Patents Assigned to Volvo Car Corporation
  • Patent number: 11619367
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter generally relates to a lighting device including at least two optical output modules for jointly providing transformable output light. The transformable output light is transformable a diffuse light output and a light output that has higher contrast than the diffuse light. Accordingly, the inventors realized that an enhanced user experience for vehicle occupants is provided by a lighting device that can seamlessly transform its output light between diffuse light to more high contrast light. For example, a vehicle interior component may be illuminated with a diffuse light when it is in one state, e.g. when it is not used. In a second state, when the component is used or intended to be used, it may be illuminated with a high contrast light to provide the user with more helpful assist light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Markus Andersson, Stefan Langner
  • Patent number: 11618505
    Abstract: A frame structure for maintaining energy storage devices of a vehicle in position which is deformed in a controlled way in the event of a side-impact, in such a way to avoid deforming into the location of the vehicle seats. The proposed frame structure is adapted to deform controllably in a centre position align with a location between the vehicle seats. In this way are occupants of the vehicle kept safe since no or less deformation occur in the vehicle seat location. The above advantages are provided by that lateral support members of the frame includes a deformation zone adapted to deform in response to a lateral force exerted on the lateral support member. The deformation zone is located such that, when the frame structure is installed in the vehicle, the deformation zone is aligned with a location between seats of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Aria Ravantab, Fredrik Övgård, Srikanth Varanasi, Sven Ström, Krister Amundsson
  • Patent number: 11614337
    Abstract: A system and method for the classification of geographic locations based on vehicle trip logs, including: grouping a plurality of trip records by vehicle, wherein the plurality of trip records include start times and locations and stop times and locations; sorting the plurality of trip records for a vehicle in one of descending or ascending order with respect to stop times; calculating a plurality of time differences between consecutive trips of the plurality of trip records; storing the plurality of time differences in a stop time array; for a first plurality of time differences, storing the associated stop locations in a first location array; for a second plurality of stop times, storing the associated stop locations in a second location array; and computing a time difference median for each of the first location array and the second location array and returning the time difference medians as results for each location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventor: Joakim Soderberg
  • Patent number: 11608063
    Abstract: A method for providing instructions for controlling vehicle, the method comprising: predicting a near-future driving path for the vehicle using sensor data received from environmental sensors of the vehicle. Retrieving at least one acceptable spatial deviation value indicative of the acceptable deviation from the predicted driving path. Determining a limit velocity value or a longitudinal deceleration value based on predetermined relations between spatial deviations from the near-future driving path and vehicle motion parameters and corresponding error values. The limit velocity value and the longitudinal deceleration value are determined with the constraint that the acceptable spatial deviation is not violated along the predicted driving path. Providing an instruction signal comprising an instruction for the vehicle to travel below the limit velocity value, or comprising an instruction to decelerate according to the longitudinal deceleration value in the event of a safe stop procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Mats Jonasson, Fredrik Broström
  • Patent number: 11610165
    Abstract: Distributing resources in a predetermined geographical area, including: retrieving a set of metrics indicative of factors of interest related to operation of the resources for at least two parties, each having a plurality of resources, retrieving optimization policies indicative of preferred metric values for each party, retrieving at least one model including strategies for distributing resources in the predetermined area, the at least one model based on learning from a set of scenarios for distributing resources, retrieving context data from real time systems indicative of at least a present traffic situation, establishing a Nash equilibrium between the metrics in the optimization policies of the at least two parties taking into account the at least one model and the context data, distributing the resources in the geographical area according to the outcome of the established Nash equilibrium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Krishna Sankar, Vedad Cajic, Usha Nookala, Jonas Fenn
  • Patent number: 11608029
    Abstract: A vehicle passenger locator and identifier system and method is provided herein. Once a vehicle is within a certain vicinity of an intended passenger via conventional mobile device geolocation or geofencing, and/or via a conventional camera-based technology, a plurality of microphones listen for the passenger to utter a predetermined word or phrase. Optionally, this predetermined word or phrase has been uttered to a mobile application used to summon the vehicle such that an accurate voice comparison can be made by the vehicle. Alternatively, the same or a different mobile device can be used to emit an auditory beacon that is detected by the vehicle. Once this word, phrase, or auditory beacon is detected, the passenger can be triangulated, located, identified, and even authorized for pickup. All of this is carried out via an onboard vehicle processor and software and/or a processor and software residing in the cloud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventor: Ville Karaila
  • Patent number: 11609080
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an assembly, adapter device, and method that utilize a standard displacement gauge or the like, well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, to measure the height of a flange, such as a flange formed via bending a planar vehicle component with a given thickness and, thus, including a radius at the bottom interior of the flange. This assembly, adapter device, and method provide consistent measurements across components, operators, education and experience levels, etc. The adapter device is designed to engage the flange being measured in such a way that consistent engagement of the adapter device with the radius, and, thus, consistent engagement of the assembly with the flange, is provided for measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Krister Cederqvist, Fredrik Sjöberg
  • Patent number: 11607994
    Abstract: An object warning apparatus for a vehicle including an acquiring module acquiring object information on objects surrounding the vehicle and traffic rule information including traffic rules associated with locations of the vehicle and the objects; a processing module determining (1) whether an object currently violates any one of the traffic rules; (2) whether the object will violate any one of the traffic rules when the vehicle passes the object; and (3) whether the object potentially endangers the vehicle, and to generate an appropriate warning instruction; and an outputting module outputting the warning instruction to a HMI of the vehicle to trigger the HMI so that the HMI warns a human driver of the presence of the object, or to an AD control unit of the vehicle so that the AD control unit executes appropriate automatic driving manipulations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventor: Wei Wang
  • Patent number: 11607921
    Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly comprising a bushing with a center line L, having an inner sleeve with a mounting bore, an outer sleeve and an elastomeric spring member extending along a height H along the center line L. In one embodiment, the outer surface of the inner sleeve, the spring member and the inner surface of the outer sleeve are on each side of the center line L substantially parallel. On at least one side of the longitudinal center line L, the outer surface of the inner sleeve, the spring member and the inner surface of the outer sleeve extend at an angle to the center line L. An outer surface of the outer sleeve is substantially parallel to the center line L along the height H. Another embodiment of an assembly according to the invention comprises a bushing with a mounting bore that extends at an angle to the center line L.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tobias Brandin, Kenneth Ingemar Ekström, Jonas Klint, Jens Medbo, Albin Johnsson
  • Patent number: 11603137
    Abstract: A subframe assembly for a vehicle utilizing straight, parallel extruded longitudinal siderail members. This subframe assembly provides front-end (or rear-end) crash energy absorbance by plastically deforming, crumpling, and bending down to avoid the stackup and occupant cabin intrusion of components, such as the attached engine/motor, engine/motor mounts, steering components, and suspension components. The laterally disposed longitudinal siderail members each provide a straight, substantially uninterrupted lower load path to transfer crash energy from the lower load path crash management system beam and crashboxes or the like to a rear upper load path body in white bracket, and ultimately to the battery frame in the event of a crash, with the siderail members and crashboxes optionally being longitudinally coaxially aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventor: Johan Eklund
  • Patent number: 11603013
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an electric vehicle comprising a high voltage battery unit having a first high voltage battery connected in series with a second high voltage battery, which may also be referred to as a first and second battery bank, and one or more power inverters arranged to connect the battery banks to one or more electric machines. The one or more power inverters and the one or more electric machines are configured to form a first and a second three-phase system. The described architecture incorporating dual battery banks, and dual and/or multiphase inverters and electric machines can provide enhanced redundancy and limp home functionality in cases where a fault or error occurs in the inverter and/or in the electric machine so that a faulty three-phase system can be operated in a safe-state mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Eriksson, Nikitas Sidiropoulos
  • Patent number: 11592566
    Abstract: A system and method for estimating road conditions ahead of a vehicle, including: a LIDAR sensor operable for generating a LIDAR point cloud; a processor executing a road condition estimation algorithm stored in a memory, the road condition estimation algorithm performing the steps including: detecting a ground plane or drivable surface in the LIDAR point cloud; superimposing an M×N matrix on at least a portion of the LIDAR point cloud; for each patch of the LIDAR point cloud defined by the M×N matrix, statistically evaluating a relative position, a feature elevation, and a scaled reflectance index; and, from the statistically evaluated relative position, feature elevation, and scaled reflectance index, determining a slipperiness probability for each patch of the LIDAR point cloud; and a vehicle control system operable for, based on the determined slipperiness probability for each patch of the LIDAR point cloud, affecting an operation of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao, Srikar Muppirisetty
  • Patent number: D980471
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Björn Hayden
  • Patent number: D980472
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Markus Offen
  • Patent number: D980759
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Florian Mockenhaupt
  • Patent number: D980760
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Florian Mockenhaupt
  • Patent number: D981989
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Guglielmo Guiglia, Benjamin Pérot
  • Patent number: D982023
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Linus Segerud, Kevin Orende, Sara Jange
  • Patent number: D982035
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Linus Segerud, Kevin Orende, Sara Jange
  • Patent number: D982037
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Linus Segerud, Kevin Orende, Sara Jange