Luke M Wachter, 39Berkeley, CA

2022017, Jun 9, 2022

Mar 13, 2020

17/437115

- Mountain View CA, US
Luke WACHTER - Mountain View CA, US
Colin BRALEY - Mountain View CA, US
Christian LAUTERBACH - Mountain View CA, US
Xiaoxiang HU - Mountain View CA, US
Ming ZOU - Mountain View CA, US

G01S 7/497
G01S 7/481
G01S 17/931

One example method involves obtaining a plurality of scans of a field-of-view (FOV) of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device disposed inside a housing. Obtaining each scan of the plurality of scans comprises: transmitting, through a plurality of sections of the housing, a plurality of light pulses emitted from the LIDAR device in different directions toward the housing; and detecting a plurality of returning light pulses comprising reflected portions of the transmitted plurality of light pulses that are reflected back toward the LIDAR device. The method also involves detecting an obstruction that at least partially occludes the LIDAR device from scanning the FOV through the housing based on the plurality of scans.

2021033, Oct 28, 2021

Jul 2, 2021

17/366768

- Mountain View CA, US
Gaetan Pennecot - San Francisco CA, US
Anthony Levandowski - Berkeley CA, US
Drew Eugene Ulrich - San Francisco CA, US
Zach Morriss - San Francisco CA, US
Luke Wachter - San Francisco CA, US
Dorel Ionut Iordache - Walnut Creek CA, US
William McCann - San Francisco CA, US
Daniel Gruver - San Francisco CA, US
Bernard Fidric - Cupertino CA, US
Samuel William Lenius - Sunnyvale CA, US

G01S 7/48
G01S 7/481
G01S 17/87
G01S 17/86
G01S 17/931

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.

2021027, Sep 9, 2021

Mar 8, 2021

17/194447

- Mountain View CA, US
Zachary Morriss - San Francisco CA, US
Samuel Lenius - Sunnyvale CA, US
Dorel lonut lordache - Pleasanton CA, US
Daniel Gruver - San Francisco CA, US
Pierre-Yves Droz - Los Altos CA, US
Luke Wachter - San Francisco CA, US
Drew Ulrich - San Francisco CA, US
William McCann - San Francisco CA, US
Rahim Pardhan - San Francisco CA, US
Bernard Fidric - Cupertino CA, US
Anthony Levandowski - Palo Alto CA, US
Peter Avram - Sunnyvale CA, US

G01S 7/48
G01S 17/93
G01S 17/10
G01S 17/42
G01S 17/66
G01S 17/87
G01S 17/89
G01S 7/481
G01S 17/931
G01C 3/02

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.

2021027, Sep 2, 2021

May 17, 2021

17/322809

- Mountain View CA, US
Joshua Wang - Mountain View CA, US
Luke Wachter - San Francisco CA, US

G01S 17/89
G01S 7/481
H04N 5/357
H04N 5/225
G01S 17/08

One example method involves obtaining a plurality of images using a camera located at a given position relative to a light detection and ranging device (LIDAR). A first image of the plurality may be indicative of a view, via one or more optical elements of the LIDAR, of a receiver of the LIDAR. The method also involves determining simulated detector positions for intercepting reflections of simulated light beams associated with a plurality of light sources in a transmitter of the LIDAR. The method also involves determining one or more alignment offsets between the transmitter and the receiver based on at least the simulated detector positions and the plurality of images.

2021007, Mar 11, 2021

Nov 18, 2020

16/951704

- Mountain View CA, US
Benjamin Ingram - Santa Clara CA, US
Luke Wachter - San Francisco CA, US

G01S 7/497
G01S 7/481
G01S 17/87
G01S 13/931
G01S 17/86
G01S 17/931

An example system includes a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device that scans a field-of-view defined by a pointing direction of the LIDAR device. The system also includes an actuator that adjusts the pointing direction of the LIDAR device. The system also includes a communication interface that receives timing information from an external system. The system also includes a controller that causes the actuator to adjust the pointing direction of the LIDAR device based on at least the received timing information.

2020022, Jul 16, 2020

Mar 24, 2020

16/828773

- Mountain View CA, US
Pierre-Yves Droz - Los Altos CA, US
Luke Wachter - San Francisco CA, US
Scott McCloskey - Mountain View CA, US
Blaise Gassend - East Palo Alto CA, US
Gaetan Pennecot - San Francisco CA, US

G01S 7/481
G01S 17/931
H01S 3/11
G01S 17/10
G01S 7/484
H01S 5/40

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods that facilitate light detection and ranging operations. An example transmit block includes at least one substrate with a plurality of angled facets. The plurality of angled facets provides a corresponding plurality of elevation angles. A set of angle differences between adjacent elevation angles includes at least two different angle difference values. A plurality of light-emitter devices is configured to emit light into an environment along the plurality of elevation angles toward respective target locations so as to provide a desired resolution and/or a respective elevation angle. The present disclosure also relates to adjusting shot power and a shot schedule based on the desired resolution and/or a respective elevation angle.

2020021, Jul 9, 2020

Mar 23, 2020

16/827214

- Mountain View CA, US
Pierre-Yves Droz - Los Altos CA, US
Luke Wachter - San Francisco CA, US
Scott McCloskey - Mountain View CA, US
Blaise Gassend - East Palo Alto CA, US
Gaetan Pennecot - San Francisco CA, US

G01S 7/481
G01S 7/484
H01S 3/11
G01S 17/10
H01S 5/40
G01S 17/931

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods that facilitate light detection and ranging operations. An example transmit block includes at least one substrate with a plurality of angled facets. The plurality of angled facets provides a corresponding plurality of elevation angles. A set of angle differences between adjacent elevation angles includes at least two different angle difference values. A plurality of light-emitter devices is configured to emit light into an environment along the plurality of elevation angles toward respective target locations so as to provide a desired resolution and/or a respective elevation angle. The present disclosure also relates to adjusting shot power and a shot schedule based on the desired resolution and/or a respective elevation angle.

2020014, May 7, 2020

Dec 31, 2018

16/236780

- Mountain View CA, US
Christian Lauterbach - Campbell CA, US
Blaise Gassend - East Palo Alto CA, US
Nathaniel Quillin - Palo Alto CA, US
Luke Wachter - San Francisco CA, US
Gil Shotan - San Francisco CA, US
Mark Alexander Shand - Palo Alto CA, US

G01S 7/48
H04W 4/40
G01S 17/93
G01S 17/42

Methods and systems for laser point clouds are described herein. The method and system may include receiving, at a computing device, lidar data indicative of an environment of a vehicle from a first lidar data source, where the lidar data includes a first plurality of data points indicative of locations of reflections from the environment and further includes a respective intensity for each data point. The method and system also include determining a first surface normal for at least a first data point of the first plurality of data points. The method and system further includes determining a first angle of incidence for the first data point based on the surface normal. Additionally, the method and system includes adjusting the intensity of the first data point based on the first angle of incidence to create a first adjusted intensity for the first data point.