Patents by Inventor Giulia GUIDI
Giulia GUIDI 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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Publication number: 20260185687Abstract: Example embodiments described herein involve a system for testing a light-emitting module. The light-emitting module may include a mounting platform configured to hold a light-emitting module for a camera. The mounting platform may also be configured to rotate. The system may further include a housing holding a plurality of photodiodes arranged in an array over at least a 90 degree arc of a hemisphere. The system may also include a controller configured to control the photodiodes and the rotation of the mounting platform.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2026Publication date: July 2, 2026Inventors: Choon Ping Chng, Cheng-Han Wu, Lucian Ion, Giulia Guidi
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Patent number: 12578085Abstract: Example embodiments described herein involve a system for testing a light-emitting module. The light-emitting module may include a mounting platform configured to hold a light-emitting module for a camera. The mounting platform may also be configured to rotate. The system may further include a housing holding a plurality of photodiodes arranged in an array over at least a 90 degree arc of a hemisphere. The system may also include a controller configured to control the photodiodes and the rotation of the mounting platform.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2025Date of Patent: March 17, 2026Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Choon Ping Chng, Cheng-Han Wu, Lucian Ion, Giulia Guidi
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Patent number: 12571662Abstract: A system may include a first sensor of a first type and a second sensor of a second different type and having a detector. A field of view of the second sensor may be formed by a plurality of regions of interest (ROIs) defined by the detector. Control circuitry of the system may be configured to perform operations including obtaining, from the first sensor, first sensor data representing an environment, and determining, based on the first sensor data, information associated with a feature of interest within the environment. The operations may also include determining, based on the information, a particular ROI that corresponds to an expected position of the feature at a later time, obtaining a plurality of ROI sensor data from the particular ROI instead of obtaining full-resolution sensor data, and analyzing the plurality of ROI sensor data to determine one or more attributes of the feature.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2024Date of Patent: March 10, 2026Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Nirav Dharia, Giulia Guidi, Ralph Shepard, Vlad Cardei, Lucian Ion
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Publication number: 20250322669Abstract: The technology relates to an exterior sensor system for a vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode. The technology includes a close-in sensing (CIS) camera system to address blind spots around the vehicle. The CIS system is used to detect objects within a few meters of the vehicle. Based on object classification, the system is able to make real-time driving decisions. Classification is enhanced by employing cameras in conjunction with lidar sensors. The specific arrangement of multiple sensors in a single sensor housing is also important to object detection and classification. Thus, the positioning of the sensors and support components are selected to avoid occlusion and to otherwise prevent interference between the various sensor housing elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2025Publication date: October 16, 2025Inventors: Kimberly Toth, Jeremy Dittmer, Giulia Guidi, Peter Avram
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Publication number: 20250321584Abstract: The technology relates to an exterior sensor system for a vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode. The technology includes a close-in sensing (CIS) camera system to address blind spots around the vehicle. The CIS system is used to detect objects within a few meters of the vehicle. Based on object classification, the system is able to make real-time driving decisions. Classification is enhanced by employing cameras in conjunction with lidar sensors. The specific arrangement of multiple sensors in a single sensor housing is also important to object detection and classification. Thus, the positioning of the sensors and support components are selected to avoid occlusion and to otherwise prevent interference between the various sensor housing elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2025Publication date: October 16, 2025Inventors: Peter Avram, Kimberly Toth, Jeremy Dittmer, Giulia Guidi
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Publication number: 20250263025Abstract: The technology provides an interior camera sensing system for self-driving vehicles. The sensor system includes image sensors and infrared illuminators to see the vehicle's cabin and storage areas in all ambient lighting conditions. The system can monitor the vehicle for safety purposes, to detect the cleanliness of the cabin and storage areas, as well as to detect whether packages or other objects have been inadvertently left in the vehicle. The cameras are arranged to focus on selected regions in the vehicle cabin and the system carries out certain actions in response to information evaluated for those regions. The interior space is divided into multiple zones assigned different coverage priorities. Regardless of vehicle size or configuration, certain actions are performed according to various ride checklists and the imagery detected by the interior cameras. The checklists include pre-ride, mid-ride, and post-ride checklists.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2025Publication date: August 21, 2025Inventors: Kimberly Toth, Giulia Guidi, Choon Ping Chng
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Patent number: 12366857Abstract: The technology relates to an exterior sensor system for a vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode. The technology includes a close-in sensing (CIS) camera system to address blind spots around the vehicle. The CIS system is used to detect objects within a few meters of the vehicle. Based on object classification, the system is able to make real-time driving decisions. Classification is enhanced by employing cameras in conjunction with lidar sensors. The specific arrangement of multiple sensors in a single sensor housing is also important to object detection and classification. Thus, the positioning of the sensors and support components are selected to avoid occlusion and to otherwise prevent interference between the various sensor housing elements.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2023Date of Patent: July 22, 2025Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Peter Avram, Kimberly Toth, Jeremy Dittmer, Giulia Guidi
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Publication number: 20250180196Abstract: Example embodiments described herein involve a system for testing a light-emitting module. The light-emitting module may include a mounting platform configured to hold a light-emitting module for a camera. The mounting platform may also be configured to rotate. The system may further include a housing holding a plurality of photodiodes arranged in an array over at least a 90 degree arc of a hemisphere. The system may also include a controller configured to control the photodiodes and the rotation of the mounting platform.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2025Publication date: June 5, 2025Inventors: Choon Ping Chng, Cheng-Han Wu, Lucian Ion, Giulia Guidi
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Patent number: 12319206Abstract: The technology provides an interior camera sensing system for self-driving vehicles. The sensor system includes image sensors and infrared illuminators to see the vehicle's cabin and storage areas in all ambient lighting conditions. The system can monitor the vehicle for safety purposes, to detect the cleanliness of the cabin and storage areas, as well as to detect whether packages or other objects have been inadvertently left in the vehicle. The cameras are arranged to focus on selected regions in the vehicle cabin and the system carries out certain actions in response to information evaluated for those regions. The interior space is divided into multiple zones assigned different coverage priorities. Regardless of vehicle size or configuration, certain actions are performed according to various ride checklists and the imagery detected by the interior cameras. The checklists include pre-ride, mid-ride, and post-ride checklists.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2024Date of Patent: June 3, 2025Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Kimberly Toth, Giulia Guidi, Choon Ping Chng
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Patent number: 12260650Abstract: The technology relates to an exterior sensor system for a vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode. The technology includes a close-in sensing (CIS) camera system to address blind spots around the vehicle. The CIS system is used to detect objects within a few meters of the vehicle. Based on object classification, the system is able to make real-time driving decisions. Classification is enhanced by employing cameras in conjunction with lidar sensors. The specific arrangement of multiple sensors in a single sensor housing is also important to object detection and classification. Thus, the positioning of the sensors and support components are selected to avoid occlusion and to otherwise prevent interference between the various sensor housing elements.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2023Date of Patent: March 25, 2025Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Kimberly Toth, Jeremy Dittmer, Giulia Guidi, Peter Avram
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Patent number: 12241618Abstract: Example embodiments described herein involve a system for testing a light-emitting module. The light-emitting module may include a mounting platform configured to hold a light-emitting module for a camera. The mounting platform may also be configured to rotate. The system may further include a housing holding a plurality of photodiodes arranged in an array over at least a 90 degree arc of a hemisphere. The system may also include a controller configured to control the photodiodes and the rotation of the mounting platform.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2024Date of Patent: March 4, 2025Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Choon Ping Chng, Cheng-Han Wu, Lucian Ion, Giulia Guidi
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Patent number: 12105200Abstract: A system includes a near-infrared (NIR) illuminator, an NIR image sensor, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device, and control circuitry configured to perform operations. The operations include causing the NIR illuminator to illuminate a portion of an environment, and obtaining, from the NIR image sensor, NIR image data representing the portion of the environment illuminated by the NIR illuminator. The operations also include detecting a retroreflector within the NIR image data and, based on detecting the retroreflector within the NIR image, determining a position of the retroreflector within the environment. The operations further include, based on the position of the retroreflector within the environment, adjusting at least one parameter of the LIDAR device in connection with scanning the retroreflector.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2020Date of Patent: October 1, 2024Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Caner Onal, Nirav Dharia, Giulia Guidi
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Patent number: 12059994Abstract: The present disclosure relates to optical systems, vehicles, and methods that are configured to illuminate and image a wide field of view of an environment. An example optical system includes a camera having an optical axis and an outer lens element disposed along the optical axis. The optical system also includes a plurality of illumination modules, each of which includes at least one light-emitter device configured to emit light along a respective emission axis and a secondary optical element optically coupled to the at least one light-emitter device. The secondary optical element is configured to provide a light emission pattern having an azimuthal angle extent of at least 170 degrees so as to illuminate a portion of an environment of the optical system.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2023Date of Patent: August 13, 2024Assignee: Waymo LLCInventor: Giulia Guidi
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Publication number: 20240183519Abstract: Example embodiments described herein involve a system for testing a light-emitting module. The light-emitting module may include a mounting platform configured to hold a light-emitting module for a camera. The mounting platform may also be configured to rotate. The system may further include a housing holding a plurality of photodiodes arranged in an array over at least a 90 degree arc of a hemisphere. The system may also include a controller configured to control the photodiodes and the rotation of the mounting platform.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2024Publication date: June 6, 2024Inventors: Choon Ping Chng, Cheng-Han Wu, Lucian Ion, Giulia Guidi
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Publication number: 20240175728Abstract: A system may include a first sensor of a first type and a second sensor of a second different type and having a detector. A field of view of the second sensor may be formed by a plurality of regions of interest (ROIs) defined by the detector. Control circuitry of the system may be configured to perform operations including obtaining, from the first sensor, first sensor data representing an environment, and determining, based on the first sensor data, information associated with a feature of interest within the environment. The operations may also include determining, based on the information, a particular ROI that corresponds to an expected position of the feature at a later time, obtaining a plurality of ROI sensor data from the particular ROI instead of obtaining full-resolution sensor data, and analyzing the plurality of ROI sensor data to determine one or more attributes of the feature.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2024Publication date: May 30, 2024Inventors: Nirav Dharia, Giulia Guidi, Ralph Shepard, Vlad Cardei, Lucian Ion
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Publication number: 20240166144Abstract: The technology provides an interior camera sensing system for self-driving vehicles. The sensor system includes image sensors and infrared illuminators to see the vehicle's cabin and storage areas in all ambient lighting conditions. The system can monitor the vehicle for safety purposes, to detect the cleanliness of the cabin and storage areas, as well as to detect whether packages or other objects have been inadvertently left in the vehicle. The cameras are arranged to focus on selected regions in the vehicle cabin and the system carries out certain actions in response to information evaluated for those regions. The interior space is divided into multiple zones assigned different coverage priorities. Regardless of vehicle size or configuration, certain actions are performed according to various ride checklists and the imagery detected by the interior cameras. The checklists include pre-ride, mid-ride, and post-ride checklists.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2024Publication date: May 23, 2024Inventors: Kimberly Toth, Giulia Guidi, Choon Ping Chng
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Publication number: 20240144697Abstract: The technology relates to an exterior sensor system for a vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode. The technology includes a close-in sensing (CIS) camera system to address blind spots around the vehicle. The CIS system is used to detect objects within a few meters of the vehicle. Based on object classification, the system is able to make real-time driving decisions. Classification is enhanced by employing cameras in conjunction with lidar sensors. The specific arrangement of multiple sensors in a single sensor housing is also important to object detection and classification. Thus, the positioning of the sensors and support components are selected to avoid occlusion and to otherwise prevent interference between the various sensor housing elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2023Publication date: May 2, 2024Inventors: Kimberly Toth, Jeremy Dittmer, Giulia Guidi, Peter Avram
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Patent number: 11933647Abstract: A system may include a first sensor of a first type and a second sensor of a second different type and having a detector. A field of view of the second sensor may be formed by a plurality of regions of interest (ROIs) defined by the detector. Control circuitry of the system may be configured to perform operations including obtaining, from the first sensor, first sensor data representing an environment, and determining, based on the first sensor data, information associated with a feature of interest within the environment. The operations may also include determining, based on the information, a particular ROI that corresponds to an expected position of the feature at a later time, obtaining a plurality of ROI sensor data from the particular ROI instead of obtaining full-resolution sensor data, and analyzing the plurality of ROI sensor data to determine one or more attributes of the feature.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2022Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Nirav Dharia, Giulia Guidi, Ralph Shepard, Vlad Cardei, Lucian Ion
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Patent number: 11920770Abstract: Example embodiments described herein involve a system for testing a light-emitting module. The light-emitting module may include a mounting platform configured to hold a light-emitting module for a camera. The mounting platform may also be configured to rotate. The system may further include a housing holding a plurality of photodiodes arranged in an array over at least a 90 degree arc of a hemisphere. The system may also include a controller configured to control the photodiodes and the rotation of the mounting platform.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2023Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Choon Ping Chng, Cheng-Han Wu, Lucian Ion, Giulia Guidi
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Publication number: 20240061425Abstract: The technology relates to an exterior sensor system for a vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode. The technology includes a close-in sensing (CIS) camera system to address blind spots around the vehicle. The CIS system is used to detect objects within a few meters of the vehicle. Based on object classification, the system is able to make real-time driving decisions. Classification is enhanced by employing cameras in conjunction with lidar sensors. The specific arrangement of multiple sensors in a single sensor housing is also important to object detection and classification. Thus, the positioning of the sensors and support components are selected to avoid occlusion and to otherwise prevent interference between the various sensor housing elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2023Publication date: February 22, 2024Inventors: Peter Avram, Kimberly Toth, Jeremy Dittmer, Giulia Guidi