# US 2025/0093516 A1 · Sensor periscope for extending viewing angles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0093516 A1 - Document ID: US20250093516A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/469,028 - Filed: 2023-09-18 - Published: 2025-03-20 - Earliest claimed: 2023-09-18 - Assignees: GM Cruise Holdings LLC - Applicants: GM Cruise Holdings LLC - Inventors: Omar Al-Ejel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250093516A1 ## CPC - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - B60W 60/0015: {specially adapted for safety} - G01S 7/481: Constructional features, e.g. arrangements of optical elements - G01S 7/4817: {relating to scanning} - G01S 7/497: Means for monitoring or calibrating - G01S 7/4972: {Alignment of sensor} - G01S 17/42: Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) - B60W 2420/408: Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar - 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 - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT ## Abstract The present disclosure generally relates to autonomous vehicles, and, more specifically, to systems and techniques for extending a sensor's capabilities by extending the field of view into one or more blind spots located in the environment of an autonomous vehicle. In some aspects, a method of the disclosed technology includes: determining a location of a first blind spot that is within range of a LIDAR sensor; positioning the reflective object according to a first pose; triggering the LIDAR sensor to collect sensor data during a scan cycle performed by the LIDAR sensor, wherein at least one portion of a light beam emitted from the LIDAR sensor is reflected off the reflective object at the first pose toward the location of the first blind spot. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory, the at least one processor configured to: determine a location of a first blind spot that is within range of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor; determine, based on the location of the first blind spot, a first pose for positioning a reflective object that is located proximate to the LIDAR sensor; position the reflective object according to the first pose; trigger the LIDAR sensor to collect sensor data during a scan cycle performed by the LIDAR sensor, wherein at least one portion of a light beam emitted from the LIDAR sensor is reflected off the reflective object at the first pose toward the location of the first blind spot; and receive, at the LIDAR sensor, a reflection of the at least one portion of the light beam emitted from the LIDAR sensor reflected back from the location of the first blind spot via the reflective object at the first pose. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the LIDAR sensor is mounted on an autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the reflective object is a mirror. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the reflective object is attached to a rod. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the reflective object comprises at least one non-reflective portion; and the at least one processor is configured to calibrate the first pose of the reflective object based on at least one LIDAR reflection corresponding to the at least one non-reflective portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein to position the reflective object according to the first pose the at least one processor is further configured to: configure a motor that is coupled to the reflective object to position the reflective object according to the first pose. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first blind spot is within an ultra nearfield area proximate an autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: determine a location of a second blind spot that is within range of the LIDAR sensor; determine, based on the location of the second blind spot, a second pose for positioning the reflective object that is located proximate to the LIDAR sensor, wherein at least a portion of a light beam from the LIDAR sensor is reflected off the reflective object at the second pose toward the location of the second blind spot; and position the reflective object according to the second pose. ### Claim 9 A method comprising: determining a location of a first blind spot that is within range of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor; determining, based on the location of the first blind spot, a first pose for positioning a reflective object that is located proximate to the LIDAR sensor; positioning the reflective object according to the first pose; triggering the LIDAR sensor to collect sensor data during a scan cycle performed by the LIDAR sensor, wherein at least one portion of a light beam emitted from the LIDAR sensor is reflected off the reflective object at the first pose toward the location of the first blind spot; and receiving, at the LIDAR sensor, a reflection of the at least one portion of the light beam emitted from the LIDAR sensor reflected back from the location of the first blind spot via the reflective object at the first pose. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the LIDAR sensor is mounted on an autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the reflective object is a mirror. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the reflective object is attached to a rod. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the reflective object comprises at least one non-reflective portion; and further comprising: calibrating the first pose of the reflective object based on at least one LIDAR reflection corresponding to the at least one non-reflective portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein positioning the reflective object according to the first pose includes configuring a motor that is coupled to the reflective object to position the reflective object according to the first pose. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first blind spot is within an ultra nearfield area proximate an autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: determining a location of a second blind spot that is within range of the LIDAR sensor; determining, based on the location of the second blind spot, a second pose for positioning the reflective object that is located proximate to the LIDAR sensor, wherein at least a portion of a light beam from the LIDAR sensor is reflected off the reflective object at the second pose toward the location of the second blind spot; and positioning the reflective object according to the second pose. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising at least one instruction for causing a computer or processor to: determine a location of a first blind spot that is within range of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor; determine, based on the location of the first blind spot, a first pose for positioning a reflective object that is located proximate to the LIDAR sensor; position the reflective object according to the first pose; trigger the LIDAR sensor to collect sensor data during a scan cycle performed by the LIDAR sensor, wherein at least one portion of a light beam emitted from the LIDAR sensor is reflected off the reflective object at the first pose toward the location of the first blind spot; and receive, at the LIDAR sensor, a reflection of the at least one portion of the light beam emitted from the LIDAR sensor reflected back from the location of the first blind spot via the reflective object at the first pose. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the LIDAR sensor is mounted on an autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the reflective object is a mirror. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising: determining a location of a second blind spot that is within range of the LIDAR sensor; determining, based on the location of the second blind spot, a second pose for positioning the reflective object that is located proximate to the LIDAR sensor, wherein at least a portion of a light beam from the LIDAR sensor is reflected off the reflective object at the second pose toward the location of the second blind spot; and positioning the reflective object according to the second pose.