Waymo LLC

Srikanth Muroor

David Sobel

Pierre-yves Droz

Pieter Kaspenberg

Pieter Kapsenberg

Sabareeshkumar Ravikumar

Michael Dierickx

Example embodiments relate to a lower power linearization of lidar signals. An example embodiment includes a method that includes receiving a sample value output by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in a processing unit of a lidar system. The ADC may be configured to digitize an optical signal that is compressed by a gain amplifier. The compression may be based on a transfer function comprising one or more linear portions. The method also includes comparing the sample value to one or more threshold values. The one or more threshold values may correspond respectively to the one or more linear portions. The method further includes selecting, for the sample value and based on the comparing, an inverse gain and an associated intercept. The method additionally includes linearizing the sample value based on the selected inverse gain and the associated intercept.

Lower power linearization of lidar signals

A method and system to provide timebase synchronization for multiple processors in a multi-processor sensor system, where each processor operates according to a respective reference clock, and where the processors' respective reference clocks are off sync from each other. An example method includes simultaneously injecting a synchronization pulse respectively into the multiple processors. Further, the method includes recording for each processor, according to the processor's respective reference clock, a respective synchronization-pulse timestamp of the simultaneously injected synchronization pulse, comparing the respective synchronization-pulse timestamps recorded for the processors, and, based on the comparing, computing for each processor a respective time offset. Additionally, the method includes using the per-processor computed time offsets as a basis to provide a synchronized timebase across the processors.

Timebase synchronization using pulsed signal injection

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Srikanth Muroor