Patents Examined by Daniel L Murphy
  • Patent number: 11971508
    Abstract: This document describes techniques and systems to vary waveforms across frames in lidar systems. The described lidar system transmits signals with different waveforms for the same pixel of consecutive frames to avoid a return signal overlapping with a noise spike or a frequency component of another return signal. The different waveforms can be formed using different frequency modulations, different amplitude modulations, or a combination thereof for the same pixel of consecutive frames. The lidar system can change the waveform of the transmit signal for the same pixel of a subsequent frame automatically or in response to determining that a signal-to-noise ratio of the return signal of an initial frame is below a threshold value. In this way, the lidar system can increase the signal-to-noise ratios in return signals. These improvements allow the lidar system to increase its accuracy in determining the characteristics of objects that reflected the return signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
    Inventors: Chenghui Hao, Michael DeLaus, Geng Fu, Denis Rainko
  • Patent number: 11971220
    Abstract: A transducer system comprising a housing, an electromechanical transducer within the housing, a wicking material adjacent to a portion of the electromechanical transducer, and a multi-phase coolant solution within the housing. The multi-phase coolant solution transitions from a first phase to a second phase in response to a temperature of the electromechanical transducer exceeding a threshold temperature. In some example cases, the multi-phase coolant solution has a boiling point of less than about 60° C., which effectively defines the threshold temperature. The multi-phase coolant solution may be chosen such that it remains a liquid during a first phase (cooling via conduction), and then evaporates during a second phase (cooling via conduction and convection) as the electromechanical transducer heats up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: Charles P. Wason, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11965969
    Abstract: An optically and aerodynamically optimized and particularly wind-insensitive cleaning apparatus for cleaning a surface of a sensor apparatus of a vehicle with a fluid cleaning agent. The surface is surrounded by an outer surface region with respect to which the surface is arranged so as to be substantially flush therewith or curved in a domed manner above it, and, in relation to the outer surface region, the nozzle is positioned in a recessed manner such that the spraying of the cleaning agent is realized below the outer surface region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Hahn, Dirk Ringler
  • Patent number: 11965957
    Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic sensor (112) for use in a distance detection system (110) for a vehicle (111), wherein the ultrasonic sensor (112) is designed to be installed jointly with at least one other ultrasonic sensor (112), the ultrasonic sensor (112) has a first input (114) for connection to a supply lead (116), the ultrasonic sensor (112) has a second input (118) for connection to a ground potential (120) of the vehicle (111), and the ultrasonic sensor (112) has an output (122) for connection to the supply lead (116), wherein the ultrasonic sensor (112) is designed to receive a data signal modulated on the supply lead (116) via the first input (114) and to modulate a data signal onto the supply lead (116) via the output (122).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: VALEO SCHALTER UND SENSOREN GMBH
    Inventors: Sylvio Salomon, Thomas Jung, Steffen Jaeger
  • Patent number: 11964745
    Abstract: An underwater work system of the present disclosure acquires a relative position of an underwater vehicle relative to a surface ship at the start of searching work, the relative position being measured based on a sound wave transmitted from a wave transmitter. The underwater work system calculates a position of the underwater vehicle based on the acquired relative position. When a measurement error region whose center corresponds to the calculated position of the underwater vehicle and an expected laid region of a pipeline extending in a predetermined direction overlap each other, the underwater work system moves the underwater vehicle to such a position that the measurement error region and the expected laid region do not overlap each other, and then, makes the underwater vehicle perform crossing detection in which the underwater vehicle detects the presence or absence of the pipeline while crossing the expected laid region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriyuki Okaya, Koichi Fukui
  • Patent number: 11967997
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for managing underwater acoustic communications. An automatic network slicing method specifically designed for handling underwater acoustic communications is implemented to enable admission control, routing, and dynamic resource allocation based on service level agreement requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Technology Innovation Institute-Sole Proprietorship LLC
    Inventors: Osama M. Bushnaq, Igor V. Zhilin, Giulia De Masi, Enrico Natalizio, Ian F. Akyildiz, Najwa Aaraj
  • Patent number: 11960003
    Abstract: A control device includes: an object detector to output a signal for causing a transmitter to transmit an object detection ultrasonic wave, obtain an output signal from a receiver, and detect an object; an abnormality detector to perform, as an abnormality detection process, outputting a signal for causing the transmitter to transmit an abnormality detection ultrasonic wave whose transmission time is longer than that of the object detection ultrasonic wave, obtaining, from the receiver, an output signal in a period in which the abnormality detection ultrasonic wave is to be received as a direct wave, and detecting an abnormality in the transmitter or receiver when no signal of the direct wave is included; and a determiner to obtain a speed of a vehicle including the transmitter and receiver, and when the speed is not greater than a threshold, cause the abnormality detector to start the abnormality detection process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kentaro Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11957514
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for determining a relative position between arrays of a flexible array device. The flexible array device according to an embodiment includes a plurality of arrays arranged at a predetermined interval in a deformable substrate, and the method includes measuring the first capacitance between adjacent arrays, measuring the second capacitance between the adjacent arrays after deformation of the substrate, and determining a relative position between the adjacent arrays based on the first capacitance measurement value and the second capacitance measurement value. According to an embodiment, the relative position between the arrays may be determined by measuring the capacitance between the adjacent arrays of the plurality of arrays arranged in the deformable substrate and measuring a change in capacitance caused by the deformation (contraction, relaxation, bending) of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Byung Chul Lee, Dong-Hyun Kang, Shinyong Shim
  • Patent number: 11953308
    Abstract: A light emitting element array includes: a light emitting element group that includes plural light emitting elements; and plural lenses that are provided, corresponding to the plural light emitting elements, on a light emitting surface side of the plural light emitting elements, and that deflects light emitted from the plural light emitting elements according to a positional relation with the plural light emitting elements. Distances between central axes of light emission of the plural light emitting elements and central axes of the plural lenses corresponding to the plural light emitting elements increase from a center side of the light emitting element group toward an end side of the light emitting element group, and a degree of change in the distances decreases from the center side of the light emitting element group toward the end side of the light emitting element group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Nakamura, Kenichi Ohno, Michiaki Murata, Tsutomu Ishii, Jiro Minabe
  • Patent number: 11956109
    Abstract: A low-computation underwater acoustic wake-up method based on a multi-carrier signal is provided. A multi-carrier signal corresponding to communication nodes is constructed, absolute values of the multi-carrier signal in a window at a receiver are summed for signal arrival detection, and then frequency points of the multi-carrier signal are detected many times by using the real fast Fourier transform to realize wake-up detection. The method is suitable for accurate wake-up at any distance within a maximum communication distance of two underwater acoustic nodes, has a small amount of calculation, and is suitable for low-power single-chip microcomputers. The modem can be in a low-power sleep state for a long time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Fengzhong Qu, Zhe Lin, Yan Wei, Yezhou Wu
  • Patent number: 11947048
    Abstract: Example embodiments relate to crosstalk reduction for light detection and ranging (lidar) devices using wavelength locking. An example embodiment includes a lidar device. The lidar device includes a first light emitter configured to emit a first light signal and a second light emitter configured to emit a second light signal. The lidar device also includes a first light guide and a second light guide. In addition, the lidar device includes a first light detector and a second light detector. Further, the lidar device includes a first wavelength-locking mechanism configured to use a portion of the first light signal to maintain a wavelength of the first light signal and a second wavelength-locking mechanism configured to use a portion of the second light signal to maintain a wavelength of the second light signal. The wavelengths of the first light signal and the second light signal are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: David Schleuning, Pierre-Yves Droz, Jason Watson, James Dunphy
  • Patent number: 11947106
    Abstract: An optoelectronic sensor for detecting objects in a monitored zone is provided that has a light transmitter for transmitting at least one scanning beam, a movable first deflection unit for a periodic deflection of the scanning beam in a first direction, a light receiver for generating a received signal from the scanning beam remitted by objects in the monitored zone, and a control and evaluation unit that is configured to evaluate the received signal to determine the distance from an object scanned by the scanning beam using a time of flight process, A second deflection unit is here configured to additionally deflect the scanning beam in the first direction and/or in a second direction transverse to the first direction without a movement or at most with micromechanically moved elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventor: Oliver Ostojic
  • Patent number: 11946797
    Abstract: A visual sonic conduit locator includes a conduit size audio filter control, sensitivity control, and one or more visual indicators. The conduit size audio filter control is configured to optimize to the size of the conduit of interest. The sensitivity control is configured to detect a target sound and alter the amount of the target sound to that of a visual display level. The visual display level is represented by visual indicators. The visual indicators are configured to visually display a received audio level detected by the locator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Inventor: Arnold Chase
  • Patent number: 11946358
    Abstract: A method for determining the presence and bonding characteristics of elements which may include cement which may be bonded to a pipe string. The method for determining the presence and bonding may comprise disposing an acoustic logging tool in a wellbore, wherein the acoustic logging tool comprises a transmitter and a receiver, broadcasting a pressure pulse with the transmitter into a first material, wherein the pressure pulse reflects off an interface of the first material and a pipe string as a reflected pressure pulse, recording the reflected pressure pulse with a receiver, and determining an integrity of a material using a Quintero Wellbore Index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Luis F. Quintero
  • Patent number: 11947063
    Abstract: A method and system for picking first-break times for a seismic dataset are disclosed. The method includes generating a pre-processed seismic dataset and an initial refraction velocity model from the pre-stack seismic dataset and generating a first-break energy-enhanced seismic dataset using nonlinear beamforming applied to the pre-processed seismic dataset and the initial refraction velocity model. The methods further include estimating a refined refraction velocity model from the first-break energy-enhanced seismic dataset, and generating a post-processed seismic dataset from the refined refraction velocity model and first-break energy-enhanced seismic dataset. The methods still further include, for each pre-stack trace, determining a first-break time from the post-processed seismic dataset and the refined refraction velocity model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventor: Yong Qing Chen
  • Patent number: 11947040
    Abstract: A LiDAR system includes a light source and an arrayed micro-optic configured to receive light from the light source so as to produce and project a two-dimensional array of light spots on a scene. The LiDAR system also includes receiver optics having an array of optical detection sites configured so as to be suitable for establishing a one-to-one correspondence between light spots in the two-dimensional array and optical detection sites in the receiver optics. The LiDAR system further includes a birefringent prism and a lens. The LiDAR system may also include a mask placed in the light path between the birefringent prism and the receiver optics. Alternatively, the LiDAR system may include a controller programmed to activate or deactivate each optical detection site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael G. Moebius, Lucas D. Benney, Steven J. Spector, Steven J. Byrnes
  • Patent number: 11947037
    Abstract: A system has a collection of lidar sensors to generate lidar point cloud data for a defined geolocation. A computer is connected to the collection of lidar sensors via a network. The computer includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executed by the processor to process the lidar point cloud data to produce an object list for each moving object identified in the lidar point cloud data. The object list includes object classification information, object motion information, object position data, and object size data. Object motion analyses are performed on each object list to generate object motion analytics for the defined geolocation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Quanergy Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Akshaya Sharma, Tianyue Yu, Ross C Taylor
  • Patent number: 11946798
    Abstract: A system includes a vibration detector to detect a location of vibration and identify a frequency of the vibration. The system also includes a controller to generate audio corresponding to the frequency of vibration detected by the vibration detector and one or more speakers configured to provide the audio as directional sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jake Rohrig, Christopher A. Keith
  • Patent number: 11948229
    Abstract: Embodiment of the present disclosure disclose a tomographic imaging system for reconstructing an image of an internal structure of an object. An incident wavefield is transmitted into the object occupying a background domain embedding the object. The incident wavefield is scattered into multiple scattered wavefield by the object. The incident and scattered wavefields are measured as a total wavefield. The total wavefield propagates through a computational domain and a residual domain in the background domain that are defined by cross-domain and residual measurement operators. The total wavefield is used for the image reconstruction. The image is reconstructed by solving an optimization problem corresponding to the computational domain. The optimization problem is solved iteratively to minimize a difference between the total wavefield and a wavefield synthesized using a measurement operator and a Green's function operator from the reconstructed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Hassan Mansour, Yanting Ma, Petros Boufounos
  • Patent number: 11942920
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film (PTF) is located above a carrier substrate. The PTF may be X-cut LiNbO3 thin film adapted to propagate an acoustic wave in at least one of a first mode excited by an electric field oriented in a longitudinal direction along a length of the PTF or a second mode excited by the electric field oriented at least partially in a thickness direction of the PTF. A first interdigitated transducer (IDT) is disposed on a first end of the PTF. The first IDT is to convert a first electromagnetic signal, traveling in the longitudinal direction, into the acoustic wave. A second IDT is disposed on a second end of the PTF with a gap between the second IDT and the first IDT. The second IDT is to convert the acoustic wave into a second electromagnetic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Ruochen Lu, Tomas Manzaneque Garcia, Yansong Yang, Songbin Gong