Patents by Inventor Ruffin Evans

Ruffin Evans 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: 11807276
    Abstract: A method includes determining a target specification map that is associated with a task and that indicates, for each respective region of a plurality of regions around a vehicle equipped with a sensor, a target value of a parameter of the sensor. The method also includes determining a capability specification map that indicates, for each respective region, an attained value of the parameter that the sensor is configured to provide. The method additionally includes comparing the capability specification map to the target specification map to determine, for each respective region, a disparity between the target value and the attained value. The method further includes, based on the comparing, identifying one or more of: a first subset of the plurality of regions where the target value exceeds the attained value or a second subset of the plurality of regions where the attained value meets or exceeds the target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy Dittmer, Ruffin Evans, Vaibhav Nangia, Benjamin Ingram, Erik Chubb, Yonatan Winetraub
  • Patent number: 11797836
    Abstract: A sensor system includes a transmitter configured to emit electromagnetic radiation towards a portion of an environment and an optical neural network configured to receive a reflection of the electromagnetic radiation from the portion of the environment and generate an array of electromagnetic signals. A property of each respective electromagnetic signal of the array of electromagnetic signals represents a corresponding physical characteristic of the portion of the environment. The sensor system also includes a detector array configured to receive the array of electromagnetic signals and including a plurality of electromagnetic signal detectors. Each respective electromagnetic signal detector is configured to measure the property of a corresponding electromagnetic signal of the array of electromagnetic signals and generate, based on the measured at least one property of the corresponding electromagnetic signal, a value representing the corresponding physical characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: Ruffin Evans
  • Publication number: 20230107799
    Abstract: A method includes determining a target specification map that is associated with a task and that indicates, for each respective region of a plurality of regions around a vehicle equipped with a sensor, a target value of a parameter of the sensor. The method also includes determining a capability specification map that indicates, for each respective region, an attained value of the parameter that the sensor is configured to provide. The method additionally includes comparing the capability specification map to the target specification map to determine, for each respective region, a disparity between the target value and the attained value. The method further includes, based on the comparing, identifying one or more of: a first subset of the plurality of regions where the target value exceeds the attained value or a second subset of the plurality of regions where the attained value meets or exceeds the target value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Jeremy Dittmer, Ruffin Evans, Vaibhav Nangia, Benjamin Ingram, Erik Chubb, Yonatan Winetraub
  • Patent number: 11529973
    Abstract: A method includes determining a target specification map that is associated with a task and that indicates, for each respective region of a plurality of regions around a vehicle equipped with a sensor, a target value of a parameter of the sensor. The method also includes determining a capability specification map that indicates, for each respective region, an attained value of the parameter that the sensor is configured to provide. The method additionally includes comparing the capability specification map to the target specification map to determine, for each respective region, a disparity between the target value and the attained value. The method further includes, based on the comparing, identifying one or more of: a first subset of the plurality of regions where the target value exceeds the attained value or a second subset of the plurality of regions where the attained value meets or exceeds the target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy Dittmer, Ruffin Evans, Vaibhav Nangia, Benjamin Ingram, Erik Chubb, Yonatan Winetraub
  • Patent number: 11514343
    Abstract: Simulated degraded sensor data may be generated for use in training a model. For instance, first sensor data collected by a sensor of a perception system of an autonomous vehicle may be received and converted into the simulated degraded sensor data for a particular degrading condition, such as a weather-related degrading condition. Then, the simulated degraded sensor data may be used to train a model for evaluating performance of the perception system to detect objects external to the autonomous vehicle under one or more conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Armstrong-Crews, Arthur Safira, Alex Mccauley, Ruffin Evans
  • Patent number: 11216682
    Abstract: The technology relates to detecting possible imaging sensor occlusion. In one example, a system including an imaging sensor and one or more processors may be configured to capture first image data using the imaging sensor. The one or more processors may encode the first image data into an uncompressed image file and generate a compressed image file based on the uncompressed image file. The file size of the compressed image file may be determined and based on the file size of the compressed image file, the system may determine that the imaging sensor is possibly occluded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: Ruffin Evans
  • Publication number: 20210406722
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to generating simulated degraded sensor data. For instance, first sensor data collected by a sensor of a perception system of an autonomous vehicle may be received. The first sensor data may be inputted into simulated degraded sensor data for a particular degrading condition. The simulated degraded sensor data may be used to evaluate or train a model for detecting objects of the perception system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Nicholas Armstrong-Crews, Arthu Safira, Alex Mccauley, Ruffin Evans
  • Publication number: 20210133472
    Abstract: The technology relates to detecting possible imaging sensor occlusion. In one example, a system including an imaging sensor and one or more processors may be configured to capture first image data using the imaging sensor. The one or more processors may encode the first image data into an uncompressed image file and generate a compressed image file based on the uncompressed image file. The file size of the compressed image file may be determined and based on the file size of the compressed image file, the system may determine that the imaging sensor is possibly occluded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventor: Ruffin Evans
  • Patent number: 10867201
    Abstract: The technology relates to detecting possible imaging sensor occlusion. In one example, a system including an imaging sensor and one or more processors may be configured to capture first image data using the imaging sensor. The one or more processors may encode the first image data into an uncompressed image file and generate a compressed image file based on the uncompressed image file. The file size of the compressed image file may be determined and based on the file size of the compressed image file, the system may determine that the imaging sensor is possibly occluded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: Ruffin Evans
  • Publication number: 20200226403
    Abstract: The technology relates to detecting possible imaging sensor occlusion. In one example, a system including an imaging sensor and one or more processors may be configured to capture first image data using the imaging sensor. The one or more processors may encode the first image data into an uncompressed image file and generate a compressed image file based on the uncompressed image file. The file size of the compressed image file may be determined and based on the file size of the compressed image file, the system may determine that the imaging sensor is possibly occluded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventor: Ruffin Evans