Patents Assigned to Pony.ai, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11681032
    Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media for triggering a sensor operation of a second sensor (e.g., a camera) based on a predicted time of alignment with a first sensor (e.g., a LiDAR), where operation of the second sensor is simulated to determine the predicted time of alignment. In this manner, the sensor data captured by the two sensors is ensured to be substantially synchronized with respect to the physical environment being sensed. This sensor data synchronization based on predicted alignment of the sensors solves the technical problem of lack of sensor coordination and sensor data synchronization that would otherwise result from the latency associated with communication between sensors and a centralized controller and/or between sensors themselves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Pingfan Meng, Zhenhao Pan, Stephen Lee, Wei-Yang Chiu, Kai Chen
  • Patent number: 11681988
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can receive stop point data from a plurality of sources. The stop point data can be aggregated into a central repository. A request for stop point data at a particular location can be received from a first vehicle. The stop point data at the particular location stored in the central repository can be transmitted to the first vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Peter G. Diehl, Robert Dingli
  • Patent number: 11681622
    Abstract: Described herein is a memory architecture that is configured to dynamically determine an address encoding to use to encode multi-dimensional data such as multi-coordinate data in a manner that provides a coordinate bias corresponding to a current memory access pattern. The address encoding may be dynamically generated in response to receiving a memory access request or may be selected from a set of preconfigured address encodings. The dynamically generated or selected address encoding may apply an interleaving technique to bit representations of coordinate values to obtain an encoded memory address. The interleaving technique may interleave a greater number of bits from the bit representation corresponding to the coordinate direction in which a coordinate bias is desired than from bit representations corresponding to other coordinate directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Yubo Zhang, Pingfan Meng
  • Patent number: 11676236
    Abstract: Vehicles, methods, and computer readable storage media are provided for providing transportation of a gesturing pedestrian by an autonomous vehicle. The vehicle can be operated by identifying that an individual is interested in receiving a transportation. A second vehicle can then receive information about the individual that is interested in receiving the transportation. The first vehicle is then informed regarding the second vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Jialin Jiao, Jing Zhai, Xiang Yu
  • Patent number: 11675371
    Abstract: Provided herein is a system and method for fleet coordination in a vehicle. The system comprises one or more sensors, one or more processors, and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform, capturing current data associated with the vehicle, planning a route of the vehicle based on the captured current data, navigating the vehicle in accordance with the planned route, detecting an instant position of the vehicle while navigating the vehicle, and coordinating a movement of another vehicle with the vehicle based on the detected instant position of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventor: Piaoyang Cui
  • Patent number: 11667302
    Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for implementing automated vehicle safety response measures to ensure continued safe automated vehicle operation for a limited period of time after a vehicle component or vehicle system that supports an automated vehicle driving function fails. When a critical vehicle component/system such as a vehicle computing platform fails, the vehicle is likely no longer capable of performing calculations required to safely operate and navigate the vehicle in an autonomous manner, or at a minimum, is no longer able to ensure the accuracy of such calculations. In such a scenario, the automated vehicle safety response measures disclosed herein can ensure—despite failure of the vehicle component/system—continued safe automated operation of the vehicle for a limited period of time in order to bring the vehicle to a safe stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Bokai Chen, Qi Wang, Daniel Yang
  • Patent number: 11619497
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media are provided for obtaining a slice of static map data comprising a plurality of blocks, each block comprising a plurality of cells, each, each cell having a cell value indicating a probability that an object is present in the cell; loading the slice into a cache memory of a parallel processor; arranging the static map data in the cache memory in contiguous memory spaces assigned to a group of workers of the parallel processor that have coalescing constraints; loading a frame of dynamic map data into the cache memory; obtaining a plurality of scan match candidates each representing a possible position and attitude of the vehicle; processing, in the parallel processor, the static and dynamic map data and the candidates to generate results each representing a candidate and score; and selecting the candidate having the highest score as a vehicle position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Mengda Yang, Michael Wu, Ke Li, Piaoyang Cui
  • Patent number: 11609108
    Abstract: A sensor enclosure comprises a cover and a structure. The structure can be encased by the cover. The structure comprises a frame, a ring, and one or more anchoring posts. The frame can be configured to mount one or more sensors. The ring, disposed peripherally to the frame, can be operatively coupled to the cover. The ring can include a drainage ring plate that drains rainwater accumulated on the cover away from the sensor enclosure. The one or more anchoring posts, disposed underneath the frame and the ring, can be used to anchor the sensor enclosure to a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Zhongnan Hu, Zuoteng Chen, Nengxiu Deng, Cheng Jin, Kai Chen, Yubo Zhang, Xiang Yu, Tiancheng Lou, Jun Peng
  • Patent number: 11594046
    Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and computer readable media for capturing image data of one or more regions of a vehicle (e.g., a cargo area of an autonomous vehicle) at various particular times and assessing the image data to determine whether a past vehicle occupant has left behind one or more belongings of value in the vehicle. If it is determined that a former vehicle occupant has left behind an article of value, an audible message may be outputted from a speaker of the vehicle to inform the former occupant of the presence of the article in the vehicle or a notification may be sent to a mobile device of the former occupant. The audible message may be outputted, for example, while the former occupant is beyond a predetermined distance from the vehicle, but still within range of hearing the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Dingli, Peter G. Diehl
  • Patent number: 11590980
    Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and computer readable media for capturing sensor data relating to an enclosed compartment of a vehicle (e.g., a cargo area of the vehicle) via one or more vehicle sensors; analyzing the sensor data to determine whether it is indicative of a living being present in the enclosed compartment; performing an object detection analysis on at least a portion of the sensor data to determine a type of living being detected; and initiating one or more automated vehicle response measures based on the type of living being.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Dingli, Peter G. Diehl
  • Patent number: 11592529
    Abstract: Provided herein is a system and method for cooling of a vehicle. The system comprises an enclosure disposed on the vehicle. The enclosure comprises a fan disposed at a base of the enclosure, one or more sensors within the enclosure, and a cover on an exterior of the enclosure. The cover comprises a hole pattern to selectively permit an airflow to enter the enclosure. The hole pattern comprises a plurality of holes to filter noise from the airflow. A deflector is disposed on the vehicle outside the enclosure and configured to direct an airflow through the hole pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Peter G. Diehl, Cheng Jin
  • Patent number: 11592528
    Abstract: Provided herein is a system and method for heat exchange of a vehicle. The system comprises an enclosure disposed on the vehicle and a vent at a base of the enclosure. The enclosure houses one or more sensors. The heat exchange system comprises an adjustable deflector disposed on the vehicle outside the enclosure and configured to direct an airflow into the vent of the enclosure. The heat exchange system further comprises a controller configured to adjust the adjustable deflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Peter G. Diehl, Cheng Jin
  • Patent number: 11584391
    Abstract: Provided herein is a system and method of a vehicle that communicates an intended action of the vehicle. The system comprises one or more sensors; one or more processors; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the system to perform capturing data from the one or more sensors of another vehicle or a road condition; determining an intended action of the vehicle based on the captured data; simulating the intended action of the vehicle on a map; communicating, within the vehicle, the intended action of the vehicle; and navigating the vehicle based on the intended action of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventor: Jialin Jiao
  • Patent number: 11580688
    Abstract: A vehicle generates a city-scale map. The vehicle includes one or more Lidar sensors configured to obtain point clouds at different positions, orientations, and times, one or more processors, and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform registering, in pairs, a subset of the point clouds based on respective surface normals of each of the point clouds; determining loop closures based on the registered subset of point clouds; determining a position and an orientation of each of the subset of the point clouds based on constraints associated with the determined loop closures; and generating a map based on the determined position and the orientation of each of the subset of the point clouds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Mengda Yang, Weixin Jiang, Chuanchuan Liu
  • Patent number: 11568687
    Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media for evaluating vibrational characteristics of a vehicle such as an autonomous vehicle and vibrational characteristics of a road surface in conjunction with one another to identify anomalous vehicle vibrational characteristics that may be indicative of potential damage to the structure of a vehicle. A baseline vibrational signature may be generated for a road segment based on sensor data received from multiple vehicles traversing the road segment. A vibrational signature may also be generated for a particular vehicle being evaluated based on real-time sensor data. If the vibrational signature for the vehicle deviates from the baseline vibrational signature for the road segment by more than a threshold amount, the vehicle may be deemed to be exhibiting anomalous vibrational characteristics indicative of potential vehicular damage. One or more actions in response thereto may then be taken such as automatically halting the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Dingli, Peter G. Diehl, Chen Yue Li
  • Patent number: 11565286
    Abstract: An apparatus on a vehicle comprises one or more sensors, one or more nozzles that output fluid to clean the respective one or more sensors, and a compressor that generates fluid such as compressed air. The compressor is in fluid communication with the one or more nozzles. The apparatus further comprises one or more processors, and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to determine a current velocity of the vehicle and control an operation of the compressor based on the current velocity of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Dingli, Peter G. Diehl
  • Patent number: 11568651
    Abstract: Provided herein is a system and method of a vehicle. The system comprises one or more sensors, processors, maps, and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the system to perform: monitoring a location of the vehicle while driving; detecting a sign while the vehicle is driving; capturing, frame-by-frame, data of the sign until the sign disappears from a field of view of the sensor; synchronizing each frame of the data with the location of the vehicle; determining a location of the sign based on the frame-by-frame data; in response to determining, at a frame immediately before the sign disappears from the field of view of the sensor, that the vehicle is driving towards the sign, uploading the detected sign and the location of the sign onto the one or more maps; and implementing a driving action based on the sign.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventor: Jialin Jiao
  • Patent number: 11565708
    Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for isolating commercial components from a harsh vehicle operating environment to increase the longevity of such components and to decrease their failure rate. Also described herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for monitoring the operational health status of vehicle components for failure, and upon detecting failure of a component, initiating a processing task reassignment and fault recovery process. In this manner, processing load handled by the component prior to failure can be offloaded to one or more other vehicle components while a fault recovery process is initiated for the component. When the failed component is operational again, the vehicle may revert back to the task assignment in place prior to the component failure, may continue with the current task assignment, or may transition to another different task reassignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Kai Chen, Pingfan Meng
  • Patent number: 11568744
    Abstract: Provided herein is a system and method for a vehicle system on a vehicle. The system comprises a server comprising sensor data of stop points, one or more processors, and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform: determining, from the stop points, one or more available stop points; selecting, from the one or more available stop points, a stop point based on a criteria; and stopping the vehicle at the selected stop point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Peter G. Diehl, Robert Dingli
  • Patent number: 11565664
    Abstract: An apparatus on a vehicle comprises one or more sensors, one or more nozzles that output fluid to clean the respective one or more sensors, and a compressor that generates fluid such as compressed air. The compressor is in fluid communication with the one or more nozzles. The apparatus further comprises one or more processors, and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to predict a trajectory of the vehicle and control an operation of the compressor based on the predicted trajectory of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Dingli, Peter G. Diehl