# US 11,906,631 B2 · Variable resolution sensors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,631 B2 - Document ID: US11906631B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/498,355 - Filed: 2021-10-11 - Published: 2022-01-27 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-30 - Assignees: Pony AI Inc. - Applicants: Pony AI Inc. - Inventors: Peter G. Diehl; Robert Dingli; Cyrus Abari; Yui-Hong Matthias Tan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906631B2 ## CPC - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - G01S 13/865: {Combination of radar systems with lidar systems} - G01S 17/86: Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders - G01S 17/89: for mapping or imaging - G06V 10/147: Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses (fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19) - G06V 10/22: by selection of a specific region containing or referencing a pattern; Locating or processing of specific regions to guide the detection or recognition - G06V 20/56: exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract Provided herein is a system and method that acquires data and determines a driving action based on the data. The system comprises a processor configured to acquire data of nonuniform resolution over a field of view of the sensor, and a controller configured to determine a driving action of a vehicle based on the data, and perform the driving action. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a sensor configured to acquire data of nonuniform resolution over a field of view of the sensor according to a pixel arrangement of the sensor, wherein the pixel arrangement of the sensor comprises: a first region comprising first pixels having a first size; and a second region comprising second pixels having a second size, wherein the first size is greater than the second size; and one or more processors configured to: detect a presence of a feature in a particular region of the acquired data; and capture the feature using at least a portion of the second pixels in the second region and capture data external to the feature using at least a portion of the first pixels to increase a resolution of the feature compared to surrounding features. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first region is disposed towards a periphery of the field of view compared to the second region. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first pixels and the second pixels comprises: a detector configured to detect light or electromagnetic radiation and convert the detected light or electromagnetic radiation into an electric signal; a buffer configured to isolate the electric signal from at least one other electric signal; and a logic element configured to process the electric signal into the data. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first pixels and the second pixels comprises: a photodiode; a capacitor that when charged, produces a photovoltage to be supplied to a buffer; the buffer which amplifies an electric signal; and a transistor that includes a switch to reset the pixel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: dynamically change a first density of the first pixels or the spacing between the adjacent first pixels within the first region, or a second density of the second pixels or the spacing between the adjacent second pixels within the second region, in response to detecting a presence of a second feature corresponding to the first region or the second region. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: dynamically replace a first portion of the first region or a second portion of the second region with third pixels having a third density, wherein the third density is higher than the first density or the second density, in response to detecting a presence of a second feature corresponding to the first portion or the second portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: dynamically change a first density of the first pixels or the spacing between the adjacent first pixels within the first region, or a second density of the second pixels or the spacing between the adjacent second pixels within the second region, based on a change of the feature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: dynamically change a first density of the first pixels or the spacing between the adjacent first pixels within the first region, or a second density of the second pixels or the spacing between the adjacent second pixels within the second region, based on a rate of change of the feature. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: detect a change in an environmental condition at a specific location, wherein the specific location corresponds to or is captured by the first pixels; and dynamically change a first density of the first pixels or the spacing between the adjacent first pixels within the first region, in response to the change in the environmental condition. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the environmental condition comprises a temperature. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: detect a rate of change in an environmental condition at a specific location, wherein the specific location corresponds to or is captured by the first pixels; and dynamically change a first density of the first pixels or the spacing between the adjacent first pixels within the first region, based on the rate of change in the environmental condition. ### Claim 12 A method, comprising: acquiring data of nonuniform resolution, by a sensor, over a field of view of the sensor according to a pixel arrangement of the sensor, wherein the pixel arrangement of the sensor comprises: a first region comprising first pixels having a first size; and a second region comprising second pixels having a second size, wherein the first size is greater than the second size; and detecting, by one or more processors controlling an operation of the sensor, a presence of a feature in a particular region of the acquired data; and capturing the feature using at least a portion of the second pixels in the second region and capture data external to the feature using at least a portion of the first pixels to increase a resolution of the feature compared to surrounding features. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the first region is disposed towards a periphery of the field of view compared to the second region. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the acquiring comprises: detecting, by a detector, light or electromagnetic radiation; converting, by the detector, the detected light or electromagnetic radiation into an electric signal; isolating, by a buffer, the electric signal from at least one other electric signal; and converting, by a logic, the electric signal to the data. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: dynamically changing a first density of the first pixels or the spacing between the adjacent first pixels within the first region, or a second density of the second pixels or the spacing between the adjacent second pixels within the second region, in response to detecting a presence of a second feature corresponding to the first region or the second region. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: dynamically replacing a first portion of the first region or a second portion of the second region with third pixels having a third density, wherein the third density is higher than the first density or the second density, in response to detecting a presence of a second feature corresponding to the first portion or the second portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: dynamically changing a first density of the first pixels or the spacing between the adjacent first pixels within the first region, or a second density of the second pixels or the spacing between the adjacent second pixels within the second region, based on a change of the feature. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: dynamically changing a first density of the first pixels or the spacing between the adjacent first pixels within the first region, or a second density of the second pixels or the spacing between the adjacent second pixels within the second region, based on a rate of change of the feature. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: detecting a change in an environmental condition at a specific location, wherein the specific location corresponds to or is captured by the first pixels; and dynamically changing a first density of the first pixels or the spacing between the adjacent first pixels within the first region, in response to the change in the environmental condition. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: detecting a rate of change in an environmental condition at a specific location, wherein the specific location corresponds to or is captured by the first pixels; and dynamically changing a first density of the first pixels or the spacing between the adjacent first pixels within the first region, based on the rate of change in the environmental condition.