Patents by Inventor Donald K. Grimm

Donald K. Grimm 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).

  • Patent number: 10783407
    Abstract: One general aspect includes a memory configured to include a program and a processor configured to execute the program, where the program enables the processor to: after a first vehicle ingress/egress event, activate a sensor to capture a reference image of a portion of a vehicle body; after a second vehicle ingress/egress event, activate the sensor to capture a test image of the portion of the vehicle body; determine whether the test image includes one or more objects not found in the reference image; and release the door from the body or produce a notification or prevent vehicle movement or some combination thereof, based on the determination of whether the test image includes one or more objects not found in the reference image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Radhika Ciripanga, Donald K. Grimm, Wei Tong, David T. Proefke
  • Publication number: 20200278684
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling a lateral position of a vehicle through an intersection. The method includes receiving, by a processor, intersection data transmitted by an infrastructure associated with the intersection, the intersection data including at least a position of a plurality of lanes associated with the intersection. The method includes receiving, by the processor, a position of the vehicle, and determining, by the processor, a current lane of travel of the vehicle and a future lane of travel of the vehicle based on the intersection data and the position of the vehicle. The method includes determining, by the processor, a virtual lane through the intersection, the virtual lane providing a path of travel for the vehicle from the current lane of travel to the future lane of travel. The method includes controlling, by the processor, the vehicle based on the virtual lane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Naserian, Donald K. Grimm, Syed Ali, Vivek Vijaya Kumar
  • Publication number: 20200278217
    Abstract: A vehicle is described, and includes an on-board controller, an extra-vehicle communication system, a GPS sensor, a spatial monitoring system, and a navigation system that employs an on-vehicle navigation map. Operation includes capturing a 3D sensor representation of a field of view and an associated GPS location, executing a feature extraction routine, executing a semantic segmentation of the extracted features, executing a simultaneous location and mapping (SLAM) of the extracted features, executing a context extraction from the simultaneous location and mapping of the extracted features, and updating the on-vehicle navigation map based thereon. A parsimonious map representation is generated based upon the updated on-vehicle navigation map, and is communicated to a second, off-board controller. The second controller executes a sparse map stitching to update a base navigation map based upon the parsimonious map representation. The on-vehicle navigation map is updated based upon the off-board navigation map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Fawad Ahmad, Hang Qiu, Ramesh Govindan, Donald K. Grimm, Fan Bai
  • Patent number: 10761535
    Abstract: Presented are systems and methods for extracting lane-level information of designated road segments by mining vehicle dynamics data traces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Shu Chen, Fan Bai, Donald K. Grimm, Jinzhu Chen, Bo Yu, David E. Bojanowski
  • Patent number: 10745006
    Abstract: Technical solutions are described for controlling an automated driving system of a vehicle. An example method includes computing a complexity metric of an upcoming region along a route that the vehicle is traveling along. The method further includes, in response to the complexity metric being below a predetermined low-complexity threshold, determining a trajectory for the vehicle to travel in the upcoming region using a computing system of the vehicle. Further, the method includes in response to the complexity metric being above a predetermined high-complexity threshold, instructing an external computing system to determine the trajectory for the vehicle to travel in the upcoming region. If the trajectory cannot be determined by the external computing system a minimal risk condition maneuver of the vehicle is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Donald K. Grimm, Wei Tong, Shuqing Zeng, Upali P. Mudalige
  • Publication number: 20200257310
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle (AV) perception system and method of determining an autonomous vehicle (AV) action for a host vehicle. The method includes: obtaining onboard vehicle sensor data from at least one onboard vehicle sensor, the onboard vehicle sensor is a part of vehicle electronics of the host vehicle; obtaining edge sensor data from at least one edge sensor, the edge sensor is a part of an edge layer; generating a unified perception output based on the onboard vehicle sensor data and the edge sensor data; determining an AV action for the host vehicle based on the unified perception output; and providing the AV action to the host vehicle, wherein the host vehicle is configured to carry out the AV action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: Jiang L. Du, Fan Bai, Wei Tong, Donald K. Grimm
  • Patent number: 10741081
    Abstract: Technical solutions are described for vehicle collision prevention for a vehicle when the vehicle is in a parked condition. An example method includes performing a stationary safety monitoring when the vehicle is in parked condition. The stationary safety monitoring includes detecting presence of a moving object within a predetermined region from the vehicle. Further, the method includes, in response to detecting the moving object in the predetermined region initiating a notification for the moving object to prevent collision with the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Donald K. Grimm, Shuqing Zeng, Upali P. Mudalige, Robert A. Bordo, Perry L. Maniaci
  • Publication number: 20200234585
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for controlling a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving, by a processor, vehicle position data from the vehicle; processing, by the processor, vehicle position data with vehicle position data from other vehicles to determine a lane topology; processing, by the processor, the vehicle position data to determine traffic conditions within a lane of the lane topology; generating, by the processor, a map for controlling the vehicle based on the lane topology and the traffic conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Fan Bai, Shu Chen, Donald K. Grimm, Jinzhu Chen, Bo Yu, David E. Bojanowski
  • Publication number: 20200183415
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle includes receiving a first signal from a user device, which indicates motion of the user device. The method additionally includes receiving first sensor data, which indicates motion of a feature external to the vehicle. The method also includes processing, via a controller, the first sensor data to compare the motion of the user device with the motion of the feature external to the vehicle. The method further includes communicating, via the controller, a second signal to the user device. The second signal indicates motion of the vehicle. The method additionally includes receiving a third signal from the user device. The third signal indicates a correlation between the motion of the vehicle and a motion observed by the user device. The method further includes selectively controlling, via the controller, the vehicle towards the feature based on the processing and on the receiving the third signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Omer Tsimhoni, Fan Bai, Donald K. Grimm, Bo Yu
  • Publication number: 20200148210
    Abstract: A host vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine, a communication system configured to transmit and receive a traffic-related message, and a controller in communication with the turbocharger and the communication system. The controller is programmed to: receive the traffic-related message via the communication system; and command the internal combustion engine to increase a power output to spool up the turbocharger in response to receiving the traffic-related message. The controller is programmed to determine a number of relevant vehicles. The number of relevant vehicles is a number of vehicles that are in front of the host vehicle and behind a traffic light and affect a movement of the host vehicle toward the traffic light. The traffic-related message is a one of a vehicle message from another vehicle and/or a traffic-light message from the traffic light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Naserian, Allan K. Lewis, Donald K. Grimm, Yiran Hu
  • Publication number: 20200064846
    Abstract: Presented are systems and methods for extracting lane-level information of designated road segments by mining vehicle dynamics data traces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Shu Chen, Fan Bai, Donald K. Grimm, Jinzhu Chen, Bo Yu, David E. Bojanowski
  • Patent number: 10567512
    Abstract: A portable system, for use in projecting proprietary host-data-based output to a host device using a dual-layer proprietary-data-provision arrangement including the host device and portable system. A storage component includes one or more first-layer components, of the dual-layer proprietary-data-provision arrangement, that, when executed by a hardware-based processing unit, communicates with the host device by a first wired communication channel or a first short-range wireless communication channel to receive the proprietary host data from the host device. The storage also includes a portable-system application that, when executed, generates, based on the proprietary host data, proprietary host-data-based app output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Hrabak, Fan Bai, Dan Shan, Donald K. Grimm
  • Publication number: 20200050209
    Abstract: Presented are systems and methods for deriving speed limits of designated road segments by mining large-scale vehicle data traces. A method for controlling operation of a motor vehicle includes: determining a current location of the vehicle; determining a designated road segment corresponding to the vehicle's location; receiving host speed data indicative of the vehicle's speed while travelling on the road segment for a calibrated timeframe; receiving crowd-sourced speed data indicative of the speeds of participatory vehicles while travelling on the road segment for the calibrated timeframe; accumulating a speed distribution function for the road segment based on the host and crowd-sourced speed data; generating a finite mixture model from the speed distribution function to estimate a speed limit range; selecting a speed limit candidate from the estimated speed limit range; and transmitting command signals to a vehicle subsystem to execute a control operation based on the selected speed limit candidate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Fan Bai, Shu Chen, Donald K. Grimm, David E. Bojanowski, Bo Yu, Jinzhu Chen
  • Publication number: 20200026968
    Abstract: One general aspect includes a memory configured to include a program and a processor configured to execute the program, where the program enables the processor to: after a first vehicle ingress/egress event, activate a sensor to capture a reference image of a portion of a vehicle body; after a second vehicle ingress/egress event, activate the sensor to capture a test image of the portion of the vehicle body; determine whether the test image includes one or more objects not found in the reference image; and release the door from the body or produce a notification or prevent vehicle movement or some combination thereof, based on the determination of whether the test image includes one or more objects not found in the reference image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Radhika Ciripanga, Donald K. Grimm, Wei Tong, David T. Proefke
  • Patent number: 10528832
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for processing attention data. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving, by a processor, object data associated with at least one object of an exterior environment of the vehicle; receiving upcoming behavior data determined from a planned route of the vehicle; receiving gaze data sensed from an occupant of the vehicle; processing, by the processor, the object data, the upcoming behavior data, and the gaze data to determine an attention score associated with an attention of the occupant of the vehicle; and selectively generating, by the processor, signals to at least one of notify the occupant and control the vehicle based on the attention score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Upali P. Mudalige, Donald K. Grimm, Wende Zhang
  • Patent number: 10521736
    Abstract: A method of authorizing access and operation for vehicle sharing via a portable device. A request reservation is generated to reserve a vehicle via a portable device carried by a user. The reservation includes a portable device identifier and reservation details. Authentication keys are transmitted to the portable device and a plug-in device coupled to the vehicle in response to a successful authorization. The plug-in device is used to perform vehicle access and vehicle operations of the vehicle. The authentication keys enable the portable device and the plug-in device to be paired for enabling vehicle access and operations. An authorization is executed between the portable device carried by a user and a plug-in device coupled to the vehicle. Access to the vehicle operations are enabled in response to a successful authorization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: GM Glboal Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Donald K. Grimm, Paul H. Pebbles, Robert P. Miles, Ramie Phillips, III, Travis J. Ryan, Xi Ju, Pavan K. Namineni, Christopher L. Oesterling
  • Patent number: 10514465
    Abstract: A system and method of setting a clock at a vehicle, including: operating a vehicle clock installed in a vehicle; receiving an external time signal via wireless communications, wherein the external time signal is a wireless communications signal that includes a time value; determining whether a predetermined amount of time has passed since a most-recent clock update; when it is determined that a predetermined amount of time has passed since the most-recent vehicle clock update, then carrying out the following steps: (i) calculating a measured drift and a drift limit; (ii) determining whether the measured drift is less than the drift limit; and (iii) when it is determined that the measured drift is less than the drift limit, then setting the vehicle clock to the time value included in the received external time signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL MOTORS LLC
    Inventors: Pavan K. Namineni, Donald K. Grimm
  • Patent number: 10501146
    Abstract: Presented herein are adaptive power assist systems for manually-powered vehicles, methods for operating/constructing such systems, and motorized operator-powered vehicles with adaptive power assist systems. A method for regulating a power assist system of a manually powered vehicle includes a vehicle controller determining path plan data that includes a predicted route plan to traverse from a current vehicle location to a desired vehicle destination. A resident wireless communications device receives, from a remote computing node, an assist level power trace for operating the vehicle's tractive motor on the predicted route plan. The vehicle controller receives health level data specific to the vehicle user, determines a power assist delta based on the health level data, and modifies the assist level power trace based on this power assist delta. The vehicle controller transmits command signals to the tractive motor to output a selectively variable torque according to the modified assist level power trace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Vivek Vijaya Kumar, Donald K. Grimm
  • Publication number: 20190356685
    Abstract: Embodiments include methods, systems and computer readable storage medium for determining an attack on a vehicle network and an estimated source location of an attacker. The method includes receiving, by a processor, a plurality of messages. The method further includes analyzing, by the processor, each of the plurality of messages to determine that each of the plurality of messages is suspicious. The method further includes determining, by the processor, that an attack is occurring in response to a determination that multiple messages of the plurality of messages are suspicious. The method further includes localizing, by the processor, a source location for the attack using an angle of arrival associated with each of the plurality of suspicious messages to determine a source intersection. The method further includes notifying, by the processor, one or more vehicles of the attack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Mohammad Naserian, Donald K. Grimm, Allan K. Lewis
  • Publication number: 20190356677
    Abstract: Embodiments include methods, systems and computer readable storage medium for determining receipt of a malicious message by a vehicle. The method includes receiving, by a processor, a message and determining, by the processor, a message type associated with the message. The method includes calculating, by the processor, an angle of arrival (AoA) for the message, wherein the AoA is an angle of receipt for the message. The method includes comparing, by the processor, the AoA to a message angle, wherein the message angle is an expected angle of receipt or angle range for the message based on the message type. The method includes flagging, by the processor, the message as being malicious in response to the comparison indicating that the AoA is not equivalent to or within a predetermined tolerance of the message angle. The method includes suppressing, by the processor, a notification or warning associated with the flagged message.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Mohammad Naserian, Donald K. Grimm, Allan K. Lewis