Waymo LLC

Ralph Hamilton Shepard

Pierre-yves Droz

David Neil Hutchison

Blaise Gassend

Nathaniel Golshan

Matthew Emanuel Last

James C Dunphy

Pierre-Yves Droz

Simon Verghese

Caner Onal

Lucian Ion

Drew Eugene Ulrich

David Schleuning

Bryce Jason Remesch

Chandra Kakani

Ryan Davis

Shashank Sharma

Felix Jose Alvarez Rivera

Samuel William Lenius

Jason Paul Watson

Vlad Constantin Cardei

Nirav Dharia

Alexander Patrick McCauley

Giulia Guidi

Hui Seong Son

Brandyn White

John P Massey

John Henrie

YooJung Ahn

Jared S Gross

Joshua Newby

Adam S Brown

Mark Alexander Shand

Colin Andrew Braley

Luke Wachter

Kelvin Kwong

Augusto Tazzoli

Robert J Lockwood

Joseph Patrick Warga

Dorel Ionut Iordache

Simon Ellgas

Justin Matthew Andrade

Jerry Chen

Andrew Abo

Erin Eppard

Michael Tom

Nathaniel Quillin

Daiwei Li

Yi-Hui Bruce-Wen

Example embodiments relate to foveated imagers for automotive applications. An example embodiment includes a device. The device includes a rotationally symmetric foveated lens. The rotationally symmetric foveated lens is configured to receive light from an environment. The rotationally symmetric foveated lens is also configured to produce an image at an image plane based on the received light. The device also includes an image sensor having an associated image sensor resolution. The image sensor is positioned at the image plane and configured to capture an image having an associated field of view of the environment. Based on a distortion profile of the rotationally symmetric foveated lens and the image sensor resolution, the captured image exhibits a first angular optical resolution in a central region of the field of view and a second angular optical resolution in a peripheral region of the field of view.

Foveated imager for automotive applications

The present disclosure relates to limitation of noise on light detectors using an aperture. One example implementation includes a system. The system includes a lens disposed relative to a scene. The lens focuses light from the scene. The system also includes an opaque material that defines an aperture. The system also includes a waveguide having a first side that receives light focused by the lens and transmitted through the aperture. The waveguide guides the received light toward a second side of the waveguide opposite to the first side. The waveguide has a third side extending between the first side and the second side. The system also includes a mirror that reflects the guided light toward the third side of the waveguide. The system also includes an array of light detectors that detects the reflected light propagating out of the third side.

LIDAR receiver using a waveguide and an aperture

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.

LIDAR transmitter and receiver optics

Example embodiments relate to light detection and ranging (lidar) devices having a light-guide manifold. An example lidar device includes a transmit subsystem. The transmit subsystem includes a light emitter. The transmit subsystem also includes a light-guide manifold optically coupled to the light emitter. Further, the transmit subsystem includes a telecentric lens assembly optically coupled to the light-guide manifold. The lidar device also includes a receive subsystem. The receive subsystem includes the telecentric lens assembly. The receive subsystem also includes an aperture plate having an aperture defined therein. The aperture plate is positioned at a focal plane of the telecentric lens assembly. Further, the receive subsystem includes a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) positioned to receive light traveling through the aperture.

Light detection and ranging (lidar) device having a light-guide manifold

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.

Lens retainer ring with compliant element

One example system comprises a light source configured to emit light. The system also comprises a waveguide configured to guide the emitted light from a first end of the waveguide toward a second end of the waveguide. The waveguide has an output surface between the first end and the second end. The system also comprises a plurality of mirrors including a first mirror and a second mirror. The first mirror reflects a first portion of the light toward the output surface. The second mirror reflects a second portion of the light toward the output surface. The first portion propagates out of the output surface toward a scene as a first transmitted light beam. The second portion propagates out of the output surface toward the scene as a second transmitted light beam.

Waveguide diffusers for LIDARs

Example embodiments relate to enhanced depth of focus cameras using variable apertures and pixel binning. An example embodiment includes a device. The device includes an image sensor. The image sensor includes an array of light-sensitive pixels and a readout circuit. The device also includes a variable aperture. Additionally, the device includes a controller that is configured to cause: the variable aperture to adjust to a first aperture size when a high-light condition is present, the variable aperture to adjust to a second aperture size when a low-light condition is present, the readout circuit to perform a first level of pixel binning when the high-light condition is present, and the readout circuit to perform a second level of pixel binning when the low-light condition is present. The second aperture size is larger than the first aperture size. The second level of pixel binning is greater than the first level of pixel binning.

Enhanced depth of focus cameras using variable apertures and pixel binning

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.

Self-driving sensor system

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.

Window occlusion imager near focal plane

Example embodiments relate to calibration systems for light detection and ranging (lidar) devices. An example calibration system includes a calibration target that includes a surface having at least one characterized reflectivity. The surface is configured to receive one or more calibration signals emitted by a lidar device along one or more optical axes when the lidar device is separated from the calibration target by an adjustable distance. The calibration system also includes at least one lens that modifies the one or more calibration signals. In addition, the system includes an adjustable attenuator configured to attenuate each of the one or more calibration signals to simulate, in combination with the at least one lens, a distance that is greater than the adjustable distance. Further, the system includes a calibration controller configured to analyze data associated with detected reflections of the one or more calibration signals.

Calibration system for light detection and ranging (lidar) devices

Sensor housing

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.

Sensor region of interest selection based on multisensor data

This technology relates to a display mounted messaging system. The display mounted messaging system may include a light emitting diode (LED) display attached to a housing of a sensor. The housing of the sensor may rotate. The display mounted messaging system may also include an LED controller which is configured to selectively activate and deactivate at least one LED in the LED display, to provide a message in the direction of an intended recipient.

Visual communication system

The present disclosure relates to multi-channel optical transmitter modules, lidar systems, and methods that involve micromirror devices. An example optical transmitter module includes at least one light-emitter device and a plurality of micromirror devices optically-coupled to the at least one light-emitter device. The at least one light-emitter device is configured to emit respective light beams toward an environment via the micromirror devices. The micromirror devices are configured to deflect the light beams. The optical transmitter module also includes a controller having at least one processor and a memory. The controller is configured to carry out operations. The operations include receiving information indicative of a retroreflector object in the environment. The operations include, based on the received information, causing at least one micromirror device of the plurality of micromirror devices to deflect at least one light beam so that the at least one light beam does not interact with the retroreflector object.

Spatial light modulator retroreflector mitigation

Growing community of inventors

Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

Ralph Hamilton Shepard