公开(公告)号：US20250110218A1

公开(公告)日：2025-04-03

申请号：US18979939

申请日：2024-12-13

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Luke Wachter ,  Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Clayton Kunz

IPC: G01S7/4861 ,  G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/04 ,  G01S17/931

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to identify a presence of a volumetric medium in an environment associated with a LIDAR system. In some implementations, the LIDAR system may emit a light pulse into the environment, receive a return light pulse corresponding to reflection of the emitted light pulse by a surface in the environment, and determine a pulse width of the received light pulse. The LIDAR system may compare the determined pulse width with a reference pulse width, and determine an amount of pulse elongation of the received light pulse. The LIDAR system may classify the surface as either an object to be avoided by a vehicle or as air particulates associated with the volumetric medium based, at least in part, on the determined amount of pulse elongation.

公开(公告)号：US20250102679A1

公开(公告)日：2025-03-27

申请号：US18372454

申请日：2023-09-25

Applicant: WAYMO LLC

Inventor： Colin Braley ,  Antonio Teran Espinoza ,  William Baxter ,  Michael Marx ,  Luke Wachter

IPC: G01S17/931 ,  B60S1/56 ,  B60W60/00 ,  G01S7/497

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for controlling behaviors of autonomous vehicles based on evaluation of sensors of those vehicles. For instance, sensor data including distance and intensity information for a point in an environment of an autonomous vehicle may be received. An expected intensity value from a pre-stored fair weather reference map may be identified based on a location of the point. An effective detection range for the sensor may be dynamically determined based on the expected intensity and the intensity information for the point. A behavior of the autonomous vehicle may be controlled based on the effective detection range.

公开(公告)号：US12061296B2

公开(公告)日：2024-08-13

申请号：US16951704

申请日：2020-11-18

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Blaise Gassend ,  Benjamin Ingram ,  Luke Wachter

IPC: G01S7/497 ,  G01S7/40 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S13/931 ,  G01S17/86 ,  G01S17/87 ,  G01S17/931

CPC classification number: G01S7/4972 ,  G01S7/4813 ,  G01S13/931 ,  G01S17/86 ,  G01S17/87 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G01S7/4039 ,  G01S2013/93271 ,  G01S2013/93272 ,  G01S2013/93273

Abstract: An example system includes a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device that scans a field-of-view defined by a pointing direction of the LIDAR device. The system also includes an actuator that adjusts the pointing direction of the LIDAR device. The system also includes a communication interface that receives timing information from an external system. The system also includes a controller that causes the actuator to adjust the pointing direction of the LIDAR device based on at least the received timing information.

公开(公告)号：US11681030B2

公开(公告)日：2023-06-20

申请号：US16445394

申请日：2019-06-19

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Luke Wachter ,  Pierre-Yves Droz

IPC: G01S7/497 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G06V20/13 ,  G01S17/00

CPC classification number: G01S7/497 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/931 ,  G06V20/13

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to range calibration of light detectors. An example method includes emitting a first light signal toward a first region of a calibration target having a first reflectivity and detecting a reflection of the first light signal. The detected reflection of the first light signal has a first intensity. The example method further includes emitting a second light signal toward a second region of the calibration target having a second reflectivity and detecting a reflection of the second light signal from the second region of the calibration target. The detected reflection of the second light signal has a second intensity. Still further, the example method includes determining a first apparent range based on the detected reflection of the first light signal, determining a second apparent range based on the detected reflection of the second light signal, and generating walk-error calibration data for the detector.

公开(公告)号：US20220155456A1

公开(公告)日：2022-05-19

申请号：US17435582

申请日：2020-03-04

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Stephen Osborn ,  Blaise Gassend ,  Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Luke Wachter ,  Ionut Iordache

IPC: G01S17/931 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/89

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to light detection and ranging (LIDAR) devices and related methods of their use. An example LIDAR device includes a transmitter configured to transmit one or more light pulses into an environment of the LIDAR device via a transmit optical path. The LIDAR device also includes a detector configured to detect a first portion of the one or more transmitted light pulses and a second portion of the one or more transmitted light pulses, such that the detector receives at a first time the first portion of the one or more transmitted light pulses via an internal optical path within the LIDAR device and receives at a second time the second portion of the one or more transmitted light pulses via reflection by one or more objects in the environment of the LIDAR device. The second time occurs after the first time.

公开(公告)号：US20210333361A1

公开(公告)日：2021-10-28

申请号：US17366768

申请日：2021-07-02

Applicant: Waymo, LLC

Inventor： Pierre-yves Droz ,  Gaetan Pennecot ,  Anthony Levandowski ,  Drew Eugene Ulrich ,  Zach Morriss ,  Luke Wachter ,  Dorel Ionut Iordache ,  William McCann ,  Daniel Gruver ,  Bernard Fidric ,  Samuel William Lenius

IPC: G01S7/48 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/87 ,  G01S17/86 ,  G01S17/931

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that relate to a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device. The LIDAR device includes a fiber laser configured to emit light within a wavelength range, a scanning portion configured to direct the emitted light in a reciprocating manner about a first axis, and a plurality of detectors configured to sense light within the wavelength range. The device additionally includes a controller configured to receive target information, which may be indicative of an object, a position, a location, or an angle range. In response to receiving the target information, the controller may cause the rotational mount to rotate so as to adjust a pointing direction of the LIDAR. The controller is further configured to cause the LIDAR to scan a field-of-view (FOV) of the environment. The controller may determine a three-dimensional (3D) representation of the environment based on data from scanning the FOV.

公开(公告)号：US20210270970A1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-02

申请号：US17322809

申请日：2021-05-17

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Gil Shotan ,  Joshua Wang ,  Luke Wachter

IPC: G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/481 ,  H04N5/357 ,  H04N5/225 ,  G01S17/08

Abstract: One example method involves obtaining a plurality of images using a camera located at a given position relative to a light detection and ranging device (LIDAR). A first image of the plurality may be indicative of a view, via one or more optical elements of the LIDAR, of a receiver of the LIDAR. The method also involves determining simulated detector positions for intercepting reflections of simulated light beams associated with a plurality of light sources in a transmitter of the LIDAR. The method also involves determining one or more alignment offsets between the transmitter and the receiver based on at least the simulated detector positions and the plurality of images.

公开(公告)号：US20200284887A1

公开(公告)日：2020-09-10

申请号：US16445394

申请日：2019-06-19

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Luke Wachter ,  Pierre-Yves Droz

IPC: G01S7/497 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S17/93 ,  G06K9/00

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to range calibration of light detectors. An example method includes emitting a first light signal toward a first region of a calibration target having a first reflectivity and detecting a reflection of the first light signal. The detected reflection of the first light signal has a first intensity. The example method further includes emitting a second light signal toward a second region of the calibration target having a second reflectivity and detecting a reflection of the second light signal from the second region of the calibration target. The detected reflection of the second light signal has a second intensity. Still further, the example method includes determining a first apparent range based on the detected reflection of the first light signal, determining a second apparent range based on the detected reflection of the second light signal, and generating walk-error calibration data for the detector.

公开(公告)号：US11513198B2

公开(公告)日：2022-11-29

申请号：US16240126

申请日：2019-01-04

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Luke Wachter ,  Pierre-Yves Droz ,  Clayton Kunz

IPC: G01S17/02 ,  G01S17/93 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S7/497 ,  G01S7/4861 ,  G01S17/04 ,  G01S17/931

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to identify a presence of a volumetric medium in an environment associated with a LIDAR system. In some implementations, the LIDAR system may emit a light pulse into the environment, receive a return light pulse corresponding to reflection of the emitted light pulse by a surface in the environment, and determine a pulse width of the received light pulse. The LIDAR system may compare the determined pulse width with a reference pulse width, and determine an amount of pulse elongation of the received light pulse. The LIDAR system may classify the surface as either an object to be avoided by a vehicle or as air particulates associated with the volumetric medium based, at least in part, on the determined amount of pulse elongation.

公开(公告)号：US11333748B2

公开(公告)日：2022-05-17

申请号：US16133231

申请日：2018-09-17

Applicant: Waymo LLC

Inventor： Ralph H. Shepard ,  Pierre-Yves Droz ,  David Schleuning ,  Mark Shand ,  Luke Wachter

IPC: G01S7/499 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G02B5/20 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G02B27/28 ,  G01S7/481

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to arrays of light detectors with a corresponding array of optical elements. An example embodiment includes a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system. The LIDAR system includes an array of light detectors. The LIDAR system also includes a shared imaging optic. Further, the LIDAR system includes an array of optical elements positioned between the shared imaging optic and the array of light detectors. Each light detector in the array of light detectors is configured to detect a respective light signal from a respective region of a scene. Each respective light signal is transmitted via the shared imaging optic and modified by a respective optical element in the array of optical elements based on at least one aspect of the scene.