Patents Examined by Vivek D Koppikar
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Patent number: 11977397Abstract: Systems and methods for mission-based path modifications are presented herein. One or more processors may be coupled with memory and housed in a vehicle. The one or more processors may receive data indicative of an issue with at least one function of the vehicle during a mission defined by a type of cargo and a flight path comprising a plurality of segments. The one or more processors may determine, responsive to the issue with the at least one function, an action to perform for the vehicle based on the issue, a current segment of the plurality of segments, and the mission. The one or more processors may execute, during the current segment or a subsequent segment of the plurality of segments, the action on the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2021Date of Patent: May 7, 2024Assignee: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATIONInventors: Christopher A. Thornberg, Anthony J. Smith
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Patent number: 11970183Abstract: Among other things, techniques are described for calibrating a sensor of a vehicle. One technique involves identifying a trigger for calibrating at least one sensor of a vehicle. In response to identifying the trigger, the technique then involves initiating a calibration path planning mode for the vehicle. In the calibration path planning mode, the technique involves: generating a plurality of calibration-aware paths that each include at least one calibration trajectory along at least one road; and selecting, from the plurality of paths, a first calibration-aware path for the vehicle, where the at least one sensor is calibrated while the vehicle travels along the selected path.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2020Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Motional AD LLCInventors: Bartolomeo Della Corte, Maurilio Di Cicco, Jun Shern Chan
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Patent number: 11972616Abstract: The technology relates to factors regarding the external environment around a vehicle that are used to trigger enhanced driving directions for use by the driver. The factors can include issues such as adverse weather conditions, low light conditions and temporary obstacles or other obstructions that may prevent or reduce the ability of the driver to see street signs or other landmarks that are part of an initial set of driving directions. Upon determination of one or more relevant factors, the system is able to modify or otherwise enhances directions in real time. This allows the driver to be able to quickly and easily identify other visible landmarks and use such information to navigate to a desired destination. This approach employs one or more on-board cameras configured to detect objects and conditions in the environment adjacent to or otherwise nearby the vehicle, such as within line of sight of the vehicle's front end.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2019Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Yan Mayster, Brian Edmond Brewington
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Patent number: 11971270Abstract: A driving settings control system and method for controlling operating conditions of a vehicle component. The method includes determining a route to a destination in response to receiving the destination from the vehicle, identifying triggers along the route, determining operating conditions of one or more vehicle components of the vehicle corresponding to the triggers, and transmitting control instructions to the vehicle including the route, the operating conditions of the one or more vehicle components, and executing commands instructing the vehicle to accept the operating conditions of the one or more vehicle components as the vehicle approaches locations of the triggers.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2020Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventor: Masashi Nakagawa
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Patent number: 11958579Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a system and method for performing an inspection of an underwater environment. Embodiments may include providing an autonomous underwater vehicle (“AUV”) and performing an inspection of an underwater environment using the AUV. Embodiments may further include acquiring real-time sensor data during the inspection of the underwater environment and applying an active simultaneous localization and mapping (“SLAM”) algorithm during the inspection, wherein applying includes estimating one or more virtual landmarks based upon, at least in part, at least one past measurement and a current estimate of AUV activity.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2020Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignees: Schlumberger Technology Corporation, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Brendan J. Englot, Jinkun Wang, Tixiao Shan, Timothy Paul Osedach
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Patent number: 11958499Abstract: The disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods to classify a road based on a level of support offered by the road for autonomous driving operations. An example method may involve a computer receiving sensor data from a vehicle, the sensor data containing information about a current functional condition of a road. The computer may predict a future functional condition of the road by using a deterioration model to evaluate the sensor data. The computer may then determine a level of support offered by the road for autonomous driving operations based on the future functional condition of the road, and assign a classification to the road based on the level of support offered by the road for autonomous driving operations. The level of support offered by the road for autonomous driving operations may also be based on items such as road markings, traffic signs, traffic signals, and/or infrastructure elements.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Richard Twumasi-Boakye, Xiaolin Cai, Shan Chy Chueh, James Fishelson, Archak Mittal, Andrea Broaddus
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Patent number: 11960282Abstract: A system for servicing a data center using an autonomous vehicle (AV) is provided. The system comprises the AV and the AV is configured to: receive a task to perform within the data center, wherein the data center comprises a plurality of servers associated with a plurality of enterprise organizations; navigate from an initial location within the data center to a new location within the data center along a path extending through a portion of the data center, the path being determined automatically; and while navigating the path and in response to encountering a movable barrier disposed along the path, performing a procedure to bypass the movable barrier such that the AV can continue navigating along the path.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: ABB Schweiz AGInventors: Gregory A. Cole, Harshang Shah, William J. Eakins, Saumya Sharma, Thomas A. Fuhlbrigge
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Patent number: 11959729Abstract: A terrain-referenced navigation system for an aircraft comprises: a stored digital terrain map; a position calculation unit arranged to calculate aircraft position relative to the stored digital terrain map to determine a terrain-referenced aircraft position; a fall line calculation unit arranged to calculate a fall line for a projectile starting from the terrain-referenced aircraft position as a launch point; and an impact point calculation unit arranged to directly compare the fall line with the digital terrain map, by incrementally comparing a height of the projectile along the fall line with a height of the terrain according to the stored digital terrain map in order to find an expected impact point on the terrain.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: ATLANTIC INERTIAL SYSTEMS LIMITEDInventors: Nicholas Robert Geoffrey Wilkinson, Martin Richard Godfrey
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Patent number: 11958502Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for detecting foreign objects using a surfel map. One of the methods includes receiving sensor data representing reflection characteristics of electromagnetic waves in an operating environment of an autonomous vehicle. A surfel map representing a portion of the operating environment of the autonomous vehicle is used to determine that the reflection data includes one or more mismatched reflection characteristics for a particular surfel in the surfel map. In response, a foreign object is detected at a location corresponding to the particular surfel having the one or more mismatched reflection characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2020Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Waymo LLCInventor: Zhinan Xu
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Patent number: 11950533Abstract: A mower combination including an agricultural vehicle and a front mowing unit as well as two lateral mowing units located behind and to the sides of the front mowing unit. Each of the lateral mowing units has a conveyor unit to deposit cut crop as a swath. A control unit receiving a plurality of signals from the combination including signals representing a steering angle of the agricultural vehicle, a speed of operation of each conveyor unit and a lateral displacement of each conveyor unit and comparing them against a predetermined set of values. As required the control unit adjusts the speed of operation of at least one conveyor unit based on this comparison. Swaths produced by towed rear mowing units are controlled, in particular to enable aligned curved swaths to be produced when the mower combination is turned, or to enable a narrow swath to be produced when the mower combination is turned.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2020Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: AGCO International GmbHInventors: Johannes Fillep, Ronnie Kinast
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Patent number: 11953341Abstract: A method and a device for acquiring, offering, and transmitting vehicle-based data of a route section, in particular environment data acquired by a vehicle of a vehicle swarm traveling on the route section and offered to a back-end computer and transmitted if required, comprising: reporting available vehicle-based data relating to the route section currently being traveled on to the back-end computer; requesting at least one selection of the vehicle-based data offered relating to the predefined route section from the vehicle by means of the back-end computer; collecting the requested selection of the vehicle-based data by means of the sensors of the vehicle and storing the data in a memory the vehicle; and transmitting the requested and collected data to the back-end computer.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2020Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, AUDI AGInventors: Stephan Max, Edson William Fangwa Nzeya
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Patent number: 11953337Abstract: A system and method are provided for assisting transport vehicle drivers in material discharge for optimized working at a worksite by work machines such as dozers. A first user interface associated with the work machine accesses a map comprising three-dimensional data corresponding to at least a portion of the worksite. User input is received via the first user interface corresponding to desired discharge location(s) in the worksite to be worked, and output signals are generated for modifying a display on a second user interface associated with the transport vehicle, said modifications corresponding to the received user input and for directing the transport vehicle to the desired discharge locations. The two vehicles may share a common mapping unit such that input from the work machine is applied substantially in real-time at the transport vehicle. Alternatively, the inputs may be translated across mapping units to generate appropriate positioning instructions.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2021Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: Jon C. Gilbeck, Jonathan Spendlove, Zimin W. Vilar, Cory J. Brant
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Patent number: 11953586Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to select a scanning rate for a first sensor of a vehicle based on at least one of data related to a current time or data related to a location of the vehicle; instruct the first sensor to run at the selected scanning rate; in response to receiving data from the first sensor indicating a newly present object, turn on a second sensor; and then record data from the second sensor. The second sensor has a higher power draw than the first sensor.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2021Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Stuart C. Salter, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Donald Paul Bilger, Tarik Safir, Sam Harris
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Patent number: 11953906Abstract: An information processing device includes a controller configured to acquire information indicating an attribute of a recipient of a package, acquire information indicating a location for placing the package in a vehicle, and present a depositor of the package with the information indicating the location for placing the package and the information indicating the attribute of the recipient.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2022Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoshikazu Jikuhara, Shin Sakurada, Tomokazu Maya, Hiroyuki Bandai, Hiromitsu Fujii
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Patent number: 11945459Abstract: In a method for operating a motor vehicle during an autonomous parking process it is proposed that during the autonomous parking process a first braking torque is applied automatically to at least a first wheel, and a second braking torque is applied automatically to at least a second wheel, that a slip of one of the wheels is inferred from a comparison of the rotational speed of the first wheel to which the first braking torque is applied with the rotational speed of the second wheel to which the second braking torque is applied, and that if a variable characterizing the slip reaches or exceeds a limiting value, an action is automatically triggered.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2019Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Frank Baehrle-Miller
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Patent number: 11946541Abstract: A method of controlling an EOP of a powertrain may include determining, by a controller electrically connected to the EOP, whether an oil sloshing phenomenon in which it is difficult for oil to return to a space where an oil intake port of the EOP is positioned may occur while a vehicle is running; and reducing, by the controller, the revolutions per minute (RPM) of the EOP by a predetermined reduced RPM when it is determined that the oil sloshing phenomenon may occur.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2021Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia CorporationInventors: Sung Sik Choi, Kyung Moo Lee, Seong Min Son, Ki Bum Kim, Se Hwan Jo, Bong Uk Bae
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Patent number: 11946758Abstract: A route selection device includes a processor configured to identify a position of a lane on which a vehicle is traveling; search for candidate partial routes leading from a current position of the vehicle to a waypoint on a route leading from a start point to a destination, the waypoint being located between the current position and the destination; determine a lane change location where a lane change will be made for each of the candidate partial routes found by searching; and select, as a partial route, a candidate partial route having a minimum total score regarding the lane change location from the candidate partial routes found by searching. The score is weighted depending on the position of the determined lane change location or whether a lane change at the lane change location can be controlled by a travel controller.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2021Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takao Kashu, Yasutaka Teramae, Hirotaka Kato, Shuichi Morimoto, Ryo Masutani, Ichi Gi
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Patent number: 11946765Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a map information storage, a charging record information storage, and a processor. The map information storage is configured to store map information including a location of a charging station to charge a battery of an electric vehicle. The charging record information storage is configured to store charging record information indicating whether or not it has been possible to charge the battery. The processor is programed to calculate an evaluation value based on the charging record information.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2021Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: MICWARE CO., LTD.Inventor: Kazuma Naito
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Patent number: 11946755Abstract: Online ride-hailing and invoice issuing methods, systems and apparatuses are provided. An example method comprises: receiving a first ride-hailing request from a user terminal, wherein the first ride-hailing request includes one or more transport capacity types, one or more online ride-hailing service providers providing the corresponding one or more transport capacity types, a start location and a destination location; sending one or more second ride-hailing requests to one or more online ride-hailing service platforms corresponding to the one or more online ride-hailing service providers according to the one or more transport capacity types and the one or more online ride-hailing service providers; receiving one or more second ride-hailing response messages returned by one or more of the one or more online ride-hailing service platforms; and returning a first ride-hailing message to the user terminal based on the second one or more ride-hailing response messages.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2021Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: BEIJING AUTONAVI YUNMAP TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Shaohang Yang, Yao Tong, Guang Yang, Yonghao Zhang, Linya Zhou, Xinhua Li
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Patent number: 11940282Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for navigating a pedestrian tour including a processor circuit, a memory and a screen. The pedestrian tour includes a starting point, a first pedestrian tour zone and a second pedestrian tour zone, all of which are connected by a series of connecting paths. First and second suggested travel constraints, corresponding respectively with the first and second pedestrian tour zones, are stored in the memory. Responsive to determining that the pedestrian's actual travel within the first pedestrian tour zone will vary from the first suggested travel constraint, the processor circuit dynamically revises the second suggested travel constraint to permit the pedestrian user to execute the pedestrian tour in accordance with a preset target travel constraint for the pedestrian tour.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2021Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Naver CorporationInventors: Shreepriya Shreepriya, Danilo Gallo, Jutta Willamowski