Patents Examined by Luke D. Ratcliffe
  • Patent number: 11703325
    Abstract: A surveying instrument for executing a relocation functionality, which determines first coordinates of a stationary target point associated with the start signal, in response to a start signal, a first actuator and a second actuator are controlled such that the stationary target point remains within a detection area of a tracking unit of the surveying instrument, determines second coordinates of the stationary target point, receives an end signal, wherein the second coordinates of the stationary target point are associated with the end signal, and based at least in part on the first and second coordinates of the stationary target point, and determines a relative pose of the surveying instrument with respect to a first setup location and a second setup location, wherein the first setup location is associated with the first coordinates and the second setup location is associated with the second coordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Elvir Malko{hacek over (c)}, Josef Müller, Johannes Hotz
  • Patent number: 11698444
    Abstract: A LiDAR system includes an optical source to emit an optical beam, an optical window to reflect a first portion of the optical beam to generate an LO signal, and an optical scanner to transmit a second portion of the optical beam to a target to scan the target to generate a target return signal. The LiDAR system includes a birefringent crystal plate to transmit the LO signal and the target return signal to a PD and shift the LO signal and the target return signal by different displacements to increase a percentage of an overlap of the LO signal and the target return signal on a detection plane of the PD. The LiDAR system includes the PD to mix the target return signal with the LO signal on the detection plane of the PD to generate a heterodyne signal to extract range and velocity information of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Aeva, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashwin Kumar Samarao, Oguzhan Avci, Behsan Behzadi
  • Patent number: 11693095
    Abstract: A sensor mounting structure includes: a sensor body that detects peripheral information in relation to a vehicle; and a housing that is formed in a box shape, covers the sensor body from an outer side, and is attached to an outer panel of the vehicle, wherein fastening portions extend from wall surfaces of the housing at one end side and another end side in a direction along the outer panel, and the fastening portions are fastened to the outer panel by fastening members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Kataoka, Ryo Iwamatsu, Kensaku Shibata
  • Patent number: 11693101
    Abstract: A method including receiving, responsive to a transmission of a plurality of optical beams into an environment including a target, a plurality of returned optical beams associated with the target. The method includes generating a plurality of points from the plurality of returned optical beams, wherein each one of the plurality of points respectively corresponds to one of the plurality of returned optical beams; selecting a first point from the plurality of points and a second point from the plurality of points. The method includes identifying, by a processor, an orientation of the first point relative to the FMCW LIDAR system based on the second point from the plurality of points. The method includes computing an orientation of the target relative to the FMCW LIDAR system based on the orientation of the first point; and generating a point cloud based on the orientation of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Aeva, Inc.
    Inventors: Da An, Jose Krause Perin, Kumar Bhargav Viswanatha, Mina Rezk
  • Patent number: 11686742
    Abstract: An air data system includes a laser emitter, a laser receiver, and an electronics module. The electronics module includes a processor and computer-readable memory encoded with instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the laser to emit a coherent light pulse into a target volume locating within an exhaust flow aft of an aircraft. The laser receiver detects backscatter produced by the coherent light pulse interacting with the aft target volume, and the electronics module determines an air data parameter based on the backscatter and at least one of an engine parameter indicative of an engine condition of the aircraft and an aircraft parameter indicative of a state of the aircraft before outputting the air data parameter to a consuming system of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: ROSEMOUNT AEROSPACE INC.
    Inventors: Brian Brent Naslund, Andrew Sherman, Benjamin John Langemo, Matthew Paul Anderson
  • Patent number: 11686822
    Abstract: LIDAR measurement system with a LIDAR transmitting unit and a LIDAR receiving unit, which is configured in a focal-plane-array arrangement, wherein the LIDAR receiving unit has a plurality of sensor elements and wherein the LIDAR transmitting unit has a plurality of emitter elements, wherein a plurality of sensor elements form a macrocell, wherein the macrocell is associated with a single emitter element, wherein the distance between two adjacent emitter elements is unequal to an integer multiple of the distance between two adjacent sensor elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralf Beuschel, Rainer Kiesel
  • Patent number: 11680790
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are provided for estimating a location on an object in a three-dimensional scene. Multiple radiation patterns are produced by spatially modulating each of multiple first radiations with a distinct combination of one or more modulating structures, each first radiation having at least one of a distinct radiation path, a distinct source, a distinct source spectrum, or a distinct source polarization with respect to the other first radiations. The location on the object is illuminated with a portion of each of two or more of the radiation patterns, the location producing multiple object radiations, each object radiation produced in response to one of the multiple radiation patterns. Multiple measured values are produced by detecting the object radiations from the location on the object due to each pattern separately using one or more detector elements. The location on the object is estimated based on the multiple measured values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin Braker, Eric Moore, Daniel Feldkhun
  • Patent number: 11681045
    Abstract: A system for three-dimensional hyperspectral imaging includes an illumination source configured to illuminate a target object; a dispersive element configured to spectrally separate light received from the target object into different colors; and a light detection and ranging focal plane array (FPA) configured to receive the light from the dispersive element, configured to acquire spatial information regarding the target object in one dimension in the plane of the FPA, configured to acquire spectral information in a second dimension in the plane of the FPA, wherein the second dimension is perpendicular to the first dimension, and configured to obtain information regarding the distance from the FPA to the target object by obtaining times of flight of at least two wavelengths, thereby imaging the target object in three dimensions and acquiring spectral information on at least one 3D point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Chung Ming Wong
  • Patent number: 11675063
    Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes a transmitter, a receiving pixel, a rotating mirror, and a beam displacement apparatus. The transmitter is configured to emit a transmit beam. The receiving pixel is configured to receive a returning beam. The rotating mirror is configured to direct the transmit beam to a target and direct the returning beam to the receiving pixel. The beam displacement apparatus is disposed between the receiving pixel and the rotating mirror. The beam displacement apparatus is configured to introduce a displacement to the returning beam to compensate for a spacing between the transmitter and the receiving pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: OURS TECHNOLOGY, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Steil Michaels, Sen Lin
  • Patent number: 11668805
    Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes a LIDAR measurement unit, a reference measurement unit, and a phase cancellation unit. The LIDAR measurement unit estimates a time for which a laser beam travels. The reference measurement unit determines a phase of a laser source. The phase cancellation unit identifies phase noise and cancels the phase noise from the laser beam, at least partially based on the phase of the laser source and the time for which the laser beam travels. The denoised signal is used to determine the range between a laser source and a target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: OURS TECHNOLOGY, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Steil Michaels, Sen Lin
  • Patent number: 11662441
    Abstract: A circuit device includes an analog front-end circuit that receives a target signal is input, and a processing circuit that performs arithmetic processing based on an output signal from the analog front-end circuit. The analog front-end circuit includes a plurality of comparator circuits that compare the voltage level of the target signal to a plurality of threshold voltages and output a plurality of comparison result signals. The processing circuit obtains the transition timing of the target signal based on the comparison result signals and delayed-time information of the analog front-end circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Inventors: Hideo Haneda, Akio Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 11650291
    Abstract: A LIDAR sensor includes a fiber laser configured to emit an electromagnetic pulse through a fiber cable, and a fiber cable splitter to split the fiber cable into a first fiber cable and a second fiber cable. The electromagnetic pulse is split into an output pulse that propagates through the first fiber cable and a calibration pulse that propagates through the second fiber cable. The LIDAR sensor includes a pulse receiving sensor configured to detect the calibration pulse and a second pulse corresponding to the output pulse being reflected by a surface external from the LiDAR sensor. A processor is included to receive information from the pulse receiving sensor indicating a position of the surface relative to the LiDAR sensor. The processor further measures an intensity of the calibration pulse and determines a reflectance of the surface based at least in part on the intensity of the calibration pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Brent Schwarz, James A. Haslim, Nicholas M. Iturraran, Michael D. Karasoff
  • Patent number: 11650049
    Abstract: Methods and systems measure a vehicle body parameter; e.g., a wheel alignment parameter such as ride height. Embodiments include a system having a target attachable to a vehicle body, and an image sensor for viewing the target and capturing image data thereof. A processor processes the image data, determines an initial spatial position of the target based on the processed image data, compares the initial spatial position of the target with a reference position, and prompts a user to align the target to an adjusted spatial position when the initial spatial position differs from the reference position more than a threshold amount. The vehicle body parameter value is determined based on the target's adjusted spatial position. In certain embodiments, the adjusted spatial position differs from the reference position by a position error value, and the processor mathematically corrects the vehicle body parameter value based on the position error value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
    Inventors: Bryan C. Minor, James Rodney Harrell, David A. Jackson, George M. Gill, Brian K. Gray
  • Patent number: 11629949
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for structured light depth systems. An example active depth system may include a receiver to receive reflections of transmitted light and a transmitter including one or more light sources to transmit light in a spatial distribution. The spatial distribution of transmitted light may include a first region of a first plurality of light points and a second region of a second plurality of light points. A first density of the first plurality of light points is greater than a second density of the second plurality of light points when a first distance between a center of the spatial distribution and a center of the first region is less than a second distance between the center of the spatial distribution and the center of the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Albrecht Johannes Lindner, Kalin Mitkov Atanassov, Stephen Michael Verrall
  • Patent number: 11624835
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for processing lidar data. The lidar data can be obtained in a particular manner that allows reconstruction of rectilinear images for which image processing can be applied from image to image. For instance, kernel-based image processing techniques can be used. Such processing techniques can use neighboring lidar and/or associated color pixels to adjust various values associated with the lidar signals. Such image processing of lidar and color pixels can be performed by dedicated circuitry, which may be on a same integrated circuit. Further, lidar pixels can be correlated to each other. For instance, classification techniques can identify lidar and/or associated color pixels as corresponding to the same object. The classification can be performed by an artificial intelligence (AI) coprocessor. Image processing techniques and classification techniques can be combined into a single system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Ouster, Inc.
    Inventor: Angus Pacala
  • Patent number: 11614525
    Abstract: A highly reliable determination device to determine the distance to an object even if general-purpose optical distance measurement modules or the like are used. The determination device determines that an abnormality has occurred in at least one of a plurality of optical distance measurement modules when the distances respectively indicated by the optical distance measurement modules deviate from each other by a predetermined length or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Akagi, Xiaoguang Ning
  • Patent number: 11614528
    Abstract: A setting method of a monitoring system including a light projecting and receiving unit having an emitting section and a scanning section to make light flux scan within a monitoring space, a processing section to measure a distance to an object by processing signals from the light projecting and receiving unit and to output a measurement point marker group provided with three-dimensional distance information for each measurement point, a display device, and a user interface to perform input of temporary attitude information, includes: inputting the temporary attitude information via the user interface to adjust an attitude or position of the measurement point marker group displayed on the display device; performing coordinate conversion for at least the measurement point marker group on a basis of the temporary attitude information having been input; and displaying the measurement point marker group after having been subjected to the coordinate conversion on the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Junichi Fujita
  • Patent number: 11608097
    Abstract: A system comprises a set of sensors on a first end of a vehicle having the first end and a second end, and a controller. The sensors are configured to generate corresponding sensor data based on a detected object along a direction of movement of the vehicle. The controller is configured to compare a time at which the first sensor detected the object with a time at which the second sensor detected the object to identify the first end or the second end as a leading end of the vehicle, and to calculate a position of the leading end of the vehicle based on the sensor data generated by one or more of the first sensor or the second sensor. The controller is also configured to generate a map of the plurality of objects based on the sensor data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: THALES CANADA INC
    Inventors: Alon Green, Walter Kinio, Peter Timmermans
  • Patent number: 11609069
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a single aperture laser range finder (SALRF). In an implementation, the single aperture laser range finder includes a beam extender including an aperture and an input aperture lens. A matching lens collimates light emitted from an emitter element associated with a single aperture optical circulator and received by the beam extender, respectively. A single aperture optical circulator has an emitter channel associated with the emitter element and a detector channel associated with a detector element. The emitter channel and the detector channel merge together at an input/output aperture. A light gating mechanism is configured to permit received light to enter the detector channel and to prevent the received light from entering the emitter channel. The SALRF has an electronics end cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Torrey Pines Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Leo Volfson, Dmitry Starodubov
  • Patent number: 11609329
    Abstract: A machine vision system comprises a camera configured to generate one or more images of a field of regard of the camera, a lidar system, and a processor. The lidar system includes a laser configured to emit light, where the emitted light is directed toward a region within the field of regard of the camera and a receiver configured to detect light returned from the emitted light. The processor is configured to receive an indication of a location based on the returned light and determine, based on the one or more images generated by the camera, whether the indication of the location is associated with a spurious return.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Luminar, LLC
    Inventors: Richmond Hicks, Matthew D. Weed, Jason M. Eichenholz