Patents by Inventor David Pfeiffer
David Pfeiffer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11810370Abstract: Techniques for identifying curbs are discussed herein. For instance, a vehicle may generate sensor data using one or more sensors, where the sensor data represents points associated with a driving surface and a sidewalk. The vehicle may then quantize the points into distance bins that are located laterally along the driving direction of the vehicle in order to generate spatial lines. Next, the vehicle may determine separation points for the spatial lines, where the separation points are configured to separate the points associated with the driving surface from the points associated with the sidewalk. The vehicle may then generate, using the separation points, a curve that represents the curb between the driving surface and the sidewalk. This way, the vehicle may use the curve while navigating, such as to avoid the curb and/or stop at a location that is proximate to the curb.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2021Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: Zoox, Inc.Inventors: David Pfeiffer, Zeng Wang, Qiang Zhai
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Patent number: 11798169Abstract: A system may include one or more processors configured to receive a plurality of images representing an environment. The images may include image data generated by an image capture device. The processors may also be configured to transmit the image data to an image segmentation network configured to segment the images. The processors may also be configured to receive sensor data associated with the environment including sensor data generated by a sensor of a type different than an image capture device. The processors may be configured to associate the sensor data with segmented images to create a training dataset. The processors may be configured to transmit the training dataset to a machine learning network configured to run a sensor data segmentation model, and train the sensor data segmentation model using the training dataset, such that the sensor data segmentation model is configured to segment sensor data.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2022Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: Zoox, Inc.Inventor: David Pfeiffer
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Publication number: 20230206650Abstract: A vehicle can include various sensors to detect objects in an environment. In some cases, the object may be within a planned path of travel of the vehicle. In these cases, leaving the planned path may be dangerous to the passengers so the vehicle may, based on dimensions of the object, dimensions of the vehicle, and semantic information of the object, determine operational parameters associate with passing the object while maintaining a position within the planned path, if possible.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2022Publication date: June 29, 2023Inventors: Yuanyuan Chen, Janek Hudecek, David Pfeiffer, James William Vaisey Philbin, Zeng Wang
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Patent number: 11640170Abstract: Techniques for detecting an object in an environment and determining a probability that the object is a cloud of particulate matter. The cloud of particulate matter may include steam (e.g., emitted from a man-hole cover, a dryer exhaust port, etc.), exhaust from a vehicle (e.g., car, truck, motorcycle, etc.), environmental gases (e.g., resulting from sublimation, fog, evaporation, etc.), a cloud of dust, water splashing, blowing leaves, or other types of particulate matter that may be located in the environment of the vehicle and may not impact driving behavior (e.g., an autonomous vehicle may safely pass through the particulate matter without impact to the platform). A vehicle computing system may determine the probability that the object is a cloud of particulate matter and may control the vehicle based on the probability.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2019Date of Patent: May 2, 2023Assignee: Zoox, Inc.Inventors: Carden Taylor Bagwell, David Pfeiffer, Zeng Wang
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Patent number: 11623661Abstract: Techniques for controlling a vehicle based on height data and/or classification data being determined utilizing multi-channel image data are discussed herein. The vehicle can capture lidar data as it traverses an environment. The lidar data can be associated with a voxel space as three-dimensional data. Semantic information can be determined and associated with the lidar data and/or the three-dimensional voxel space. A multi-channel input image can be determined based on the three-dimensional voxel space and input into a machine learned (ML) model. The ML model can output data to determine height data and/or classification data associated with a ground surface of the environment. The height data and/or classification data can be utilized to determine a mesh associated with the ground surface. The mesh can be used to control the vehicle and/or determine additional objects proximate the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2020Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Zoox, Inc.Inventors: Arthur Daniel Costea, Robert Evan Mahieu, David Pfeiffer, Zeng Wang
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Patent number: 11620753Abstract: A vehicle can include various sensors to detect objects in an environment. Sensor data can be captured by a perception system in a vehicle and represented in a voxel space. Operations may include analyzing the data from a top-down perspective. From this perspective, techniques can associate and generate masks that represent objects in the voxel space. Through manipulation of the regions of the masks, the sensor data and/or voxels associated with the masks can be clustered or otherwise grouped to segment data associated with the objects.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2021Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: Zoox, Inc.Inventors: Zeng Wang, David Pfeiffer, Dragomir Dimitrov Anguelov, Subhasis Das, Allan Zelener
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Publication number: 20230095410Abstract: Techniques for detecting and classifying objects using lidar data are discussed herein. In some cases, the system may be configured to utilize a predetermined number of prior frames of lidar data to assist with detecting and classifying objects. In some implementations, the system may utilize a subset of the data associated with the prior lidar frames together with the full set of data associated with a current frame to detect and classify the objects.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2021Publication date: March 30, 2023Inventors: Arthur Daniel Costea, David Pfeiffer, Zeng Wang, Allan Zelener
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Publication number: 20230055888Abstract: A system may include one or more processors configured to receive a plurality of images representing an environment. The images may include image data generated by an image capture device. The processors may also be configured to transmit the image data to an image segmentation network configured to segment the images. The processors may also be configured to receive sensor data associated with the environment including sensor data generated by a sensor of a type different than an image capture device. The processors may be configured to associate the sensor data with segmented images to create a training dataset. The processors may be configured to transmit the training dataset to a machine learning network configured to run a sensor data segmentation model, and train the sensor data segmentation model using the training dataset, such that the sensor data segmentation model is configured to segment sensor data.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2022Publication date: February 23, 2023Inventor: David Pfeiffer
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Publication number: 20230004744Abstract: Techniques for identifying curbs are discussed herein. For instance, a vehicle may generate sensor data using one or more sensors, where the sensor data represents points associated with a driving surface and a sidewalk. The vehicle may then quantize the points into distance bins that are located laterally along the driving direction of the vehicle in order to generate spatial lines. Next, the vehicle may determine separation points for the spatial lines, where the separation points are configured to separate the points associated with the driving surface from the points associated with the sidewalk. The vehicle may then generate, using the separation points, a curve that represents the curb between the driving surface and the sidewalk. This way, the vehicle may use the curve while navigating, such as to avoid the curb and/or stop at a location that is proximate to the curb.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2021Publication date: January 5, 2023Inventors: David Pfeiffer, Zeng Wang, Qiang Zhai
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Patent number: 11544936Abstract: A vehicle can include various sensors to detect objects in an environment. In some cases, the object may be within a planned path of travel of the vehicle. In these cases, leaving the planned path may be dangerous to the passengers so the vehicle may, based on dimensions of the object, dimensions of the vehicle, and semantic information of the object, determine operational parameters associate with passing the object while maintaining a position within the planned path, if possible.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2019Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: Zoox, Inc.Inventors: Yuanyuan Chen, Janek Hudecek, David Pfeiffer, James William Vaisey Philbin, Zeng Wang
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Patent number: 11475573Abstract: A system may include one or more processors configured to receive a plurality of images representing an environment. The images may include image data generated by an image capture device. The processors may also be configured to transmit the image data to an image segmentation network configured to segment the images. The processors may also be configured to receive sensor data associated with the environment including sensor data generated by a sensor of a type different than an image capture device. The processors may be configured to associate the sensor data with segmented images to create a training dataset. The processors may be configured to transmit the training dataset to a machine learning network configured to run a sensor data segmentation model, and train the sensor data segmentation model using the training dataset, such that the sensor data segmentation model is configured to segment sensor data.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2020Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: Zoox, Inc.Inventor: David Pfeiffer
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Patent number: 11379684Abstract: Techniques are discussed for segmenting sensor data captured by a sensor to remove a ground surface from the sensor data. A first technique includes capturing sensor data represented as multichannel image and segmenting the image according to image processing techniques. The ground surface can be removed from the sensor data, and a subset of the sensor data can be associated with a voxel space. A second technique includes capturing sensor data and unprojecting the sensor data to generate three dimensional data, which can be associated with a voxel space. Ground plane data associated with a location can be accessed or determined and voxel data that is within a threshold height of the ground plane data can be removed from the voxel space. Clustering techniques can determine objects represented in the data, and a vehicle can be controlled based on the objects.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2021Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: Zoox, Inc.Inventors: David Pfeiffer, James William Vaisey Philbin, Nitesh Shroff, Zeng Wang
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Publication number: 20220156940Abstract: A vehicle can include various sensors to detect objects in an environment. Sensor data can be captured by a perception system in a vehicle and represented in a voxel space. Operations may include analyzing the data from a top-down perspective. From this perspective, techniques can associate and generate masks that represent objects in the voxel space. Through manipulation of the regions of the masks, the sensor data and/or voxels associated with the masks can be clustered or otherwise grouped to segment data associated with the objects.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2021Publication date: May 19, 2022Inventors: Zeng Wang, David Pfeiffer, Dragomir Dimitrov Anguelov, Subhasis Das, Allan Zelener
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Publication number: 20220111868Abstract: Techniques for estimating ground height based on lidar data are discussed herein. A vehicle captures lidar data as it traverses an environment. The lidar data can be associated with a voxel space as three-dimensional data. Semantic information can be determined and associated with the lidar data and/or the three-dimensional voxel space. A multi-channel input image can be determined based on the three-dimensional voxel space and input into a machine learned (ML) model. The ML model can output data to determine height data and/or classification data associated with a ground surface of the environment. The height data and/or classification data can be utilized to determine a mesh associated with the ground surface. The mesh can be used to control the vehicle and/or determine additional objects proximate the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2020Publication date: April 14, 2022Inventors: Arthur Daniel Costea, Robert Evan Mahieu, David Pfeiffer, Zeng Wang
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Patent number: 11227401Abstract: A multiresolution voxel space is discussed herein. Data can be represented in individual levels in the multiresolution voxel space. A first level can correspond to a first region of an environment and a second level can correspond to a second region of an environment, the second region corresponding to a subset of the first region. In some examples, the levels can comprise a same number of voxels, such that the first level covers a large, low resolution region, while the second level covers a smaller, higher resolution region, though more levels are contemplated. Data represented in the voxel spaces can be processed at higher resolution where available and at a lower resolution where a data density is lower and combined in an intelligent manner. Voxel spaces can be updated based on movement of the sensor providing the data.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2019Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: Zoox, Inc.Inventors: Robert Evan Mahieu, David Pfeiffer, James William Vaisey Philbin, Zeng Wang
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Patent number: 11195282Abstract: A vehicle can include various sensors to detect objects in an environment. Sensor data can be captured by a perception system in a vehicle and represented in a voxel space. Operations may include analyzing the data from a top-down perspective. From this perspective, techniques can associate and generate masks that represent objects in the voxel space. Through manipulation of the regions of the masks, the sensor data and/or voxels associated with the masks can be clustered or otherwise grouped to segment data associated with the objects.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2020Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: Zoox, Inc.Inventors: Zeng Wang, David Pfeiffer, Dragomir Dimitrov Anguelov, Subhasis Das, Allan Zelener
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Patent number: 11163045Abstract: A vehicle control system includes various sensors. The system can include, among others, LIDAR, RADAR, SONAR, cameras, microphones, GPS, and infrared systems for monitoring and detecting environmental conditions. In some implementations, one or more of these sensors may become miscalibrated. Using data collected by the sensors, the system can detect a miscalibrated sensor and generate an indication that one or more sensors have become miscalibrated. For example, data captured by a sensor can be processed to determine an average height represented by the sensor data and compared to an average height of data captured by other sensors. Based on a difference in heights, an indication can be generated identifying a miscalibrated sensor.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2020Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: Zoox, Inc.Inventor: David Pfeiffer
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Publication number: 20210192273Abstract: Techniques are discussed for segmenting sensor data captured by a sensor to remove a ground surface from the sensor data. A first technique includes capturing sensor data represented as multichannel image and segmenting the image according to image processing techniques. The ground surface can be removed from the sensor data, and a subset of the sensor data can be associated with a voxel space. A second technique includes capturing sensor data and unprojecting the sensor data to generate three dimensional data, which can be associated with a voxel space. Ground plane data associated with a location can be accessed or determined and voxel data that is within a threshold height of the ground plane data can be removed from the voxel space. Clustering techniques can determine objects represented in the data, and a vehicle can be controlled based on the objects.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2021Publication date: June 24, 2021Inventors: David Pfeiffer, James William Vaisey Philbin, Nitesh Shroff, Zeng Wang
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Publication number: 20210192234Abstract: A vehicle can include various sensors to detect objects in an environment. In some cases, the object may be within a planned path of travel of the vehicle. In these cases, leaving the planned path may be dangerous to the passengers so the vehicle may, based on dimensions of the object, dimensions of the vehicle, and semantic information of the object, determine operational parameters associate with passing the object while maintaining a position within the planned path, if possible.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2019Publication date: June 24, 2021Inventors: Yuanyuan Chen, Janek Hudecek, David Pfeiffer, James William Vaisey Philbin, Zeng Wang
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Publication number: 20210056705Abstract: A system may include one or more processors configured to receive a plurality of images representing an environment. The images may include image data generated by an image capture device. The processors may also be configured to transmit the image data to an image segmentation network configured to segment the images. The processors may also be configured to receive sensor data associated with the environment including sensor data generated by a sensor of a type different than an image capture device. The processors may be configured to associate the sensor data with segmented images to create a training dataset. The processors may be configured to transmit the training dataset to a machine learning network configured to run a sensor data segmentation model, and train the sensor data segmentation model using the training dataset, such that the sensor data segmentation model is configured to segment sensor data.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2020Publication date: February 25, 2021Inventor: David Pfeiffer