With Control Of Safety Device (e.g., Air Bags) Patents (Class 342/72)
  • Patent number: 11926274
    Abstract: A front bumper includes a bumper body and a bumper inner. The bumper body is exposed to the outside of a vehicle. The bumper inner is located inside the bumper body. The bumper inner includes an inner body that extends in a lateral direction of the vehicle along an inner surface of the bumper body, and at least one bumper stay that extends from the inner body toward a body of the vehicle and that is fixed to the body. The bumper stay includes a base plate that is joined to the body, and a reinforcing wall that extends in a vertical direction from a peripheral edge of the base plate. The inner body includes a cut along either or both of upper and lower edges of the inner body that extend in the lateral direction, the cut extending in a range including a position closest to the bumper stay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shota Kotake
  • Patent number: 11892537
    Abstract: A nonlinear radar system includes a handheld unit including a display screen, a first antenna configured to generate and emit an incident signal having a first frequency, and a second antenna configured to receive a reflected return harmonic signal having a second frequency, as well as a transponder tag is attached to an existing golf ball. Such a transponder tag is in communication with and responsive to the handheld unit, and includes an electromagnetic nonlinear element configured to be detected by the incident signal without the need for a line of sight. Upon being detected by the incident signal, the transponder tag is configured to transmit the reflected return harmonic signal having the second frequency different from the first frequency. The transponder tag is passive and does not require a power source other than incident radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignees: Ballocalor LLC, Texas Tech University System
    Inventors: Dan Fazzini, Robert B. Fazzini, Steven Johnson, Changzhi Li, Vishal Gajendrarao Yadav, Emmanuel Camacho, Rhyse James Ishmael Joseph, Leya Zeng
  • Patent number: 11879966
    Abstract: A semiconductor package having an antenna; and a semiconductor die which is coupled to the antenna and comprises a transmitter configured to transmit wirelessly via the antenna a wireless signal having information on a local oscillator signal to a further semiconductor package comprising a further semiconductor die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Josef Boeck, Rudolf Lachner, Maciej Wojnowski, Walter Hartner
  • Patent number: 11878685
    Abstract: A vehicle control method, a vehicle control apparatus, an electronic device and a self-driving vehicle all relates to the field of self-driving and intelligent transportation technologies. The method includes: when a vehicle is moving, in a case that an occluding object is detected, determining a hard brake speed limit point and a potential collision point according to a planned path of the vehicle and position information of the occluding object; calculating a speed limit value of the hard brake speed limit point based on a distance between the hard brake speed limit point and the potential collision point; in a case that a planned speed of the vehicle at the hard brake speed limit point is less than or equal to the speed limit value, controlling the vehicle to move at the planned speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Beijing Baidu Netcom Science Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lei Zhang, Kai Yang, Qijuan Yin, Wuzhao Zhang, Xiaoyan Wang
  • Patent number: 11874367
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining a plant height of field crops. The ascertainment of the plant height taking place with the aid of a signal of a radar sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Roman Walther, Stefan Aniol
  • Patent number: 11866038
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of detecting, by a transport, an environment via a first sensor, determining, by the transport, an event related to the environment is imminent, powering, by the transport, a second sensor associated with the imminent event, and detecting, by the transport, the event as it is occurring via the second sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Norman Lu, Maximilian Parness
  • Patent number: 11858522
    Abstract: A device for detecting a failure of an actuator of a vehicle includes: a training device that trains a model using training data comprising behavior data of the vehicle and a steering compensation angle, and a controller that detects the failure of the actuator in the vehicle based on the model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sang Hyu Lee, Ki Beom Lee, Joo Han Nam, Jong Su Lim, Hyun Jae Bang
  • Patent number: 11851052
    Abstract: Based on a set of planned control parameters defining a planned path for a vehicle, a set of reference control parameters corresponding to the set of planned path control parameters are identified. Optimized controller inputs associated with the identified set of reference control parameters, the set of planned control parameters, and operation noise data are input to a vehicle dynamics model that outputs a vehicle state model. Based on the vehicle state model, an actual path for the vehicle and an operating range for the actual path are determined. The planned path is determined to be one of verified or unverified based on the operating range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yuming Niu, Md Tawhid Bin Waez, Yousaf Rahman, Nagarjuna Muvva
  • Patent number: 11851053
    Abstract: In an approach to collaborative accident prevention, that a first vehicle is approaching an intersection is detected. A first vehicle information vector is broadcast from the first vehicle, where the first vehicle information vector contains at least a first vehicle speed, a first vehicle position, and a first vehicle direction. Responsive to receiving a second vehicle information vector from a second vehicle, an optimal order to cross the intersection is calculated based on the first vehicle information vector and the second vehicle information vector. A first adjusted vehicle speed is signaled to the first vehicle and a second adjusted vehicle speed is signaled to the second vehicle based on the optimal order to cross the intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Zsolt Szalai, Frederic Bauchot, Joel Viale
  • Patent number: 11852749
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to a radar system in an autonomous vehicle. The radar system has a radar module including at least one beam steering antenna and an antenna controller. The radar system also includes a perception module having an object detection module to detect objects in a path and surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle, and a decision network to determine a control action for the antenna controller to perform based on the detected objects and a control policy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Metawave Corporation
    Inventor: Matthew Harrison
  • Patent number: 11846698
    Abstract: An object detection apparatus includes an irradiator configured to irradiate a detection wave, a detector configured to detect a reflected wave of the detection wave, and a controller configured to estimate an arrival direction and a flight distance of the reflected wave. The controller is configured to perform an object detection process on a detection result of the reflected wave only when the arrival direction and the flight distance are included in a detection target range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Masamitsu Nishikido, Yukitoshi Kanayama, Sunao Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11827238
    Abstract: The technologies described herein relate to a computing architecture in an autonomous vehicle (AV). The AV includes a radar system that includes a local data processing device. The AV also includes a centralized data processing device. The local data processing device is configured to perform processing on raw sensor data generated by the radar system to form a feature vector. The local data processing device transmits the feature vector to the centralized data processing device, which performs further processing to identify an object in an environment of the AV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: GM CRUISE HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Michael Meyer, Georg Kuschk
  • Patent number: 11802946
    Abstract: To dynamically control power in a lidar system, a controller identifies a triggering event and provides a control signal to a light source in the lidar system adjusting the power of light pulses provided by the light source. Triggering events may include exceeding a threshold speed, being within a threshold distance of a person or other object, an atmospheric condition, identifying residue on a surface of a window of the lidar system, etc. In some scenarios, the power is adjusted to address eye-safety concerns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Luminar Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Austin K. Russell, Jason M. Eichenholz, Laurance S. Lingvay
  • Patent number: 11801831
    Abstract: A parking control apparatus and a parking control method are provided. According to at least one aspect, the present disclosure provides a parking control apparatus including a signal processor, a determinator, and a controller. the signal processor is configured to receive first to Nth radar signals reflected from first to Nth regions of a ground surface from one or more radars disposed in a vehicle and to calculate information about the first to Nth regions, wherein N is a natural number. the determinator is configured to determine whether the ground surface is a slope based on the information about the first to Nth regions and to determine whether parking the vehicle is possible. the controller is configured to generates control information for controlling parking of the vehicle according to a determination result of the determinator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sang Ho Ahn
  • Patent number: 11770689
    Abstract: A vehicle-to-vehicle communications system utilizes passive modulation of radar signals to communicate information between vehicles. Passive radar modulators may be provided at the rear of a forward vehicle and used to enrich radar interrogation signals from a rearward vehicle with additional information. Since radar transceivers are already located on a great deal of modern vehicles, this functionality may be easily retrofitted into many vehicles without the addition of a radar transceiver. A number of vehicles in a line of vehicles may pass information back through the line by passive modulation of radar interrogation signals from each vehicle. Accordingly, a vehicle may gain information about vehicles ahead of the one directly in front of it, thereby enabling “see through radar” functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Perkins
  • Patent number: 11740323
    Abstract: A radar system includes a transmitter, a receiver, and a processor. The transmitter transmits continuous wave radio signals. The receiver receives radio signals that includes the transmitted radio signal reflected from targets in an environment. The targets include a first target and a second target. The first target is closer than a first threshold distance from the vehicle, and the second target is farther than the first threshold distance from the vehicle. A processor is configured to process the received radio signals. The processor is configured to selectively process the received radio signals to detect the second target. The processor selectably adjusts operational parameters of at least one of the transmitter and the receiver to discriminate between the first target and the second target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Uhnder, Inc.
    Inventors: Curtis Davis, Jean P. Bordes, Monier Maher, Wayne Stark, Raghunath K. Rao
  • Patent number: 11719808
    Abstract: A vehicular sensing system includes a sensor module disposed at the vehicle. The sensor module includes first and second radar sensors and a camera. A field of sensing of the first radar sensor is encompassed by a portion of a field of view of the camera and a field of sensing of the second radar sensor is encompassed by another portion of the field of view of the camera. Outputs of the radar sensors and the camera are communicated to a control. The control, responsive to processing of the outputs of the radar sensors, detects the presence of an object exterior the vehicle and within the field of sensing of at least one of the first and second radar sensors. The control, responsive to detection of an object via processing of the outputs of the radar sensors, processes the output of the camera to classify the detected object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Helmut A. Wodrich, Walter G. Woodington
  • Patent number: 11648960
    Abstract: A control method and a control device are provided for autonomously controlling a host vehicle when turning across an oncoming lane at an intersection with a signal light being green. A determination is made as to whether or not the host vehicle can make a right or left turn while a signal light is still green at a time of the right or left turn, either while the host vehicle in the left lane is waiting in a row of vehicles to make the right turn or while the host vehicle traveling in the right lane is waiting in a row of vehicles to make the left turn at an intersection during travel under autonomous driving. The host vehicle then creeps forward to a start position for starting at a next time the signal light is green upon determining the right or left turn cannot be made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hajime Miura
  • Patent number: 11639984
    Abstract: According to a first aspect, a radar system with blockage detection is provided. The radar system includes a first antenna for receiving first signals and a second antenna for receiving second signals. Input circuitry processes the first signals to generate first input signals and processes the second signals to generate second input signals. A processor computes a correlation between the first input signals and the second input signals, determines a correlation variance related to variation in the correlation, and generates a determination as to whether the radar system is blocked using the correlation variance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Veoneer US, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Eskowitz
  • Patent number: 11603096
    Abstract: A traveling control apparatus performs a target-following control process on a target to be followed detected by a target detecting unit. Further, the traveling control apparatus calculates a probability that the target to be followed is within an own lane, and determines whether a degree of recognition by the target detecting unit of the target to be followed is in a weakly recognized state where the degree of recognition is weaker than a predetermined degree. The apparatus sets a reliability of the target to be followed on the basis of the probability calculated by a probability calculating process and a determination result by a determining process, and controls acceleration of an own vehicle so that a jerk which is a differential value of the acceleration becomes smaller as the reliability of the target to be followed is lower while the target-following control process is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Takuma Sudo, Takashi Maeda, Naoki Kusumoto
  • Patent number: 11585919
    Abstract: Certain aspects provide a method for radar detection by an apparatus. The method generally includes transmitting a radar waveform in sets of transmission time intervals (TTIs), using a common set of radar transmission parameters in each set of TTIs, to perform detection of a target object, varying at least one of the common set of radar transmission parameters between sets of TTIs, and identifying interfering signals based on observed changes in monitored parameters of received signals across sets of TTIs due to the varying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Kapil Gulati, Junyi Li, Sundar Subramanian, Michael John Hamilton
  • Patent number: 11528586
    Abstract: A communication system is a communication system provided in a mobile body and including an acquirer configured to acquire a destination of the mobile body and a position of the mobile body, and a communicator configured to communicate with a communication device outside the mobile body using an antenna, in which the communicator is configured to set a reception sensitivity of the antenna when the position of the mobile body approaches to within a predetermined distance from the destination of the mobile body to be higher than a reception sensitivity of the antenna before the position of the mobile body approaches to within the predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryusuke Tamanaha, Masaru Otaka
  • Patent number: 11507087
    Abstract: A distributed integrated sensing and communication (DISC) module for an autonomous vehicle is described herein. The DISC module includes at least a first sensor system, a second sensor system, a processor, and memory. The first sensor system and the second sensor system are different types of sensor systems. The first sensor system outputs a first sensor signal, and the second sensor system outputs a second sensor signal. The DISC module can detect and track an object (or objects) based on the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal. Moreover, the DISC module can output data indicative of the object as detected. In the DISC module, the first sensor system, at least a portion of the second sensor system, the processor, and the memory are integrated on a single substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: GM CRUISE HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventor: Vason Srini
  • Patent number: 11498617
    Abstract: A vehicle control method for controlling a vehicle using a vehicle control apparatus includes: a sensor configured to detect a state outside a subject vehicle; and a control device. The vehicle control method includes: executing control of recovering a travel trajectory of the subject vehicle to a target trajectory, as ordinary control, by giving a steering amount in a lateral direction with respect to a travel lane of the subject vehicle; using detection data of the sensor to determine whether or not another vehicle is traveling in an adjacent lane to the travel lane of the subject vehicle; and when determining that the other vehicle is traveling in the adjacent lane ahead of the subject vehicle, increasing a response of the steering amount to a higher response than that in the ordinary control, before the subject vehicle passes the other vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuta Akamatsu, Masahiro Kobayashi, Yasuhisa Taira, Osamu Fukata, Ko Sato
  • Patent number: 11474246
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle tracking device capable of appropriately tracking a vehicle. The vehicle tracking device is a vehicle tracking device that tracks a target vehicle that travels at the periphery of a host vehicle. The vehicle tracking device includes: an estimation unit that estimates a rectangular frame approximating an external shape of the target vehicle on the basis of past data; and a specifying unit that specifies an advancing direction of the target vehicle on the basis of layout of contour data composed of a plurality of pieces of detection point data, which is detected by a sensor that is mounted to the host vehicle and detects a relative position of a detection target with respect to the host vehicle as the detection point data, and indicates a contour of the target vehicle, with respect to a reference side that is a side on the host vehicle side among sides of the rectangular frame along a vehicle width direction of the rectangular frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Makoto Sawada
  • Patent number: 11415994
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for planning a travelling path, and a vehicle are provided. The method includes: determining at least one reference curve covering a first length range, and selecting a target reference curve covering the first length range from the at least one reference curve covering the first length range; extracting a curve to be adjusted covering a second length range from the target reference curve covering the first length range; processing the curve to be adjusted based on a safety parameter within the second length range, to obtain an adjusted curve; and determining a travelling path covering the first length range based on the adjusted curve and the target reference curve. The complexity of an actual traffic scene is taken into account, and a travelling path planning is not affected by the accuracy of sampling points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: APOLLO INTELLIGENT DRIVING TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiaoxin Fu, Dayang Hao, Zhenguang Zhu, Zhiyuan Chen, Fan Zhu
  • Patent number: 11414083
    Abstract: A method for avoiding a lateral collision of an ego vehicle includes monitoring a lateral area of the ego vehicle, the monitored area subdivided into at least two subareas and the subareas are at least one pre-warning area and a trigger area. The method also includes identifying a target vehicle in the pre-warning and trigger area, determining movement parameters of the ego vehicle and of the target vehicle. The ego vehicle is controlled in such a way that the distance from the target vehicle is increased. Further, the ego vehicle is controlled as a function of a residence time of the target vehicle in the pre-warning area and in the trigger area, wherein the monitored subareas are located on the lane neighboring the lane used by the ego vehicle and/or a lane adjacent to the neighboring lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Yannick Berghöfer, Ahmed Boughaleb Hassani
  • Patent number: 11391835
    Abstract: A method for locating positions of electronic devices is provided. The method includes receiving, by a master electronic device, movement information of the electronic devices, and setting the electronic devices to a first reference device, a second reference device, or a normal electronic device, based on the movement information, calculating, by the first reference device, a distance between the first reference device and the second reference device and a distance between the first reference device and the normal electronic device, calculating, by the second reference device, a distance between the second reference device and the normal electronic device, and transmitting the calculated distance information to the first reference device, and calculating, by the first reference device, a position of the normal electronic device by a triangulation method, based on the distances among the first reference device, the second reference device, and the normal electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Inventors: Dongkyu Lee, Yongwook Kim, Jungho Ahn
  • Patent number: 11378671
    Abstract: A system and method for identifying the presence of an occupant in a vehicle. The system includes a first sensor positioned within a seating area of a seat and having a corresponding sensitive zone passing through the seating area vertically, and a second sensor positioned within a back rest area of the seat and having a corresponding sensitive zone passing through a chest area of an occupant horizontally. The first sensor is adapted to sense coarse movements adjacent to and farther from the sensor while the second sensor is adapted to capture both coarse and finer movements, such as breathing and heartbeats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Edge 3 Technologies
    Inventors: Tarek El Dokor, James Holmes
  • Patent number: 11372097
    Abstract: Radar systems are disclosed having phase measures limited to +/??. An optical flow method considers the time derivative of the range with respect to phase (or velocity), and gives an indication of whether the phase is outside the measurable range by comparing the derivatives to forward and reverse wrap thresholds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventor: Matt Harrison
  • Patent number: 11374311
    Abstract: A millimeter-wave radar cover housing a millimeter-wave radar including an antenna and an electronic circuit configured to drive the antenna includes: a first site provided in front of the millimeter-wave radar to protect the millimeter-wave radar and transmit millimeter waves emitted from the antenna; and a second site including a housing space in which the antenna and the electronic circuit except for the first site are housed. The first site is made of a stacked structural body obtained by stacking at least one layer of a first constituent material having a negative relative permittivity in the frequency band of the millimeter waves and a second constituent material having a positive relative permittivity in the frequency band of the millimeter waves, and the stacked structural body is curved in a convex shape in a direction centered at an emission source of the millimeter electromagnetic waves and departing from the emission source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Yamada, Kento Tada
  • Patent number: 11180101
    Abstract: A sensor attachment structure includes an energy absorption member, a sensor attachment portion provided to the energy absorption member and configured to attach a sensor case that houses a pressure sensor, and a cover that defines a space to house the sensor case between the cover and the sensor attachment portion. The sensor case is attached to the sensor attachment portion by locking. At least one of the sensor case, the sensor attachment portion, and the cover includes a fall preventing structure that prevents the sensor case from falling off an opening formed by the sensor attachment portion and the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Teruaki Aizawa, Tatsuya Ishizaki, Hiroyuki Midorikawa, Masaki Umezawa, Keita Kataoka
  • Patent number: 11131770
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle radar. According to an embodiment, the vehicle radar includes: a housing including an inner space therein; a board disposed within the housing and configured to generate a radar emission signal; a radome configured to transmit a radar emission signal generated from the board and coupled to the housing so as to protect the board; and a shield plate configured to block or absorb some or all of electromagnetic waves generated from the board. A portion of a lower surface of the radome includes an inner recess, and the shield plate is coupled to the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Moon Hee Park, Sang-Min Kim
  • Patent number: 11131768
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses pertaining to automotive parking assistance using radar sensors are described. A processor controls a plurality of radar sensors to transmit radio frequency (RF) signals and receive reflected signals reflected by an object such that each of the radar sensors individually transmits a respective RF signal and receive a respective reflected signal reflected by the object. The processor or the radar sensor detects one or more aspects of the object based on the respective reflected signals received by the plurality of radar sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Inventors: Chih-Ming Hung, ChiaYu Lin
  • Patent number: 11073600
    Abstract: A vehicular system includes a body panel having an aperture and a radar unit at least partially aligned with the aperture. The radar unit includes a housing encapsulating a printed circuit board operable to generate radar waves. The housing includes a first wall through which the radar waves are directed. The first wall of the housing is visible within the aperture and the body panel does not extend across the first wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Raphael Hellinger
  • Patent number: 10852418
    Abstract: A sensing system of a vehicle includes a sensor module disposed at the vehicle. The sensor module includes first and second radar sensors and a camera. A field of sensing of the first radar sensor is encompassed by a portion of a field of view of the camera and a field of sensing of the second radar sensor is encompassed by another portion of the field of view of the camera. Outputs of the radar sensors and the camera are communicated to a control. The control, responsive to processing of the outputs of the radar sensors, detects the presence of an object exterior the vehicle and within the field of sensing of at least one of the radar sensors. The control, responsive to detection of an object via processing of the outputs of the radar sensors, processes the output of the camera to classify the detected object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Helmut A. Wodrich, Walter G. Woodington
  • Patent number: 10809368
    Abstract: The target information detection system according to the present invention includes a measurement-side speed detection device for detecting the speed of a measurement-side moving body as a moving body speed, and a target-side speed detection device for detecting the speed of a target as a target speed, and when it is determined from a Doppler frequency that the relative speed of the measurement-side moving body and the target is equal to or less than a mode switching speed set in advance, a target information detection device switches a target information detection mode from a Doppler mode to a communication mode, acquires a moving-body speed via the measurement-side speed detection device and acquires a target speed via the target-side speed detection device, and calculates target information using the moving-body speed and the target speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shingo Yamanouchi
  • Patent number: 9239381
    Abstract: A radioaltimeter (5) having a signal generator-receiver (10) and signal transceiver means (20) connected to the generator-receiver (10), and a display member (30), said transceiver means (20) comprising a transceiver main member (21) for sending a signal towards a ground (S) in order to determine the height (H) between said main member (21) and said ground (S), said display member (30) having main display means (31) for displaying said height (H). Furthermore, the radioaltimeter (5) includes switch means (40) together with a control unit (50), and secondary display means (32) of said display member (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
    Inventor: Herve Dutruc
  • Patent number: 9168889
    Abstract: A method for releasing a restraint device for a rider on a vehicle, the restraint device having a connecting element by which the rider is detachably connected to the vehicle, includes: ascertaining an inclination angle and/or a slope angle of the vehicle; ascertaining a rotational rate about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and/or a transverse axis of the vehicle; comparing each ascertained rotational rate with an associated critical rotational rate which is a function of the inclination angle and/or the slope angle; and releasing the connecting element if the ascertained rotational rate is at least equal to the associated critical rotational rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Lich, Andreas Georgi
  • Patent number: 8876157
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a system of a vehicle for protection of a vulnerable road user. The system includes a remote sensor, a contact-based sensor, and a pedestrian protection device. The method may include scanning a region in front of the vehicle by the remote sensor to detect a target object and, if a target object is detected, classifying the target object into an object category based on information from the remote sensor. The method may also include selecting the selectable fire interval of an evaluation algorithm using the object category as input and, if an impact is detected by the contact-based sensor, the contact-based sensor sending information about the impact to the evaluation algorithm. The method may also include the evaluation algorithm evaluating if the signal is within the selectable fire interval, and in that case activating the pedestrian protection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Par Nilsson, Bjorn Johansson, Stefan Jarvholm, Peter Harda, Martin Ask
  • Patent number: 8818703
    Abstract: Provided is an object recognition device and an object recognition method that can estimate the size of an object detected by a radar, through a simple configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoaki Harada
  • Patent number: 8793034
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a complete vehicle ecosystem are provided. Specifically, systems that when taken alone, or together, provide an individual or group of individuals with an intuitive and comfortable vehicular environment. The present disclosure includes a system to recognize the drivers and/or passengers within the automobile. Based on the recognition, the vehicle may change a configuration of the automobile to match predetermined preferences for the driver and/or passenger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 8577550
    Abstract: A control system and method to mitigate intersection crashes is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes an electronic control module equipped with memory and in communication with at least one radar sensor system, at lest one environmental sensor system, at least one vehicle stability system, an operator advisory system, a brake control system, a controllable steering system, and a powertrain control system. In one embodiment, the method may include determining whether a vehicle is entering an intersection, determining whether the operator is responding correctly to the sensed conditions in the intersection, activating the controlled brakes, determining any intersection threat, determining whether any sensed threat is imminent, activating the accident mitigation adviser, reducing engine torque while in the intersection, and actuating steering and brake control systems while in the intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jianbo Lu, Priya Prasad, Panagiotis Tsiotras, Efstathios Velenis, Dimitar Petrov Filev
  • Publication number: 20130181860
    Abstract: A system and method for providing multifunctional safety in a vehicle through a remote sensor is described. The remote sensor is configured to detect surrounding objects through a radar wave at a predefined angle, and within a predefined distance. A control module calculates velocity, severity and likelihood of the object impacting the vehicle through a calculated approach vector of a detected object. The control module further compares the severity of impact, to a pre-determined threshold value, and configures an impact algorithm to initialize and deploy in-vehicle safety systems upon the object crossing a calculated threshold of distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jialiang Le, Manoharprasad K. Rao, Eric L. Reed
  • Patent number: 8473173
    Abstract: An automatic vehicle braking system prohibits vehicle propulsion upon detection of a triggering event, and includes sensors that detect the triggering event, a processor. A logic gate and a vehicle gear sensor cooperate with the processor to automatically activate and deactivate a vehicle braking system, which includes a solenoid switch responsive to an output signal from the logic gate. An air valve is activates the vehicle braking system by permitting air to pass downstream of the air valve and to existing vehicle brake pads. An outlet port is situated downstream from the inlet port of the air valve casing. A piston is linearly reciprocated within the casing such that the inlet port is in fluid communication with the existing air tank of the vehicle. In this manner, the outlet port may be adapted to be in fluid communication with an existing brake pad of the vehicle braking system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Inventor: William Robles
  • Patent number: 8427361
    Abstract: The radar apparatus includes a target candidate detecting means for detecting a peak frequency at which the intensity of the power spectrum of a beat signal peaks as a target candidate, a road shape recognizing means to sequentially connect, along a predetermined direction, the target candidates detected to be stationary and present within a reference distance from one of the target candidates set as a reference target candidate for one or more measurement cycles and recognize an area formed by the sequentially connected target candidates as an edge of the road, a cruise environment estimating means to determine whether the cruise environment is a closed space or an open space based on the power spectrum, and a reference distance correcting means to shorten the reference distance when the cruise environment is determined to be a closed space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Sato
  • Patent number: 8391336
    Abstract: To generate a pulse for ranging, a kernel is convolved with a spreading sequence. The spreading sequence is parametrized by one or more ordered (length, sparsity) pairs, such that the first sparsity differs from the bit length of the kernel and/or a subsequent sparsity differs from the product of the immediately preceding length and the immediately preceding sparsity. Alternatively, a kernel is convolved with an ordered plurality of spreading sequences, all but the first of which may be non-binary. The pulse is launched towards a target. The reflection from the target is transformed to a received reflection, compressed by deconvolution of the spreading sequence, and post-processed to provide a range to the target and/or a direction of arrival from the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: A.P.M. Automation Solutions Ltd
    Inventor: Alex Chiskis
  • Patent number: 8248295
    Abstract: A pre-crash safety system, which is not influenced by a false recognition that another vehicle is approaching and which causes the vehicle to conduct a safety measure operation when the possibility of a collision exists, is disclosed. The pre-crash safety system includes a collision prediction unit that makes the prediction of a collision between the vehicle and the another vehicle that has entered a monitoring area of the radar device; and a control unit that causes the own-vehicle to conduct the safety measure operation based on a result of the prediction of a collision by the collision prediction unit. The vehicle does not conduct the safety measure operation if, after the another vehicle has entered the monitoring area, a reflection point coordinate which represents a reflection point of a radar wave on the another vehicle is positioned within a predefined direction range when viewed from the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Tsunekawa
  • Patent number: 8232912
    Abstract: In an FM/CW type radar device (R), when object candidate information storage means (M5) stores as object candidate information a distance or a relative speed for an object that is determined based on a combination of peak signals on the rising side and the falling side in each detection area, if a difference in frequency between peak signal 1 determined in a given detection area and peak signal 2 determined in another detection area is no greater than a predetermined value and object candidate information due to peak signal 1 and object candidate information due to peak signal 2 stored in the object candidate information storage means (M5) are substantially equal to each other, grouping means (M7) carries out grouping of the two peak signals and, furthermore, object information calculation means (M8) calculates the distance or relative speed for the object based on a combination of peak signals on the rising side and the falling side after the grouping processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hayato Kikuchi
  • 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