公开(公告)号：US12078720B2

公开(公告)日：2024-09-03

申请号：US16297320

申请日：2019-03-08

Applicant: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Inventor： Anant Gupta ,  Atul Ingle ,  Andreas Velten ,  Mohit Gupta

IPC: G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S17/89 ,  H01L31/107

CPC classification number: G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/4868 ,  G01S17/89 ,  H01L31/107

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, systems, methods and media for single photon depth imaging with improved precision in ambient light conditions are provided. In some embodiments, the system comprises: a light source; a single photon detector; an attenuation element configured to provide a variable intensity attenuation factor; and a processor programmed to: (a)-determine an ambient light intensity associated with a scene point; (b)-select an attenuation factor based on the ambient light intensity; (c)-estimate a depth of the scene point based on a multiplicity of photon arrival times determined using the detector during a period of time during which light incident on the detector is attenuated by the selected attenuation factor and during which the light source is configured to periodically emit a pulse of light toward the scene point; (d)-repeat (a)-(c) for each of a multiplicity of scene points.

公开(公告)号：US20240243209A1

公开(公告)日：2024-07-18

申请号：US18623707

申请日：2024-04-01

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Caner Onal ,  Simon Verghese ,  Pierre-Yves Droz

IPC: H01L31/0352 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/89 ,  H01L27/144 ,  H01L31/107 ,  H01L31/18

CPC classification number: H01L31/035272 ,  G01S17/89 ,  H01L27/1443 ,  H01L31/035281 ,  H01L31/107 ,  H01L31/186 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4868

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to controlling detection time in photodetectors. An example embodiment includes a device. The device includes a substrate. The device also includes a photodetector coupled to the substrate. The photodetector is arranged to detect light emitted from a light source that irradiates a top surface of the device. A depth of the substrate is at most 100 times a diffusion length of a minority carrier within the substrate so as to mitigate dark current arising from minority carriers photoexcited in the substrate based on the light emitted from the light source.

公开(公告)号：US20240191984A1

公开(公告)日：2024-06-13

申请号：US18585670

申请日：2024-02-23

Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION

Inventor： Tomonori MASUDA ,  Hiroshi TAMAYAMA

IPC: G01B11/14 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/51 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/88 ,  G02B7/40 ,  H04N23/56 ,  H04N23/63 ,  H04N23/67 ,  H04N23/71

CPC classification number: G01B11/14 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/88 ,  G02B7/40 ,  H04N23/56 ,  H04N23/63 ,  H04N23/71 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/4868 ,  G01S7/51 ,  H04N23/673

Abstract: A distance measurement device includes an imaging unit which captures a subject image formed by an imaging optical system, an emission unit which emits directional light as light having directivity along an optical axis direction of the imaging optical system, a light receiving unit which receives reflected light of the directional light from the subject, a derivation unit which derives a distance to the subject based on the timing at which the directional light is emitted and the timing at which the reflected light is received, a display unit which displays the subject image, and a control unit which performs control such that, in a case of performing a distance measurement, the display unit displays the subject image as a motion image and transition is made to a state where actual exposure by the imaging unit is possible at the timing of the end of the distance measurement.

公开(公告)号：US11971487B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-30

申请号：US15999274

申请日：2016-02-19

Applicant: PIONEER CORPORATION

Inventor： Eiji Muramatsu ,  Yoshinori Abe ,  Kazutoshi Kitano ,  Kenji Mito ,  Takeshi Koda

IPC: G01S17/931 ,  G01C21/00 ,  G01C21/28 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/86 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G06F16/29 ,  G09B29/00

CPC classification number: G01S17/931 ,  G01C21/28 ,  G01C21/3811 ,  G01C21/3848 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/4868 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01S17/86 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G06F16/29 ,  G09B29/00

Abstract: An advanced map DB 43 stored on a server device 4 includes pulse type information that is configuration information for detecting a landmark using a LIDAR 2. By sending request information D1 including own vehicle position information, the vehicle mounted device 1 receives response information D2 including pulse type information corresponding to a landmark around the own vehicle position and controls the LIDAR 2 on the basis of the received pulse type information.

公开(公告)号：US11921206B2

公开(公告)日：2024-03-05

申请号：US18057463

申请日：2022-11-21

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Blaise Gassend ,  Caner Onal ,  David Hutchison

IPC: G01S7/481 ,  G01J1/04 ,  G01J1/42 ,  G01J1/44 ,  G01J3/02 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/08 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42

CPC classification number: G01S17/08 ,  G01J1/0411 ,  G01J1/0414 ,  G01J1/0422 ,  G01J1/0437 ,  G01J1/0448 ,  G01J1/0474 ,  G01J1/0488 ,  G01J1/4228 ,  G01J1/44 ,  G01J3/0208 ,  G01J3/0229 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/4816 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4868 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/42 ,  G01J2001/442 ,  G01J2001/4466

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to limitation of noise on light detectors using an aperture. One example embodiment includes a system. The system includes a lens disposed relative to a scene and configured to focus light from the scene onto a focal plane. The system also includes an aperture defined within an opaque material disposed at the focal plane of the lens. The aperture has a cross-sectional area. In addition, the system includes an array of light detectors disposed on a side of the focal plane opposite the lens and configured to intercept and detect diverging light focused by the lens and transmitted through the aperture. A cross-sectional area of the array of light detectors that intercepts the diverging light is greater than the cross-sectional area of the aperture.

公开(公告)号：US11835628B2

公开(公告)日：2023-12-05

申请号：US17086768

申请日：2020-11-02

Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Inventor： Minseok Oh ,  Satyadev Hulikal Nagaraja

IPC: G01S7/48 ,  G01S17/894 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/486 ,  H01L27/148 ,  G02B3/00

CPC classification number: G01S17/894 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/4868 ,  H01L27/14812 ,  H01L27/14856 ,  G02B3/0006

Abstract: A time-of-flight image sensor is disclosed. The time-of-flight image sensor includes an array of pixels. Each pixel of the array of pixels includes a first photogate, a second photogate adjacent the first photogate, an isolation barrier intermediate the first photogate and the second photogate, and an in-pixel ground node intermediate the first photogate and the second photogate.

公开(公告)号：US11774566B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-03

申请号：US18056114

申请日：2022-11-16

Applicant: Liturex (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd

Inventor： Yunpeng Song

IPC: G01S7/486 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/481

CPC classification number: G01S7/4868 ,  G01S7/4817 ,  G01S7/4863

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention disclose devices, methods, and computer media for noise rejections in a remote sensing device, such as a LIDAR device. In an exemplary embodiment, a spatial filter includes an aperture dynamically created in synchronization with one or more directions in which emitted laser pulses from the LiDAR device are steered. Photons from all other directions except the one or more directions are blocked by the spatial filter. Reflected photons from the one or more directions pass through the spatial filter via the aperture, and are projected on one or more sets of photodetectors. Noises in the photons that pass through the spatial filter are further to be rejected based on one or more fixed temporal patterns identified in laser pulses emitted by the LiDAR device. The spatial filter can be implemented using an electrochromic display, an array of micromechanical (MEMS) mirrors, a liquid crystal display (LCD), or an electro-wetting display.

公开(公告)号：US11774556B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-03

申请号：US17245185

申请日：2021-04-30

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Caner Onal ,  Blaise Gassend ,  Pierre-yves Droz

IPC: G01S7/48 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/894 ,  G01J1/42 ,  G01S17/08 ,  G01J1/44

CPC classification number: G01S7/4816 ,  G01J1/4228 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4868 ,  G01S17/08 ,  G01S17/894 ,  G01J2001/442 ,  G01J2001/4466

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and systems that improve the dynamic range of LIDAR systems. An example system includes a plurality of single-photon photodetectors and at least one additional photodetector monolithically integrated on a shared substrate. The plurality of single-photon photodetectors and the at least one additional photodetector are configured to detect light from a shared field of view. The system also includes a controller configured to carry out operations. The operations include: receiving respective photodetector signals from the plurality of single-photon photodetectors and the at least one additional photodetector; selecting a photodetector signal from at least two of: the two received photodetector signals and a combined photodetector signal formed by combining the two received photodetector signals; and determining an intensity of light in the field of view based on the selected photodetector signal.

公开(公告)号：US11733385B1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-22

申请号：US16916445

申请日：2020-06-30

Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Joseph Andrew Summers ,  Ryan J. Suess

IPC: G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S7/499 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/18

CPC classification number: G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/4868 ,  G01S7/499 ,  G01S17/18 ,  G01S17/89

Abstract: A technique for increasing the measurement range of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes triggering a light source of the LIDAR system to emit light pulses towards an environment at a first repetition rate. A different second repetition rate for operation of a shutter of the LIDAR system is determined. The operation of the shutter is synchronized with the light source, based on the second repetition rate, such that reflections caused by the light pulses arrive at the shutter when the shutter is in different states during the time period. An intensity of the reflections that arrive at the shutter is determined. A range to objects in the environment is determined based on the measured intensity of the reflections.

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

IPC: G01S7/486 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G01S17/02 ,  H04N5/235 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/86 ,  H04N23/73

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.