Patents by Inventor Joshua Switkes
Joshua Switkes 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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Publication number: 20240094741Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for automated following behind a lead vehicle. The lead vehicle navigates a path from a starting point to a destination. The lead vehicle and the following vehicle are connected via V2V communication, allowing one or more following vehicles to detect the path taken by the lead vehicle. A computerized control system on the following vehicle (a Follow-the-Leader, or FTL, system) allows the following vehicle to mimic the behavior of the lead vehicle, with the FTL system controlling steering to guide the following vehicle along the path previously navigated by the lead vehicle. In some embodiments, the lead vehicle and following vehicle may both use Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) position coordinates. In some embodiments, the following vehicle may also have a system of sensors to maintain a gap between the following and lead vehicles.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2023Publication date: March 21, 2024Applicant: Peloton Technology, Inc.Inventors: Shad Laws, Joshua Switkes, Art Gavrysh, Marc Tange, Mark Herbert, Colleen Twitty, Dean Hogle, Andrew Tamoney, Eric Monsler, Carlos Rosario, Oliver Bayley, Richard Pallo, Louis Donayre, Laurenz Laubinger, Brian Smartt, Joyce Tam, Brian Silverman, Tabitha Jarvis, Murad Bharwani, Steven Erlein, Austin Schuh, Mark Luckevich
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Patent number: 11875686Abstract: Systems and methods for increasing the efficiency of vehicle platooning systems are described. In one aspect, drivers are more likely to enjoy a system if it begins platooning as desired and does not accidently end platoons. When a certain amount of data packets sent between vehicles are dropped, systems typically will either not engage in a platoon or end a current platoon. When a platoon has a very small gap between vehicles, the platoon should end—or not start, when a certain amount of packets are dropped. However, if a gap is large enough to provide a driver with more time to react, a system may accept a greater amount of dropped packets before it refuses to start a platoon or causes the end of a platoon.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2022Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: Peloton Technology.Inventors: Colleen Twitty, Evan Nakano, Stephen Erlien, Joshua Switkes
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Patent number: 11669108Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for automated following behind a lead vehicle. The lead vehicle navigates a path from a starting point to a destination. The lead vehicle and the following vehicle are connected via V2V communication, allowing one or more following vehicles to detect the path taken by the lead vehicle. A computerized control system on the following vehicle (a Follow-the-Leader, or FTL, system) allows the following vehicle to mimic the behavior of the lead vehicle, with the FTL system controlling steering to guide the following vehicle along the path previously navigated by the lead vehicle. In some embodiments, the lead vehicle and following vehicle may both use Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) position coordinates. In some embodiments, the following vehicle may also have a system of sensors to maintain a gap between the following and lead vehicles.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2019Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: Peloton Technology, Inc.Inventors: Shad Laws, Joshua Switkes, Art Gavrysh, Marc Tange, Mark Herbert, Colleen Twitty, Dean Hogle, Andrew Tamoney, Eric Monsler, Carlos Rosario, Oliver Bayley, Richard Pallo, Louis Donayre, Laurenz Laubinger, Brian Smartt, Joyce Tam, Brian Silverman, Tabitha Jarvis, Murad Bharwani, Steven Erlein, Austin Schuh, Mark Luckevich
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Publication number: 20230114886Abstract: Systems and methods for increasing the efficiency of vehicle platooning systems are described. In one aspect, drivers are more likely to enjoy a system if it begins platooning as desired and does not accidently end platoons. When a certain amount of data packets sent between vehicles are dropped, systems typically will either not engage in a platoon or end a current platoon. When a platoon has a very small gap between vehicles, the platoon should end—or not start, when a certain amount of packets are dropped. However, if a gap is large enough to provide a driver with more time to react, a system may accept a greater amount of dropped packets before it refuses to start a platoon or causes the end of a platoon.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2022Publication date: April 13, 2023Applicant: Peloton Technology, Inc.Inventors: Colleen Twitty, Evan Nakano, Stephen Erlien, Joshua Switkes
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Patent number: 11341856Abstract: Systems and methods for increasing the efficiency of vehicle platooning systems are described. In one aspect, drivers are more likely to enjoy a system if it begins platooning as desired and does not accidently end platoons. When a certain amount of data packets sent between vehicles are dropped, systems typically will either not engage in a platoon or end a current platoon. When a platoon has a very small gap between vehicles, the platoon should end—or not start, when a certain amount of packets are dropped. However, if a gap is large enough to provide a driver with more time to react, a system may accept a greater amount of dropped packets before it refuses to start a platoon or causes the end of a platoon.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2020Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: PELOTON TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Colleen Twitty, Evan Nakano, Stephen Erlien, Joshua Switkes
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Publication number: 20200402407Abstract: Systems and methods for increasing the efficiency of vehicle platooning systems are described. In one aspect, drivers are more likely to enjoy a system if it begins platooning as desired and does not accidently end platoons. When a certain amount of data packets sent between vehicles are dropped, systems typically will either not engage in a platoon or end a current platoon. When a platoon has a very small gap between vehicles, the platoon should end—or not start, when a certain amount of packets are dropped. However, if a gap is large enough to provide a driver with more time to react, a system may accept a greater amount of dropped packets before it refuses to start a platoon or causes the end of a platoon.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2020Publication date: December 24, 2020Inventors: Colleen Twitty, Evan Nakano, Stephen Erlien, Joshua Switkes
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Publication number: 20200057453Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for automated following behind a lead vehicle. The lead vehicle navigates a path from a starting point to a destination. The lead vehicle and the following vehicle are connected via V2V communication, allowing one or more following vehicles to detect the path taken by the lead vehicle. A computerized control system on the following vehicle (a Follow-the-Leader, or FTL, system) allows the following vehicle to mimic the behavior of the lead vehicle, with the FTL system controlling steering to guide the following vehicle along the path previously navigated by the lead vehicle. In some embodiments, the lead vehicle and following vehicle may both use Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) position coordinates. In some embodiments, the following vehicle may also have a system of sensors to maintain a gap between the following and lead vehicles.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2019Publication date: February 20, 2020Applicant: Peloton Technology, Inc.Inventors: Shad Laws, Joshua Switkes, Art Gavrysh, Marc Tange, Mark Herbert, Colleen Twitty, Dean Hogle, Andrew Tamoney, Eric Monsler, Carlos Rosario, Oliver Bayley, Richard Pallo, Louis Donayre, Laurenz Laubinger, Brian Smartt, Joyce Tam, Brian Silverman, Tabitha Jarvis, Murad Bharwani, Steven Erlein, Austin Schuh, Mark Luckevich
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Publication number: 20200013292Abstract: Systems and methods are described for determining whether a platooning system is safe. In various aspects, a platooning system may collect information from various sensors included on one or more vehicles, and use the gathered information to determine whether the system achieves a threshold amount of safeness is achieved. In response to determining that a vehicle is unsafe, a system may prohibit vehicles from platooning or cause platooning vehicles to end their current platooning session.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2019Publication date: January 9, 2020Applicant: Peloton Technology, Inc.Inventors: Joshua Switkes, Evan Nakano
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Patent number: 9090285Abstract: A method for providing a lanekeeping assistance for a vehicle includes determining road lane characteristics such as a road lane curvature. A vehicle velocity and a vehicle position with respect to a road lane are also determined. A desired steering angle is determined as a function of at least the road lane characteristics. A lanekeeping torque acting on the steering system of the vehicle in order to keep the vehicle on a desired path is determined as a function of at least the desired steering angle. The lanekeeping torque is generated by modifying at least one mechanical steering torque such as a jacking torque, an aligning torque, an inertia torque and a damping torque.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2008Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.Inventors: Joshua Switkes, Arne Stoschek
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Publication number: 20100145575Abstract: A method for providing a lanekeeping assistance for a vehicle includes determining road lane characteristics such as a road lane curvature. A vehicle velocity and a vehicle position with respect to a road lane are also determined. A desired steering angle is determined as a function of at least the road lane characteristics. A lanekeeping torque acting on the steering system of the vehicle in order to keep the vehicle on a desired path is determined as a function of at least the desired steering angle. The lanekeeping torque is generated by modifying at least one mechanical steering torque such as a jacking torque, an aligning torque, an inertia torque and a damping torque.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2008Publication date: June 10, 2010Applicant: VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Joshua Switkes, Arne Stoschek
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Publication number: 20100114431Abstract: A method for controlling vehicle dynamics includes acquiring steering torque data indicative of forces acting on at least one tire of a vehicle and acquiring image data by capturing images of an area outside the vehicle. The friction coefficient between a tire of the vehicle and a road surface is determined as a function of vehicle data including at least the steering torque data. The lateral velocity of the vehicle is determined as a function of vehicle data including the steering torque data and/or the image data. A vehicle dynamics control is performed as a function of the lateral velocity and the friction coefficient.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2008Publication date: May 6, 2010Applicant: VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Joshua Switkes, Arne Stoschek