Including Particular Position/direction Sensor Patents (Class 340/995.28)
  • Patent number: 11694359
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for calibrating a camera are provided. A specific embodiment of the method includes: acquiring an image-point cloud sequence, the image-point cloud sequence including at least one group of an initial image and point cloud data collected at a same time, the initial image being collected by a camera provided on an autonomous vehicle and the point cloud data being collected by a radar provided on the autonomous vehicle; determining target point cloud data of initial images corresponding to groups of image-point cloud in the image-point cloud sequence; and matching the target point cloud data with the corresponding initial images in the image-point cloud sequence to determine a correction parameter of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Apollo Intelligent Driving Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuang Zhang, Xiang Liu, Bin Gao, Xiaoxing Zhu, Fan Yang, Junping Wang
  • Patent number: 10591572
    Abstract: Methods and systems disclosed herein may include receiving signals from a transmitter in a receiver; determine a bias of the transmitter and receiver; generating expected observations, based on the bias, corresponding to the received signals; and calculate a building height based on a power level of the received signals and a power level of the expected observations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Henry S. Owen, LLC
    Inventor: Henry S. Owen
  • Patent number: 10454995
    Abstract: A system and method are provided that allow the obtaining, categorization, discovery, and navigation of content, in particular video content. The system may be operable for a user, for a set of people authorized by the user, or for anyone with an Internet connection. The system employs a desktop software application, an Internet file sharing service, or a combination of both. The system includes an integrated content detector, such as a video camera, with an upload component and a geographic location detector. In use, for example, a user may view a map indicating the locations where video clips were recorded by the user's camera. Any video can then be watched, for example, in a window overlaid on the map, by selecting the same. In one example, a trip may be reconstructed on a map and videos of different locations can be viewed by interacting with the map and map overlays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: CRACKLE, INC.
    Inventor: Aviv Eyal
  • Patent number: 10453337
    Abstract: An approach is provided for determining safety levels for one or more locations based, at least in part, on signage information. The approach involves determining signage information associated with at least one location. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, a creation of at least one predictor model based, at least in part, on the signage information and one or more attributes associated with the at least one location. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, a classification of the at least one location, one or more other locations, or a combination thereof according to one or more safety levels using, at least in part, the at least one predictor model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Anton Anastassov, Eric Linder, Leon Oliver Stenneth
  • Patent number: 10166916
    Abstract: Methods and systems for analyzing environment data to determine whether a vehicle operator is at an elevated risk for an animal collision are provided. According to certain aspects, an insurance provider may assess elevated risk according to various factors and, if it is determined that the vehicle operator is at an elevated risk for an animal collision, the insurance provider may generate a warning and wirelessly communicate the warning to the vehicle operator. The factors analyzed may include past accident, driver characteristic, weather, calendar, time of day, animal, seasonal, and/or other information. The vehicle operator may be notified of the risk and optionally presented with tips to mitigate the risk. The vehicle operator may be notified of the risk by a mobile device and/or the vehicle, such as from a vehicle communication and control system. Animal collision avoidance functionality may be used to adjust insurance premiums, rates, or rewards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Bernico, Milton Mowery, Tim G. Sanidas, Christopher Zimmer
  • Patent number: 10161751
    Abstract: This vibration-type angular rate sensor corrects a sensor output from a secondary-side control circuit by adding, to a closed control loop of the secondary-side control circuit, an offset value based on the output of a closed control loop of a primary-side control circuit dependent on temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Sumitomo Precision Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takafumi Moriguchi
  • Patent number: 9927237
    Abstract: To be capable of realizing a technique which enables a measurement error of a magnetic sensor to be obtained with higher accuracy, there is provided an information processing apparatus including: a fluctuation measuring unit configured to measure temporal fluctuation of a magnetic value measured by a magnetic sensor during movement of at least the magnetic sensor or information obtained based on the magnetic value, and a measurement error acquiring unit configured to obtain a measurement error of the magnetic sensor based on the fluctuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masato Kimishima
  • Patent number: 9836968
    Abstract: A method to warn of a vehicle moving in the wrong direction of travel, wherein in a provision step, a third-party warning message is provided for other road users when at least one wrong-way-driver signal signals wrong-way travel of the wrongly moving vehicle sensed using a wrong-way-driver sensing method, and in an output step, a self-warning message is output for a driver of the vehicle moving in the wrong direction of travel when the wrong-way-driver signal signals the sensed wrong-way travel and at least one further wrong-way-driver signal signals the wrong-way travel of the wrongly moving vehicle sensed using a further wrong-way-driver sensing method, the further wrong-way-driver sensing method differing from the wrong-way-driver sensing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Werner Poechmueller, Andreas Offenhaeuser
  • Patent number: 9828001
    Abstract: Arrangements described herein can present a confidence in an autonomous operation of a vehicle to one or more users. At least one operational status for a support system of the vehicle can be acquired. Based on the acquired operational status, a confidence in the autonomous operation of the vehicle can be determined. Responsive to determining the confidence in the autonomous operation of the vehicle, a confidence icon can be caused to be displayed within the vehicle. The confidence icon can include an emoticon that conveys an emotion corresponding to the determined confidence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kristofer D. Kusano, Danil V. Prokhorov
  • Patent number: 9587952
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for mitigating the risks associated with operating an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle by using calculated route traversal values to select less risky travel routes and/or modify vehicle operation. Various approaches to achieving this risk mitigation are presented. A computing device is configured to generate a database of route traversal values. This device may receive a variety of historical route traversal information, real-time vehicle information, and/or route information from one of more data sources and calculate a route traversal value for the associated driving route. Subsequently, the computing device may provide the associated route traversal value to other devices, such as a vehicle navigation device associated with the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle. An insurance company may use this information to help determine insurance premiums for autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles by analyzing and/or mitigating the risk associated with operating those vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventor: Mark V. Slusar
  • Patent number: 9574888
    Abstract: Generating routes based on contextual risk includes receiving a destination and generating candidate routes to the destination from a designated location based on roadways available for routes and one or more fixed criteria. A contextual risk associated with each of the candidate routes is determined based on at least dynamic environmental attributes. The candidate routes are displayed on a map together with a representation of the determined contextual risk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Guoqiang Hu, Philip L. Schwartz, Charles D. Wolfson, Jun Zhu
  • Patent number: 9020700
    Abstract: A lane tracking apparatus and method using camera direction control is provided. The lane tracking apparatus using camera direction control includes a lane recognition unit for obtaining lane information from an image captured and acquired by a camera. A road curvature calculation unit calculates a curvature of a road using the lane information. A camera direction angle control unit controls a direction angle of the camera in consideration of the road curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Myung-Chan Roh, Jae-Min Byun, Ki-In Na, Sung-Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 9020751
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for mitigating the risks associated with driving by assigning risk values to road segments and using those risk values to select less risky travel routes. Various approaches to helping users mitigate risk are presented. A computing device is configured to generate a database of risk values. That device may receive accident information, geographic information, vehicle information, and other information from one or more data sources and calculate a risk value for the associated road segment. Subsequently, the computing device may provide the associated risk value to other devices. Furthermore, a personal navigation device may receive travel route information and use that information to retrieve risk values for the road segments in the travel route. An insurance company may use this information to determine whether to adjust a quote or premium of an insurance policy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company
    Inventors: Jason Brian Bogovich, Julie A. Jordan
  • Patent number: 8996303
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for mitigating the risks associated with driving by assigning risk values to road segments and using those risk values to select less risky travel routes. Various approaches to helping users mitigate risk are presented. A computing device is configured to generate a database of risk values. That device may receive accident information, geographic information, vehicle information, and other information from one or more data sources and calculate a risk value for the associated road segment. Subsequently, the computing device may provide the associated risk value to other devices. Furthermore, a personal navigation device may receive travel route information and use that information to retrieve risk values for the road segments in the travel route. An insurance company may use this information to determine whether to adjust a quote or premium of an insurance policy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company
    Inventors: Jason Brian Bogovich, Julie A. Jordan
  • Patent number: 8970390
    Abstract: A method of aiding viewing position for autostereoscopic displays having a suggested viewing zone or optimal viewing position. The method detects a position of a viewer using a detection sensor associated with the display and determines if the viewer is within the suggested viewing zone. If the viewer is not within the suggested viewing zone, the method provides feedback to the viewer, such as visual cues on the display, indicating how the viewer should move in order to be within the suggested viewing zone. The method can continuously provide the feedback in order to indicate how the viewer is moving with respect to the suggested viewing zone and when the viewer has moved into the suggested viewing zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Shuguang Wu, Jun Xiao
  • Patent number: 8874281
    Abstract: A method is provided for receiving sensor information by a plurality of motor vehicles with respect to sensor information regarding locations of objects; sharing the sensor information by the plurality of motor vehicles; displaying the shared sensor information on a user interface on each of the plurality of motor vehicles; and controlling the receiving, sharing, and displaying the sensor information with a software library.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Shawn M. Kolodgie, Michael J. Lavery, Michael W. Lim, Nicholas E. McCready, Xavier Melendez, Ashley R. Noble, Ryan M. Ragsdale, Matthew Serbinski, William Howard Thomas, II, Brian Thomas McLintock
  • Patent number: 8842009
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to control light output at one or more light fixtures based on input from one or more light detectors. Embodiments of the invention may also be used for auto commissioning, personal control and/or day lighting. Some embodiments of the invention can be used to ensure that light output at the light fixtures provides a combined uniform photometric distribution within an architectural space. Moreover, embodiments of the invention can respond to changes to ambient light, which illuminates the architectural space from a window, door, or television, etc., in a smooth and non-oscillating way. Embodiments of the invention can be implemented in lighting systems employing multiple light fixtures having one or more light source and multiple light detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: MoJo Labs, Inc.
    Inventor: Morgan Jones
  • Patent number: 8823556
    Abstract: A method of estimating the type of intersection control for two or more roadways includes steps of classifying each roadway at an intersection and estimating the type of intersection control used for each roadway. Roadways can be classified by size, traveling speed, number of lanes as well as any other roadway characteristics. In some cases, a warning system can be operated using the estimated intersection control type for each roadway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: John L. Yester
  • Patent number: 8812030
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus, system and method for determining a location of a mobile device based on a location of a wireless network node, a distance between the wireless network node and the mobile device, and a bearing from the wireless network node to the mobile device, wherein the bearing is determined based on a directional signal and magnetometer measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Arnold Jason Gum, Lionel J. Garin, Leonid Sheynblat
  • Patent number: 8812234
    Abstract: A device to aid navigation comprises: at least one inertial navigation unit; an integration module estimating the position, speed and orientation of the carrier on the basis of the data supplied by the inertial navigation unit; a digitized map of the locations in which the carrier moves, said map storing a navigable network along which the carrier may move; a module for generating position pseudo-measurements on the basis of the position estimated by the integration module and cartographic data supplied by the digitized map, a position pseudo-measurement indicating the position which should be estimated by the integration module in the presence of movement constraints imposed by the digitized map of the locations; an indirect extended Kalman filter connected to the module for generating position pseudo-measurements by a switch, said filter estimating the errors relating to the position, speed and orientation, and also any other variable associated with the inertial navigation unit, estimated by the integratio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventor: Nadir Castaneda
  • Patent number: 8756001
    Abstract: A navigation module and method for providing an INS/GNSS navigation solution for a moving platform is provided, comprising a receiver for receiving absolute navigational information from an external source (e.g., such as a satellite), means for obtaining speed or velocity information and an assembly of self-contained sensors capable of obtaining readings (e.g., such as relative or non-reference based navigational information) about the moving platform, and further comprising at least one processor, coupled to receive the output information from the receiver, sensor assembly and means for obtaining speed or velocity information, and operative to integrate the output information to produce a navigation solution. The at least one processor may operate to provide a navigation solution by using the speed or velocity information to decouple the actual motion of the platform from the readings of the sensor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Trusted Positioning Inc.
    Inventors: Jacques Georgy, Aboelmagd Noureldin
  • Patent number: 8723692
    Abstract: A terminal data loading device on a mobile platform includes a media unit for receiving a transportable media element containing media data and outputting a media signal to a control processor unit. The control processor unit outputs an information signal to a wireline communication unit. The wireline communication unit outputs a wireline signal to a network on the mobile platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Systems and Software Enterprises, LLC
    Inventors: Rodney Farley, Joseph Renton
  • Patent number: 8670932
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for navigating with the use of correlation within a select area are provided. One method includes, storing data required to reconstruct ranges and associated angles to objects along with statistical accuracy information while initially traversing throughout the select area. Measuring then current ranges and associated angles to the objects during a subsequent traversal throughout the select area. Correlating the then current ranges and associated angles to the objects to reconstructed ranges and associated angles to the objects from the stored data. Determining at least one of then current location and heading estimates within the select area based at least in part on the correlation and using the least one of the then current location and heading estimates for navigation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Randolph G. Hartman
  • Patent number: 8639803
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides a system that predicts the location of an entity, such as a friend of a user of a mobile device, and displays to the user this prediction information on a display screen of the mobile device. In some embodiments, the information may be displayed to the user in an augmented reality view (e.g., the prediction information may be displayed on top of an image as seen through a camera).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventors: Simon Moritz, Jonas Björk, Christina Moritz
  • Patent number: 8618952
    Abstract: A method of identifying an intersection for a collision warning system is disclosed. The method includes steps of selecting an identified intersection where a driver intends to turn from a set of potential intersections. The collision warning system is then controlled according to the identified intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 8606512
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for mitigating the risks associated with driving by assigning risk values to road segments and using those risk values to select less risky travel routes. Various approaches to helping users mitigate risk are presented. A computing device is configured to generate a database of risk values. That device may receive accident information, geographic information, vehicle information, and other information from one or more data sources and calculate a risk value for the associated road segment. Subsequently, the computing device may provide the associated risk value to other devices. Furthermore, a personal navigation device may receive travel route information and use that information to retrieve risk values for the road segments in the travel route. An insurance company may use this information to determine whether to adjust a quote or premium of an insurance policy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company
    Inventors: Jason Brian Bogovich, Julie A. Jordan
  • Patent number: 8571789
    Abstract: A navigation system includes: an angular velocity sensor 1 for detecting a change in an advancement direction of a vehicle; a vehicle azimuth calculation unit 13 for calculating a vehicle azimuth on the basis of angular velocity sensor information obtained from the angular velocity sensor; an on-board camera 2 for shooting a periphery of the vehicle; an image recognition unit 19 for recognizing an image obtained from the on-board camera; and an offset voltage correction unit 21 for performing a drift correction on the angular velocity sensor in accordance with an angle error between the vehicle azimuth calculated by the vehicle azimuth calculation unit and a vehicle azimuth determined from a white line on a road recognized by the image recognition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Monde, Katsuro Hayami, Masatoshi Fujii, Atsushi Maeda
  • Patent number: 8457923
    Abstract: Provided is a velocity calculating apparatus including: a horizontal-angular-velocity-detecting portion disposed to a main-body portion attached to a movable object moving along a movement plane to detect a horizontal-axis angular velocity around a horizontal axis perpendicular to a moving direction generated according to an inclination angle of the movement plane; a vertical-acceleration-detecting portion disposed to the main-body portion to detect a vertical acceleration generated according to a shape of the movement plane; a time-difference-calculating portion configured to calculate a time difference between characteristic components occurring in the horizontal-axis angular velocity and the vertical acceleration due to a position of the movement plane; and a velocity-calculating portion configured to calculate a time-differential velocity based on a ratio between an installation distance from a position to which the horizontal angular velocity is exerted in the overall movable object to an installation po
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Ohkubo
  • Patent number: 8400331
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted device (10) which receives and outputs a radio wave containing at least direction information as information includes: detection means which detects the radio wave; and control means which compares the detection direction received from the direction detection means which detects the direction of the vehicle head to the direction information so as to judge whether the information is to be outputted. Thus, it is possible to provide a vehicle-mounted device which can provide only the information required by a user, a method for outputting the information, and an information providing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kenwood
    Inventor: Hideyuki Nagatomo
  • Publication number: 20130044009
    Abstract: A vehicle wrong-way travel detection device includes a map information storage unit where map information is stored, a decision-making point setting unit that sets, based upon the map information stored in the map information storage unit, the connecting point located ahead along a subject vehicle traveling direction as a decision-making point, a wrong-way travel decision-making area setting unit that sets wrong-way travel decision-making areas for at least one of a plurality of roads connected to the decision-making point, and a wrong-way travel decision-making unit that makes a decision, based upon the direction of traffic flow set for a unidirectional traffic road connected to the decision-making point and the subject vehicle traveling direction, as to whether or not the subject vehicle is traveling against the flow of traffic on the unidirectional traffic road.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: Clarion Co.,Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Tagawa, Keisuke Mutou, Hajime Kasai, Akihiko Kouzai
  • Patent number: 8325065
    Abstract: A method and a system for providing a sighting reticle oriented to aim at a target from a vehicle within an environment of the target are described. The method improves the situational awareness of the operator regardless of the orientation and motion of the aiming instrument. The method comprises providing a graphical image representing the environment seen from the vehicle when aiming at the target; determining a state of the vehicle with respect to a spatial reference point; overlaying the sighting reticle onto the graphical image, the sighting reticle indicating the target on the graphical image with respect to the spatial reference point, the sighting reticle comprising a marking defining the spatial reference point; positioning the sighting reticle to orient the marking based on the state of the vehicle; and displaying on a display device the sighting reticle positioned on the graphical image to enable aiming at the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Marinvent Corporation
    Inventor: John M. Maris
  • Patent number: 8321128
    Abstract: A method of correcting a map matching and a navigation system for implementing the method are provided. The method includes: determining whether a vehicle turns by using an acceleration sensor; and performing a map matching correction by using the determination of whether the vehicle turns and Global Positioning System (GPS) information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Thinkware Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Sa Da Park
  • Patent number: 8296058
    Abstract: Method and apparatus of increasing location accuracy of an inertial navigational device is described. The inertial navigation device generates real-time data and transmits the real-time data to a second device so that the second device may obtain a location of the inertial navigational device. The inertial navigational device receives an update message from the second device, wherein the update message is created at the second device based on a comparison of the real-time data generated by the inertial navigational device against a magnetic field database and adjusts the depicted location of the inertial navigational device based on the update message in order to increase the location accuracy of the inertial navigational device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick D. Koskan, Charles B. Swope
  • Patent number: 8275422
    Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for controlling use of handset communication device for communication by driver. A system in accordance with an embodiment includes: an obtaining component for obtaining driving state information of the vehicle; a directional antenna for capturing a wireless communication signal of the handset communication device around the driver; a judging component for judging whether a driving state of the vehicle is in an unstable state based on predefined criteria and the driving state information of the vehicle; and a control component for transmitting a remote control signal, based on a judging result of the judging component, to intervene in a communication of the handset communication device during a call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Xiao Y. Chen, Jie X. Jiao, Song Song, Xiao F. Wang, Ying Wang, Yu D. Yang, James T. Yeh
  • Patent number: 8249302
    Abstract: A location and orientation in an environment is determined by first acquiring a real omni-directional image of an unknown skyline in the environment. A set of virtual omni-directional images of known skylines are synthesized from a 3D model of the environment, wherein each virtual omni-directional image is associated with a known location and orientation. The real omni-directional image with each virtual omni-directional images to determine a best matching virtual omni-directional image with the associated known location and orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Srikumar Ramalingam, Matthew Brand, Sofien Bouaziz
  • Patent number: 8243060
    Abstract: A system and processes for generalizing a collection of objects using points not necessarily part of the original objects are provided. Generalization of features in a digital map includes moving points to round number coordinates, while keeping topology correct and not moving points outside an allowed distance range, thus substantially reducing the size of the data so generalized. However, doing so requires moving points from the original polyline to new points. Generalization of polylines to points preferentially chosen from a relatively sparse set is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: deCarta Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Stitt, Richard F. Poppen
  • Patent number: 8229663
    Abstract: A vehicle awareness system for monitoring remote vehicles relative to a host vehicle. The vehicle awareness system includes at least one object sensing device and a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device. A data collection module is provided for obtaining a sensor object data map and vehicle-to-vehicle object data map. A fusion module merges the sensor object data map and vehicle-to-vehicle object data map for generating a cumulative object data map. A tracking module estimates the relative position of the remote vehicles to the host vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Shuqing Zeng, Hariharan Krishnan, Varsha Sadekar
  • Patent number: 8207869
    Abstract: A method of providing position estimation with a navigation device comprises periodically recording magnetic field strength of an area substantially surrounding a navigation device as a user of the navigation device traverses a select pathway. The method combines the recorded magnetic field strength with measurements from at least a dead reckoning portion of the navigation device to provide position estimates along the select pathway. The method further corrects each of the position estimates from a starting position on the select pathway, where each of the corrected position estimates have an error value below one or more previous position estimates and any intervening positions between each of the one or more previous position estimates and the starting position, with the error value corresponding to an error threshold based on the previous position estimates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Judd, Bruce Graham, Toan Vu
  • Patent number: 8204685
    Abstract: Provided is a road lane recognition method in a navigation device, which can differentiate a road lane occupied by a vehicle running on bidirectional lanes, including estimating a vehicle location based on satellite signal received from a carrier-based navigation satellite system and correction information received from a master station; determining a drive direction of the vehicle using vehicle location information and road lane information stored in a digital map; for each road lane in the road lane information, calculating a distance between a center line of the respective road lane and the vehicle location using the vehicle location information and the road lane information; and determining the road lane having a minimum value among the calculated distances as a drive lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Korea Aerospace Research Institute
    Inventors: Wooyong Kang, Eunsung Lee, Moonbeom Heo
  • Patent number: 8204643
    Abstract: Enabled is to estimate a self-position even when no landmark is seen or when an article confusing the landmark is brought in. An omnidirectional camera recognizes a vertical land-mark near a wall to determine a candidate for the self-position. On the basis of the candidate determined, a break in a map between a floor and a wall is projected on the camera image thereby to perform the matching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Murata Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Nakano
  • Patent number: 7991576
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, a portable device that generates position and orientation data to facilitate movement within a building. The device can be, for example, handheld or affixed to a cane. Data for navigation is derived from reflections from interior surfaces and dead reckoning sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventor: Stergios I. Roumeliotis
  • Patent number: 7991546
    Abstract: A display method and apparatus for a navigation system promotes to quickly search a desired on a map image with respect to an order of distance from a current vehicle position or other reference position. On the screen of the navigation system, it displays a specially designed screen to implement the city search operation which includes a state selection box and a city selection box. The navigation system detects the search direction specified by the user and moves the cursor to the location of the candidate city in response to every operation of the input device in the order of distance in the specified direction. Thus, the user is able to find the city by its relative location to the current vehicle position or other reference location, thereby enabling to quickly and intuitively search the target city.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Mike Iao
  • Patent number: 7952494
    Abstract: A map in a navigation apparatus is displayed on a screen with its orientation aligned with an orientation of a facility map that is distributed in a facility when a vehicle having the navigation apparatus is traveling in a facility area that has pre-memorized guide information. When the vehicle is traveling in a meandering section of a road, a rough direction is oriented upward in the map that is displayed on the screen. Furthermore, the map is displayed with an entrance direction, which is determined as a direction at a time of entering an area outside of the road such as a parking or the like, oriented upward under a circumstance that the vehicle is constantly turning its direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Oota
  • Patent number: 7869947
    Abstract: A navigation system and method having a function of alerting the driver to potential wrong way driving comprises means 102 for determining a position of a vehicle 300, means 107 for calculating a driving route of the vehicle 300, means 108 for determining a driving manoeuvre in accordance with the predetermined driving route 305, means 104, 105, 110, 111 for outputting indications relating to the determined driving manoeuvre to a driver of the vehicle 300, and means 109 for alerting the driver to potential wrong way driving including means 201 for detecting a potential wrong way driving situation and means 202, 104, 105, 110, 111 for outputting an indication relating to the potential wrong way driving situation to the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Harmut Schirmer, Karl-Friedrich Rauterberg
  • Patent number: 7848881
    Abstract: A system is provided for tracking and maintaining an inventory of location of containers that are stored on cargo ships or in a container yard. The system includes one or more sensors, such as GPS and INS sensors for obtaining real-time position information, as well as a processor configured to automatically provide post processing to recover lost data and to correct erroneous data, such as when real-time position signals are blocked or distorted, the post processing performed by estimating trajectories and correcting the location errors. Post-processed positioning techniques are continuously applied to the stored position data to iteratively determine calibrated position locations to provide calibrated second trajectory segments in a real-time fashion. The calibrated second trajectories are then used to identify the errors in the past real-time position data as soon as a segment of the second calibrated trajectory becomes statistically trustworthy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: ContainerTrac, Inc.
    Inventors: Han-Shue Tan, Larry Henry
  • Patent number: 7840345
    Abstract: A vehicular swept path processor and a map matching processor calculate a current position of a subject vehicle. A gyro sensor and a steering sensor output detection signals. A POI recognition processor makes a determination as to whether the vehicle stopped off at a POI or not based on the calculated current position and the outputted detection signals. When the determination is affirmatively made, i.e., the vehicle is determined to have stopped off at the POI, the POI recognition processor calculates a recognition confidence degree relative to an accuracy in the determination. A vehicle control ECU controls an in-vehicle device such that the in-vehicle device performs a predetermined operation corresponding to the POI in a mode according to the calculated recognition confidence degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiro Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 7821416
    Abstract: The invention relates to a goods transport vehicle including a detector system for detecting the direction in which an item passes through a loading/unloading door on the vehicle, the detector system including: a first read-interrogate element including a first antenna having a first detection lobe, the first read-interrogate element monitoring a first region situated on one side of the loading/unloading door; a second read-interrogate element including a second antenna having a second detection lobe that does not overlap the first detection lobe, the second read-interrogate element monitoring a second region situated on the other side of the loading/unloading door; and processor means connected to the first and second read-interrogate elements, the processor means determining the direction in which the item passes through as a function of the order in which the two regions are crossed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: NEOPOST Technologies
    Inventors: Guy Venture, Jérôme Lievre
  • Publication number: 20100215254
    Abstract: A method of object classification based upon fusion of a remote sensing system and a natural imaging system is provided. The method includes detecting an object using the remote sensing system. An angle of view of a video camera of the natural imaging system is varied. An image including the object is generated using the natural imaging system. The natural imaging system may zoom in on the object. The image represented in either pixel or transformed space is compared to a plurality of templates via a competition based neural network learning algorithm. Each template has an associated label determined statistically. The template with a closest match to the image is determined. The image may be assigned the label associated with the relative location of the object, the relative speed of the object, and the label of the template determined statistically to be the closest match to the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America
    Inventor: Danil V. Prokhorov
  • Patent number: 7756602
    Abstract: An entertainment system is for a vehicle and includes a vehicle environment sensor apparatus that captures data indicative of the vehicle's environment and that generates a vehicle environment data feed. A video game console is electronically coupled to the vehicle environment sensor apparatus and has an application program interface. The video game console receives the vehicle environment data feed, operates a game medium, and generates a video output signal based on both the game medium and the vehicle environment data feed. At least one controller is communicatively coupled to the video game console and directs the operation of the game medium. A display unit communicatively coupled with the application program interface receives the video output signal and displays images dependent upon the video output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America division of Panasonic Corporation of North America
    Inventors: Jeremy Koempel, Seung Chan Lim, Michael McManus
  • Publication number: 20100117870
    Abstract: There is described a method and a system for providing a sighting reticle oriented to aim at a target from a vehicle within an environment of the target. The method improves the situational awareness of the operator regardless of the orientation and motion of the aiming instrument and thus finds applications for the control of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventor: John M. Maris