Patents by Inventor Vivian Swan

Vivian Swan 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).

  • Publication number: 20230290248
    Abstract: A method of investigation traffic flow includes receiving sensor data from at least one sensor describing a surface area within a field of view of at least one sensor. A current heat map is generated based on the sensor data. The current heat map is compared with a preexisting heat map of the surface area within the field of view. A MAP message is updated based on the comparison of the current heat map with the preexisting heat map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Vivian Swan, Ganesh Adireddy
  • Patent number: 11527160
    Abstract: A system for infrastructure system calibration includes a sensor configured to be mounted to an infrastructure component and configured to detect an object. A corner reflector has an optical pattern and is arranged within a field of view of the sensor. The corner reflector has three surfaces that meet at a point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Vivian Swan
  • Publication number: 20210390859
    Abstract: A system for infrastructure system calibration includes a sensor configured to be mounted to an infrastructure component and configured to detect an object. A corner reflector has an optical pattern and is arranged within a field of view of the sensor. The corner reflector has three surfaces that meet at a point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Vivian Swan
  • Publication number: 20210233408
    Abstract: A method monitors availability of parking spaces in a parking lot and warns of a possible collision of a vehicle with an object in the parking lot. The method senses availability of vehicle parking spaces in an area of the parking lot and identifies one or more objects in or near a parking space, in between occupied parking spaces, or in a roadway portion of the area of the parking lot. Based on the sensing step, the availability of parking spaces in the area of the parking lot is identified. Based on the sensing step, the driver of the vehicle, the vehicle itself, and/or the one or more objects is warned of a possible collision between the vehicle and the one or more objects. An apparatus for performing the method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventor: Vivian Swan
  • Publication number: 20210190968
    Abstract: A self-calibrating sensor system includes a sensor configured to be mounted to a static component. The sensor includes a GPS antenna configured to detect a position of the sensor. An inclinometer is configured to detect a pitch of the sensor. A magnetometer is configured to detect an orientation of the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventor: Vivian Swan
  • Publication number: 20210183240
    Abstract: A method of communicating with traffic participants according to an example of this disclosure includes storing data of traffic participant tendencies at an intersection. The method further includes sensing real-time movement characteristics of all traffic participants in the proximity of the intersection. The method further includes determining that it is impracticable to communicate all movement data with all traffic participants in the proximity of the intersection and then calculating a criticality level of one or more traffic participants in the proximity of the intersection based on their movement characteristics and the traffic participant tendencies at the intersection. The method further includes developing a limited communication strategy for the one or more traffic participants based on their criticality level; and then communicating accident prevention information to one or more of the traffic participants according to the limited communication strategy through a communication means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventor: Vivian Swan
  • Patent number: 10930155
    Abstract: An infrastructure-based warning system, where the system is used as part of an intelligent intersection or intelligent road, and is used to detect various objects, such as vulnerable road users (VRUs) and vehicles. The system includes both cameras and radar, the operation of which is optimized based on which of the camera or radar is least affected by current conditions. This optimization includes the use of a marker, attached to infrastructure in the field of view of the detection device, such as a camera, to be optimized. If the camera accurately and consistently detects the marker, then camera detections of objects are weighted with more significance than the detection of objects using radar. If on the other hand, if the camera is unable to accurately detect the marker because of ambient conditions, then the greatest amount of confidence is placed on radar detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Vivian Swan
  • Publication number: 20200265719
    Abstract: A system for warning vulnerable road users (i.e., pedestrians, cyclists, other, etc) that a vehicle or cyclist is approaching and there may be a potential danger of a collision. The system may also provides an alert to an oncoming vehicle or cyclist of the location of a vulnerable road user within a cross-walk. The system includes intelligent intersections which are enabled with dedicated short range communication (“DSRC”) for detecting vehicles and vulnerable road users. This information may be received by DSRC enabled vehicles and allow the vehicles to warn the drivers of various situations which may be potentially dangerous. A plurality of lights is embedded along the edges of a crosswalk which provides an alert or signal to a vulnerable road user that a vehicle or cyclist is approaching. Sections lights may be illuminated to provide an indication of the location of the vulnerable road user within the cross-walk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Vivian Swan
  • Patent number: 10733893
    Abstract: A system for warning vulnerable road users (i.e., pedestrians, cyclists, other, etc) that a vehicle or cyclist is approaching and there may be a potential danger of a collision. The system may also provides an alert to an oncoming vehicle or cyclist of the location of a vulnerable road user within a cross-walk. The system includes intelligent intersections which are enabled with dedicated short range communication (“DSRC”) for detecting vehicles and vulnerable road users. This information may be received by DSRC enabled vehicles and allow the vehicles to warn the drivers of various situations which may be potentially dangerous. A plurality of lights is embedded along the edges of a crosswalk which provides an alert or signal to a vulnerable road user that a vehicle or cyclist is approaching. Sections lights may be illuminated to provide an indication of the location of the vulnerable road user within the cross-walk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Vivian Swan
  • Publication number: 20200219396
    Abstract: An infrastructure-based warning system, includes: a first detection device; a detection area, the first detection device operable for detecting at least one of the location, speed, and direction of each of a plurality of objects in the detection area and to determine when a traffic incident has occurred within the detection area; a communication device operable to send at least one communication signal based upon the determined traffic incident by the first detection device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jesse Aaron Hacker, Vivian Swan
  • Publication number: 20200175875
    Abstract: An infrastructure-based warning system, where the system is used as part of an intelligent intersection or intelligent road, and is used to detect various objects, such as vulnerable road users (VRUs) and vehicles. The system includes both cameras and radar, the operation of which is optimized based on which of the camera or radar is least affected by current conditions. This optimization includes the use of a marker, attached to infrastructure in the field of view of the detection device, such as a camera, to be optimized. If the camera accurately and consistently detects the marker, then camera detections of objects are weighted with more significance than the detection of objects using radar. If on the other hand, if the camera is unable to accurately detect the marker because of ambient conditions, then the greatest amount of confidence is placed on radar detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Vivian Swan
  • Publication number: 20190096249
    Abstract: Infrastructure-based warning system having the ability to detect cross-traffic long before onboard vehicle sensors, and broadcast a basic safety message (BSM) including the vehicle's global position, velocity, heading, etc. over dedicated short-range communication (DSRC). A vehicle leaving a parking space is able to receive broadcast over DSRC from infrastructure and provide the driver with an HMI warning that it is unsafe to backup. A vehicle exiting from a blind alley way or parking garage may be positioned such that the driver of the vehicle may not see that there is a pedestrian about to cross and that there is cross-traffic. The infrastructure mounted sensor is able to detect the pedestrian and cross-traffic and broadcast their location, velocity, and headings. The vehicle receives the BSM from the infrastructure and provides the driver with an HMI warning that it is unsafe to move out into the crosswalk and road.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Vivian Swan