Patents Assigned to Honda Research Institute Europe GmbH
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Patent number: 10583831Abstract: A method and a system for communicating a an ego-vehicle's determined behavior to a target object is for use in a driver assistance system of a vehicle. The method includes steps of acquiring data of a traffic scene preferably by sensor means configured to sense an environment of the vehicle, calculating a prediction result including a target object's behaviour based on the acquired sensor data, determining an action of the host vehicle based on the prediction result and generating an actuation signal for performing the determined action, and determining a communication information indicating the determined action. The communication information is output to a communication means for communication to the target object via at least one of a lighting means of the vehicle and a car-to-x communication means.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2015Date of Patent: March 10, 2020Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventor: Jens Schmüdderich
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Patent number: 10543854Abstract: The invention assists a person in acting in a dynamic environment. A method and a system for assisting a person operating an ego-vehicle a person supporting the operation of the ego-vehicle in a dynamic environment such as a traffic environment is proposed. The method encompasses determining a gaze direction of the person and identifying a target object based thereon, generating prediction information predicting a future behavior of the target object and the ego-vehicle, estimating a time-to-event or a distance or a distance variation for the ego-vehicle and the target object and generating a signal for driving an actuator and indicative of the estimated time-to-event, distance or distance variation. The actuator causes a stimulation being perceivable by the person by its perceptual capabilities based on the generated signal. The method determines whether assistance for assessing the dynamic situation is requested, for example by monitoring a gaze behavior of the person.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2018Date of Patent: January 28, 2020Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventors: Christiane Wiebel-Herboth, Matti Krüger
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Patent number: 10475348Abstract: The invention regards a method and a system for assisting a person in acting in a dynamic environment. At first, information on states at least two entities in a common environment is obtained. A future behaviour of each of the entities is then predicted based on the obtained information and a time to event for at least one predetermined event involving the at least two entities and a position of occurrence of the event relative to the person is estimated. Then, a signal indicative of the relative direction of the predicted event with respect to the person and indicative of the time to event for driving an actuator is generated, the signal causing a stimulation being perceivable by the person by its perceptual capabilities, wherein the time to event is encoded such that the signal's saliency is the higher the smaller the time to event is.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2018Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventor: Matti Krüger
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Patent number: 10460073Abstract: A method for improving ergonomics of a vehicle obtains a first information defining an initial cockpit configuration. Further, information on a cockpit user's shape and information of a seat and steering wheel position which the user typically uses while driving, are obtained. This information is fed into a bio-mechanical simulation which carries out the simulation based upon the information defining the initial cockpit configuration, the user's shape and the user's seat and steering wheel position. In the bio-mechanical simulation, an ergonomic quality criteria is calculated for reaching movements during driving. Based upon the simulation result which is the quality criteria, the cockpit configuration is changed. The bio-mechanical simulation and the changing of the cockpit configuration in the optimization process is then repeated until a predetermined stop condition is fulfilled. The cockpit configuration which is achieved at that point in time is output as final cockpit-configuration.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2016Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventor: Bernhard Sendhoff
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Patent number: 10421464Abstract: The invention regards a method, a system and a vehicle for analyzing a rider performance. The vehicle is any vehicle that employs a roll angle change for changing its driving direction. Firstly, physical motion parameters of the vehicle in motion are sensed and the measured data is supplied to computing unit. In the computing unit, segments in a time series of measured data are determined by processing the measured data in the computing unit. Each segment corresponds to a rider control behavior and the plurality of such consecutive rider control behavior build a riding maneuver. In the computing unit, the measured data within one segment for at least one of the segments is analyzed by computing at least one characteristic value for the respective segment and/or the sequence of determined segments is analyzed. Finally, an analysis result indicating the rider performance or rider skills is output.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2017Date of Patent: September 24, 2019Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventors: Martin Heckmann, Herbert Janssen, Nils Magiera, Hermann Winner
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Patent number: 10321625Abstract: The invention regards an autonomous working machine comprising drive means, current position estimation means, control means including a driving control unit and a camera. With aid of the current position estimation means the current position of the autonomous working machine is estimated. Furthermore, the driving control unit generates driving commands for the driving means on the basis of an intended movement of the autonomous working machine and the estimated current position. The camera is configured to capture images of the environment of the working machine. For estimating the current position, the current position estimation means is formed by the control means, which is configured to apply visual odometry on the captured images for estimating the current position of the working machine.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2016Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventors: Nils Einecke, Mathias Franzius, Jörg Deigmöller
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Patent number: 10279474Abstract: The invention relates to a method for improving operation of at least one robot. The robot is being operated on the basis of a set of predefined actions. A method comprises generating combined actions by combining at least two actions out of a set of original actions stored in an action library. Storing the combined actions in the actions library in addition to the original actions. Applying a reinforcement learning algorithm to the set of actions stored now in the action library to learn a control policy making use of the original actions and the combined actions. And finally, operating the robot on the basis of the resulting action library.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2016Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventors: Manuel Mühlig, Michael Gienger, Akinobu Hayashi
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Patent number: 10220841Abstract: An advanced driver assistant system and a method for assisting a driver of a vehicle in driving the vehicle. The system includes sensing means for sensing an environment of the vehicle, a storing unit for storing a database for storing prototypical situations associated with risk information, a processing unit and an output unit to output an assistance signal on the basis of which driver information can be output and/or vehicle operators can be actuated. The processing unit is configured to determine parameters of the vehicle and/or objects in the environment of the vehicle based upon the sensing means output, to classify a traffic situation on the basis of the determined parameters by comparing the determined parameters with parameters of the prototypical traffic situations, to extract risk information from the database and to calculate an expected risk for the encountered traffic situation on the basis of the extracted risk information.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2016Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventors: Bernhard Sendhoff, Julian Eggert
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Patent number: 10168158Abstract: The invention regards a navigation system and a method for error correction. The navigation system comprises a base navigation system and a correction system. Measurement uncertainties are assigned to each measurement and an error threshold is computed on the basis of these uncertainties. Redundant measurements are determined and residuals for at least a pair of redundant measurements as a discrepancy measure are calculated. In case that the residual exceeds a respective threshold an error count for each measurement involved in the determination of the residual is increased. All residuals for each measurement are summed up for a particular measurement and for carrying out the correction in a fusion filter measurements are selected on the basis of their respective error count and summed up residuals.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2017Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventor: Nico Steinhardt
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Patent number: 10166919Abstract: The invention is related to a method and vehicle comprising a driver seat and at least one passenger seat for providing a co-driver and/or fellow passenger with information on a currently experienced driving situation. In an estimating unit at least one driver parameter is estimated. The driver parameter describes at least one aspect of current driving action performed by the driver of the vehicle. Furthermore, in the estimating unit at least one traffic situation parameter is estimated describing at least an aspect of the traffic situation encountered by the vehicle. From the at least one driver parameter and/or from the at least one traffic situation parameter then information that is related to the currently experienced driving situation is generated. This information is then output to a co-driver and/or fellow passenger via a dedicated interface unit.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2017Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventor: Thomas Weisswange
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Patent number: 10131065Abstract: The invention regards a system and method for assisting reductive shaping of an object into a desired 3D-shape by removing material. The system comprises a tool and a localization means. The tool is configured to remove material from an object by means of a cutting function or a grinding function performed by a working head of the tool. The localization means determines a position of the working head relative to the desired 3D-shape. Each time the grinding function or cutting function would remove material from an inside of the desired 3D-shape the cutting or grinding function is deactivated.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2016Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventor: Mathias Franzius
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Patent number: 10129521Abstract: In one aspect, an image processing method for processing images is provided, comprising the steps of: obtaining, from an optical sensor, at least two images, determining an image warping function at least partially compensating the distortion, applying the determined image warping function to the image including the distortion, and calculating by a processing unit, and outputting, a depth and/or disparity image from the at least two images.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2014Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventors: Nils Einecke, Julian Eggert
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Patent number: 10083605Abstract: The invention regards a method and a system for assisting a driver in driving a vehicle, as well as a vehicle with such system being mounted thereon. Information on an environment of a vehicle is obtained by sensing the environment. Furthermore, information on applicable traffic rules is obtained. A request from a driver is determined from sensing at least one of a driver's utterance, gestures, gaze and operation of vehicle control. The traffic scene as sensed is assessed on the basis of the environmental information, the applicable traffic rules and the determined driver request. Information as requested to be output is generated in response to the determined request of the driver. Finally the information in response to the request from the driver is output.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2017Date of Patent: September 25, 2018Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventors: Bernhard Sendhoff, Martin Heckmann
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Patent number: 9987898Abstract: Embodiments of the invention address the area of predictive suspension control system for a vehicle, particularly a two-wheel vehicle such as a motor cycle or a scooter. The system includes a stereo sensor unit which for generating image data, a computing unit which extracts a relevant image portion from the image data based on future vehicle path data, and calculates road unevenness on a future vehicle path of the vehicle based on the generated image data. A suspension control unit generates an adaptation signal for adapting the suspension based on the calculated road unevenness. The computing unit adapts a search direction of a stereo algorithm or a correlation area of the stereo algorithm based on a lean angle of the vehicle to generate the three-dimensional partial image data from the relevant image portion, and fits a road model to the three-dimensional partial image data to calculate the road unevenness.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2016Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventors: Jörg Deigmöller, Nils Einecke, Herbert Janssen, Oliver Fuchs
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Patent number: 9978273Abstract: A method and a system for improving a traffic participant's attention is such that, at first, information on the traffic scene that is encountered by the traffic participant is obtained. From the obtained information a traffic situation development is predicted. A measure for at least on future risk in the predicted traffic situation development is determined and a communication with the traffic participant is started. The communication comprises a first step of notifying the traffic participant and a second step of providing additional information in response to the traffic participants reaction to the notification which includes some information on the determined future risk.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2016Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventor: Martin Heckmann
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Patent number: 9969388Abstract: A method for computationally predicting future movement behavior of a target object and program includes producing sensor data by at least one sensor physically sensing the environment of a host vehicle, and computing a plurality of movement behavior alternatives of the target object sensed by the sensors. The computing includes predicting movement behaviors of the target object applying context based prediction using at least one indirect indicator and/or indicator combinations derived from senor data. In the context based prediction, a probability that the target object will execute a movement behavior is estimated. A future position of the target object is estimated and a signal representing the estimated future position is outputted. At least one history indicator for a movement behavior alternative is generated for a current point in time using at least one indicator of an indirect indicator at a point in the past.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2015Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventor: Jens Schmüdderich
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Patent number: 9969393Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for assisting a driver in driving a vehicle, in which sensor data are produced by at least one sensor physically sensing the environment of a host vehicle or by obtaining data conveying information about the environment of a host vehicle, an object in a path of the host vehicle is detected based on the sensor data, a distance between the host vehicle and the detected object is controlled based on a preset gap (tGAP), environmental conditions of the host vehicle are estimated based on the sensor data, gap adaption indicators associated to the estimated environmental conditions are determined, wherein each of the gap adaption indicators indicates an extension or a reduction of the preset gap (tGAP) and the preset gap (tGAP) is adjusted based on the gap adaption indicators.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2016Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventors: Sven Rebhan, Marcus Kleinehagenbrock
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Patent number: 9889858Abstract: The invention relates to a driving assistance system including a prediction subsystem in a vehicle. According to a method aspect of the invention, the method comprises the steps of accepting an environment representation; calculating a confidence estimate related to the environment representation based on applying plausibility rules on the environment representation, and providing the confidence estimate as input for an evaluation of a prediction based on the environment representation.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2014Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventor: Jens Schmüdderich
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Patent number: 9878710Abstract: The invention regards a method for improving performance of a method for computationally predicting a future state of a target object, a driver assistance system and a vehicle with such driver assistance system. First data describing a traffic environment including a target object is acquired. On the basis of the acquired data at least one prediction step for estimating a future state of an object in the traffic environment is performed and a signal indicative of a prediction result describing an estimated future state of the target object and/or an ego vehicle is generated. An actual state of the target object and/or the ego vehicle is observed and quality of the prediction by comparing the observed actual state and the prediction result is estimated. Finally the prediction result and/or parameters of the prediction algorithm is adapted.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2016Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventors: Jens Schmüdderich, Sven Rebhan
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Patent number: 9883114Abstract: The invention relates to a control system for an autonomous garden tool that is equipped with at least one camera and one motor. The control system comprises a camera control module and an image generation module. With the camera control module the camera settings are controlled that are used for capturing images. With the image generation module two consecutive images in a sequence of images that is captured by the camera is determined whereby theses two consecutive images are captured on the basis of different camera settings. The two determined pictures are used as a basis for generating an HDR image in an HDR mode of the control system.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2014Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBHInventors: Nils Einecke, Mathias Franzius