Patents by Inventor Evan Cull

Evan Cull 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).

  • Patent number: 11899468
    Abstract: A system includes an array of photodiode sensors positioned on an autonomous vehicle. Each photodiode sensor in the array of photodiode sensors is oriented in a different direction and configured to generate electrical current signals in response to detecting a flashing light in a surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle. The system also includes a processor coupled to the array of photodiode sensors. The processor is configured to determine a location of a source of the flashing light relative to the autonomous vehicle based on electrical current signals from at least one photodiode sensor in the array of photodiode sensors. The processor is also configured to generate a command to maneuver the autonomous vehicle based on the location of the source relative to the autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Evan Cull, Nirav Dharia
  • Publication number: 20220197300
    Abstract: A system includes an array of photodiode sensors positioned on an autonomous vehicle. Each photodiode sensor in the array of photodiode sensors is oriented in a different direction and configured to generate electrical current signals in response to detecting a flashing light in a surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle. The system also includes a processor coupled to the array of photodiode sensors. The processor is configured to determine a location of a source of the flashing light relative to the autonomous vehicle based on electrical current signals from at least one photodiode sensor in the array of photodiode sensors. The processor is also configured to generate a command to maneuver the autonomous vehicle based on the location of the source relative to the autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Evan Cull, Nirav Dharia
  • Patent number: 10712446
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve example systems and methods for remote sensing of objects. In one example, a system includes a light source, a camera, a light source timing circuit, an exposure window timing circuit, and a range determination circuit. The light source timing circuit is to generate light pulses using the light source. The exposure window timing circuit generates multiple exposure windows for the light pulses for the camera, each of the multiple exposure windows representing a corresponding first range of distance from the camera. The range determination circuit processes an indication of an amount of light captured at the camera during an opening of each of the multiple exposure windows for one of the light pulses to determine a presence of an object within a second range of distance from the camera, the second range having a lower uncertainty than the first range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Bills, Micah P. Kalscheur, Evan Cull, Ryan A. Gibbs
  • Patent number: 10656275
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve example systems and methods for remote sensing of objects. In one example, a system includes a light source, a camera, a light radar (lidar) system, a region of interest identification circuit, and a range refining circuit. The region of interest identification circuit identifies a region of interest corresponding to an object and a first range of distance to the region of interest using the camera and the light source. The range refining circuit probes the region of interest to refine the first range to a second range of distance to the region of interest using the lidar system, the second range having a lower uncertainty than the first range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Bills, Micah P. Kalscheur, Evan Cull, Ryan A. Gibbs
  • Patent number: 10445896
    Abstract: A system includes a memory storing computer-readable instructions and a processor to execute the instructions to perform operations including generating multiple exposure windows for light pulses for a camera, the multiple exposure windows having a sequence comprising a first exposure window having an opening for a duration of time and each other exposure window of the multiple exposure windows having an opening for the duration of time except for a closing for a subset of the duration of time corresponding to a distance from one of a light source and the camera, wherein none of the closings of the multiple exposure windows overlaps another closing of the multiple exposure windows and determining a difference between an indication of an amount of light captured at the camera during the first exposure window and each other exposure window of the multiple exposure windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Bills, Micah P. Kalscheur, Evan Cull, Ryan A. Gibbs, Ashwin Wagadarikar
  • Publication number: 20060274308
    Abstract: An optical spectrometer distinguishes ambiguity between different wavelength constituent components present in incident light. A spatial filter in the spectrometer spatially filters the incident light. A dispersion system receives the spatially filtered light and disperses images of the spatial filter in a wavelength dependent fashion such that two or more wavelength-specific images at least partially overlap at a detector system. The detector system comprises a detector array and processor that detects and processes the dispersed light to remove ambiguity between one or more of the overlapping images. The detector array may detect coded aperture images associated with a coded aperture spatial filter defined by a coded aperture function, and the processor may process the detector array output signals using an analysis function that complements the coded aperture function. The detector system may filter the spatial filter images and electronically process the resulting detector array output signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Publication date: December 7, 2006
    Inventors: David Brady, Michael Gehm, Evan Cull