Waymo LLC

Google Inc.

Dorel Ionut Iordache

Pierre-yves Droz

Gaetan Pennecot

Luke Wachter

Daniel Gruver

Samuel William Lenius

Anthony Scott Levandowski

Bernard G Fidric

Drew Eugene Ulrich

William McCann

Zachary Morriss

Rahim Pardhan

Dave Ferguson

William Mccann

Peter Avram

Zach Morriss

Anthony Levandowski

Bernard Fidric

Pierre-Yves Droz

Jiajun Zhu

Caner Onal

Ralph Hamilton Shepard

Colin Andrew Braley

Jonathan Baldwin Dowdall

A vehicle is provided that includes one or more wheels positioned at a bottom side of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes a first light detection and ranging device (LIDAR) positioned at a top side of the vehicle opposite to the bottom side. The first LIDAR is configured to scan an environment around the vehicle based on rotation of the first LIDAR about an axis. The first LIDAR has a first resolution. The vehicle also includes a second LIDAR configured to scan a field-of-view of the environment that extends away from the vehicle along a viewing direction of the second LIDAR. The second LIDAR has a second resolution. The vehicle also includes a controller configured to operate the vehicle based on the scans of the environment by the first LIDAR and the second LIDAR.

Vehicle with multiple light detection and ranging devices (LIDARs)

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.

Long range steerable LIDAR system

Example methods and systems for calibrating sensors using road map data are provided. An autonomous vehicle may use various vehicle sensors to assist in navigation. Within examples, the autonomous vehicle may calibrate vehicle sensors through performing a comparison or analysis between information about the environment received by sensors with similar information provided by map data (e.g., a road map). The autonomous vehicle may compare object locations as provided by the sensors and as shown by map data. Based on the comparison, the autonomous vehicle may adjust various sensors to accurately reflect the information as provided by the road map. In some instances, the autonomous vehicle may adjust the position, height, orientation, direction-of-focus, scaling, or other parameters of a sensor based on the information provided by a road map.

Methods and systems for calibrating sensors using road map data

Aspects of the disclosure provide for a method of calibrating a vehicle's plurality of detection systems. To calibrate a first detection system, orientation data is collected using the first detection device when the vehicle faces a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction. To calibrate a second detection system, data is collected using the second detection device while the vehicle moves in a repeatable pattern near a first object. To calibrate a third detection system, light reflected off a second object is detected using the third detection system as the vehicle is moved towards the second object. To calibrate a fourth detection system, data collected using the second detection system and the fourth detection system is compared. To calibrate a fifth detection system, radar signals reflected off a third object is received using the fifth detection system while the vehicle moves relative to the third object.

Method and system for calibrating a plurality of detection systems in a vehicle

Vehicle with multiple light detection and ranging devices (LIDARS)

A LIDAR device may transmit light pulses originating from one or more light sources and may receive reflected light pulses that are detected by one or more detectors. The LIDAR device may include a lens that both (i) collimates the light from the one or more light sources to provide collimated light for transmission into an environment of the LIDAR device and (ii) focuses the reflected light onto the one or more detectors. Each light source may include a respective laser diode and cylindrical lens. The laser diode may emit an uncollimated laser beam that diverges more in a first direction than in a second direction. The cylindrical lens may pre-collimate the uncollimated laser beam in the first direction to provide a partially collimated laser that diverges more in the second direction than in the first direction.

Microrod compression of laser beam in combination with transmit lens

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Walnut Creek, CA, United States of America

Dorel Ionut Iordache