Google Inc.

Waymo LLC

Chris Urmson

Eric Teller

Brian Douglas Cullinane

Bradley Templeton

Anthony Scott Levandowski

Pierre-yves Droz

Pierre-Yves Droz

Luke Wachter

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for providing information about road features. A server can receive reports from information sources associated with a road feature that can include a road intersection. Each report can include source data obtained at a respective time. The source data from the reports can be stored at the server. The server can construct a phase map, where the phase map is configured to represent a status of the road feature at one or more times. The server can receive an information request related to the road feature at a specified time. In response to the information request, the server can generate an information response including a prediction of a status related to the road feature at the specified time. The prediction can be provided by the phase map and is based on information request. The information response can be sent from the server.

Intersection phase map

Example methods and systems for controlling operation of a laser device are provided. A method may include receiving an output of a proximity sensor that is positioned adjacent to a laser device, and determining based on the output of the proximity sensor that an object is within a threshold distance to the laser device. The method may also include based on the laser device emitting laser pulses, providing, by a computing device, instructions to discontinue the emission of laser pulses by the laser device based on the object being within the threshold distance. The method may further include based on the laser device being inactive, providing, by the computing device, instructions to prevent the emission of laser pulses by the laser device based on the object being within the threshold distance.

Methods and systems for controlling operation of a laser device

Methods and devices are provided for determining an operating bias voltage of a photodiode. One example method includes (i) varying a bias voltage of a photodiode; (ii) detecting spurious signals generated by the photodiode while varying the bias voltage of the photodiode; (iii) determining a threshold bias voltage at which a frequency of occurrence of the spurious signals reaches a threshold frequency; (iv) determining an operating bias voltage for the photodiode based on at least the threshold bias voltage; and (v) operating the photodiode with the operating bias voltage in a light-detection and ranging (LIDAR) system.

Dynamic control of diode bias voltage (photon-caused avalanche)

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Chris Urmson