Patents by Inventor Loren J. Majersik

Loren J. Majersik 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: 10997431
    Abstract: Examples of techniques for controlling a vehicle using an anchor line are disclosed. In one example implementation, a computer-implemented method includes receiving a lane line quality indicator from a camera associated with a vehicle. The method further includes determining a lane line weight. The method further includes comparing the lane line quality indicator to a quality threshold to determine whether the lane line is of sufficient quality to use as an anchor line. The method further includes comparing the lane line weight to a confidence threshold to determine whether the lane line is of sufficient confidence to use as the anchor line. The method further includes, responsive to determining that at least one of the lane line is not of sufficient quality and the lane line is not of sufficient weight, generating an alternate anchor line. The method further includes controlling the vehicle using the alternate anchor line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Parks, Loren J. Majersik, Chris C. Swoish
  • Patent number: 10678263
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a route of a vehicle are provided. The method includes activating fail operative steering in response to detecting an electronic power steering (EPS) failure, determining a length of a lane map fusion ring, calculating a desired route based on a line of the lane map fusion ring if the determined length is greater than a first predetermined distance, and calculating desired route based on offset information and heading information of the lane map fusion ring and curvature information and curvature derivative information calculated from map data if the determined length is less than the first predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Parks, Loren J. Majersik
  • Publication number: 20200062252
    Abstract: The present application generally relates to vehicle control systems and an apparatus and methods to detect diagonal lane markers. In particular, the method detects a first and second lane marker, compares those lane markers against expected lane marker values. If one of the detected lane markers deviates from an expected value by an amount greater than a threshold, the method is operative to determine if a previous lane marker detection was within the threshold and to generate a vehicle trajectory in response to the non-deviating marker and an expected marker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Parks, Loren J. Majersik, Chris C. Swoish
  • Publication number: 20190370564
    Abstract: Examples of techniques for controlling a vehicle using an anchor line are disclosed. In one example implementation, a computer-implemented method includes receiving a lane line quality indicator from a camera associated with a vehicle. The method further includes determining a lane line weight. The method further includes comparing the lane line quality indicator to a quality threshold to determine whether the lane line is of sufficient quality to use as an anchor line. The method further includes comparing the lane line weight to a confidence threshold to determine whether the lane line is of sufficient confidence to use as the anchor line. The method further includes, responsive to determining that at least one of the lane line is not of sufficient quality and the lane line is not of sufficient weight, generating an alternate anchor line. The method further includes controlling the vehicle using the alternate anchor line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Parks, Loren J. Majersik, Chris C. Swoish
  • Publication number: 20190369614
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle includes at least one actuator configured to control vehicle steering, at least one sensor configured to detect a location of a lane boundary proximate the vehicle, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the at least one actuator according to an autonomous driving mode. The controller is also configured to determine a width of a lane occupied by the vehicle based on a sensor reading from the at least one sensor, and, in response to the determined lane width being below a predefined with threshold, discontinue autonomous control of the at least one actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Parks, Loren J. Majersik, Chris C. Swoish, Haley M. Dalzell
  • Publication number: 20190056750
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a route of a vehicle are provided. The method includes activating fail operative steering in response to detecting an electronic power steering (EPS) failure, determining a length of a lane map fusion ring, calculating a desired route based on a line of the lane map fusion ring if the determined length is greater than a first predetermined distance, and calculating desired route based on offset information and heading information of the lane map fusion ring and curvature information and curvature derivative information calculated from map data if the determined length is less than the first predetermined distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Parks, Loren J. Majersik
  • Patent number: 8234042
    Abstract: A method for controlling a limited by-wire active front steering system includes measuring an input steering angle, determining a tire saturation limit, and comparing the saturation limit to the input angle. A target actuator angle from a steering actuator is limited when the input angle is greater than the saturation limit. A constant value provides a fixed steering gear ratio when the input angle is less than the saturation limit. A limited by-wire steering system for a vehicle includes a steering device, a sensor for measuring an input steering angle, a controller for calculating a first target actuator angle when the input angle is less than a threshold, and a second target actuator angle when the input angle is greater than the threshold. The threshold is a calibrated saturation limit of a road wheel of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Robert R. Bolio, Christopher A. Kinser, Ross Feller, Matthew M. Karaba, Loren J. Majersik
  • Patent number: 8185269
    Abstract: An active suspension system and method for controlling the height of a vehicle. In an exemplary embodiment, the active suspension system receives information from one or more input sources, including both internal and external vehicle inputs, and uses that information to actively control the vehicle height. By doing so, the active suspension system can reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle and improve the vehicle's fuel economy, ride comfort, handling, and other aspects of operation. Some examples of external vehicle inputs that may be used include: short-range road and vehicle information, as well as long-range traffic, road and route information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Yunjun Li, Timothy J. Herrick, Nancy McMahon, Steven A. Opiteck, John X. Cui, Loren J. Majersik, Nathan A. Wilmot
  • Publication number: 20100152969
    Abstract: An active suspension system and method for controlling the height of a vehicle. In an exemplary embodiment, the active suspension system receives information from one or more input sources, including both internal and external vehicle inputs, and uses that information to actively control the vehicle height. By doing so, the active suspension system can reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle and improve the vehicle's fuel economy, ride comfort, handling, and other aspects of operation. Some examples of external vehicle inputs that may be used include: short-range road and vehicle information, as well as long-range traffic, road and route information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Yunjun Li, Timothy J. Herrick, Nancy McMahon, Steven A. Opiteck, John X. Cui, Loren J. Majersik, Nathan A. Wilmot
  • Publication number: 20090228173
    Abstract: A method for controlling a limited by-wire active front steering system includes measuring an input steering angle, determining a tire saturation limit, and comparing the saturation limit to the input angle. A target actuator angle from a steering actuator is limited when the input angle is greater than the saturation limit. A constant value provides a fixed steering gear ratio when the input angle is less than the saturation limit. A limited by-wire steering system for a vehicle includes a steering device, a sensor for measuring an input steering angle, a controller for calculating a first target actuator angle when the input angle is less than a threshold, and a second target actuator angle when the input angle is greater than the threshold. The threshold is a calibrated saturation limit of a road wheel of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert R. Bolio, Christopher A. Kinser, Ross Feller, Matthew M. Karaba, Loren J. Majersik