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公开(公告)号：US20220187687A1
公开(公告)日：2022-06-16
申请号：US17117534
申请日：2020-12-10
Applicant: Waymo LLC
Inventor： Shashank Sharma , Matthew Last , Ralph Shepard
Abstract: The present disclosure relates to optical systems, vehicles, and methods for providing improved thermal images. An example optical system includes a housing, a thermal camera disposed inside the housing, and an optical window coupled to an opening of the housing. The optical system also includes a heater assembly. The heater assembly includes a window heater and at least one connector extending from the window heater. The window heater is thermally coupled to an inner surface of the optical window. The window heater is configured to maintain the optical window at a desired temperature.
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公开(公告)号：US20210293932A1
公开(公告)日：2021-09-23
申请号：US16990491
申请日：2020-08-11
Applicant: Waymo LLC
Inventor： Yi-Hui Bruce-Wen , YooJung Ahn , Jared Gross , Joshua Newby , Jerry Chen , Ralph Shepard , Adam Brown
IPC: G01S7/481 , G01S7/52 , G01S17/931 , G01S17/08 , G01S13/86
Abstract: The technology employs a contrasting color scheme on different surfaces for sensor housing assemblies mounted on exterior parts of a vehicle that is configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode. Lighter and darker colors may be chosen on different surfaces according to a thermal budget for a given sensor housing assembly, due to the different types of sensors arranged along particular surfaces, or to provide color contrast for different regions of the assembly. For instance, differing colors such as black/white or blue/white, and different finishes such as matte or glossy, may be selected to enhance certain attributes or to minimize issues associated with a sensor housing assembly.
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公开(公告)号：US12038540B2
公开(公告)日：2024-07-16
申请号：US18313741
申请日：2023-05-08
Applicant: Waymo LLC
Inventor： Ralph Shepard , Pierre-Yves Droz , Matthew Last , Bryce Remesch
CPC classification number: G01S7/497 , G01S17/89 , G01S2007/4975
Abstract: 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.
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公开(公告)号：US20220357186A1
公开(公告)日：2022-11-10
申请号：US17872244
申请日：2022-07-25
Applicant: Waymo LLC
Inventor： Nirav Dharia , Giulia Guidi , Ralph Shepard , Vlad Cardei , Lucian Ion
Abstract: A system may include a first sensor of a first type and a second sensor of a second different type and having a detector. A field of view of the second sensor may be formed by a plurality of regions of interest (ROIs) defined by the detector. Control circuitry of the system may be configured to perform operations including obtaining, from the first sensor, first sensor data representing an environment, and determining, based on the first sensor data, information associated with a feature of interest within the environment. The operations may also include determining, based on the information, a particular ROI that corresponds to an expected position of the feature at a later time, obtaining a plurality of ROI sensor data from the particular ROI instead of obtaining full-resolution sensor data, and analyzing the plurality of ROI sensor data to determine one or more attributes of the feature.
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公开(公告)号：US20220308305A1
公开(公告)日：2022-09-29
申请号：US17841010
申请日：2022-06-15
Applicant: Waymo LLC
Inventor： Matthew Last , John Henrie , Chandra Kakani , Ralph Shepard , Drew Ulrich
IPC: G02B7/02
Abstract: The technology relates to lens assemblies for sensor units that provide a low but consistent preload force over the entire operational temperature range of the device. Consistent preloading helps to avoid cracking and plastic deformation. In particular, a compliant structure of a polymeric material is able to expand and contract across temperature extremes. In addition, the polymeric material is arranged in conjunction with a retainer ring to form a discontinuous seal with the lens. This provides in a leak path that is able to reduce condensation or contaminants. As a result, moisture within the sensor unit is permitted to escape, reducing or eliminating impairments on the lens or other parts of the sensor unit that could otherwise impair device operation.
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Patent Agency Ranking
公开(公告)号：US11681031B2
公开(公告)日：2023-06-20
申请号：US17405683
申请日：2021-08-18
Applicant: Waymo LLC
Inventor： Ralph Shepard , Pierre-Yves Droz , Matthew Last , Bryce Remesch
CPC classification number: G01S7/497 , G01S17/89 , G01S2007/4975
Abstract: 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.
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公开(公告)号：US20220155457A1
公开(公告)日：2022-05-19
申请号：US17435601
申请日：2020-03-02
Applicant: Waymo LLC
Inventor： Blaise Gassend , Ralph Shepard , Pierre-Yves Droz
IPC: G01S17/931 , G01S7/481 , G01S17/89 , G02B27/09
Abstract: The present disclosure relates to optical systems and related methods of their use. An example optical system includes a transmitter. The transmitter includes a light emitter device configured to emit emission light. The light emitter device defines a reference plane. The transmitter also includes a fast axis collimation (FAC) lens optically coupled to the light emitter device. A lens axis of the FAC lens is arranged at a non-zero angle with respect to the reference plane. The transmitter also includes a transmit lens optically coupled to the FAC lens. The optical system also includes a receiver. The receiver includes a receive lens and a light detector optically coupled to the receive lens.
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公开(公告)号：US20210278257A1
公开(公告)日：2021-09-09
申请号：US16808314
申请日：2020-03-03
Applicant: Waymo LLC
Inventor： Nirav Dharia , Giulia Guidi , Ralph Shepard , Vlad Cardei , Lucian Ion
Abstract: A system may include a first sensor of a first type and a second sensor of a second different type and having a detector. A field of view of the second sensor may be formed by a plurality of regions of interest (ROIs) defined by the detector. Control circuitry of the system may be configured to perform operations including obtaining, from the first sensor, first sensor data representing an environment, and determining, based on the first sensor data, information associated with a feature of interest within the environment. The operations may also include determining, based on the information, a particular ROI that corresponds to an expected position of the feature at a later time, obtaining a plurality of ROI sensor data from the particular ROI instead of obtaining full-resolution sensor data, and analyzing the plurality of ROI sensor data to determine one or more attributes of the feature.
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公开(公告)号：US20210041542A1
公开(公告)日：2021-02-11
申请号：US16532688
申请日：2019-08-06
Applicant: Waymo LLC
Inventor： Ralph Shepard , Pierre-Yves Droz , Matthew Last , Bryce Remesch
Abstract: 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.
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公开(公告)号：US12135391B2
公开(公告)日：2024-11-05
申请号：US16990491
申请日：2020-08-11
Applicant: Waymo LLC
Inventor： Yi-Hui Bruce-Wen , YooJung Ahn , Jared Gross , Joshua Newby , Jerry Chen , Ralph Shepard , Adam Brown
IPC: G01S7/481 , B60R11/00 , B60R11/04 , G01S7/02 , G01S7/52 , G01S13/86 , G01S13/931 , G01S15/931 , G01S17/08 , G01S17/931
Abstract: The technology employs a contrasting color scheme on different surfaces for sensor housing assemblies mounted on exterior parts of a vehicle that is configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode. Lighter and darker colors may be chosen on different surfaces according to a thermal budget for a given sensor housing assembly, due to the different types of sensors arranged along particular surfaces, or to provide color contrast for different regions of the assembly. For instance, differing colors such as black/white or blue/white, and different finishes such as matte or glossy, may be selected to enhance certain attributes or to minimize issues associated with a sensor housing assembly.
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