Automatic Route Guidance Vehicle Patents (Class 701/23)
  • Patent number: 11897516
    Abstract: A method for simulation of an autonomous vehicle includes preparing a setting of a parameter and an initial value configured to determine a driving condition of the autonomous vehicle and a driving condition of an event to be performed by a surrounding vehicle to implement a simulation environment of the autonomous vehicle. The method further includes performing a normal driving in which the surrounding vehicle travels at a speed and a position that match a predetermined condition set in the parameter to perform the event given, and performing an event driving in which the surrounding vehicle performs the event given based on a setting value of the parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Hong Cho
  • Patent number: 11897500
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for managing private digital authentication information, known as secrets, for autonomous vehicles. In particular, systems and methods are provided for automating the acquisition of secrets by autonomous vehicles upon start-up, such that secrets are not stored on autonomous vehicles that are powered down. A secrets manager is installed on each autonomous vehicle that can request sets of secrets at start-up and provide the secrets to various modules in the vehicle. Secrets can be updated centrally and autonomous vehicles can easily access updated secrets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Collin Richard Mulliner, Graziano Giuseppe Misuraca
  • Patent number: 11897482
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle is configured to request that a driver grip a steering wheel at the time of a predetermined driving scene, judge whether a steering wheel grip status is a one-handed grip status or a two-handed grip status, and judge based on the steering wheel grip status whether the status is a grip completion status where the steering wheel has finished being gripped. The control device is further configured to change whether to judge the status is a grip completion status if at least a one-handed grip status or to judge whether the status is a grip completion status only if a two-handed grip status in accordance with the driving scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kiyotoshi Sekine, Takahiko Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 11897519
    Abstract: A system and method for utilizing multiple driver stations in a track vehicle is described. A primary driver station can utilize controls with hybrid drive by wire (DbW) functionality (i.e. hydro-mechanical and electric control). A secondary driver station and a tertiary driver station can utilize controls with DbW (i.e. electronic) control systems. The secondary and tertiary driver stations can be adapted for autonomous driving. The invention also includes a method of transfer between driver stations with safeguards for safety and reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: ST ENGINEERING LAND SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventors: Tze Meng Jensen Chew, Fu-Jun Timmy Low
  • Patent number: 11892848
    Abstract: A method for interactions during encounters between a mobile robot and an actor, a mobile robot configured for execution of delivery tasks in an outdoor environment, and a use of the mobile robot. The method comprises the mobile robot traveling on a pedestrian pathway; detecting an actor by the mobile robot via a sensor system; identifying a situation associated with the detected actor; in response to the identified situation, determining an action to execute by the mobile robot, and executing the determined action by the mobile robot. The mobile robot comprises a navigation component configured for at least partially autonomous navigation in an outdoor environment; a sensor system configured for collecting sensor data during an encounter between the mobile robot and an actor; a processing component configured to process the sensor data and output actions for the mobile robot to perform; and an output component configured for executing actions determined by the processing component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: STARSHIP TECHNOLOGIES OÜ
    Inventor: Markus Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 11893887
    Abstract: Whether a vehicle is parked inside parking lines in a parking lot is detected. When the vehicle is detected not parked inside the parking lines, either the vehicle or the parking lines are moved in such a manner that the vehicle is parked inside the parking lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takanori Imazu, Yoshiki Fukada, Ryuji Okamura, Takashi Hayashi, Kohki Baba, Satoshi Omi, Akihiro Kusumoto, Yuta Kataoka
  • Patent number: 11892857
    Abstract: Distributed data sampling, including: receiving a sampling target; generating, based on one or more sensors, sampled data; determining, based on the sampling target, a value for the sampled data; and determining, based on the value for the sampled data, whether to provide the sampled data to a remotely disposed computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: GHOST AUTONOMY INC.
    Inventors: John Hayes, Volkmar Uhlig, Akash J. Sagar
  • Patent number: 11884340
    Abstract: A steering control device includes: a first calculator configured to calculate, according to a turning state, a first control amount for causing a motor to generate an assistance force; a second calculator configured to calculate a second control amount for adapting an actual angle to a target angle that is convertible into a turning angle of a steering wheel and generated when a host control device intervenes in steering control; and a third calculator configured to calculate, according to the turning state, a third control amount for offsetting the second control amount when the host control device intervenes in steering control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shingo Nitta, Takahiro Toko, Yoji Kunihiro, Takahiro Kojo, Hisaya Akatsuka
  • Patent number: 11885626
    Abstract: An example method includes setting an initial pickup location. The method includes causing an autonomous vehicle to navigate towards the initial pickup location. The method includes periodically generating a plurality of candidate updated pickup locations. The method includes selecting a suggested pickup location from the plurality of candidate pickup locations that achieves a benchmark for reducing one or more of a time and a distance associated with the initial pickup location for one or more of the autonomous vehicle and the client device. The method includes determining that the suggested pickup location satisfies a set of pre-update checks for limiting a number of pickup location updates. The method includes responsive to (i) selecting the suggested pickup location, and (ii) determining that the suggested pickup location satisfies the set of pre-update checks, causing the autonomous vehicle to navigate to the suggested pickup location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Eric Friedman, Saksiri Tanphaichitr, Donghyun Kim, Ben Wang, Cameron Blume, Mishika Vora, Gaurav Agarwal
  • Patent number: 11885636
    Abstract: An approach is provided for automatically coding cartographic feature(s), e.g., human settlement(s). The approach involves receiving data point(s) associated with point location(s) and indicative of a cartographic feature. The approach also involves retrieving or generating a cartographic feature polygon corresponding to the cartographic feature based on the data point(s). The approach further involves generating a plurality of polygon data points that replicate the cartographic feature polygon, and/or a spider web model that represents the point location(s). The approach further involves retrieving imagery data depicting the cartographic feature based on the plurality of polygon data points and/or the spider web model. The approach further involves merging the data point(s), the plurality of polygon data points, and/or the imagery data to generate new or updated polygon structure data point(s) to represent the cartographic feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
    Inventor: Ashish Deepchand Yadav
  • Patent number: 11889149
    Abstract: Embodiments for intelligent mitigation of concentration conflicts by a processor. A concentration level of a user required for one or more primary activities may be determined from one or more data sources. A distraction level indicating a possible impact to the concentration level caused by one or more secondary objects may be determined. One or more actions may be provided to mitigate the possible impact to the concentration level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hernan A. Cunico, Sarbajit K. Rakshit, Jonathan Dunne, Martin G. Keen
  • Patent number: 11884293
    Abstract: Disclosed are autonomous vehicles that may autonomously navigate at least a portion of a route defined by a service request allocator. The autonomous vehicle may, at a certain portion of the route, request remote assistance. In response to the request, an operator may provide input to a console that indicates control positions for one or more vehicle controls such as steering position, brake position, and/or accelerator position. A command is sent to the autonomous vehicle indicating how the vehicle should proceed along the route. When the vehicle reaches a location where remote assistance is no longer required, the autonomous vehicle is released from manual control and may then continue executing the route under autonomous control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Arvind Srinivasan, Samann Ghorbanian-Matloob, Sean Shanshi Chen, Eli Schleifer, Shelley Bower, Patrick Willett
  • Patent number: 11878796
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) a fixed frame and a rotating arm pivotably coupled to the fixed frame at a central axis. The fixed frame includes peripheral propellers and corresponding motors for flying the UAV, and a central electronics enclosure for housing electronics used to control the UAV. The rotating arm is between the propellers and configured to rotate with respect to the fixed frame about the central axis. The rotating arm includes magnetic feet at a first end of the rotating arm and configured to perch and magnetically attach the UAV to a ferromagnetic surface, a docking station at the first end and configured to release and dock a releasable crawler, and a battery at a second end of the rotating arm opposite the first end and configured to supply power to the motors and the housed electronics, and to counterbalance the first end about the central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Maksims Ceborahs, Fadl Abdellatif
  • Patent number: 11880209
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus for providing a traversability map of a robot and a controlling method thereof are provided. The electronic apparatus includes a transceiver, a memory configured to store feature information of each of a plurality of robots, and at least one processor configured to receive sensing data obtained by sensing vicinity by at least one external device from the external device from the at least one external device, through the transceiver, generate at least one map with respect to a space where the at least one external device is positioned based on the received sensing data, generate a traversability map for traversal of a robot based on feature information of at least one robot among the plurality of robots and the generated at least one map, and control the transceiver to transmit the traversability map to the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soonbeom Kwon, Dodam Kim, Hyunki Hong
  • Patent number: 11872932
    Abstract: An automotive lamp includes a first semiconductor light source and a second semiconductor light source configured to emit different colors, and to mix the two colors, so as to generate mixed-color light. A first driving circuit supplies a first driving current stabilized to a first target amount to the first semiconductor light source. A second driving circuit supplies a second driving current stabilized to a second target amount to the second semiconductor light source. Upon detecting an abnormal non-lighting state in the first semiconductor light source, the first abnormal state detection circuit stops the operation of the second driving circuit. Upon detecting an abnormal non-lighting state in the second semiconductor light source, the second abnormal state detection circuit stops the operation of the first driving circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 11875685
    Abstract: A convoy travel system includes a plurality of vehicles and is configured such that the plurality of vehicles form a convoy and travel. The plurality of vehicles include a preceding vehicle and following vehicles configured so as to follow the preceding vehicle by means of automatic driving. The preceding vehicle is equipped with a steering information acquisition unit configured so as to acquire steering information pertaining to steering of the preceding vehicle, and a transmission unit configured so as to transmit the steering information to the following vehicles. The following vehicles are equipped with a reception unit configured so as to receive the steering information, and an automatic driving control unit configured so as to begin a steering angle control for avoiding a collision with an obstruction when the steering information indicates the execution of emergency steering for avoiding a collision with the obstruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignees: HINO MOTORS, LTD., JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirokazu Okuyama, Nobuhiko Kojima, Naoshi Ichinose, Hirofumi Yasui, Tomonari Yamakawa, Sadahiro Kawahara, Masayoshi Takeda, Syuuichi Yonemura
  • Patent number: 11866069
    Abstract: A method for selecting parking location for an autonomous driving vehicle is provided. The method comprises steps of: obtaining a request of a user; constructing a first map according to a current location of the user, a first parking location, and a high-precision map; obtaining a second parking location selected by the user on the first map; controlling the autonomous driving vehicle to drive to the second parking location, and calculating distance between a current location of the autonomous driving vehicle and the second parking location; when the distance is less than a preset distance, constructing a second map according to the current location of the autonomous driving vehicle, the second parking location, and the high-precision map; controlling the autonomous driving vehicle to drive to the second parking location selected by the user on the second map. Furthermore, an intelligent control device and an autonomous driving vehicle are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Shenzhen Guo Dong Intelligent Drive Technologies Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Jianxiong Xiao
  • Patent number: 11866034
    Abstract: A parking assist system includes an automated driving vehicle and a management device configured to transmit, to the automated driving vehicle, a guide path to a parking position and a parking start instruction. The automated driving vehicle includes an information transmission unit that transmits, to the management device, travelable information in response to receiving predetermined data from the management device. The management device includes a data transmission unit that transmits the predetermined data and a driving setting unit that determines, based on the travelable information transmitted from the at least one automated driving vehicle, whether parking of the automated driving vehicle is possible and instruct the automated driving vehicle to start parking in response to determining that parking of the automated driving vehicle is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takamasa Hidaka, Koudai Yamaura
  • Patent number: 11858739
    Abstract: A honeycomb system includes at least one modular storage unit. The modular storage unit comprises a set of dual-goods-location shelves, at least one lifting machine, at least one shuttle vehicle and at least one power station. The set of dual-goods-location shelves are parallel to each other to form a roadway where the shuttle vehicle operates. The power station is arranged at two ends or in a middle portion of the dual-goods-location shelves and is integrated with a transmission mechanism and a support frame. The transmission mechanism is connected to the shuttle vehicle and the lifting machine to perform goods transfer therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: BLUESWORD INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yaohua Wu, Xiaoyi Zhang, Xia Jiang, Yigong Zhang
  • Patent number: 11862989
    Abstract: A computer receives determines a mobile device requires a recharge, where the mobile device have a solar cell and an imaging device. The computer identifies an object with a low diffusion rate. The computer recharges the mobile device, based on determining that the mobile device receiving the solar energy from the identified object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation Armonk
    Inventors: Aaron K. Baughman, Shikhar Kwatra, Diwesh Pandey, Arun Joseph
  • Patent number: 11860631
    Abstract: The technology relates to detecting and responding to processions. For instance, sensor data identifying two or more objects in an environment of a vehicle may be received. The two or more objects may be determined to be disobeying a predetermined rule in a same way. Based on the determination that the two or more objects are disobeying a predetermined rule, that the two or more objects are involved in a procession may be determined. The vehicle may then be controlled autonomously in order to respond to the procession based on the determination that the two or more objects are involved in a procession.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: David Harrison Silver, Qichi Yang
  • Patent number: 11858531
    Abstract: Provided are a method, a device, and a computer program for controlling stop of an autonomous vehicle using a speed profile. The method of controlling, by a computing device, stop of an autonomous vehicle using a speed profile includes obtaining surrounding information of an autonomous vehicle, determining candidate routes for controlling stop of the autonomous vehicle on the basis of the surrounding information, calculating scores for candidate driving plans for the autonomous vehicle to travel the determined candidate routes according to a preset speed profile, and finalizing a driving plan for the autonomous vehicle on the basis of the calculated scores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: RideFlux Inc.
    Inventors: Junghee Park, Sungpil Yang, Hyunjung Cho, Deokhwa Han, Ho Yun, Hawook Jeong
  • Patent number: 11852746
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to a multi-sensor fusion platform for use in autonomous vehicles, the multi-sensor fusion platform including a camera perception engine having a camera neural network to detect and identify objects in camera data, a lidar perception engine having a lidar neural network to detect and identify objects in lidar data, and a radar perception engine having a radar neural network to detect and identify objects in radar data, such that training of the radar neural network is bootstrapped with the camera and lidar neural networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Metawave Corporation
    Inventor: Matthew Paul Harrison
  • Patent number: 11851077
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for determining when to provide and providing secondary disengage alerts for a vehicle having autonomous and manual driving modes. For instance, while the vehicle is being controlled in the autonomous driving mode, user input is received at one or more user input devices of the vehicle. In response to receiving the user input, the vehicle may be transitioned from the autonomous driving mode to a manual driving mode and provide a primary disengage alert to an occupant of the vehicle regarding the transition. Whether to provide a secondary disengage alert may be determined based on at least circumstances of the user input. After the transition, the secondary disengage alert may be provided based on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Philip Nemec, Keith Hutchings, Julien Mercay, Annissa Al-Alusi, Saswat Panigrahi, Cristi Landy, Matthew Schwall
  • Patent number: 11851844
    Abstract: A controller may identify a command to move an implement in a particular direction and an amount of time for the implement to move in the particular direction. The controller may determine an estimated velocity of the implement moving in the particular direction. The controller may determine a predicted travel distance of the implement in the particular direction. The controller may cause, based on a stop position associated with the particular direction and the predicted travel distance of the implement in the particular direction, the implement to move from a current position to a reset position. The controller may cause the command to be executed to cause the implement to move, in the particular direction and for the amount of time, from the reset position to another position without hitting the stop position associated with the particular direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Sharma, Raghavendra Boloor, Steven C Budde, Jeremy J. Diaz
  • Patent number: 11850759
    Abstract: A control method and system for a robot. The robot control method includes allocating a task to a robot, the task associated with a place and a target user, determining a location of the target user based on an image received from a camera, the camera being arranged in a space including the place, and controlling a performance time of the task based on the location of the target user and the place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: NAVER LABS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seijin Cha, Kahyeon Kim
  • Patent number: 11853067
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to arranging a pickup between a driverless vehicle and a passenger. For instance, dispatch instructions dispatching the vehicle to a predetermined pickup area in order to pick up the passenger are received by the vehicle which begins maneuvering to the predetermined pickup area. While doing so, the vehicle receives from the passenger's client computing device the device's location. An indication that the passenger is interested in a fly-by pickup is identified. The fly-by pickup allows the passenger to safely enter the vehicle at a location outside of the predetermined pickup area and prior to the one or more processors have maneuvered the vehicle to the predetermined pickup area. The vehicle determines that the fly-by pickup is appropriate based on at least the location of the client computing device and the indication, and based on the determination, maneuvers itself in order to attempt the fly-by pickup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Nathaniel Fairfield, Joshua Seth Herbach, Christopher Kennedy Ludwick, Matthew Paul McNaughton, Renaud-Roland Hubert, Jennifer Arden, Min Li Chan
  • Patent number: 11851084
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling an autonomous vehicle are disclosed herein. One embodiment determines a reference path for the autonomous vehicle along a roadway segment and steers the autonomous vehicle along a path that includes controlled back and forth lateral deviations from the reference path along the roadway segment to provide feedback to an occupant of the autonomous vehicle, the feedback indicating to the occupant that the autonomous vehicle is in an autonomous driving mode and that the autonomous driving mode is operating correctly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel Ludwig Kuehner, Daniel J. Brooks, Hiroshi Yasuda, Jaime Camhi
  • Patent number: 11847870
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and vehicles for taking a vehicle out-of-service are provided. In one example embodiment, a method includes obtaining, by one or more computing devices on-board an autonomous vehicle, data indicative of one or more parameters associated with the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle is configured to provide a vehicle service to one or more users of the vehicle service. The method includes determining, by the computing devices, an existence of a fault associated with the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the one or more parameters associated with the autonomous vehicle. The method includes determining, by the computing devices, one or more actions to be performed by the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the existence of the fault. The method includes performing, by the computing devices, one or more of the actions to take the autonomous vehicle out-of-service based at least in part on the fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Poeppel, Nicholas G. Letwin, Sean J. Kelly
  • Patent number: 11844475
    Abstract: A robot cleaner of the present disclosure includes: a main body forming an outer shape; a pair of rotary mops configured to rotate in contact with a floor to move the main body; a drive motor configured to rotate the pair of rotary mops; a mop sensing unit comprising at least one micro switch provided on a surface of the rotating plate configured to output a sensing signal when the mop cloth is attached; and a controller configured to determine attachment state of the mop cloth based on the sensing signal and control the driving of the rotary mop. Accordingly, the robot cleaner may detect whether the mop cloth is attached to the rotating mop, and alert the user, thereby protecting the floor by preventing wet cleaning without the mop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Gangeun Kim
  • Patent number: 11844304
    Abstract: An autonomous travel work machine includes a main body and a wheel, and is configured to execute a predetermined operation on an operation target while causing the main body to autonomously travel with the wheel. The autonomous travel work machine includes: an operation unit having a shape projecting from an upper face of the main body, the operation unit being operated by being pressed from an upper face side; and a protection unit located at a front side in a traveling direction of the main body relative to the operation unit, the protection unit being disposed at a height equal to or higher than an upper end of the operation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Takeichi, Kouki Tsuruda
  • Patent number: 11846511
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sampling method and system for path planning of a mobile robot in a man-machine environment, including: calculating a distance between a node and the closest obstacle on a map, simultaneously detecting a pedestrian in an environment and marking a position of the pedestrian; selecting a starting point position as a root node, and initializing a search tree; choosing a candidate node in a passable region, calculating a cumulative cost from a node to the candidate node, and choosing a node with the lowest cost as a growth node; performing collision detection on a connecting line between the growth and the candidate nodes, and determining whether collision detection succeeds; connecting the candidate node to the growth node, and determining whether the candidate node is a goal; and acquiring a node connecting line set from the root node to the goal to form a final path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: SOOCHOW UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Wenzheng Chi, Zhiyu Ding, Guodong Chen, Lining Sun
  • Patent number: 11846943
    Abstract: A driver assistance system for motor vehicles. The system includes a vehicle surroundings sensor system (for detecting vehicle surroundings information which includes multiple sub-sensor systems, in a driving mode for hands-free driving, a vehicle guidance being carried out based on vehicle surroundings information detected by the vehicle surroundings sensor system, the vehicle guidance encompassing functions for the vehicle transverse guidance and for the vehicle longitudinal guidance. An error handling unit is configured, in the driving mode for hands-free driving, to maintain the vehicle guidance with different restrictions of functions of the vehicle guidance, and to output a vehicle guidance take-over request to a person driving the vehicle, in different failure scenarios of sub-sensor systems of the vehicle surroundings sensor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Wimmer, Kathrin Zeeb
  • Patent number: 11841601
    Abstract: A vehicle photographic booth is provided that accommodates cameras with lenses with focal lengths that avoid wide angle distortion that is common in low end car photography. The photographic booth has an ovoid hemispherical dome shape with a camera mounted at the apex of the ovoid portion so as to accommodate longer focal length lenses. The overall dimension of the ovoid section of the dome for placement of a camera is determined by the available floor space of a user. The use of an enclosed ovoid hemispherical dome shape that rotates with respect to a stationary stage, or in the alternative a fixed enclosed ovoid hemispherical dome with a rotating stage allows for much less light to be needed as compared to a full open volume. An ovoid shape also provides a smaller fixed footprint than a full structure for an equal camera distance from a subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Inventor: Davo Scheich
  • Patent number: 11834048
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a recognition part, a driving control part, and an output control part. When determining there is a section where a current driving mode cannot be continued in a first lane and the vehicle changes to a second lane, the output control part outputs predetermined information, including first and second information, before reaching the section. When detecting an intention to change lanes after outputting the first information, and a lane change to the second lane is completed before outputting the second information, the driving control part continues a first driving mode executed during traveling in the first lane even after the lane change is completed, and when detecting the intention to change lanes after outputting the first information, and the lane change to the second lane is completed after outputting the second information, the driving control part changes to a driving mode imposing a larger task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Yamabe, Nozomu Hirosawa, Daichi Kato
  • Patent number: 11834027
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a driving controller that switches between autonomous driving an manual driving of a vehicle, a seat whose form is changed between a form during autonomous driving and a form during manual driving that are different from each other, and a seat controller that controls motion of the seat when a form of the seat is changed. If the seat is in a form during autonomous driving, the driving controller does not switch autonomous driving to manual driving when controlling the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Ozawa, Takayoshi Ito
  • Patent number: 11834076
    Abstract: Sensor data identifying an emergency vehicle approaching the autonomous vehicle may be received. A predicted trajectory for the emergency vehicle may be received. Whether the autonomous vehicle is impeding the emergency vehicle may be determined based on the predicted trajectory and map information identifying a road on which the autonomous vehicle is currently traveling. Based on a determination that the autonomous vehicle is impeding the emergency vehicle, the autonomous vehicle may be controlled in an autonomous driving mode in order to respond to the emergency vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Aishwarya Parasuram, Xin Liu, Luyuan Lin, Brandon Douglas Luders
  • Patent number: 11834045
    Abstract: The subject matter described in this specification is directed to a system and techniques for operating an autonomous vehicle (AV) at a multi-way stop intersection. After detecting the AV is at a primary stopline of the multi-way stop intersection, a planned travel path though the multi-way stop intersection is obtained. If the planned travel path of the AV through the multi-way stop intersection satisfies a set of one or more clearance criteria, the AV proceeds past the primary stopline. The clearance criteria include a criterion that is satisfied in response to detecting the AV is clear to safely merge into a travel lane corresponding to the planned travel path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Motional AD LLC
    Inventor: Scott Drew Pendleton
  • Patent number: 11827217
    Abstract: A computer is programmed to identify first and second virtual boundaries of a roadway lane based on a predicted boundary between the roadway lane and an adjacent roadway lane, determine a first constraint value based on a first virtual boundary approach acceleration, determine a second constraint value based on a second virtual boundary approach acceleration, output a prescribed steering angle, brake input, and propulsion input when one of the constraint values violates a respective threshold, and actuate components to attain the prescribed steering angle, brake input, and propulsion input. The first virtual boundary approach acceleration is based on a steering wheel angle of a vehicle and input to one of a brake or a propulsion of the vehicle. The second virtual boundary approach acceleration is based on a steering wheel angle of the vehicle and input to one of a brake or a propulsion of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Hafner, Mrdjan J. Jankovic, Yousaf Rahman, Abhishek Sharma, Mario Anthony Santillo
  • Patent number: 11827242
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle and a drunk driving responding method, includes an autonomous driving control apparatus including a processor that is configured to determine whether the vehicle is in an emergency situation when the alcohol is detected in the vehicle, and to move the vehicle to an operational design domain when the processor concludes that the vehicle is in the emergency situation, and a communication device that is configured to notify a government office or a rescue organization of the emergency situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Seo Hyung Cheon, Eun Young Choi, Woo Jin Kim, Rosali Sun Pyun, Ki Seok Seong, Dong Il Yang, Min Sang Yu
  • Patent number: 11829156
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle including a sensor system configured to detect an environment in a field of view of the autonomous vehicle and to output data of the detected environment. A computing system of the autonomous vehicle can detect that a portion of a roadway along a route of the autonomous vehicle in the field of view of the autonomous vehicle is obscured. Responsive to the detection of the obscured portion of the roadway, the computing system can transmit a request for a second autonomous vehicle to view the portion of the roadway. The computing system can receive fill data representative of an output of a second sensor system of the second autonomous vehicle detecting the portion of the roadway in a field of view of the second autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: GM CRUISE HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventor: Matthew Cox
  • Patent number: 11823460
    Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for fusing scenes from real-time image feeds from on-vehicle cameras in autonomous vehicles to reduce redundancy of the information processed to enable real-time autonomous operation are described. One example of a method for improving perception in an autonomous vehicle includes receiving a plurality of cropped images, wherein each of the plurality of cropped images comprises one or more bounding boxes that correspond to one or more objects in a corresponding cropped image; identifying, based on the metadata in the plurality of cropped images, a first bounding box in a first cropped image and a second bounding box in a second cropped image, wherein the first and second bounding boxes correspond to a common object; and fusing the metadata corresponding to the common object from the first cropped image and the second cropped image to generate an output result for the common object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: TUSIMPLE, INC.
    Inventors: Yijie Wang, Siyuan Liu, Lingting Ge, Zehua Huang
  • Patent number: 11820398
    Abstract: A learning apparatus configured to be able to communicate with a plurality of equipment in which learning models are mounted, wherein when first equipment among the plurality of equipment in which a learning model trained using training data sets acquired in a predetermined first area is mounted and which is controlled by the same is used in a predetermined second area, the learning apparatus uses training data sets acquired in the second area to relearn the learning model mounted in the first equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daiki Yokoyama, Ryo Nakabayashi
  • Patent number: 11823594
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to develop driving simulations. An example apparatus includes a vehicle configuration engine to retrieve first tier environment parameters associated with a simulation type, and generate second tier environment parameters associated with the simulation type, a simulation modifier (SM) source engine to identify a source of SMs, and distinguish respective ones of the source of SMs that are compatible with the simulation type and the second tier environment parameters, and a development environment configuration engine to improve simulation design efficiency by associating simulation events with only the respective ones of the SMs that are compatible with the simulation type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ignacio Alvarez, Laura Rumbel, Adam Jordan, Carlos Montesinos
  • Patent number: 11820428
    Abstract: The autonomous LC control is started in response to receiving a start instruction of autonomous lane change. When the driver performs a steering intervention in a same direction as a direction of steering requested by the autonomous LC control, and establishment of a stop condition of lane change is not recognized, during execution of the autonomous LC control, the autonomous driving control is continued. When the steering intervention in the same direction is performed, and establishment of the stop condition is recognized, during execution of the autonomous LC control, termination of the autonomous driving control is announced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenichiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 11820373
    Abstract: Techniques for analysis of autonomous vehicle operations are described. As an example, a method of autonomous vehicle operation includes storing sensor data from one or more sensors located on the autonomous vehicle into a storage medium, performing, based on at least some of the sensor data, a simulated execution of one or more programs associated with the operations of the autonomous vehicle, generating, based on the simulated execution of the one or more programs and as part of a simulation, one or more control signal values that control a simulated driving behavior of a simulated vehicle, and providing a visual feedback of the simulated driving behavior of the simulated vehicle on a simulated road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: TUSIMPLE, INC.
    Inventors: Yixin Yang, Dinghua Li
  • Patent number: 11822340
    Abstract: The present teaching relates to method, system, medium, and implementations for robot path planning. Depth data of obstacles, acquired by depth sensors deployed in a 3D robot workspace and represented with respect to a sensor coordinate system, is transformed into depth data with respect to a robot coordinate system. The 3D robot workspace is discretized to generate 3D grid points representing a discretized 3D robot workspace. Based on the depth data with respect to the robot coordinate system, binarized values are assigned to at least some of 3D grid points to generate a binarized representation for the obstacles present in the 3D robot workspace. With respect to one or more sensing points associated with a part of a robot, it is determined whether the part is to collide with any obstacle. Based on the determining, a path is planned for the robot to move along while avoiding any obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: EDDA TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Guo-Qing Wei, Yuanfeng Mao, Li Fan, Xiaolan Zeng, Jianzhong Qian
  • Patent number: 11823466
    Abstract: A characteristic of a flicker component is detected to perform object detection at a higher speed and with higher accuracy. An object detection device according to an embodiment is provided with a solid-state imaging device (200) provided with a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, the solid-state imaging device that detects, according to a light amount incident on each of the pixels, occurrence of an event in the pixel, a flicker detection unit (12) that generates flicker information on the basis of the occurrence of the event detected by the solid-state imaging device, and an object detection unit (15) that detects an object on the basis of the flicker information detected by the solid-state imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignees: SONY GROUP CORPORATION, SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kei Nakagawa, Shin Kitano
  • Patent number: 11820369
    Abstract: A lane departure prevention apparatus (17) has: a departure preventing device (172) for preventing a vehicle (1) from departing from a driving lane by controlling at least one of a steering apparatus (142) and a braking apparatus (13) selected on the basis of a state of the vehicle, when it is determined that the vehicle may depart from the driving lane; and a determining device for determining whether or not an abnormality condition that it is difficult for a person to normally drive the vehicle is satisfied, the departure preventing device prevents the vehicle from departing from the driving lane by controlling the braking apparatus even if the state of the vehicle is not a predetermined state in which the departure preventing device should prevent the vehicle from departing from the driving lane by controlling the braking apparatus, when it is determined that the abnormality condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masayuki Ikeda, Ryo Inomata, Akira Nagae, Hironori Ito
  • Patent number: 11822011
    Abstract: The technology relates to enhancing or extending the field of view of sensors for vehicles configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode. One or more mirrors are used to reflect or redirect beams emitted from onboard sensors that would otherwise be wasted, for instance due to obstruction by a portion of the vehicle or because they are emitted at high pitch angles to the side. The mirrors are also used to redirect incoming beams from the external environment toward one or more of the onboard sensors. Using mirrors for such redirection can reduce or eliminate blind spots around the vehicle. A calibration system may be employed to account for mirror movement due to vibration or wind drag. Each mirror may be a front surface mirror. The mirrors may be positioned on the vehicle body, on a faring, or extending from a sensor housing on the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Mingcheng Chen, Benjamin Pitzer, Pierre-Yves Droz, William Grossman