Patents by Inventor William Barber
William Barber 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: 20240111053Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor system for a vehicle includes a transmitter, a receiver, and a scanner. The transmitter is configured to output a transmit beam. The transmitter includes a first grating coupler. The receiver includes a plurality of second grating couplers spaced apart from the first grating coupler.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2023Publication date: April 4, 2024Applicant: Aurora Operations, Inc.Inventors: Edward Joseph Angus, Zeb William Barber, Andrew Steil Michaels, Evan Rogers
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Publication number: 20240053453Abstract: A light detection and ranging (lidar) system may include a transceiver, a first device including a laser source configured to generate a beam, and one or more optical components, a second device including one or more analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), and a processor configured to alternately turn on the first device and turn on the transceiver. The first device may be configured to generate, based on the beam, an optical signal associated with a local oscillator (LO) signal. The transceiver may be configured to transmit the optical signal to an environment, in response to transmitting the optical signal, receive a returned optical signal that is reflected from an object in the environment, and pair the returned optical signal with the LO signal to generate an electrical signal. The second device may be configured to generate, based on the electrical signal, a digital signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2023Publication date: February 15, 2024Applicant: Aurora Operations, Inc.Inventors: Zeb William Barber, Stefan Heineman, Randy Ray Reibel
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Patent number: 11874376Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor system for a vehicle includes a transmitter, a receiver, and a scanner. The transmitter is configured to output a transmit beam. The transmitter includes a first grating coupler. The receiver includes a plurality of second grating couplers spaced apart from the first grating coupler.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2022Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: AURORA OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Edward Joseph Angus, Zeb William Barber, Andrew Steil Michaels, Evan Rogers
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Patent number: 11841441Abstract: A LIDAR system includes a laser source, a first scanner, and a second scanner. The first scanner receives a first beam from the laser source and applies a first angle modulation to the first beam to output a second beam at a first angle. The second scanner receives the second beam and applies a second angle modulation to the second beam to output a third beam at a second angle.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2022Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: AURORA OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Zeb William Barber, Stephen C. Crouch, Ryan Moore Galloway, Edward Joseph Angus, Emil Kadlec
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Patent number: 11835657Abstract: A system and method for scanning of coherent LIDAR. The system includes a motor, a laser source configured to generate an optical beam, and a deflector. A first facet of the plurality of facets has a facet normal direction. The deflector is coupled to the motor and is configured to rotate about a rotation axis to deflect the optical beam from the laser source. The laser source is configured to direct the optical beam such that the optical beam is incident on the deflector at a first incident angle in a first plane, wherein the first plane includes the rotation axis, wherein the first incident angle is spaced apart from the facet normal direction for the first facet. A second facet of the plurality of facets includes an optical element configured to deflect the optical beam at the first incident angle into a deflected angle.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2021Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS, LLC.Inventors: Ryan Moore Galloway, Edward Angus, Zeb William Barber
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Publication number: 20230384447Abstract: An autonomous vehicle control system may include one or more processors configured to receive an electrical signal generated based on a returned optical signal that is reflected from an object. The one or more processors may determine a Doppler frequency shift of the returned optical signal over a first duration of the electrical signal. The one or more processors may generate a corrected electrical signal based on the Doppler frequency shift. The one or more processors may determine a range to the object based on the corrected electrical signal over a second duration that is shorter than the first duration. The one or more processors may control at least one of a steering system or a braking system based on the range.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Applicant: BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS, LLCInventors: Stephen C. Crouch, Zeb William Barber, Emil Kadlec, Krishna Rupavatharam
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Patent number: 11740337Abstract: A light detection and ranging (lidar) system may include a transceiver, a first device including a laser source configured to generate a beam, and one or more optical components, a second device including one or more analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), and a processor configured to alternately turn on the first device and turn on the transceiver. The first device may be configured to generate, based on the beam, an optical signal associated with a local oscillator (LO) signal. The transceiver may be configured to transmit the optical signal to an environment, in response to transmitting the optical signal, receive a returned optical signal that is reflected from an object in the environment, and pair the returned optical signal with the LO signal to generate an electrical signal. The second device may be configured to generate, based on the electrical signal, a digital signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2022Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: Aurora Operations, Inc.Inventors: Zeb William Barber, Stefan Heineman, Randy Ray Reibel
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Patent number: 11709267Abstract: A system and method for enhanced velocity resolution and signal to noise ratio in optical phase-encoded range detection includes receiving an electrical signal generated by mixing a first optical signal and a second optical signal, wherein the first optical signal is generated by modulating an optical signal, wherein and the second optical signal is received in response to transmitting the first optical signal toward an object, and determining a Doppler frequency shift of the second optical signal, and generating a corrected electrical signal by adjusting the electrical signal based on the Doppler frequency shift, and determining a range to the object based on a cross correlation of the corrected electrical signal with a radio frequency (RF) signal that is associated with the first optical signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2020Date of Patent: July 25, 2023Assignee: BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS, LLCInventors: Stephen C. Crouch, Zeb William Barber, Emil Kadlec, Krishna Rupavatharam
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Publication number: 20220244363Abstract: A method for controlling a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor system includes determining a code that has a first set of symbols having a first number of symbols. An optical signal generated based on the code is transmitted to an environment. The first set of symbols are transmitted as part of the optical signal in a first duration. In response to transmitting the optical signal, a returned optical signal that is reflected from an object in the environment is received. A second number of symbols to be sampled is determined, the second number of symbols being different than the first number of symbols. A second set of symbols having the second number of symbols is sampled in a second duration based on the returned optical signal. A range to the object is determined based on the second set of symbols.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2022Publication date: August 4, 2022Applicant: BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS, LLCInventors: Zeb William Barber, Stephen C. Crouch, Emil A. Kadlec
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Publication number: 20220146643Abstract: A LIDAR system includes a laser source, a first scanner, and a second scanner. The first scanner receives a first beam from the laser source and applies a first angle modulation to the first beam to output a second beam at a first angle. The second scanner receives the second beam and applies a second angle modulation to the second beam to output a third beam at a second angle.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2022Publication date: May 12, 2022Applicant: AURORA OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Zeb William Barber, Stephen C. Crouch, Ryan Moore Galloway, Edward Joseph Angus, Emil Kadlec
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Patent number: 11327161Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes one or more processors, and one or more computer-readable storage mediums storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine a code that has a first number of symbols, transmit, to an environment, an optical signal generated based on the code such that the first number of symbols are transmitted in a first duration, in response to transmitting the optical signal, receive a returned optical signal that is reflected from an object in the environment, sample, from the returned optical signal, a second number of symbols in a second duration, the second number being different from the first number, and determine, based on the second number of symbols, a range to the object.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2021Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS, LLCInventors: Zeb William Barber, Stephen C. Crouch, Emil A. Kadlec
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Publication number: 20220113387Abstract: A system and method for scanning of coherent LIDAR. The system includes a motor, a laser source configured to generate an optical beam, and a deflector. A first facet of the plurality of facets has a facet normal direction. The deflector is coupled to the motor and is configured to rotate about a rotation axis to deflect the optical beam from the laser source. The laser source is configured to direct the optical beam such that the optical beam is incident on the deflector at a first incident angle in a first plane, wherein the first plane includes the rotation axis, wherein the first incident angle is spaced apart from the facet normal direction for the first facet. A second facet of the plurality of facets includes an optical element configured to deflect the optical beam at the first incident angle into a deflected angle.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2021Publication date: April 14, 2022Applicant: BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS, LLC.Inventors: Ryan Moore Galloway, Edward Angus, Zeb William Barber
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Patent number: 11262455Abstract: A LIDAR system includes a laser source, a first scanner, and a second scanner. The first scanner receives a first beam from the laser source and applies a first angle modulation to the first beam to output a second beam at a first angle. The second scanner receives the second beam and applies a second angle modulation to the second beam to output a third beam at a second angle.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2021Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: AURORA OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Zeb William Barber, Stephen C. Crouch, Ryan Moore Galloway, Edward Joseph Angus, Emil Kadlec
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Patent number: 11237253Abstract: A system and method for scanning of coherent LIDAR. The system includes a motor, a laser source configured to generate an optical beam, and a deflector. A first facet of the plurality of facets has a facet normal direction. The deflector is coupled to the motor and is configured to rotate about a rotation axis to deflect the optical beam from the laser source. The laser source is configured to direct the optical beam such that the optical beam is incident on the deflector at a first incident angle in a first plane, wherein the first plane includes the rotation axis, wherein the first incident angle is spaced apart from the facet normal direction for the first facet. A second facet of the plurality of facets includes an optical element configured to deflect the optical beam at the first incident angle into a deflected angle.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2020Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: BLACKMORE SENSORS AND ANALYTICS, LLCInventors: Ryan Moore Galloway, Edward Angus, Zeb William Barber
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Publication number: 20210405205Abstract: A LIDAR system includes a laser source, a first scanner, and a second scanner. The first scanner receives a first beam from the laser source and applies a first angle modulation to the first beam to output a second beam at a first angle. The second scanner receives the second beam and applies a second angle modulation to the second beam to output a third beam at a second angle.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2021Publication date: December 30, 2021Applicant: Aurora Innovation, Inc.Inventors: Zeb William Barber, Stephen C. Crouch, Ryan Moore Galloway, Edward Joseph Angus, Emil Kadlec
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Patent number: 11150536Abstract: Techniques for generating an arbitrary target electromagnetic signal with a nonlinear material, include determining a time varying target amplitude and target phase and an order n of a nonlinear material. For each time, a first set of nth roots of the target amplitude and a second set of nth roots of the target phase are determined. An input amplitude based on one value from the first set and an input phase based on one value from the second set is determined at each time. A difference between temporally successive values of phase is minimized. An electromagnetic signal is modulated to impose the input amplitude and phase to produce a modulated electromagnetic input signal that is introduced into the nonlinear material to produce a target electromagnetic signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2019Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignees: S2 CORPORATION, MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITYInventors: Zeb William Barber, Calvin Harrington, Krishna Mohan Rupavatharam, Peter B. Sellin, Craig Benko
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Publication number: 20210255294Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes one or more processors, and one or more computer-readable storage mediums storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine a code that has a first number of symbols, transmit, to an environment, an optical signal generated based on the code such that the first number of symbols are transmitted in a first duration, in response to transmitting the optical signal, receive a returned optical signal that is reflected from an object in the environment, sample, from the returned optical signal, a second number of symbols in a second duration, the second number being different from the first number, and determine, based on the second number of symbols, a range to the object.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2021Publication date: August 19, 2021Applicant: BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS, LLCInventors: Zeb William Barber, Stephen C. Crouch, Emil A. Kadlec
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Patent number: 11016197Abstract: A LIDAR system includes a laser source, a first scanner, and a second scanner. The first scanner receives a first beam from the laser source and applies a first angle modulation to the first beam to output a second beam at a first angle. The second scanner receives the second beam and applies a second angle modulation to the second beam to output a third beam at a second angle.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2020Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: AURORA INNOVATION, INC.Inventors: Zeb William Barber, Stephen C. Crouch, Ryan Moore Galloway, Edward Joseph Angus, Emil Kadlec
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Patent number: 11002837Abstract: A system and method for sidelobe suppression in phase-encoded Doppler LIDAR to support the operation of a vehicle includes determining a sequence code that is indicative of a sequence of phases for an optical signal; modulating an optical signal based on the sequence code to produce a phase-encoded optical signal; transmitting the phase-encoded optical signal to an environment; receiving, from the environment, a returned optical signal in response to transmitting the phase-encoded optical signal; generating, based on the returned optical signal, an electrical signal; and determine a Doppler frequency shift in the returned optical signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2020Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: BLACKMORE SENSORS & ANALYTICS, LLC.Inventors: Zeb William Barber, Stephen C. Crouch, Emil A. Kadlec
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Publication number: 20210072381Abstract: A system and method for enhanced velocity resolution and signal to noise ratio in optical phase-encoded range detection includes receiving an electrical signal generated by mixing a first optical signal and a second optical signal, wherein the first optical signal is generated by modulating an optical signal, wherein and the second optical signal is received in response to transmitting the first optical signal toward an object, and determining a Doppler frequency shift of the second optical signal, and generating a corrected electrical signal by adjusting the electrical signal based on the Doppler frequency shift, and determining a range to the object based on a cross correlation of the corrected electrical signal with a radio frequency (RF) signal that is associated with the first optical signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2020Publication date: March 11, 2021Applicant: Blackmore Sensors & Analytics, LLCInventors: Stephen C. Crouch, Zeb William Barber, Emil Kadlec, Krishna Rupavatharam