Abstract: A sensor pod system includes one or more sensor pods with a plurality of sensors configured to collect data from an environment. A sensor pod may have an effective field of view created by individual sensors with overlapping fields of view. The sensor pod system may include sensors of different types and modalities. Sensor pods of the sensor pod system may be modularly installed on a vehicle, for example, an autonomous vehicle and collect and provide data of the environment during operation of the vehicle.

Abstract: A self-biased, closed loop, low current free running oscillator clock generator method and apparatus are provided with a current mode comparator connected to a trimming resistor and configured to compare an internally generated voltage reference VREF signal to a voltage feedback signal VFB, where the current mode comparator comprises a common gate amplifier connected to a current mirror circuit in a negative self-biased closed loop to generate a control current signal for controlling a current controlled oscillator to produce an output clock signal having a clock frequency based on the control current signal, where a frequency-to-voltage converter is connected in a feedback path to receive the output clock signal and is configured to produce the voltage feedback signal VFB for input to the current mode comparator, wherein the clock frequency of the output clock signal is tuned to a nominal locked output frequency fOUT by the trimming resistor.

Abstract: A sensor pod system includes one or more sensor pods with a plurality of sensors configured to collect data from an environment. The sensor pod system may include a cleaning system to clean sensing surfaces of sensor pods during operation. The sensor pod system may include sensors of different types and modalities. Sensor pods of the sensor pod system may be modularly installed on a vehicle, for example, an autonomous vehicle and collect and provide data of the environment during operation of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle may perform time of flight (ToF) calculations or determinations using passive sensors (e.g., passive image sensors) with existing onboard vehicle light sources to generate depth data and a depth image of a scene surrounding the vehicle. For example, the vehicle may use an automotive camera (e.g., a passive sensor that does not emit light) and may pair the camera with one or more light sources on the vehicle to construct a ToF camera. To accomplish this construction of a ToF camera using existing automotive cameras and existing light sources, a controller of the vehicle synchronizes the passive automotive cameras to the onboard light sources. In some examples, the vehicle can enable a high dynamic range (HDR) for the ToF cameras by varying properties of the light emitted from the light sources.

Abstract: A thermal management assembly may implement cooling techniques to cool at least a portion of a computer system with one or more cooling systems. The techniques may include using a thermal management assembly in fluid communication with the cooling system(s) to supply fluid from at least one of the cooling systems to at least a portion of the computer system. The techniques may also or instead include using a first thermal coupling to transfer thermal energy between the first cooling system and the computer system and a second thermal coupling to transfer thermal energy between the second cooling system and the computer system. Cooling a computer system using the cooling techniques described herein lowers an operating temperature of the computer system thereby mitigating heat related computer failure.

Abstract: A sensor pod system includes one or more sensor pods with a plurality of sensors configured to collect data from an environment. A sensor pod may have an effective field of view created by individual sensors with overlapping fields of view. The sensor pod system may include sensors of different types and modalities. Sensor pods of the sensor pod system may be modularly disposed on a vehicle, for example, an autonomous vehicle to collect and provide data of the environment during operation of the vehicle. The sensor pods may be disposed at elevated locations around the vehicle to reduce obstacles within the sensor pods fields of view.

Abstract: A sensor pod system includes one or more sensor pods with a plurality of sensors configured to collect data from an environment. A sensor pod may have an effective field of view created by individual sensors with overlapping fields of view. The sensor pod system may include sensors of different types and modalities. Sensor pods of the sensor pod system may be modularly installed on a vehicle, for example, an autonomous vehicle and collect and provide data of the environment during operation of the vehicle. A combination of techniques may be used to calibrate a sensor pod prior to installation in the vehicle and may be used to determine if the sensor pod is compatible with other sensor pods and may also be used to calibrate other sensors when integrating the sensor pod into the vehicle.

Abstract: A sensor pod system includes one or more sensor pods with a plurality of sensors configured to collect data from an environment. A sensor pod may include a housing and extend from a portion of a body of a vehicle. The sensor pod housing may have energy absorbing structures configured to absorb and dissipate energy during an impact in order to protect a pedestrian. The sensor pod may have deformable portions of the housing configured to absorb and dissipate energy during the impact. The sensor pod may have deformable fasteners coupling a sensor to the sensor pod configured to deform to absorb and dissipate energy during the impact.

Abstract: A system for detecting and/or mitigating the effects of an obstruction on a surface of a sensor may include a surface configured to receive the sensor, and comprising a sensor window configured to provide a path through which the sensor senses the environment. The system may also include a vibratory actuator configured to facilitate vibration of the sensor window and a heating element configured to heat the sensor window. The system may further include an obstruction detection system configured to detect an obstruction, such as moisture, and an obstruction mitigation controller configured to initiate activation of the vibratory actuator and/or the heating element to mitigate the obstruction. The obstruction detection system may be configured to receive a signal from one or more sensors and detect the obstruction based at least in part on the signal.

Abstract: A sensor pod system includes one or more sensor pods with a plurality of sensors configured to collect data from an environment. A sensor pod may include a housing and extend from a portion of a body of a vehicle. The sensor pod housing may have energy absorbing structures configured to absorb and dissipate energy during an impact in order to protect a pedestrian. The sensor pod may have deformable portions of the housing configured to absorb and dissipate energy during the impact. The sensor pod may have deformable fasteners coupling a sensor to the sensor pod configured to deform to absorb and dissipate energy during the impact.

Abstract: A sensor pod system includes one or more sensor pods with a plurality of sensors configured to collect data from an environment. A sensor pod may have an effective field of view created by individual sensors with overlapping fields of view. The sensor pod system may include sensors of different types and modalities. Sensor pods of the sensor pod system may be modularly disposed on a vehicle, for example, an autonomous vehicle to collect and provide data of the environment during operation of the vehicle. The sensor pods may be disposed at elevated locations around the vehicle to reduce obstacles within the sensor pods fields of view.

Abstract: A sensor pod system includes one or more sensor pods with a plurality of sensors configured to collect data from an environment. The sensor pod system may include a cleaning system to clean sensing surfaces of sensor pods during operation. The sensor pod system may include sensors of different types and modalities. Sensor pods of the sensor pod system may be modularly installed on a vehicle, for example, an autonomous vehicle and collect and provide data of the environment during operation of the vehicle.

Abstract: A sensor pod system includes one or more sensor pods with a plurality of sensors configured to collect data from an environment. A sensor pod may have an effective field of view created by individual sensors with overlapping fields of view. The sensor pod system may include sensors of different types and modalities. Sensor pods of the sensor pod system may be modularly installed on a vehicle, for example, an autonomous vehicle and collect and provide data of the environment during operation of the vehicle. A combination of techniques may be used to calibrate a sensor pod prior to installation in the vehicle and may be used to determine if the sensor pod is compatible with other sensor pods and may also be used to calibrate other sensors when integrating the sensor pod into the vehicle.

Abstract: A sensor pod system includes one or more sensor pods with a plurality of sensors configured to collect data from an environment. A sensor pod may have an effective field of view created by individual sensors with overlapping fields of view. The sensor pod system may include sensors of different types and modalities. Sensor pods of the sensor pod system may be modularly installed on a vehicle, for example, an autonomous vehicle and collect and provide data of the environment during operation of the vehicle.

Abstract: A thermal management assembly may implement cooling techniques to cool at least a portion of a computer system with one or more cooling systems. The techniques may include using a thermal management assembly in fluid communication with the cooling system(s) to supply fluid from at least one of the cooling systems to at least a portion of the computer system. The techniques may also or instead include using a first thermal coupling to transfer thermal energy between the first cooling system and the computer system and a second thermal coupling to transfer thermal energy between the second cooling system and the computer system. Cooling a computer system using the cooling techniques described herein lowers an operating temperature of the computer system thereby mitigating heat related computer failure.

Abstract: A thermal management assembly may implement cooling techniques to cool at least a portion of a computer system with one or more cooling systems. The techniques may include using a thermal management assembly in fluid communication with the cooling system(s) to supply fluid from at least one of the cooling systems to at least a portion of the computer system. The techniques may also or instead include using a first thermal coupling to transfer thermal energy between the first cooling system and the computer system and a second thermal coupling to transfer thermal energy between the second cooling system and the computer system. Cooling a computer system using the cooling techniques described herein lowers an operating temperature of the computer system thereby mitigating heat related computer failure.

Abstract: A system for detecting and/or mitigating the effects of an obstruction on a surface of a sensor may include a surface configured to receive the sensor, and comprising a sensor window configured to provide a path through which the sensor senses the environment. The system may also include a vibratory actuator configured to facilitate vibration of the sensor window and a heating element configured to heat the sensor window. The system may further include an obstruction detection system configured to detect an obstruction, such as moisture, and an obstruction mitigation controller configured to initiate activation of the vibratory actuator and/or the heating element to mitigate the obstruction. The obstruction detection system may be configured to receive a signal from one or more sensors and detect the obstruction based at least in part on the signal.