Patents Examined by James R Hulka
  • Reconfigurable seismic sensor cable
    Patent number: 11573340
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a sensor cable that may be reconfigurable to have various combinations of seismic sensors. An apparatus may comprise a sensor cable and seismic sensors distributed throughout a volume of the sensor cable and along all three axes of the sensor cable, wherein the seismic sensors are assigned to sampling groups that are reconfigurable and not hardwired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Robertus Franciscus Hegge, Roald G. Van Borselen
  • Semiconductor circuitry and distance measuring device
    Patent number: 11573321
    Abstract: A semiconductor circuitry includes an oscillator configured to output an oscillation signal whose frequency depends on a first input signal, a counter configured to count a number of cycles of the oscillation signal, first circuitry configured to output a first digital signal based on a first number of cycles counted by the counter within one of a clock cycle of a clock signal, wherein the first input signal is digitally converted into the first digital signal, and a second circuitry configured to output a second digital signal based on a second number of cycles counted by the counter in a period from a reference timing of the clock signal to an input timing of a second input signal within the one of the clock cycle of the clock signal, wherein the period is digitally converted into the second digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Kondo, Hidenori Okuni, Tuan Thanh Ta, Akihide Sai
  • Time of flight based rotary speed sensor with early fault detection
    Patent number: 11573303
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for detecting rotational speed and early failures of an electronic device. The system includes a rotating disk affixed to a rotating shaft of the electronic device. The rotating disk has projections extending from its periphery. A time of flight ranging system determines distance to the projections extending from the rotating disk. Processing circuitry determines a rotational speed of the rotating shaft from the determined distances to the projections extending from the rotating disk, and detects whether the electronic device is undergoing an early failure from the determined distances to the projections extending from the rotating disk. Rotational speed is determined from the time between successive peaks in the determined distances, and early failures (for example, due to wobble of the shaft) are determined where the peaks vary unexpectedly in magnitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Cheng Peng, Xiaoyong Yang
  • LiDAR for vehicle blind spot detection
    Patent number: 11567210
    Abstract: A system is presented in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In various embodiments, the system includes a light source configured to emit light, an emitting lens positioned to obtain the emitted light and configured to produce a shaped beam, an optical element positioned to obtain the shaped beam and redirect the shaped beam toward a near field object to produce scattered light from the near field object, and to obtain and redirect at least a portion of the scattered light, and a collection lens configured to focus the at least the portion of the scattered light on a light detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: NURO, INC.
    Inventors: Hao Li, Yun Zhang
  • Laser safety system
    Patent number: 11561294
    Abstract: A laser safety system adapted to prevent inadvertent illumination of people and assets. The laser safety system configured to emit a laser beam with a laser and determine a path of a target object relative to the laser safety system. The laser safety system configured to cause the laser beam to illuminate the target object while the target object moves along the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Vision Engineering Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: John Stryjewski, William B. Griffis
  • LIDAR system with anamorphic objective lens
    Patent number: 11550038
    Abstract: An optical device includes a transmitter, which emits a beam of optical radiation, and a receiver, which includes a detector configured to output a signal in response to the optical radiation. An active area of the detector has a first dimension along a first axis and a second dimension, which is less than the first dimension, along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. An anamorphic lens, which collects and focuses the optical radiation onto the active area of the detector, has a first focal length in a first plane containing the first axis and a second focal length, greater than the first focal length, in a second plane containing the second axis. A scanner scans the beam across a target scene in a scan direction that is aligned with the first axis, and directs the optical radiation that is reflected from the target scene toward the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Robert S. Upton, Alexander Shpunt, Andrew J. Sutton, Chandra S. Kakani, Yuval Gerson
  • Multiple pulse, LIDAR based 3-D imaging
    Patent number: 11550036
    Abstract: Methods and systems for performing multiple pulse LIDAR measurements are presented herein. In one aspect, each LIDAR measurement beam illuminates a location in a three dimensional environment with a sequence of multiple pulses of illumination light. Light reflected from the location is detected by a photosensitive detector of the LIDAR system during a measurement window having a duration that is greater than or equal to the time of flight of light from the LIDAR system out to the programmed range of the LIDAR system, and back. The pulses in a measurement pulse sequence can vary in magnitude and duration. Furthermore, the delay between pulses and the number of pulses in each measurement pulse sequence can also be varied. In some embodiments, the multi-pulse illumination beam is encoded and the return measurement pulse sequence is decoded to distinguish the measurement pulse sequence from exogenous signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: VELODYNE LIDAR USA, INC.
    Inventors: David S. Hall, Pieter J. Kerstens
  • Method for subtracting background light from an exposure value of a pixel in an imaging array, and pixel for use in same
    Patent number: 11543501
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a method for subtracting background light from an exposure value of a first pixel in an imaging array, said first pixel receiving a reflection of a spot from a scenery illuminated by a periodically pulsed pattern of spots, said periodically pulsed pattern comprising in alternation an illuminated phase and a non-illuminated phase, the method comprising: accumulating in said first pixel a charge in proportion to a first quantity of incident light, received in said first pixel while detecting said spot during a predetermined amount of time; and decreasing said charge in proportion to a second quantity of incident light received during said predetermined amount of time in absence of said spot. The invention also pertains to a pixel and an imaging array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: XENOMATIX NV
    Inventors: Dirk Van Dyck, Rik Paesen
  • Laser measuring means for measuring a distance from an object, and method of operating same
    Patent number: 11536835
    Abstract: A laser measuring set for measuring a distance from an object includes a pulse laser for emitting a laser pulse at the beginning of a measuring cycle; an optical sensor having at least one detection unit for generating detection signals; a coincidence recognition stage for generating coincidence signals, wherein during the measuring cycle, one of the coincidence signals is generated each time the detection signals generated by the detection unit reach at least a preset coincidence depth within a coincidence time; a coincidence time presetting stage for presetting the coincidence time for the coincidence recognition stage, the coincidence time presetting stage being configured such that the coincidence time monotonically increases during the measuring cycle; and travel-time measuring set for determining the distance on the basis of a travel-time measurement of the coincidence signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Maik Beer, Olaf Schrey, Werner Brockherde, Bedrich Hosticka
  • Method for object recognition
    Patent number: 11536840
    Abstract: A method for recognizing an object located in an object space includes emitting a distance measuring pulse into the object space by a signal time-of-flight based distance measuring unit. The object is provided with a marker which, in response to the influence of the distance measuring pulse, emits electromagnetic marker radiation in which object information for the object recognition is stored. The method further includes recording the marker radiation by an electrical radiation detector and the object information for object recognition being assigned to the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: OSRAM BETEILIGUNGSVERWALTUNG GMBH
    Inventor: Andre Nauen
  • Methods and systems for acoustic machine perception for an aircraft
    Patent number: 11531100
    Abstract: In an example, a method is described. The method includes causing one or more sensors arranged on an aircraft to acquire, over a window of time, first data associated with a first object that is within an environment of the aircraft, where the one or more sensors include one or more of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, a radar sensor, or a camera, causing an array of microphones arranged on the aircraft to acquire, over approximately the same window of time as the first data is acquired, first acoustic data associated with the first object, and training a machine learning model by using the first acoustic data as an input value to the machine learning model and by using an azimuth, a range, an elevation, and a type of the first object identified from the first data as ground truth output labels for the machine learning model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Tyler C. Staudinger, Nick S. Evans
  • Flat contact quick connect connection for an autonomous seismic node
    Patent number: 11525932
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for data and/or power transfer to and from an ocean bottom seismic node are described. In an embodiment, an autonomous seismic node is configured with a bulkhead connector assembly that may be coupled to a plug assembly for data and/or power transfer and a pressure cap assembly when utilized subsea. A plurality of pins may be located on the bulkhead assembly in a substantially flat contact surface to obtain an external electrical connection to the node. The pins on the bulkhead assembly may form a flat circuit with an external device, such as a plug assembly or pressure cap assembly. One or more external devices may be coupled to the pressure cap assembly and/or bulkhead connector for increased functionality to the node. A quick release assembly and/or locking ring may be utilized to fasten any external device to the bulkhead connector assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Seabed Geosolutions B.V.
    Inventors: Arne Henning Rokkan, Richard Edward Henman
  • Pulsed-light detection and ranging apparatus, system and method of detection and ranging of an object in a pulsed light detection and ranging system
    Patent number: 11520049
    Abstract: A pulsed-light detection and ranging apparatus comprises an optical detector arranged to generate, when in use, time-series data in response to an optical pulse incident thereupon. A processing resource is also provided and arranged to support a pulse analyser (132). The pulse analyser (132) is arranged to identify (134) an inflection point of a pulse described by the time-series data. The pulse analyser (132) is further arranged to calculate (138) a distance based upon determined inflection point relative to a time axis associated with the time-series data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: MELEXIS TECHNOLOGIES NV
    Inventor: Andrii Kyselov
  • Distance measuring device and distance measuring method
    Patent number: 11513200
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a distance measuring device and a distance measuring method that inhibit possible noise in a pixel signal based on reflected light from an object to allow accuracy of distance measurement to be maintained. A distance measuring device according to an aspect of the present technology includes a light emitting section emitting irradiation light, a light receiving section receiving reflected light corresponding to the irradiation light reflected at an object, a calculation section calculating a distance to the object on the basis of a time from emission of the irradiation light until reception of the reflected light, and a control section controlling emission of the irradiation light. The light receiving section includes a plurality of AD converting section AD-converting pixel signals read from the pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Katsuya Ikezawa
  • Lidar-based aircraft collision avoidance system
    Patent number: 11508247
    Abstract: An aircraft collision avoidance system includes a plurality of three-dimensional (3D) light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensors, a plurality of sensor processors, a plurality of transmitters, and a display device. Each 3D LIDAR sensor is enclosed in an aircraft exterior lighting fixture that is configured for mounting on an aircraft, and is configured to sense objects within its field-of-view and supply sensor data. Each sensor processor receives sensor data and processes the received sensor data to determine locations and physical dimensions of the sensed objects. Each transmitter receives the object data, and is configured to transmit the received object data. The display device receives and fuses the object data transmitted from each transmitter, fuses the object data and selectively generates one or more potential obstacle alerts based on the fused object data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Sunit Kumar Saxena, Niranjan Kalyandurg, Shrikant Rao
  • Motion detection device
    Patent number: 11500097
    Abstract: A method includes emitting, by a single sensor of a device, a signal into a region; receiving, by the single sensor, a reflected signal; and detecting motion in a detection cone comprising a central axis based on the reflected signal, wherein detecting motion comprises detecting a first type of motion from a first position to a second position, and detecting a second type of motion from the second position to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics SA, STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS
    Inventors: Giovanni Scozzola, Olivier Pothier
  • Method and device for measuring a distance to a target in a multi-user environment using at least two wavelengths
    Patent number: 11493614
    Abstract: A method for measuring a distance to a target in a multi-user environment, comprising: irradiating the environment by a series of light pulses, wherein this series of light pulses is emitted by a battery of at least two or a single light source device emitting on at least two different wavelengths, the light pulses being emitted at a determined repetition rate and with a determined randomly selected wavelength; collecting pulses reflected or scattered from the environment to at least one detector equipped with a wavelength filter whose pass band corresponds to the selected emitted wavelength; assigning a timestamp at the detection of a pulse by at least one chronometer connected to the detector, said timestamps corresponding to the time of arrival (TOA); determining the statistical distribution of said time of arrivals; determining the distance to the target from said statistical distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: FASTREE3D SA
    Inventors: Ting Gong, Stefan Keller, Lucio Carrara
  • Computer-implemented method and system employing nonlinear direct prestack seismic inversion for poisson impedance
    Patent number: 11493658
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, and system implementing the method, are disclosed for computing a final model of elastic properties, using nonlinear direct prestack seismic inversion for Poisson impedance. User inputs and earth-model data is obtained over points of incidence of a survey region, at various angles of incidence. Various models are then computed that serve for lithology identification and fluid discrimination and take part in preliminary seismic exploration and reservoir characterization. Therefore, further refinement of these models is required due to changes in burial depths, compaction and overburden pressure, as they provide limitations for reservoirs on porous media. The further refinement using nonlinear direct prestack seismic model is performed on a system computer, which produces a final model of elastic properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation
    Inventor: Fan Xia
  • Techniques for detection processing with amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency modulation (FM) paths for simultaneous determination of range and velocity
    Patent number: 11486983
    Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system encodes a frequency modulation (FM) modulated signal with a time of flight (TOF) signal as a power and frequency modulated signal. The system can emit the power and frequency modulated signal and apply processing to a signal reflection to generate a target point set. The target point set processing can include frequency processing to generate target points based on range and Doppler information, and TOF processing to provide TOF range information. The processing can include an FM processing path to extract FM signal information, and an AM processing path to extract the TOF signal information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Aeva, Inc.
    Inventors: Behsan Behzadi, Mina Rezk, Kumar Bhargav Viswanatha, Esha John
  • Imaging apparatus and distance measurement system
    Patent number: 11480658
    Abstract: [Object] To uniformly produce electric fields when performing thinning processing of generating electric fields in only some of a plurality of pixels. [Solution] There is provided an imaging apparatus including: a pair of electric field application electrodes and a pair of electric charge extraction electrodes provided to each of a plurality of pixels; and a voltage application section configured to apply voltage between a first electrode that is one of the pair of electric field application electrodes of a first pixel and a second electrode that is one of the pair of electric field application electrodes of a second pixel when pixel combination is performed, and produce an electric field across the first pixel and the second pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kunihiko Izuhara