Waymo patents lidar charging system that only powers active sensors
This patent describes a method for managing power in a lidar sensor, which uses lasers to measure distance. Instead of charging all internal components at once, the system only charges the specific parts that are about to fire a laser pulse, leaving the rest idle to save energy.
In the filing’s own words
Example embodiments relate to transmitter charging modules for light detection and ranging (lidar) devices. An example embodiment includes a method. The method includes receiving, from a controller, an indication of a first set of light emitters to be fired during a firing cycle. The first set of light emitters is a subset of a plurality of light emitters of the lidar device. The method also includes selectively charging, by a charging circuit of the lidar device during a charging cycle, a first set of energy storage devices of the lidar device. Additionally, the method includes refraining from charging, by the charging circuit of the lidar device during the charging cycle, each energy storage device in the plurality of energy storage devices that is not in the first set of energy storage devices. Further, the method includes emitting light signals from the first set of light emitters during the firing cycle.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method comprising: receiving, from a controller of a light detection and ranging (lidar) device, an indication of a first set of light emitters to be fired during a firing cycle, wherein the first set of light emitters is a subset of a plurality of light emitters of the lidar device such that the plurality of light emitters includes one or more light emitters that are not in the first set of light emitters; selectively charging, by a charging circuit of the lidar device during a charging cycle, a first set of energy storage devices of the lidar device, wherein the first set of energy storage devices is a subset of a plurality of energy storage devices of the lidar device such that the plurality of energy storage devices includes one or more energy storage devices that are not in the first set of energy storage devices, wherein each energy storage device of the first set of energy storage devices is associated with a light emitter in the first set of light emitters, wherein the charging circuit is arranged across a first printed circuit board (PCB) surface and a second PCB surface, wherein the first PCB surface and the second PCB surface are different surfaces of a single PCB, wherein the first PCB surface is located within a recession formed within the single PCB, and wherein the second PCB surface is located outside of the recession formed within the single PCB; refraining from charging, by the charging circuit of the lidar device during the charging cycle, each energy storage device in the plurality of energy storage devices that is not in the first set of energy storage devices; and emitting light signals from the first set of light emitters during the firing cycle, wherein emitting light signals from the first set of light emitters during the firing cycle comprises discharging, by a pulser circuit, energy stored within each of the energy storage devices in the first set of energy storage devices through the associated light emitter in the first set of light emitters.
Facts
- Company
- Google (Waymo LLC)
- Official title
- Transmitter charging module for light detection and ranging (lidar) device
- Patent number
- US12745350B2
- Application number
- 18069770
- Filed
- Dec 21, 2022
- Granted
- Sep 22, 2026
- Inventors
- 1
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H05K 1/181 Electricity & electronicsG01S 7/4814 Physics & computingG01S 7/484 Physics & computingG01S 17/931 Physics & computingH05K 1/115 Electricity & electronicsH05K 2201/10287 Electricity & electronicsMore from Google in Cars & transport
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.