US 12,508,884 B1Granted

Object detection in automotive applications

AssigneeZoox, Inc.

InventorsConnor Joseph Kafka, Da Liu

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Abstract

A vehicle comprises an object detection system, comprising: (A) a transmitter, (B) a receiver affixed, and (C) at least one processor configured to: (i) based on a characteristic of the environment in which the vehicle is currently located, determine an operating parameter of at least one of the transmitter and the receiver, (ii) cause the transmitter to output electromagnetic radiation with an intensity associated with the operating parameter of the transmitter, (iii) receive, from the receiver, a signal indicative of the electromagnetic radiation detected by the receiver, wherein the signal is based on the operating parameter of the receiver, (iv) determine that the transmission of the electromagnetic radiation between the transmitter and receiver is at least partially obstructed by an object based at least in part on the signal, and (v) control movement of a first and second door based at least in part on the electromagnetic radiation being obstructed.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A vehicle, comprising:

a first door and a second door, the first and second doors being configured to move along non-linear paths relative to an opening of the vehicle to at least partially close the opening, wherein the first and second doors are moveable to opposite sides of the opening;
and
an object detection system, comprising:
a transmitter affixed to the first door and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation across the opening;
a receiver affixed to the second door and configured to detect electromagnetic radiation emitted by the transmitter;
and
at least one processor communicatively coupled to the transmitter and receiver, the at least one processor configured to:
(i) based on a characteristic of the environment in which the vehicle is currently located, determine an operating parameter of at least one of the transmitter and the receiver;
(ii) cause the transmitter to output electromagnetic radiation with an intensity associated with the operating parameter of the transmitter;
(iii) receive, from the receiver, a signal indicative of the electromagnetic radiation detected by the receiver, wherein the signal is based on the operating parameter of the receiver;
(iv) determine that the transmission of the electromagnetic radiation between the transmitter and receiver is at least partially obstructed by an object based at least in part on the signal;
and
(v) control movement of the first and second doors based at least in part on the electromagnetic radiation being obstructed.

10 more elements

A method for determining that an object is within the vicinity of an opening of a vehicle, wherein the opening is at least partially closable by at least one door of the vehicle, the method comprising:

(i) based on a characteristic of the environment in which the vehicle is currently located, determining an operating parameter of at least one of a transmitter and a receiver, the transmitter being configured to emit electromagnetic radiation across the opening towards the receiver;
(ii) outputting, by the transmitter, electromagnetic radiation with an intensity associated with the operating parameter of the transmitter;
(iii) detecting, by the receiver, electromagnetic radiation, wherein the detected electromagnetic radiation is based on the operating parameter of the receiver;
and
(iv) determining that the transmission of the electromagnetic radiation between the transmitter and receiver is at least partially obstructed by an object based on the electromagnetic radiation detected by the receiver, thereby determining that the object is within the vicinity of the opening.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/934,864Filed 23 Sep 2022
Granted: 30 Dec 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

B60J 5/047
Arranged at the vehicle sides: characterised by the opening or closing movement
E05F 15/43
Detection using safety edges: responsive to disruption of energy beams, e.g. light or sound
E05F 15/75
Responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects: responsive to the weight or other physical contact of a person or object
G01V 3/08
Electric or magnetic prospecting or detecting; Measuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination, deviation: operating with…