Patents by Inventor Trenton Berg
Trenton Berg has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11874375Abstract: Techniques for automatic adaptive scanning with a laser scanner include obtaining range measurements at a coarse angular resolution and forming a horizontally sorted range gate subset and a characteristic range. A fine angular resolution is determined automatically based on the characteristic range and a target spatial resolution. If the fine angular resolution is finer than the coarse angular resolution, then a minimum and maximum vertical angle is automatically determined in each horizontal slice extending a bin size from any previous horizontal slice. A set of adaptive minimum and maximum vertical angles is determined automatically by dilating and interpolating the minimum and maximum vertical angles of all the slices to the second horizontal angular resolution. A horizontal start angle, and the set of adaptive minimum and maximum vertical angles are sent to cause the ranging system to obtain measurements at the second angular resolution.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2022Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS, LLC.Inventors: Stephen C. Crouch, Randy R. Reibel, James Curry, Trenton Berg
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Patent number: 11802965Abstract: Techniques for Doppler correction of chirped optical range detection include obtaining a first set of ranges based on corresponding frequency differences between a return optical signal and a first chirped transmitted optical signal with an up chirp that increases frequency with time. A second set of ranges is obtained based on corresponding frequency differences between a return optical signal and a second chirped transmitted optical signal with a down chirp. A matrix of values for a cost function is determined, one value for each pair of ranges that includes one in the first set and one in the second set. A matched pair of one range in the first set and a corresponding one range in the second set is determined based on the matrix. A Doppler effect on range is determined based on combining the matched pair of ranges. A device is operated based on the Doppler effect.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2017Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS LLCInventors: Stephen C. Crouch, Randy R. Reibel, James Curry, Trenton Berg
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Patent number: 11624828Abstract: Techniques for adaptive scanning with a laser scanner include obtaining range measurements at a coarse angular resolution and determining a range gate subset and a characteristic range. A fine angular resolution is based on the characteristic range and a target spatial resolution. If the fine angular resolution is finer than the coarse angular resolution, then a minimum vertical angle and maximum vertical angle is determined for a horizontal slice of the subset of angular width based on the first angular resolution. The scanning laser ranging system is then operated to obtain second range measurements at the second angular resolution in the slice between the minimum vertical angle and the maximum vertical angle. In some embodiments, the scanning is repeated for each horizontal slice in the range gate subset using a minimum vertical angle and maximum vertical angle for that slice.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2017Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS, LLCInventors: Stephen C. Crouch, Randy R. Reibel, James Curry, Trenton Berg
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Patent number: 11579292Abstract: An apparatus is provided for using a square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection. A laser source emits an optical signal and a RF waveform generator generates an input digital chirp signal based on the square wave digital chirp signal. A frequency of the optical signal is modulated based on the input digital chirp signal. A splitter divides the optical signal into a transmit optical signal and a reference optical signal. A detector combines the reference optical signal and a return optical signal from an object. The detector generates an electrical output signal based on the combined reference optical signal and the return optical signal. A processor determines a range to the object based on a characteristic of a Fourier transform the electrical output signal. A method is also provided for using the square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2020Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS, LLCInventors: Stephen C. Crouch, James Curry, Trenton Berg, Richard Funk, Kyle Oliver, Daniel Ferguson
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Publication number: 20220326383Abstract: Techniques for automatic adaptive scanning with a laser scanner include obtaining range measurements at a coarse angular resolution and forming a horizontally sorted range gate subset and a characteristic range. A fine angular resolution is determined automatically based on the characteristic range and a target spatial resolution. If the fine angular resolution is finer than the coarse angular resolution, then a minimum and maximum vertical angle is automatically determined in each horizontal slice extending a bin size from any previous horizontal slice. A set of adaptive minimum and maximum vertical angles is determined automatically by dilating and interpolating the minimum and maximum vertical angles of all the slices to the second horizontal angular resolution. A horizontal start angle, and the set of adaptive minimum and maximum vertical angles are sent to cause the ranging system to obtain measurements at the second angular resolution.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2022Publication date: October 13, 2022Applicant: BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS, LLCInventors: Stephen C. Crouch, Randy R. Reibel, James Curry, Trenton Berg
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Patent number: 11249192Abstract: Techniques for automatic adaptive scanning with a laser scanner include obtaining range measurements at a coarse angular resolution and forming a horizontally sorted range gate subset and a characteristic range. A fine angular resolution is determined automatically based on the characteristic range and a target spatial resolution. If the fine angular resolution is finer than the coarse angular resolution, then a minimum and maximum vertical angle is automatically determined in each horizontal slice extending a bin size from any previous horizontal slice. A set of adaptive minimum and maximum vertical angles is determined automatically by dilating and interpolating the minimum and maximum vertical angles of all the slices to the second horizontal angular resolution. A horizontal start angle, and the set of adaptive minimum and maximum vertical angles are sent to cause the ranging system to obtain measurements at the second angular resolution.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2017Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS, LLCInventors: Stephen C. Crouch, Randy R. Reibel, James Curry, Trenton Berg
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Publication number: 20200256994Abstract: An apparatus is provided for using a square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection. A laser source emits an optical signal and a RF waveform generator generates an input digital chirp signal based on the square wave digital chirp signal. A frequency of the optical signal is modulated based on the input digital chirp signal. A splitter divides the optical signal into a transmit optical signal and a reference optical signal. A detector combines the reference optical signal and a return optical signal from an object. The detector generates an electrical output signal based on the combined reference optical signal and the return optical signal. A processor determines a range to the object based on a characteristic of a Fourier transform the electrical output signal. A method is also provided for using the square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2020Publication date: August 13, 2020Applicant: Blackmore Sensors & Analytics, LLCInventors: Stephen C. Crouch, James Curry, Trenton Berg, Richard Funk, Kyle Oliver, Daniel Ferguson
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Patent number: 10670720Abstract: An apparatus is provided for using a square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection. A laser source emits an optical signal and a RF waveform generator generates an input digital chirp signal based on the square wave digital chirp signal. A frequency of the optical signal is modulated based on the input digital chirp signal. A splitter divides the optical signal into a transmit optical signal and a reference optical signal. A detector combines the reference optical signal and a return optical signal from an object. The detector generates an electrical output signal based on the combined reference optical signal and the return optical signal. A processor determines a range to the object based on a characteristic of a Fourier transform the electrical output signal. A method is also provided for using the square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2019Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS, LLCInventors: Stephen C. Crouch, James Curry, Trenton Berg, Richard Funk, Kyle Oliver, Daniel Ferguson
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Publication number: 20200124727Abstract: An apparatus is provided for using a square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection. A laser source emits an optical signal and a RF waveform generator generates an input digital chirp signal based on the square wave digital chirp signal. A frequency of the optical signal is modulated based on the input digital chirp signal. A splitter divides the optical signal into a transmit optical signal and a reference optical signal. A detector combines the reference optical signal and a return optical signal from an object. The detector generates an electrical output signal based on the combined reference optical signal and the return optical signal. A processor determines a range to the object based on a characteristic of a Fourier transform the electrical output signal. A method is also provided for using the square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2019Publication date: April 23, 2020Inventors: Stephen C. Crouch, James Curry, Trenton Berg, Richard Funk, Kyle Oliver, Daniel Ferguson
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Patent number: 10534084Abstract: An apparatus is provided for using a square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection. A laser source emits an optical signal and a RF waveform generator generates an input digital chirp signal based on the square wave digital chirp signal. A frequency of the optical signal is modulated based on the input digital chirp signal. A splitter divides the optical signal into a transmit optical signal and a reference optical signal. A detector combines the reference optical signal and a return optical signal from an object. The detector generates an electrical output signal based on the combined reference optical signal and the return optical signal. A processor determines a range to the object based on a characteristic of a Fourier transform the electrical output signal. A method is also provided for using the square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2017Date of Patent: January 14, 2020Assignee: BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS, LLCInventors: Stephen C. Crouch, James Curry, Trenton Berg, Richard Funk, Kyle Oliver, Daniel Ferguson
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Publication number: 20190383926Abstract: Techniques for automatic adaptive scanning with a laser scanner include obtaining range measurements at a coarse angular resolution and forming a horizontally sorted range gate subset and a characteristic range. A fine angular resolution is determined automatically based on the characteristic range and a target spatial resolution. If the fine angular resolution is finer than the coarse angular resolution, then a minimum and maximum vertical angle is automatically determined in each horizontal slice extending a bin size from any previous horizontal slice. A set of adaptive minimum and maximum vertical angles is determined automatically by dilating and interpolating the minimum and maximum vertical angles of all the slices to the second horizontal angular resolution. A horizontal start angle, and the set of adaptive minimum and maximum vertical angles are sent to cause the ranging system to obtain measurements at the second angular resolution.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2017Publication date: December 19, 2019Inventors: Stephen C. Crouch, Randy R. Reibel, James Curry, Trenton Berg
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Publication number: 20190383913Abstract: Techniques for adaptive scanning with a laser scanner include obtaining range measurements at a coarse angular resolution and determining a range gate subset and a characteristic range. A fine angular resolution is based on the characteristic range and a target spatial resolution. If the fine angular resolution is finer than the coarse angular resolution, then a minimum vertical angle and maximum vertical angle is determined for a horizontal slice of the subset of angular width based on the first angular resolution. The scanning laser ranging system is then operated to obtain second range measurements at the second angular resolution in the slice between the minimum vertical angle and the maximum vertical angle. In some embodiments, the scanning is repeated for each horizontal slice in the range gate subset using a minimum vertical angle and maximum vertical angle for that slice.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2017Publication date: December 19, 2019Inventors: Stephen C. Crouch, Randy R. Reibel, James Curry, Trenton Berg
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Publication number: 20190310372Abstract: Techniques for Doppler correction of chirped optical range detection include obtaining a first set of ranges based on corresponding frequency differences between a return optical signal and a first chirped transmitted optical signal with an up chirp that increases frequency with time. A second set of ranges is obtained based on corresponding frequency differences between a return optical signal and a second chirped transmitted optical signal with a down chirp. A matrix of values for a cost function is determined, one value for each pair of ranges that includes one in the first set and one in the second set. A matched pair of one range in the first set and a corresponding one range in the second set is determined based on the matrix. A Doppler effect on range is determined based on combining the matched pair of ranges. A device is operated based on the Doppler effect.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2017Publication date: October 10, 2019Inventors: Stephen C. Crouch, Randy R. Reibel, James Curry, Trenton Berg
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Publication number: 20190033453Abstract: An apparatus is provided for using a square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection. A laser source emits an optical signal and a RF waveform generator generates an input digital chirp signal based on the square wave digital chirp signal. A frequency of the optical signal is modulated based on the input digital chirp signal. A splitter divides the optical signal into a transmit optical signal and a reference optical signal. A detector combines the reference optical signal and a return optical signal from an object. The detector generates an electrical output signal based on the combined reference optical signal and the return optical signal. A processor determines a range to the object based on a characteristic of a Fourier transform the electrical output signal. A method is also provided for using the square wave digital chirp signal for optical chirp range detection.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2017Publication date: January 31, 2019Inventors: Stephen C. Crouch, James Curry, Trenton Berg, Richard Funk, Kyle Oliver, Daniel Ferguson