-09

申请号：US17115320

申请日：2020-12-08

Applicant: Zoox, Inc.

Inventor： Subasingha Shaminda Subasingha ,  Yongzhe Chen ,  Mehran Ferdowsi ,  Samuel Holladay ,  Turhan Karadeniz ,  Robert Nicholas Moor ,  Joseph Patrick Warga ,  Harrison Thomas Waschura ,  Silas Kogure Wilkinson

IPC: G06T7/521 ,  G01S17/894 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G01B11/22 ,  B60W60/00

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 include returns associated with highly reflective objects that cause glare. In some examples, a depth of a sensed surface is determined from the sensor data and additional pixels at the same depth are identified. The subset of pixels at the depth are filtered by comparing a measured intensity value to a threshold intensity value for the depth. Other threshold intensity values can be applied to subsets of pixels at different depths.

公开(公告)号：US11954877B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-09

申请号：US17115320

申请日：2020-12-08

Applicant: Zoox, Inc.

Inventor： Subasingha Shaminda Subasingha ,  Yongzhe Chen ,  Mehran Ferdowsi ,  Samuel Holladay ,  Turhan Karadeniz ,  Robert Nicholas Moor ,  Joseph Patrick Warga ,  Harrison Thomas Waschura ,  Silas Kogure Wilkinson

IPC: G06T7/521 ,  B60W60/00 ,  G01B11/22 ,  G01S17/894 ,  G01S17/931

CPC classification number: G06T7/521 ,  B60W60/00272 ,  G01B11/22 ,  G01S17/894 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G06T2207/10028 ,  G06T2207/30241 ,  G06T2207/30252

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 include returns associated with highly reflective objects that cause glare. In some examples, a depth of a sensed surface is determined from the sensor data and additional pixels at the same depth are identified. The subset of pixels at the depth are filtered by comparing a measured intensity value to a threshold intensity value for the depth. Other threshold intensity values can be applied to subsets of pixels at different depths.

公开(公告)号：US11753042B1

公开(公告)日：2023-09-12

申请号：US17136222

申请日：2020-12-29

Applicant: Zoox, Inc.

Inventor： Subasingha Shaminda Subasingha ,  Yongzhe Chen ,  Mehran Ferdowsi ,  Samuel Holladay ,  Turhan Karadeniz ,  Robert Nicholas Moor ,  Joseph Patrick Warga ,  Harrison Thomas Waschura ,  Silas Kogure Wilkinson

IPC: B60W60/00 ,  G05D1/02 ,  G01S13/931

CPC classification number: B60W60/0027 ,  G05D1/0214 ,  B60W2554/00 ,  G01S13/931 ,  G01S2013/9323 ,  G01S2013/9324

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 include saturated pixels, e.g., due to over-exposure, sensing highly-reflective objects, and/or excessive ambient light. In some examples, parameters associated with power of a time-of-flight sensor can be altered based on characteristics of the saturated pixels, as well as information about non-saturated pixels neighboring the saturated pixels. For example, the neighboring pixels may provide information about whether saturation is due to ambient light, e.g., sunlight, or due to emitted light from the sensor.

公开(公告)号：US11659696B2

公开(公告)日：2023-05-23

申请号：US16691521

申请日：2019-11-21

Applicant: Zoox, Inc.

Inventor： Carter William McEathron ,  Laura Rose Plaxico ,  Anubhav Thakur ,  Jaime Andres Ocampo Villegas ,  Nicholas John Swatko ,  Silas Kogure Wilkinson

IPC: H05K7/20 ,  G06F1/20 ,  B60H1/00 ,  B60R16/023

CPC classification number: H05K7/20872 ,  H05K7/20854 ,  H05K7/20863 ,  H05K7/20881 ,  B60Y2306/05 ,  G06F2200/201 ,  H05K7/20145 ,  H05K7/20263 ,  H05K7/20272 ,  H05K7/20336

Abstract: A thermal management assembly may implement cooling techniques to cool at least a portion of a computer system with one or more cooling systems. The techniques may include using a thermal management assembly in fluid communication with the cooling system(s) to supply fluid from at least one of the cooling systems to at least a portion of the computer system. The techniques may also or instead include using a first thermal coupling to transfer thermal energy between the first cooling system and the computer system and a second thermal coupling to transfer thermal energy between the second cooling system and the computer system. Cooling a computer system using the cooling techniques described herein lowers an operating temperature of the computer system thereby mitigating heat related computer failure.

公开(公告)号：US11500067B1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-15

申请号：US16206885

申请日：2018-11-30

Applicant: Zoox, Inc.

Inventor： Ryan McMichael ,  Robert Nicholas Moor ,  Joseph Patrick Warga ,  Silas Kogure Wilkinson

IPC: G02B9/62 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G02B9/64

Abstract: Various lens designs for use in Time of Flight (ToF) sensor systems are discussed. Improvements to a ToF sensor system may be realized by, for example, incorporating a lens having particular features, such as a relatively short track length, fast lens speed (e.g., low f-number), low telecentricity, relatively flat field illumination, and fairly low cost. In some examples, such a lens of a ToF sensor system may be a lens assembly having a fixed focal length and that avoids use of lenses having aspheric surfaces so as to achieve relatively low cost.

公开(公告)号：US20220179089A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-09

申请号：US17115180

申请日：2020-12-08

Applicant: Zoox, inc.

Inventor： Subasingha Shaminda Subasingha ,  Yongzhe Chen ,  Mehran Ferdowsi ,  Samuel Holladay ,  Tuman Karadeniz ,  Roberrt Nicholsd Moor ,  Joseph Patrick Warga ,  Harrison Thomas Waschura ,  Silas Kogure Wilkinson

IPC: G01S17/931 ,  G06T7/521 ,  G06T7/70 ,  G06T7/55 ,  G01S13/931 ,  G01S15/931

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. An estimated depth of an object may be determined from the first image data, and an actual depth of the object may be determined from the second image data, based on the estimated depth. In examples, the first and second configurations have different modulation frequencies such that a nominal maximum depth in the first configuration is greater than the nominal maximum depth in the second configuration.

公开(公告)号：US12174299B1

公开(公告)日：2024-12-24

申请号：US17123579

申请日：2020-12-16

Applicant: Zoox, Inc.

Inventor： Yongzhe Chen ,  Samuel Holladay ,  Turhan Karadeniz ,  Ryan McMichael ,  Subasingha Shaminda Subasingha ,  Joseph Patrick Warga ,  Harrison Thomas Waschura ,  Silas Kogure Wilkinson

IPC: G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/894 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G06T7/246 ,  G06T7/521 ,  B60W30/09

Abstract: Techniques for determining a distance to an object in an environment based on sensor data are discussed herein. The sensor data can be captured by a sensor, and the sensor data can be based on laser pulses emitted from emitters being differently spaced apart from the sensor. The sensor data can be utilized to determine distance data associated with an object. A difference between the distance data can be used to determine whether the distance data is associated with a retroreflector. If the difference in distance data is above a threshold, a confidence level of sensor data can be adjusted or the sensor data can be discarded or omitted from subsequent processing.