Patents by Inventor Lingkai Kong

Lingkai Kong 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: 11086058
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide transmitters for light detection and ranging (LiDAR). The transmitter includes a plurality of laser sources and a light modulator. Each of the laser sources includes interleaved emitting regions and gaps and is configured to provide a native laser beam in a respective incident direction. The light modulator is configured to receive the native laser beams from the plurality of laser sources in different incident directions and combine the native laser beams into a combined laser beam in a diffraction direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: BEIJING VOYAGER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Youmin Wang, Yonghong Guo, Chao Wang, Yue Lu, Lingkai Kong
  • Patent number: 11061118
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a Light Detection and Ranging system. The system may include a light source configured to emit a light beam, a first apparatus configured to adjust the light beam and a second apparatus configured to adjust the light beam and receive the reflected light beam from a first rotatable mirror. The first apparatus may include the first rotatable mirror configured to receive and reflect the light beam, and a first actuator configured to rotate the first rotatable mirror. The second apparatus may include a second adjustable mirror configured to receive and propagate the light beam, a second actuator configured to adjust the second adjustable mirror, and a detector configured to receive the light beam reflected by the object. The first rotatable mirror is further configured to receive and reflect the light beam reflected by the object to the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: BEIJING VOYAGER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youmin Wang, Lingkai Kong
  • Patent number: 11041944
    Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for improving the probability of detection and the probability of false alarm of a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system. A receiver of the LiDAR system is configured to obtain a noise signal vector for an operation condition and determine the coefficients of a matched filter based on the noise signal vector. The matched filter is used to filter a returned signal vector corresponding to returned light detected by the receiver. The receiver detects an object in the field of view of the LiDAR system based on identifying, in the returned signal vector filtered by the matched filter, a pulse having a peak higher than a threshold value. In some embodiments, the receiver is configured to determine the threshold value based on the noise signal vector, energy of the transmitted signal, and a desired false alarm rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Beijing Voyager Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhenghan Zhu, Yue Lu, John K. Wu, Lingkai Kong
  • Publication number: 20210165095
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a laser beam generation system. The laser beam generation system includes a first laser chip configured to generate a first polarized laser beam and a second laser chip configured to generate a second polarized laser beam. The laser beam generation system also includes a polarizer configured to combine the first polarized laser beam and the second polarized laser beam to generate a third laser beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: BEIJING VOYAGER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yonghong Guo, Youmin Wang, Chao Wang, Yue Lu, Lingkai Kong
  • Publication number: 20210116564
    Abstract: A voltage generator supplies a voltage to an electronic device of a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) system. The voltage generator includes a clock source configured to generate a clock signal and a voltage source configured to generate a first voltage signal having a first voltage level. The voltage generator also includes a voltage multiplier coupled to the voltage source and the clock source. The voltage multiplier is configured to generate a second voltage signal having a second voltage level based on the first voltage signal and the clock signal. The second voltage level is higher than the first voltage level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Applicant: DiDi Research America, LLC
    Inventors: Yue Lu, Yibo Yu, Lingkai Kong, Chao Wang, Youmin Wang
  • Publication number: 20210109217
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a system for controlling power of laser lights emitted by an optical sensing device. The system includes at least one storage device configured to store instructions and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one storage device and configured to execute the instructions to perform operations. The operations include detecting an object within a field of view of the optical sensing device based on a reflected laser signal received by the optical sensing device, determining a distance of the object from the optical sensing device, determining a value indicating a total power of one or more laser beams to be incident on an aperture at the distance, and comparing the value with a predetermined tolerance value. The operations also include adjusting a laser emission scheme to reduce the total power when the value is greater than the predetermined tolerance value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: BEIJING VOYAGER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lingkai Kong, Yue Lu, Youmin Wang, Chao Wang
  • Publication number: 20210109216
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a system for controlling power of laser lights emitted by an optical sensing device. The system includes at least one storage device configured to store instructions and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one storage device and configured to execute the instructions to perform operations. The operations include detecting an object within a field of view of the optical sensing device based on a reflected laser signal received by the optical sensing device, determining a distance of the object from the optical sensing device, determining a value indicating a total power of one or more laser beams to be incident on an aperture at the distance, and comparing the value with a predetermined tolerance value. The operations also includes adjusting a laser emission scheme to reduce the total power when the value is greater than the predetermined tolerance value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: DiDi Research America, LLC
    Inventors: Lingkai Kong, Yue Lu, Youmin Wang, Chao Wang
  • Patent number: 10962644
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a system for controlling power of laser lights emitted by an optical sensing device. The system includes at least one storage device configured to store instructions and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one storage device and configured to execute the instructions to perform operations. The operations include detecting an object within a field of view of the optical sensing device based on a reflected laser signal received by the optical sensing device, determining a distance of the object from the optical sensing device, determining a value indicating a total power of one or more laser beams to be incident on an aperture at the distance, and comparing the value with a predetermined tolerance value. The operations also include adjusting a laser emission scheme to reduce the total power when the value is greater than the predetermined tolerance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: BEIJING VOYAGER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lingkai Kong, Yue Lu, Youmin Wang, Chao Wang
  • Publication number: 20210050708
    Abstract: A system for controlling a pulsed laser diode includes a power source configured to supply power to the pulsed laser diode and at least one driving branch between the power source and the pulsed laser diode. The at least one driving branch is configured to control power delivery from the power source to the pulsed laser diode. The at least one driving branch is connected to a cathode of the pulsed laser diode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Applicant: BEIJING VOYAGER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yibo Yu, Yue Lu, Vipul Chawla, Zhenghan Zhu, Lingkai Kong
  • Publication number: 20210025991
    Abstract: An optical signal detection system includes a plurality of photodetectors configured to detect optical signals reflected from an environment surrounding the optical signal detection system and convert the optical signals into electrical signals. The optical signal detection system also includes an amplifier coupled to the plurality of photodetectors. The amplifier is shared by the plurality of photodetectors and configured to generate an output signal by amplifying an individual electrical signal converted by a corresponding photodetector. The optical signal detection system further includes a multiplexing circuit configured to selectively establish a connection between one of the plurality of photodetectors and the amplifier to amply the electrical signal converted by that photodetector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: BEIJING VOYAGER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Vipul Chawla, Yue Lu, Lingkai Kong
  • Patent number: 10830877
    Abstract: An optical signal detection system includes a plurality of photodetectors configured to detect optical signals reflected from an environment surrounding the optical signal detection system and convert the optical signals into electrical signals. The optical signal detection system also includes an amplifier coupled to the plurality of photodetectors. The amplifier is shared by the plurality of photodetectors and configured to generate an output signal by amplifying an individual electrical signal converted by a corresponding photodetector. The optical signal detection system further includes a multiplexing circuit configured to selectively establish a connection between one of the plurality of photodetectors and the amplifier to amply the electrical signal converted by that photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: BEIJING VOYAGER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Vipul Chawla, Yue Lu, Lingkai Kong
  • Patent number: 10826269
    Abstract: A system for controlling a pulsed laser diode includes a power source configured to supply power to the pulsed laser diode and at least one driving branch between the power source and the pulsed laser diode. The at least one driving branch is configured to control power delivery from the power source to the pulsed laser diode. The at least one driving branch is connected to a cathode of the pulsed laser diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: BEIJING VOYAGER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yibo Yu, Yue Lu, Vipul Chawla, Zhenghan Zhu, Lingkai Kong
  • Publication number: 20200333461
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide transmitters for light detection and ranging (LiDAR). The transmitter includes a laser source, a light collimator, and a beam shifter. The laser source is configured to provide a native laser beam. The light collimator is configured to collimate the native laser beam to form an input laser beam transmitting along a lateral direction. The beam shifter is configured to shift the input laser beam along a vertical direction perpendicular to the lateral direction by a displacement to form an output laser beam. The output laser beam and the input laser beam are parallel to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Applicant: DiDi Research America, LLC
    Inventors: Yonghong Guo, Youmin Wang, Chao Wang, Yue Lu, Lingkai Kong
  • Patent number: 10802104
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for determining locations of wireless nodes in a network architecture are disclosed herein. In one example, a system for localization of nodes in a wireless network architecture comprises a plurality of wireless anchor nodes each having a known location and a wireless device with one or more processing units and RF circuitry for transmitting and receiving communications in the wireless network architecture and a wireless node having a wireless device with a transmitter and a receiver to enable bi-directional communications with the plurality of wireless anchor nodes in the wireless network architecture. One or more processing units of at least one of the plurality of wireless anchor nodes are configured to execute instructions to determine a set of possible ranges between each anchor node and the wireless node having an unknown location and to perform a triangulation algorithm that utilizes a maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) of ranging measurements from anchor nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Locix, Inc.
    Inventors: Tommi Ylamurto, Manu Seth, Lingkai Kong, Sourav Raj Dey
  • Publication number: 20200305113
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining locations of wireless nodes in a network architecture are disclosed herein. In one example, an asynchronous system includes a first wireless node having a wireless device with one or more processing units and RF circuitry for transmitting and receiving communications in the wireless network architecture including a first RF signal having a first packet. The system also includes a second wireless node having a wireless device with a transmitter and a receiver to enable bi-directional communications with the first wireless node in the wireless network architecture including a second RF signal with a second packet. The first wireless node determines a time of flight estimate for localization based on a time estimate of round trip time of the first and second packets and a time estimate that is based on channel sense information of the first and second wireless nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: Locix Inc.
    Inventors: Manu Seth, Lingkai Kong, Tommi Ylamurto, Vivek Subramanian
  • Publication number: 20200292672
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a Light Detection and Ranging system. The system may include a light source configured to emit a light beam, a first apparatus configured to adjust the light beam and a second apparatus configured to adjust the light beam and receive the reflected light beam from a first rotatable mirror. The first apparatus may include the first rotatable mirror configured to receive and reflect the light beam, and a first actuator configured to rotate the first rotatable mirror. The second apparatus may include a second adjustable mirror configured to receive and propagate the light beam, a second actuator configured to adjust the second adjustable mirror, and a detector configured to receive the light beam reflected by the object. The first rotatable mirror is further configured to receive and reflect the light beam reflected by the object to the detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: BEIJING VOYAGER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youmin Wang, Lingkai Kong
  • Publication number: 20200278431
    Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for improving the probability of detection and the probability of false alarm of a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system. A receiver of the LiDAR system is configured to obtain a noise signal vector for an operation condition and determine the coefficients of a matched filter based on the noise signal vector. The matched filter is used to filter a returned signal vector corresponding to returned light detected by the receiver. The receiver detects an object in the field of view of the LiDAR system based on identifying, in the returned signal vector filtered by the matched filter, a pulse having a peak higher than a threshold value. In some embodiments, the receiver is configured to determine the threshold value based on the noise signal vector, energy of the transmitted signal, and a desired false alarm rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventors: Zhenghan Zhu, Yue Lu, John K. Wu, Lingkai Kong
  • Publication number: 20200278427
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for controlling a micro-mirror are provided. In one example, a controller is coupled with a micro-mirror assembly comprising a micro-mirror, an actuator, and a sensor. The controller is configured to: receive a reference signal including information of a target oscillatory rotation of the micro-mirror; receive, from the sensor, the measurement signal of an oscillatory rotation of the micro-mirror; determine, based on the measurement signal and the information included in the reference signal, a difference between the oscillatory rotation of the micro-mirror and the target oscillatory rotation; receive an input control signal; generate, based on the difference and the input control signal, an output control signal to control at least one of a phase or an amplitude of the oscillatory rotation of the micro-mirror; and transmit the output control signal to the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventors: Zuow-Zun Chen, Jihua Li, Lingkai Kong, Youmin Wang, Yue Lu, Quin Zhou
  • Patent number: 10757675
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining locations of wireless nodes in a network architecture are disclosed herein. In one example, an asynchronous system includes a first wireless node having a wireless device with one or more processing units and RF circuitry for transmitting and receiving communications in the wireless network architecture including a first RF signal having a first packet. The system also includes a second wireless node having a wireless device with a transmitter and a receiver to enable bi-directional communications with the first wireless node in the wireless network architecture including a second RF signal with a second packet. The first wireless node determines a time of flight estimate for localization based on a time estimate of round trip time of the first and second packets and a time estimate that is based on channel sense information of the first and second wireless nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Locix, Inc.
    Inventors: Manu Seth, Lingkai Kong, Tommi Ylamurto, Vivek Subramanian
  • Publication number: 20200209372
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for determining locations of wireless nodes in a network architecture are disclosed herein. In one example, a system includes a first wireless node having a wireless device with one or more processing units and RF circuitry for transmitting and receiving communications in the wireless network architecture including a first RF signal having a first packet. A second wireless node having a wireless device with a transmitter and a receiver enables bi-directional communications with the first wireless node in the wireless network architecture including a second RF signal with a second packet. The one or more processing units of the first wireless node are configured to execute instructions to determine a round trip time estimate of the first and second packets, to determine channel state information (CSI) of the first and second wireless nodes, and to calibrate hardware to determine hardware delays of the first and second wireless nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: Locix, Inc.
    Inventors: Manu Seth, Lingkai Kong, Tommi Ylamurto