US 12,434,633 B2
Sensor assembly with lidar for autonomous vehicles
Donald Burnette, Mountain View, CA (US); Court Hinricher, Mountain View, CA (US); Jay Kuvelker, Mountain View, CA (US); Andreas Wendel, Mountain View, CA (US); John Zinn, Mountain View, CA (US); and Laura Shane, Mountain View, CA (US)
Assigned to Kodiak Robotics, Inc., Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed by Kodiak Robotics, Inc., Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 31, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/977,498.
Application 17/977,498 is a continuation of application No. 17/435,368, previously published as PCT/US2020/020450, filed on Feb. 28, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/812,779, filed on Mar. 1, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0052355 A1, Feb. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. B60R 1/12 (2006.01); B60R 1/06 (2006.01); B60R 11/04 (2006.01); G01S 13/86 (2006.01); G01S 13/931 (2020.01); G01S 17/86 (2020.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G03B 37/04 (2021.01); H04N 23/90 (2023.01); B60R 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 1/12 (2013.01) [B60R 1/0605 (2013.01); B60R 11/04 (2013.01); G01S 13/865 (2013.01); G01S 13/867 (2013.01); G01S 13/931 (2013.01); G01S 17/86 (2020.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G03B 37/04 (2013.01); H04N 23/90 (2023.01); B60R 2001/1223 (2013.01); B60R 2001/1253 (2013.01); B60R 2011/004 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sensor assembly for an autonomous vehicle, comprising:
an arm having a proximal end adjacent the autonomous vehicle, a distal end, and a vertical medial plane intersecting and parallel to a vector created by the proximal end and the distal end;
a rotational coupling at the proximal end of the arm configured to rotate about an axis coincident with the vertical medial plane; and
one or more lidars coupled to the arm, at least one lidar of the one or more lidars being directed within about 10 degrees of a horizontal plane perpendicular to the medial vertical plane, and the at least one lidar being directed at an angle away from the horizontal plane and the medial vertical plane such that the at least one lidar is pitched upward or downward with respect to the arm,
wherein the arm is configured to support the one or more lidars laterally away from a side surface of the autonomous vehicle, and
wherein the at least one lidar is positioned at a vertical distance between 50 mm and 650 mm from the proximal end of the arm.