Patents Examined by B. M. M Hannan
  • Patent number: 11781880
    Abstract: A processing device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a vibration detecting unit configured to detect a vibration of a vehicle, an orientation detecting unit configured to detect an orientation of the vehicle, a storing unit configured to store information indicating the orientation of the vehicle, a processing unit configured to set an orientation of a vehicle on a map of a navigation system based on the information indicating the orientation of the vehicle, and a power supply controlling unit configured to control power supplied to the orientation detecting unit and the storing unit based on a detection result of the vibration detecting unit and in response to an accessory power of the vehicle turned OFF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: JVCKENWOOD CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasunori Maki
  • Patent number: 11772635
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an automated parking assist system for parking a vehicle in a parking spot, comprising a controller configured to handover drive control from a user to the automated parking assist system; and to start an automated parking procedure; wherein the controller is configured to initiate the handover as the vehicle approaches the parking spot, and to finish the handover before the vehicle reaches the parking spot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Martin Bonander
  • Patent number: 11768076
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosed invention relate to alignment of standard definition (SD) maps and high definition (HD maps) which may come from different sources. Responsive to input of a destination, a route to that destination may be defined, and SD map waypoints generated from that defined route. A graph may be generated from the HD map. The waypoints may be matched with nodes and edges in the graph. One or more edges may constitute a segment in the HD map. A plurality of segments are identified to match the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: USHR INC.
    Inventors: David Keith Johnson, Christopher Ian MacDonald, Shu Yang, Vincent Michael Howard
  • Patent number: 11760388
    Abstract: Methods of forecasting intentions of actors that an autonomous vehicle (AV) encounters in are disclosed. The AV uses the intentions to improve its ability to predict trajectories for the actors, and accordingly making decisions about its own trajectories to avoid conflict with the actors. To do this, for any given actor the AV determines a class of the actor and detects an action that the actor is taking. The system uses the class and action to identify candidate intentions of the actor and evaluating a likelihood of each candidate intention. The system repeats this process over multiple cycles to determine overall probabilities for each of the candidate intentions. The AV's motion planning system can use the probabilities to determine likely trajectories of the actor, and accordingly influence the trajectory that the AV will itself follow in the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: ARGO AI, LLC
    Inventors: Constantin Savtchenko, Alexander Metz, Andrew T. Hartnett, G. Peter K. Carr, Greydon Foil, Lorenzo Nardi
  • Patent number: 11759265
    Abstract: Techniques for registering a computer-assisted device to a table include a computer-assisted device having an articulated arm and a control unit coupled to the articulated arm. The control unit is configured to receive information of a first motion of a table. The first motion of the table caused a corresponding second motion of a point associated with the articulated arm. The control unit further configured to receive information of the second motion and determine a first angular relationship between the table and the computer-assisted device based on the first motion and the second motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Paul G. Griffiths, Brandon D. Itkowitz
  • Patent number: 11762393
    Abstract: A shipping system is configured to facilitate transfer of a package into and/or out of a room in a building. The shipping system is for controlling a shiftable panel of the building to selectively provide a path into and out of the room. The shipping system includes a control system. The control system broadly includes a vehicle sensor and a system processor. The system processor is configured to receive package identification data associated with the package, have the panel opened to allow room ingress and egress along the path based on the package identification data, move an autonomous vehicle to a location adjacent the panel to facilitate package transfer, based on vehicle location data, and have the panel closed to restrict room ingress and egress along the path in response to a determination that the package has been transferred into or out of the room via the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: DVW Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel A. Spurgeon, Vernon Hugh McGee, II
  • Patent number: 11753032
    Abstract: A vehicle travel control device executes trajectory following control to make the vehicle follow a target trajectory. A delay time represents control delay of the trajectory following control. A delay compensation time is at least a part of the delay time. The trajectory following control includes: displacement estimation processing that estimates a displacement of the vehicle in the delay compensation time; and delay compensation processing that corrects a deviation between the vehicle and the target trajectory based on the estimated displacement to compensate the control delay. The displacement estimation processing is effective in an effective period and ineffective in an ineffective period. When the ineffective period is included in the delay time of the trajectory following control, the displacement estimation processing is executed in a temporary mode by using sensor-detected information in the effective period without using the sensor-detected information in the ineffective period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Go Inoue, Yoshinori Watanabe, Hirotaka Tokoro
  • Patent number: 11745723
    Abstract: A vehicle driving force control method is provided. The vehicle driving force control method includes collecting vehicle driving information, estimating speed of a driving system of a vehicle from the collected vehicle driving information and calculating speed difference between measurement speed of the driving system and the estimated speed of the driving system, obtaining torque command rate information from the calculated speed difference, limiting a variation of reference torque command determined according to the vehicle driving information based on the acquired torque command rate information to determine final torque command, and controlling operation of a vehicle driving device according to the final torque command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Ji Won Oh, Jeong Soo Eo, Sung Jae Kim, Lee Hyoung Cho
  • Patent number: 11745706
    Abstract: In motion control in the present invention, operation amounts relating to braking and drive are set as a control command when a difference between a physical quantity relating to a target vehicle attitude which is based on a target trajectory and a physical quantity relating to a linear model vehicle attitude which is based on a linear model of a vehicle exceeds a threshold value, operation amounts relating to braking and steering are set as the control command when the difference is equal to or smaller than the threshold value, and an attitude of the vehicle in a yaw direction is controlled based on the control command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 11745338
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a robot may include a state obtaining unit configured to obtain state observation data including flexible related observation data, which is observation data regarding a state of at least one of a flexible portion, a portion of the robot on a side where an object is gripped relative to the flexible portion, and the gripped object; and a controller configured to control the robot so as to output an action to be performed by the robot to perform predetermined work on the object, in response to receiving the state observation data, based on output obtained as a result of inputting the state observation data obtained by the state obtaining unit to a learning model, the learning model being learned in advance through machine learning and included in the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Ijiri, Yoshiya Shibata, Masashi Hamaya, Kazutoshi Tanaka, Felix Vondrigalski, Chisato Saito
  • Patent number: 11738750
    Abstract: A method for controlling a motor vehicle, comprising: retrieving road gradient data relating to an expected travelling route of the motor vehicle; based on at least the retrieved road gradient data and on a motor vehicle mass, simulating a required value of a braking power related variable, which required value is needed to prevent a vehicle speed from increasing above a preset desired vehicle speed in an upcoming downhill slope; determining an available value of the braking power related variable of at least one auxiliary brake of the motor vehicle; and based on the determined available value and the simulated required value of the braking power related variable, controlling the vehicle speed and/or at least one brake actuator of the motor vehicle such that the vehicle speed does not increase above the preset desired vehicle speed in the upcoming downhill slope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Scania CV AB
    Inventors: Christian Wessel, Andreas Szilassy, Oscar Flärdh, Mikael Ögren, Richard Boström
  • Patent number: 11731625
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus calculates an approximation equation of an N-th degree function as a movement trajectory of a preceding vehicle from at least two pieces of relative position information. The vehicle control apparatus also calculates a coefficient of a predetermined degree in each approximation equation, and in the calculation of the coefficient of the predetermined degree and uses an approximation equation calculated from the at least two pieces of relative position information acquired when setting a retrospective range to the same range or a narrower range compared to when calculating a coefficient of a relatively low degree when calculating a coefficient of a relatively high degree. The vehicle control apparatus also uses an approximation equation when setting the retrospective range to a narrower range compared to when calculating a coefficient of a lowest degree at least when calculating a coefficient of a highest degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventor: Taku Takahama
  • Patent number: 11712963
    Abstract: A control unit is presented for controlling a driving unit arranged for adjustment of one or more first air guiding flaps of a motorised vehicle between a first outer position and a second outer position. The control unit comprises a communication module for communicating with a vehicle control network for receiving first adjustment instructions for adjusting the first flap, a power supply module comprising an input power terminal for receiving power from a vehicle power network and a first output power terminal for supplying a first current to the driving unit. The control unit further comprises a current sensor module for sensing variations in the first supply current and a control module arranged to control the first supply current in accordance with the adjustment instructions and the sensed variations. By separating the control module from the driving unit, functionality of the control module may be shared over multiple driving units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: MCi (Mirror Controls International) Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Marius Brand, Bastiaan Huijzers, Jinku Hu
  • Patent number: 11697409
    Abstract: Provided is a control apparatus for a vehicle configured to perform parking assist control, the control apparatus including a first power supply device, a second power supply device, and a power supply circuit, the power supply circuit being configured to, when an abnormality occurs in the first power supply device during the performance of the parking assist control, supply an electric power from the second power supply device to a braking device and a shift switching device, and the braking device and the shift switching device being configured to operate such that a timing at which a current flowing from the second power supply device to the braking device reaches a maximum value and a timing at which a current flowing from the second power supply device to the shift switching device reaches a maximum value do not overlap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kota Inoue
  • Patent number: 11697383
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle active chassis power system includes determining, via a processor, a minimum output voltage/current threshold for an aggregated power supply associated with an active chassis operation, and generating an aggregate State of Function (SoF) indicative of a maximum voltage/current budget for an output of the vehicle active chassis power system. The aggregate SoF is based on a primary power source voltage/current output and a power storage voltage/current output. The method further includes causing to control an active chassis power system actuator based on a minimum voltage/current value associated with the aggregate SoF. Causing to control the active chassis power system actuator can include publishing the aggregate SoF to a braking actuator, a steering actuator, or to a domain controller that actively distributes an aggregated power supply capability SoF to a braking actuator and a steering actuator based on one or more present vehicle states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Eifert, Pankaj Kumar, Timothy Panagis, Peter Phung
  • Patent number: 11670534
    Abstract: A semiconductor process transport apparatus including a drive section with at least one motor, an articulated arm coupled to the drive section for driving articulation motion, a machine controller coupled to the drive section to control the at least one motor moving the articulated arm from one location to a different location, and an adapter pendant having a machine controller interface coupling the adapter pendant for input/output with the machine controller, the adapter pendant having another interface, configured for connecting a fungible smart mobile device having predetermined resident user operable device functionality characteristics, wherein the other interface has a connectivity configuration so mating of the fungible smart mobile device with the other interface automatically enables configuration of at least one of the resident user operable device functionality characteristics to define an input/output to the machine controller effecting input commands and output signals for motion control of the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Brooks Automation US, LLC
    Inventors: Dana L. Atwood, Jairo Moura
  • Patent number: 11660757
    Abstract: A robot control system includes: a selector configured to perform a selection of a task object from among a plurality of workpieces by using a first vision sensor; and an operation control section configured to control a robot to perform a task on the task object by using a tool. The selection and the task are executed simultaneously and in parallel, the selector transmits the information of the selected task object to the operation control section before the task, and the operation control section controls the robot based on the transmitted information of the task object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masafumi Ooba
  • Patent number: 11661055
    Abstract: A vehicle safety system performs close-in incipient collision detection that combines high sample rate near-field sensors with advanced real-time processing to accurately determine imminent threats and the likelihood of a collision before a collision occurs. This allows applicable countermeasures to be deployed based upon the probability of a collision, while also taking into account the type of threat and the impending impact's location on the vehicle. This radically new approach will soon transform the passive safety market to greatly reduce injuries from automotive crashes and save lives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: PreAct Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt Brendley, Keith Brendley, Jared Bench, Paul Drysch
  • Patent number: 11654563
    Abstract: A control system is configured to facilitate transfer of a package between a room in a building and a delivery service outside the room associated with a shipment order. The system controls a shiftable panel of the building to selectively provide a path into and out of the room. The system includes a location sensor and a system processor. The location sensor is configured to sense package location data associated with the location of the package relative to the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: DVW Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel A. Spurgeon, Vernon Hugh McGee, II
  • Patent number: 11654561
    Abstract: An automated construction robot system includes: a mobile base assembly configured to be displaceable within the work area; a head assembly configured to process a work surface; an arm assembly configured to moveably-couple the head assembly and the mobile base assembly and controllably-displace the head assembly with respect to the work surface; a machine vision system configured to scan a target area and generate target area information; and a computational system configured to: process the target area information to identify a surface defect, generate one or more remedial instructions based, at least in part, upon the surface defect identified, and manipulate one or more of the mobile base assembly, the head assembly and the arm assembly based, at least in part, upon the one or more remedial instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Ascend Robotics LLC
    Inventors: David Askey, Shumei Yin, Daniel Posfai