Patents Assigned to Pony.ai, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11560122
    Abstract: A sensor enclosure comprising a domed cover and a base. The base can be encased by the domed cover. The base comprises an inner frame, an outer frame, one or more wipers, and a powertrain. The inner frame can provide surfaces for one or more sensors. The outer frame, disposed underneath the inner frame, the outer frame includes a slewing ring. The slewing ring comprises an inner ring to which the domed cover is attached and an outer ring attached to the outer frame. The one or more wipers extends vertically from the outer frame, each wiper having a first end attached to the outer frame and a second end attached to a support ring, and each wiper making a contact with the dome cover. The powertrain, disposed within the outer frame, configured to rotate the ring and the dome cover attached to the inner ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 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: 11560083
    Abstract: Provided herein is a headlamp assembly comprising a housing that encloses: a sensor that acquires data associated with a surrounding environment; a light source that illuminates a field of view comprising a portion of the surrounding environment; and one or more processors that analyze the acquired data and determine a direction, field of view, power, or an intensity of the illumination of the portion based on the analyzed data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Timofey Uvarov, Kai Chen
  • Patent number: 11561106
    Abstract: Provided herein is a system on a vehicle, the system comprising 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: receiving one or more ride requests for ridesharing from one or more users; receiving respective preferences from each of the one or more users; selecting a ride request of a user from the one or more ride requests based on the respective preferences; notifying the user of the selecting of the ride request; sending at least one of the images or videos of the interior of the vehicle to the user; in response to the sending, determining whether the user confirms the ride request; and in response to determining that the user confirms the ride request, selecting a route to the user and driving, according to the route, to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Dingli
  • Patent number: 11563324
    Abstract: Provided herein is a power distribution system comprising a feedback circuit including a transistor in series with a relay, the feedback circuit regulating regulate a main power path including a main power supply connected in series with an electric power converter. The power distribution system further comprises OR-ing controllers that regulate the main power path and a backup power path including a low-voltage battery. The power distribution system further comprises terminals through which power from the main power path or the backup power path is transmitted to respective components corresponding to channels. The power distribution system further includes a microcontroller that acquires data in each of the channels and control operations associated with each of the channels based on the acquired data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Kai Tan, Ran Chen, Bo Pan
  • Patent number: 11554755
    Abstract: A method for controlling a sensor assembly cleaning apparatus includes receiving sensor data from various vehicle sensors, determining a level of obscurement of the transparent surface, and determining whether the level of obscurement exceeds a threshold level. If the transparent surface is obscured beyond the threshold level, a control signal may be sent to the apparatus to initiate the ejection of pressurized air onto the transparent surface. Optionally, the method may further evaluate other parameters such as the vehicle velocity in relation to a threshold vehicle velocity prior to sending the control signal to ensure that the cleaning operation using pressurized air would not be superfluous in light of the vehicle velocity. In addition, a method for selectively activating the sensor assembly cleaning apparatus includes determining an activation schedule for the apparatus based on an arrangement of transparent surfaces and controlling the apparatus to operate based on the activation schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventor: Anatolii Vitanov
  • Patent number: 11550320
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media may be configured to facilitate usage of vehicle redundant processing resource. A primary processing resource may be dedicated to navigation control of a vehicle. A redundant processing resource may be provided for performing one or more tasks of the navigation control of the vehicle based on a failure of the primary processing resource. One or more available portions of the redundant processing resource may be used for performing one or more tasks of non-navigation control of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Dingli
  • Patent number: 11548480
    Abstract: Described herein are sensor assembly cleaning apparatuses and methods of operation thereof that utilize a fluid such as pressurized air to cause dispersion of debris, rain droplets/water droplets from other sources, condensation, or any other environmental contaminant that may obscure a transparent surface such as a glass window of a camera housing from the glass window. In this manner, the pressurized air acts to clean the transparent surface, and as a result, improve the clarity of the field-of-view provided through that transparent surface to a camera housed in the camera housing. In addition, sensor assembly cleaning apparatuses described herein can include a water nozzle that is adapted to eject high pressure water onto the transparent surface as well as towards an air nozzle or an air vent that is adapted to eject the pressurized air. The water nozzle can thus be used to remove debris form the air nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventor: Anatolii Vitanov
  • Patent number: 11545049
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media may be configured to provide instructions for driver training. Environmental information and driving information for a vehicle may be obtained. The environmental information may characterize positions of objects in an environment of the vehicle. The driving information may characterize operations of the vehicle in the environment. A desired vehicle operation may be determined based on the environmental information and the driving information. An instruction may be provided to a driver of the vehicle based on the desired vehicle operation. The instruction may describe one or more operations to be taken by the driver to execute the desired vehicle operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventor: Chenyue Li
  • Patent number: 11535274
    Abstract: Provided herein is a system of a vehicle that comprises one or more sensors, one or more processors, and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the system to perform: selecting a trajectory along a route of the vehicle; predicting a trajectory of another object along the route; adjusting the selected trajectory based on a predicted change, in response to adjusting the selected trajectory, to the predicted trajectory of the another object, the predicted change to the predicted trajectory of the another object being stored in a model; determining an actual change, in response to adjusting the selected trajectory, to a trajectory of the another object, in response to an interaction between the vehicle and the another object; updating the model based on the determined actual change to the trajectory of the another object; and selecting a future trajectory based on the updated model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Dingli, Peter G. Diehl, Sinan Xiao
  • Patent number: 11529950
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media configured to generate enhanced training information. Training information may be obtained. The training information may characterize behaviors of moving objects. The training information may be determined based on observations of the behaviors of the moving objects. Behavior information may be obtained. The behavior information may characterize a behavior of a given object. Enhanced training information may be generated by inserting the behavior information into the training information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Xiao, Yiming Liu, Sinan Xiao, Xiang Yu, Tiancheng Lou, Jun Peng, Jie Hou, Zhuo Zhang, Hao Song
  • Patent number: 11520342
    Abstract: A system of a first vehicle includes sensors and a processor that performs generating of an initial trajectory along a travel route of the first vehicle, acquiring trajectories of second vehicles along the route, adjusting the initial trajectory based on the acquired trajectories of the second vehicles, and navigating the first vehicle based on the adjusted initial trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventor: Jialin Jiao
  • Patent number: 11499812
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for detecting an enclosure alignment anomaly. Pressure data of a set period can be obtained from one or more piezoelectric sensors. The one or more piezoelectric sensors are installed in between an enclosure and a fixture of an autonomous vehicle. The pressure data of the set period can be processed over a period of time. One or more trends can be identified based on the processed pressure data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Peter G. Diehl, Cheng Jin
  • Patent number: 11503699
    Abstract: Described herein is a sensor device. The sensor device comprises a housing and a printed circuit board encased by the housing. The printed circuit board comprises an image sensor that captures image data, an image sensor processor that processes the image data, a serializer that converts one or more data channels associated with the image data into a single data channel, and one or more exposed surfaces. The one or more exposed surfaces dissipate heat generated by the image sensor, the image sensor processor, and the serializer from the printed circuit board to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Li Niu, Hanxiao Xie, Bin Han, Zaichang Zhao, Jordan Renovato Bravo
  • Patent number: 11485374
    Abstract: Provided herein is a system and method adapted for a vehicle to evacuate from a condition. The system comprises a detection system configured to detect a condition. The system further comprises a control system configured to determine whether to evacuate the vehicle in response to the detection system detecting the condition, select a mode of evacuation to evacuate the vehicle away from the condition, and evacuate the vehicle away from the condition according to the mode of evacuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventor: Piaoyang Cui
  • Patent number: 11480434
    Abstract: Provided herein is a system comprising: one or more processors; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the system to perform: obtaining a previous pose of a vehicle; acquiring one or more previous readings corresponding to one or more wheel encoders during the previous pose; acquiring one or more readings corresponding to one or more wheel encoders acquired after the previous pose; and adjusting the previous pose based on the one or more readings to obtain a current pose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventor: Piaoyang Cui
  • Patent number: 11474125
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media may be configured to calibrate sensor measurements based on detection of brake light. Acceleration information of a first vehicle may be obtained. The acceleration information may define an acceleration probability distribution of the first vehicle. Image information may be obtained. The image information may define an image of the first vehicle. Whether a brake light of the first vehicle is on or off may be determined based on the image of the first vehicle. Based on a determination that the brake light of the first vehicle is on, a calibrated acceleration probability distribution of the first vehicle may be generated based on the acceleration probability distribution of the first vehicle and a braking-calibration curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Zixuan Zhou, Sinan Xiao, Xiang Yu, Tiancheng Lou, Jun Peng
  • Patent number: 11454701
    Abstract: Provided herein is a system on a vehicle, the system comprising an active Doppler sensor; one or more processors; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the system to perform: obtaining a Doppler signature from each of one or more entities; and calibrating the active Doppler sensor based on the Doppler signature from at least a portion of the one or more entities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Cyrus F. Abari, Harsh Mohan, Haomin Wang
  • Patent number: 11456948
    Abstract: Provided herein is a system and method for a sensor system on a vehicle. The sensor system comprises sensors connected with one another in a daisy chain communication network. The sensor system further comprises a controller connected to at least one of the sensors. The controller is configured to operate the vehicle based on data from the sensors and to operate the daisy chain communication network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Peter G. Diehl, Robert Dingli
  • Patent number: 11437018
    Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and computer readable media for dynamically determining a language variant to use for vehicle output to a vehicle occupant based on the vehicle's location. A geographic region may include multiple sub-regions, each of which may be associated with a respective one or more language variants. As an example, a geographic region may be a state or province, and each sub-region may have one or more dialects that are spoken by individuals in that sub-region. In some cases, a particular dialect may be predominant in a given sub-region. As a vehicle traverses a travel path, it may determine its current location, which geographic sub-region includes that location, and which language variant (e.g., dialect) is predominant there. That language variant may then be selected for in-vehicle communication with a vehicle occupant. The vehicle location determination may be made at or near where the occupant entered the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Peter G. Diehl, Robert Dingli
  • Patent number: 11438492
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media may be configured to characterize optical characteristics of optical elements. An optical element mount may be configured to carry an optical element. A calibration display may be configured to display a calibration object. The calibration object may include a known visual pattern. Multiple images of the calibration object may be obtained. The multiple images may be acquired using the optical element carried by the optical element mount. The multiple images may include different perspectives of the calibration object. Optical characteristics of the optical element may be characterized based on the known visual pattern and the different perspectives of the calibration object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Yubo Zhang, Xiang Yu, Tiancheng Lou, Jun Peng, Kai Chen, Yiming Liu, Sinan Xiao, Tianyi Li, Yin Zhong, Hao Song