Patents Examined by Jess Whittington
  • Patent number: 11248916
    Abstract: A computer is programmed to divide respective data of a first high-resolution map of a first geographic area and a second high-resolution map of a second geographic area into a plurality of respective subsets, assign one of the subsets of each of the first high-resolution map and the second high-resolution map to a first vehicle and a second vehicle, identify respective locations of the first vehicle and the second vehicle and the one of the first high-resolution map or the second high-resolution map that includes the locations of the first and second vehicles, and send, to the first and second vehicles, a map dataset that is a result of applying an XOR function to (1) the subset of the identified high-resolution map including the location of the first vehicle and (2) the subset of the identified high-resolution map including the location of the second vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mohsen Bahrami, Navid Tafaghodi Khajavi, Amin Ariannezhad, Hamed Asadi
  • Patent number: 11252534
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method of determining types of user geographical locations. A target geographical location corresponding to a plurality of uploading times can be obtained. At least one time-location type mapping relationship table can be obtained. Based on the obtained at least one time-location type mapping relationship table, for each of location types in the at least one time-relation type mapping relationship table, a sum of probability values of the respective location type can be calculated to obtain a degree that the target geographical location belongs to each of the location types. Each of the probability values corresponds to one of the uploading times of the target geographical location. Which of the location types corresponds to the target geographical location can be determined according to the degrees that the target geographical location belongs to each of the location types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Zhibin Liu, Pei Duan, Bo Zheng
  • Patent number: 11240959
    Abstract: An agricultural harvester includes a plurality of controllable subsystems and a forward-looking crop sensor that detects a characteristic of the crop in front of the harvester. The forward-looking sensor generates a first sensor signal indicative of the detected characteristic. The harvester further includes a component sensor that detects a characteristic of a component of the agricultural harvesting machine and generates a second sensor signal indicative of the detected characteristic. Adaptation logic receives the first and second sensor signals and determines a sensor conversion factor intermittently during operation of the agricultural harvester. Recommendation logic receives the conversion factor and generates a recommendation to change operation of a controllable subsystem, based in part on the calculated conversion factor and a value received from the forward-looking crop sensor. A control system controls the controllable subsystem based on the generated recommendation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Justin Borgstadt
  • Patent number: 11243529
    Abstract: A motor vehicle self-driving method comprises obtaining a first positioning mode and a first driving route; obtaining second vehicle information of a second motor vehicle, where the second vehicle information includes a second positioning mode and a second driving route; determining whether the first driving route overlaps with the second driving route; when the first driving route overlaps with the second driving route, comparing positioning precision of the first positioning mode with positioning precision of the second positioning mode; determining a positioning mode with higher positioning precision in the first positioning mode and the second positioning mode as a target positioning mode; determining a target driving parameter based on the target positioning mode; and controlling the first motor vehicle and the second motor vehicle to drive based on the target driving parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiali Fu, Huimin Zhang, Maosheng Huang
  • Patent number: 11235772
    Abstract: A slip control system for an off-road vehicle includes a control system configured to output a signal indicative of a first action if a magnitude of slippage of the off-road vehicle relative to a soil surface is greater than a first threshold value and less than or equal to a second threshold value. Furthermore, the control system is configured to output a signal indicative of a second action, different than the first action, if the magnitude of slippage is greater than the second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignees: CNH Industrial America LLC, Autonomous Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher A. Foster, John H. Posselius, Eric Emerson Veikle, Michael G. Hornberger, Bret Todd Turpin, Daniel John Morwood
  • Patent number: 11238676
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes receiving, from a computing device, (i) a user identifier, (ii) a vehicle identifier for a vehicle, and (iii) contextual information related to vehicle service content currently displayed on the computing device. Based on the contextual information, the method includes determining a vehicle scan tool function to perform on the vehicle. The method further includes identifying a vehicle scan tool associated with the user identifier. The method also includes causing a selectable vehicle scan tool initialization option to be displayed on the computing device. The method further includes receiving, from the computing device, a selection of the selectable vehicle scan tool initialization option. In response to receiving the selection, the method additionally providing instructions to initialize the vehicle scan tool to perform the vehicle scan tool function on the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Snap-on Incorporated
    Inventors: Patrick S. Merg, Roy S. Brozovich, Jacob G. Foreman, Brett A. Kelley
  • Patent number: 11232391
    Abstract: Customized navigation maps of an area are generated for autonomous vehicles based on a baseline map of the area, transportation systems within the area, and attributes of the autonomous vehicles. The customized navigation maps include a plurality of paths, and two or more of the paths may form an optimal route for performing a task by an autonomous vehicle. Customized navigation maps may be generated for outdoor spaces or indoor spaces, and include specific infrastructure or features on which a specific autonomous vehicle may be configured for travel. Routes may be determined based on access points at destinations such as buildings, and the access points may be manually selected by a user or automatically selected on any basis. The autonomous vehicles may be guided by GPS systems when traveling outdoors, and by imaging devices or other systems when traveling indoors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Uriah John Baalke, Stav Braun, Sonia Jin, Jia Hao Lim
  • Patent number: 11193785
    Abstract: A relationship between a relative position with respect to a section where a progressing direction changes on a route and an arrangement height is set such that the arrangement height gradually increases from zero to MaxH. Then, the arrangement height gradually decreases from MaxH to zero along the route from a point on the near side of the section where the progressing direction changes (FIGS. 3B and 3G and FIGS. 4B and 4C). When traveling in the section where the progressing direction changes, a direction mark representing the progressing direction at each point on a road surface is displayed using a heads-up display so as to overlap with a position on an upper side, by an arrangement height set based on a relative position of the point with respect to the section and a set relationship, from the point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: ALPINE ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 11180136
    Abstract: An autonomous parking apparatus incorporated into a vehicle including an internal combustion engine, a torque converter, a transmission, a detector detecting a creep torque acting on an axle, and a microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to perform instructing a self-parking of the vehicle, determining whether it is necessary to perform a creep torque reduction control based on a creep torque detected when the self-parking is instructed, and controlling the transmission in accordance with a determination result in the determining. When it is determined that it is necessary to perform the creep torque reduction control, the microprocessor is configured to control the transmission so as to increase engaging force of engagement elements of the transmission or change speed stage of the transmission to high speed side than when it is determined that it is unnecessary to perform the creep torque reduction control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Sadakiyo, Hisashi Ishikawa, Tomoyuki Noguchi, Takashi Adachi
  • Patent number: 11164015
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for estimating a shape of an object based on sensor data and determining a presence of a fault or a failure in a perception system. A method of the disclosure includes receiving sensor data from a range sensor and calculating a current shape reconstruction of an object based on the sensor data. The method includes retrieving from memory a prior shape reconstruction of the object based on prior sensor data. The method includes calculating a quality score for the current shape reconstruction by balancing a function of resulted variances of the current shape reconstruction and a similarity between the current shape reconstruction and the prior shape reconstruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Marcos Paul Gerardo Castro, Jinesh Jain, Bruno Sielly Jales Costa
  • Patent number: 11149614
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling a vehicle engine to adjust exhaust warm-up strategy based on a vehicle network information. In one example, in response to an expected decrease in temperature of a catalyst of a vehicle below a threshold and an estimated duration thereof based on communications external from the vehicle, a method may include delaying catalyst heating actions, when the catalyst heating actions are determined to be unable to heat up the catalyst to threshold temperatures. However, the catalyst heating actions may be enabled when the catalyst heating actions are determined to be able to achieve the threshold temperature within the duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jason Ronald Smith, Michael Brendan Hopka, Devesh Upadhyay
  • Patent number: 11149408
    Abstract: A motor grader is disclosed. The motor grader may include an articulated implement. The motor grader may include an articulation control device. The articulation control device may be configured to determine that articulation motion of the articulated implement is occurring, for a threshold amount of time, in a second direction that is different from a first direction indicated by an articulation control command. The articulation control device may be configured to perform a response action based on determining that articulation motion of the articulated implement is occurring, for the threshold amount of time, in the second direction that is different from the first direction indicated by the articulation control command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Amit Sharma
  • Patent number: 11142182
    Abstract: The control device of hybrid vehicle 1 comprises an output control part 41 configured to control outputs of the internal combustion engine 10 and the motor 16, a target SOC setting part 42 configured to set a target state of charge, and an arrival rate calculating part 43 configured to calculate a probability of the hybrid vehicle reaching the charging station. When the hybrid vehicle is being driven outside the charging station, the output control part is configured to control outputs of the internal combustion engine and the motor so that a state of charge of the battery when the hybrid vehicle reaches the charging station becomes the target state of charge. The target SOC setting part is configured to lower the target state of charge when the probability is relatively high compared to when the probability is relatively low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoya Takahashi, Mitsuhiro Tabata
  • Patent number: 11142210
    Abstract: A control unit of a tire-mounted sensor determines whether a tire has been exchanged. When the tire has been exchanged, the control unit changes the threshold value of a road surface state determination condition used for detecting the road surface state from vibration data of the tire detected by an acceleration sensor of the tire-mounted sensor. For example, the threshold value of the road surface state determination condition is reset upon determining that the tire has been exchanged, by transmitting an instruction to the tire-mounted sensor through a tool at an automobile maintenance shop, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryosuke Kanbayashi, Takatoshi Sekizawa, Masashi Mori
  • Patent number: 11144056
    Abstract: Included is a method for autonomous robotic refuse container replacement including: transmitting, by a processor of a first robotic refuse container, a request for replacement to a portion of processors of robotic refuse containers; receiving, by the processor of the first robotic refuse container, a return signal from a portion of processors of the robotic refuse containers; transmitting, by the processor of the first robotic refuse container, a confirmation for replacement to a processor of a second robotic refuse container in response to a return signal received from the processor of the second robotic refuse container; instructing, by the processor of the first robotic refuse container, the first robotic refuse container to navigate to a second location from a current location; and instructing, by the processor of the second robotic refuse container, the second robotic refuse container to navigate to the current location of the first robotic refuse container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: AI Incorporated
    Inventor: Ali Ebrahimi Afrouzi
  • Patent number: 11144068
    Abstract: A platooning controller includes a processor configured to control platooning based on platooning control vehicle information when platooning vehicles, including one leader vehicle and at least one or more following vehicles, are traveling. The platooning controller is further configured to monitor information associated with an energy state of each of the platooning vehicles while platooning, and to adjust a platoon formation based on a change in the energy state of each of the platooning vehicles. The platooning controller further includes a storage configured to store information obtained to adjust the platoon formation by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jin Kim, Tae Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 11138888
    Abstract: A method for ride order dispatching comprises: obtaining a current location of a current vehicle from a computing device associated with the current vehicle; obtaining a current list of available orders nearby based on the current location; feeding the current location, the current list of available orders nearby, and a current time to a trained Markov Decision Process (MDP) model to obtain action information, the action information being repositioning the current vehicle to another current location or completing a current ride order by the current vehicle; and transmitting the generated action information to the computing device to cause the current vehicle to reposition to the another current location, stay at the current location, or accept the current ride order by proceeding to a pick-up location of the current ride order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Beijing DiDi Infinity Technology and Development Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhiwei Qin, Fei Feng
  • Patent number: 11136053
    Abstract: Systems for examining a route inject one or more electrical examination signals into a conductive route from onboard a vehicle system traveling along the route, detect one or more electrical characteristics of the route based on the one or more electrical examination signals, and detect a break in conductivity of the route responsive to the one or more electrical characteristics decreasing by more than a designated drop threshold for a time period within a designated drop time period. Feature vectors may be determined for the electrical characteristics and compared to one or more patterns in order to distinguish between breaks in the conductivity of the route and other causes for changes in the electrical characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Yuri Alexeyevich Plotnikov, Brett Alexander Matthews, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Jeffrey Michael Fries, Joseph Forrest Noffsinger, Samhitha Palanganda Poonacha, Tannous Frangieh, Frederick Wilson Wheeler, Brian Lee Staton, Timothy Robert Brown, Gregory Boverman, Majid Nayeri
  • Patent number: 11123244
    Abstract: An electric wheelchair control system is adapted to control a wheelchair and comprises a sensing assembly, an inertial sensor, a controller, a motor driver, and a three-phase AC motor. The sensing assembly is configured to detect an external force applied to the wheelchair and generate a first sensed signal based thereon. The inertial sensor is configured to detect an inclination of the wheelchair and generate a second sensed signal based thereon. The controller selectively outputs a PWM braking signal to the motor driver according to the first sensed signal and the second sensed signal, and the PWM braking signal includes an upper arm braking signal and a lower arm braking signal, wherein the upper arm braking signal and the lower arm braking signal have the same duty cycle and when the upper arm braking signal is at a high level, the lower arm braking signal is at a low level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Yi-Ling Lin
  • Patent number: 11126174
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to electronic system and methods for switching a driving mode of a vehicle. The electronic system may include at least one sensor configured to connect to a driving system of a vehicle; at least one gateway module connected to the at least one sensor through a controller area network; and processing circuits connected to the at least one gateway module. During operation, the processing circuits may receive at least one trigger signal from the at least one sensor; determine that the at least one trigger signal meets a predetermined condition; and send at least one switching signal to the gateway module to switch the vehicle from a current driving mode to a target driving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: BEIJING VOYAGER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tingyou Ming, Xiaowei Chen, Mengpeng He