Patents Examined by Michael A Berns
  • Patent number: 11972551
    Abstract: A detection system detects malfunctions in an autonomous farming vehicle during an autonomous routine using one or more models and data from sensors coupled to the autonomous farming vehicle. The models may include machine-learned models trained on the sensor data and configured to identify objects indicative of an operational or malfunctioning component within a tilling assembly such as a tilling shank or sweep. Additionally, a machine-learned model may be trained on sensor data to detect whether debris has plugged the tilling assembly of the autonomous farming vehicle. In response to detecting a malfunction or a plug, the detection system may modify the autonomous routine (e.g., pausing operation) or provide information for the malfunction to be addressed (e.g., the likely location of a malfunctioning sweep that has detached from the tilling assembly).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: BLUE RIVER TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Divya Sharma, Michael Albert Elcano, Byron Gajun Ho, Jeremy Douglas Krantz, Tyler Niday, Robert Joseph Plumeau
  • Patent number: 11964535
    Abstract: An electric automotive vehicle gross vehicle rating of greater than 10,000 pounds includes an electric powertrain connected to the frame and positioned at a base of the frame. The vehicle includes a first central axis, and the weight of the electric powertrain is centered about the first central axis. All drivetrain components of the vehicle other than the electric powertrain may be positioned above the base of the electric powertrain. The vehicle includes two electric drive units configured to drive the front and rear axles respectively. The electric drive units consist of an electric motor, motor controller, two speed electrically actuated gearbox, electrically actuated park lock, and electrically actuated locking differential. The drive units transmit power to inboard mounted brakes, which in turn are connected by constant velocity driveshaft to the wheel hubs where a further final gear reduction resides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: BOLLINGER MOTORS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Bollinger, Brian Van Batavia, Karl Hacken, Erik Hardy, John Dannenhoffer, Charles Winegar
  • Patent number: 11966228
    Abstract: In various examples, a current claimed set of points representative of a volume in an environment occupied by a vehicle at a time may be determined. A vehicle-occupied trajectory and at least one object-occupied trajectory may be generated at the time. An intersection between the vehicle-occupied trajectory and an object-occupied trajectory may be determined based at least in part on comparing the vehicle-occupied trajectory to the object-occupied trajectory. Based on the intersection, the vehicle may then execute the first safety procedure or an alternative procedure that, when implemented by the vehicle when the object implements the second safety procedure, is determined to have a lesser likelihood of incurring a collision between the vehicle and the object than the first safety procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: David Nister, Hon-Leung Lee, Julia Ng, Yizhou Wang
  • Patent number: 11959247
    Abstract: A shovel includes a lower traveling structure, an upper swing structure swingably mounted on the lower traveling structure, a work attachment attached to the upper swing structure and including a boom, an arm attached to the boom, and an end attachment attached to the arm, a first obtaining device configured to obtain data on the pose state of the work attachment, and a second obtaining device configured to obtain data on the pose state of the lower traveling structure or the upper swing structure. Predetermined control related to the movement of the work attachment is executed based on the data obtained by the first and second obtaining devices. Information on the type of the end attachment is obtained, and a response characteristic of the work attachment or the details of an operation for the work attachment during the predetermined control are corrected based on the obtained information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Keiji Honda
  • Patent number: 11958480
    Abstract: An electronic control device comprises a sensor information acquisition unit which acquires state quantities including a position of an object to be measured using an output of a plurality of sensors, or calculates the state quantities of the object to be measured by using the output of the plurality of sensors, a storage unit which stores position determination information as a condition of a classification related to the position, a position determination unit which classifies the object to be measured by using the position determination information, and a fusion unit which determines, by referring to the state quantities, a match among a plurality of the objects to be measured which are classified identically by the position determination unit and which were measured by different sensors, and fuses the positions of the plurality of objects to be measured determined to be a match, wherein the objects to be measured are objects that can be measured by each of the plurality of sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuta Muto, Akira Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 11945427
    Abstract: A method for securing a motor vehicle with at least one wheel brake during an automated driving maneuver includes, in order to carry out the automated driving maneuver, setting a hydraulic pressure at the wheel brake in order to generate a defined braking force large enough to securely arrest the motor vehicle during the execution of the automated driving maneuver. The method further includes keeping the hydraulic pressure which is set at the wheel brake essentially constant during the execution of the automated driving maneuver. The method may be implemented in a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Baehrle-Miller, Hubertus Wienken
  • Patent number: 11927954
    Abstract: A vehicular control system includes a forward-viewing camera, a forward-sensing sensor and an in-cabin-sensing sensor. With the system controlling driving of the vehicle, the system determines a triggering event that triggers handing over driving of the vehicle to a driver of the vehicle before the vehicle encounters an event point associated with the triggering event. The vehicular control system (i) determines a total action time available before the vehicle encounters the event point, (ii) estimates a driver takeover time for the driver to take over control of the vehicle and (iii) estimates a handling time for the driver to control the vehicle to avoid encountering the event point. Responsive to the vehicular control system determining that the estimated driver takeover time is less than the difference between the determined total action time and the estimated handling time, control of the vehicle is handed over to the driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Ralph Latotzki, Frank Goseberg
  • Patent number: 11920939
    Abstract: It is intended to allow an appropriate route search to be performed even with a geographical NW in which accessibility information includes an uninvestigated link. A route appropriateness value calculation unit 160 calculates, for each of a plurality of routes each connecting a departure point and a destination extracted by a route extraction unit 120 and including links connecting individual spots including the departure point and the destination, a route appropriateness value of the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chihiro Yamamoto, Hiroshi Konishi, Hitoshi Seshimo
  • Patent number: 11912294
    Abstract: A method for calibrating an ADAS sensor of an advanced driver assistance system of a vehicle (9) comprises the following steps: (A) deriving an attitude parameter of the vehicle (9); receiving the derived attitude parameter in a control unit (11); (B) comparing the derived attitude parameter with a corresponding reference parameter; (C) aiding with the positioning of a support structure (3) near the service area (8), where a calibration device (41) is mounted on the support structure (3); sending a calibration command from the control unit (11) to an electronic control unit (95) of the vehicle (9) to determine an interaction between the ADAS sensor and the calibration device (41); processing data received from the electronic control unit (95) of the vehicle (9) in the control unit (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: NEXION S.P.A.
    Inventor: Giulio Corghi
  • Patent number: 11915536
    Abstract: An anomaly determination apparatus for a vehicle that includes a transmission includes an execution device and a memory device. The memory device is configured to store map data that defines pre-trained map, which has been trained through machine learning. When a variable representing time-series data of a rotation speed of a gear is fed to the map as an input variable, the map outputs a state variable representing a state of the gear as an output variable. The execution device is configured to execute: an obtaining process that obtains the variable representing the time-series data as a value of the input variable; and a determination process that determines whether there is an anomaly in the transmission based on a value of the output variable that is output by the map when the value of the input variable is fed to the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki Bunazawa, Tetsuya Yoshikawa, Kei Yuasa, Kenichi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11913196
    Abstract: Based on information sensed by a work phase sensing unit, a work phase by a work implement is distinguished. Correction of boom pressure is switched when distinction of excavation in the work phase is switched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventor: Masaki Daimon
  • Patent number: 11899455
    Abstract: A method comprises obtaining smart seat sensor data, the smart seat sensor data being detected by a tactile-sensitive surface material of a seat of an autonomous vehicle in response to a user interacting with the tactile-sensitive surface material. Other sensor data is obtained from one or more other sensors disposed within the autonomous vehicle. The smart seat sensor data and the other sensor data are integrated. A behavior of the user is estimated based on the integrated data, and the autonomous vehicle is controlled based on the estimated behavior of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventor: Sinan Xiao
  • Patent number: 11897463
    Abstract: Implementations a method using a collision detection device associated with a user to detect a moving object in an environment and provide an alert to the user are provided. In some implementations the environment comprises at least one transmitter of opportunity. In some implementations, the collision detection device comprises a receiver and a processor. In some implementations, the method comprises receiving at the collision detection device Wi-Fi signals reflected from the moving object where the Wi-Fi signals originate from a Wi-Fi source not associated with the moving object. The method further comprises detecting, measuring, and tracking the Doppler effect of the Wi-Fi signals at the collision detection device to track velocity vector relative to the collision detection device. The method further comprises calculating the time of arrival of the moving object based on the velocity vector relative to the location of the collision detection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Inventors: Miles Shugerman Denson, Jared Adam Denson, Michael Craig Schexnayder, Richard T. Garcia
  • Patent number: 11897626
    Abstract: In an aspect, a system for displaying synoptic information is provided. A processor of the system may retrieve and/or receive operation data related to the use of a corresponding electric aircraft. Operation data may be displayed on a display of the system using one or more visual representations or audio presentations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: BETA Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Camron Guthrie, Thomas Henck
  • Patent number: 11898843
    Abstract: Various products that are used to align objects and features in an area are shown. In one example, a laser target provides optical communication between a target area of the laser target and a non-target area that is offset from the target area. Some light emitted towards the target area will be redirected to emit from the non-target area, and some light emitted towards the non-target area will be redirected to emit from the target area. In another example, a laser target includes reflective portions and non-reflective portions that facilitate aiming a laser target towards a center of the laser target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: Samuel J. Howard, Michael Dan Huh
  • Patent number: 11878702
    Abstract: The invention relates to a driver assistance system for a motor vehicle, comprising a surroundings sensor system, a controller, and an analysis module. The controller is equipped and designed so as to ascertain an assistance function control signal on the basis of surroundings data detected by the surroundings sensor system, said assistance function control signal being in a specified functional relationship with at least one assistance system parameter and the detected surroundings data, and to actuate the vehicle so as to provide an assistance function by means of the assistance function control signal. The analysis module is equipped and designed so as to ascertain a success value for the assistance function control signal using reference information and to initiate an optimization of the at least one assistance system parameter if the success value falls below a success threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: ZF ACTIVE SAFETY GMBH
    Inventors: Georg Schneider, Thomas Mueller
  • Patent number: 11880800
    Abstract: Systems and methods for hailing a vehicle for a ride or shipping a parcel. A user hails a vehicle with a gesture or app. A hailed vehicle carries the user to a destination or picks up a parcel from the user and performs shipping procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Inventor: Chian Chiu Li
  • Patent number: 11878713
    Abstract: A system, method and architecture for providing driving recommendations to a vehicle based on network-assisted scanning of a surrounding environment. In one embodiment, the system is operative for receiving environmental data from one or more collection agents, each operating with a plurality of sensors configured to sense data relating to the environment. At least one collection agent is operative in association with the vehicle for providing vehicular condition data and vehicular navigation data. Road condition information and obstacle condition information relating to a road segment, the vehicle is traversing may be obtained. Responsive to the road condition/navigation data, vehicle type and positioning, etc., a routing path over the road segment may be determined. In one configuration, the routing path may be presented via a display (e.g., AR/MR) associated with the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventors: Vladimir Katardjiev, Julien Forgeat, Meral Shirazipour, Dmitri Krylov
  • Patent number: 11874674
    Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for a vehicle control and interface system configured to facilitate control of different vehicles through universal mechanisms. The vehicle control and interface system can be integrated with different types of vehicles (e.g., rotorcraft, fixed-wing aircraft, motor vehicles, watercraft, etc.) in order to facilitate operation of the different vehicles using universal vehicle control inputs. In particular, the vehicle control and interface system converts universal vehicle control inputs describing a requested trajectory of a vehicle received from one or more universal vehicle control interfaces into commands for specific actuators of the vehicle configured to adjust a current trajectory of the vehicle to the requested trajectory. In order to convert the universal vehicle control inputs to actuator commands the vehicle control and interface system processes the universal vehicle control inputs using a universal vehicle control router.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Skyryse, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Groden, Gonzalo Javier Rey, Christopher Camilo Cole, Christopher Ryan Smith
  • Patent number: 11858505
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a vehicle included a parking determination unit configured to determine whether the vehicle is about to be parked in a parking space, and a collision avoidance unit configured to be able to execute an avoidance function for avoiding collision with an object that is moving in a direction intersecting a longer direction of the vehicle. While the vehicle is about to be parked in the parking space, in a case where an angle between the longer direction of the vehicle and a longer direction of the parking space is larger than a threshold value, the collision avoidance unit inactivates the avoidance function, and in a case where the angle between the longer direction of the vehicle and the longer direction of the parking space is smaller than the threshold value, the collision avoidance unit activates the avoidance function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Sato, Hiroyuki Koibuchi