Patents Examined by Aaron K McCullers
  • Patent number: 12233888
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling a control system of a vehicle having a first driver support module (e.g. ADAS feature) and a second driver support module (e.g. “under-development” ADS feature). The first driver support module and the second driver support module are capable of operation within an overlapping operational design domain (ODD). The method includes obtaining sensor data including information about a surrounding environment of the vehicle and determining fulfilment of the overlapping ODD based on the obtained sensor data. Further, if the overlapping ODD is fulfilled, the method includes switching between a first configuration where the first driver support module is active and the second driver support module is inactive, and a second configuration where the first driver support module is inactive and the second driver support module is active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Zenuity AB
    Inventors: Mattias Brännström, Mathias Westlund, Roozbeh Kianfar, Jonas Lundh, Cornelis Berger
  • Patent number: 12223849
    Abstract: An unmanned aircraft system (UAS) control apparatus is disclosed. In embodiments, the UAS control apparatus is embodied in a control station to manage command and control (C2) functions for UAS operations in a designated coverage volume including a geofenced interference region proximate to the control station, controlling each UAS via connections on a spectrum of C2 channels. The UAS control apparatus generates flight plans for UAS operations, providing separation and keeping UAS operations away from the control station to minimize RF interference with other UAS C2 connections. Should a UAS be required to operate proximate to the control station, the UAS control apparatus employs dynamic spectrum management with respect to other concurrently operating UAS to eliminate, reduce, or mitigate RF interference resulting from the encroaching UAS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: George Tyler Barney, Nicholas Liberko, Boe A. Svatek, Kevin McElroy, David Fogerty, Corrie E. Block
  • Patent number: 12221091
    Abstract: Systems and processes described herein can use drive line actuators (DLAs) which can be implemented for one or more individual wheels of an electric vehicle (EV) permitting connection and disconnection of at least a portion of the axle and wheel from the electric motor suppling torque. A disconnected wheel and axle can experience less friction, and have less rotational mass then a wheel and axle that is connected to an electric motor, therefore the disconnecting wheels in which torque is not desired can result in increased efficiency and range in an EV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: WARN Automotive, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher James Boudreau, Adrian Simula, Craig Feusse
  • Patent number: 12180041
    Abstract: The crane device includes: a camera provided on a hook; a camera control unit which controls an image-capturing operation of the camera on the basis of control information for operating a carrying element; and an image processing unit which processes a captured image that has been captured with the camera. The camera captures an image of the carrying destination of a baggage. The image processing unit takes, as a reference area, an arbitrary area in the image captured with the camera, generates a correction image obtained by projecting the captured image onto a plane that is parallel to the reference area and is perpendicular to an arbitrary direction with the baggage used as a viewpoint, calculates a current position of the baggage in the correction image, and displays the current position in a visually recognizable mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: TADANO LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshimasa Minami
  • Patent number: 12159542
    Abstract: A control device includes: a communication unit; and a control unit that transmits and receives information via the communication unit. When a flying object flies around a complex housing, the control unit transmits, to the flying object, information on a flight route in which a transported object of the flying object enters a blind spot from inside of the complex housing based on information on the complex housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shin Sakurada, Kazuya Nishimura, Soutaro Kaneko
  • Patent number: 12157582
    Abstract: An observation control device is applicable to a detector installed onboard a spacecraft for performing observation. The observation control device includes an orthogonal direction control unit configured to move an observation range in a direction orthogonal to a travel direction of the spacecraft, the observation range being a range observed by the detector, and a travel direction control unit configured to move the observation range in the travel direction of the spacecraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kato, Takahiro Yamada, Kazunori Masukawa, Kenichiro Kawabata, Keisuke Ando, Hiroshi Kawato
  • Patent number: 12017791
    Abstract: A system is disclosed, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the system includes a plurality of image capture devices, a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of image capture devices, wherein the controller includes one or more processors configured to receive a plurality of reference images including one or more source objects, identify the one or more source objects, determine one or more gestures indicative of one or more control signals of the one or more source objects, determine the one or more control signals; and provide the one or more control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Shivarajkumar Poojar, Divakara Rao Vadada, Smita Naik
  • Patent number: 12014628
    Abstract: A mobile object monitoring system that includes one or more terminal units and a monitoring unit that monitors an unknown mobile object around the one or more terminal units. Each terminal unit includes: an information acquisition component that acquires unknown mobile object information; a detected information generation component that generates a detected information set concerning an unknown mobile object; and a terminal-side communication component that transmits the detected information set. The monitoring unit includes: a collecting-side communication component that receives the detected information set; and a determination component that determines presence or absence of an unknown mobile object based on a collection of one or more detected information sets that have been received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeru Inoue, Hideki Matsunaga, Masamitsu Tsuchiya, Kenji Komori, Takahiro Kurehashi, Hiroki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 12005907
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining a position of a vehicle is disclosed, wherein the vehicle is equipped with a sensor for capturing scans of a vicinity of the vehicle, wherein the method comprises at least the following steps carried out by computer-hardware components: capturing at least one scan by means of the sensor with a plurality of sensor data samples given in a sensor data representation; determining, from a database, a predefined map with at least one element is given in a map data representation; determining a transformed map by transforming the at least one element of the predefined map from the map data representation into the sensor data representation; matching at least a subset of the sensor data samples of the at least one scan and the at least one element of the transformed map; and determining the position of the vehicle based on the matching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ahmad Pishehvari, Uri Iurgel, Markus Stefer
  • Patent number: 11984038
    Abstract: Examples relate to a method for generating an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) controller model for controlling an UAV, a system including an UAV, a wind generator, a motion-tracking system and a control module, and to an UAV. The method for training the UAV controller model includes providing a wind generator control signal to a wind generator, to cause the wind generator to emit a wind current towards the UAV. The method includes operating the UAV using the UAV controller model. A flight of the UAV is influenced by the wind generated by the wind generator. The method includes monitoring the flight of the UAV using a motion-tracking system to determine motion-tracking data. The method includes training the UAV controller model using a machine-learning algorithm based on the motion-tracking data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Dürr
  • Patent number: 11970154
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle includes wheel slip control loop including a wheel slip controller configured to control wheel slip based on wheel speed measured at one or more wheels of the vehicle. A wheel flare control loop includes a wheel flare controller configured to control wheel flare based on transmission output speed at an output of a transmission of the vehicle. A controller is configured to select one of the wheel slip controller to control the wheel slip and the wheel flare controller to control the wheel flare during operation of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jie Yang, Robert L. Morris, Shaochun Ye, Vino Mathew
  • Patent number: 11932296
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for determining ancillary subdivision/districts may include obtaining track data associated with one or more railroads operating one or more subdivisions/districts over which the train may travel, determining an ancillary subdivision/district of the one or more subdivisions/districts that are not included in the track data by any of the one or more railroads, receiving track data for the railroad associated with the ancillary subdivision/district, and communicating with one or more wayside interface units in the ancillary subdivision/district based on the track data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ann K. Grimm, Rebecca W. Dreasher
  • Patent number: 11919662
    Abstract: A constellation of many satellites provide communication between devices such as user terminals (UTs) and ground stations that are connected to other networks, such as the Internet. A constellation management system (CMS) facilitates management and operation of the satellites in the constellation and facilitates information exchange with other authorized systems to provide for situationally aware operation. The CMS may ingest data such as satellite telemetry, space weather data, object ephemeris data about other orbital objects, and so forth. The CMS uses the ingested data to automatically operate satellites to perform routine activities such as station keeping maneuvers, maintenance activities, interference mitigation, and so forth. Confirmation from a human operator may be obtained before performing some activities. Activities may be planned and coordinated to minimize resource consumption for the individual satellite as well as the constellation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jason A. Rhoads, Darren Andrew Schumacher
  • Patent number: 11898856
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for long distance trips in an autonomous vehicle fleet. In particular, systems and methods are provided for autonomous vehicle trips that are a longer distance than a vehicle can travel without recharging. In some implementations, a user is provided an option between stopping to recharge the autonomous vehicle and switching from a first autonomous vehicle to a second autonomous vehicle at a selected stopping location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Willem Gerrese, Aakanksha Mirdha, Yifei Zhang, Jeremy Stephen Juel
  • Patent number: 11875687
    Abstract: A method may include receiving, from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a first message via a first network using User Datagram Protocol (UDP). The method may further include determining whether a second message that is identical to the first message has been received from the UAV via a second network that is different than the first network. The method may additionally include processing the first message when the second message has not been received and discarding the first message when the second message has been received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel William McMillan
  • Patent number: 11872999
    Abstract: A self-driving safety evaluation method, including determining RB based on a risk value of a vehicle in a shadow driving mode in a first measurement unit, where RB is a risk value of the vehicle in the shadow driving mode in a plurality of measurement units, and determining RC based on a risk value of the vehicle in a self-driving mode based on a preset route in the first measurement unit, where RC is a risk value of the vehicle in the self-driving mode based on the preset route in the measurement units, where RB and RC are used to determine whether safety of the vehicle in the self-driving mode meets a requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiaoli She, Jianyong Cai, Junqiang Shen, Qi Chen
  • Patent number: 11872989
    Abstract: The concepts described herein relate to a calculation of desired future longitudinal horizons related to torque or acceleration, and desired future lateral horizons related to yaw rate and lateral velocity, and their use in response to driver-selectable modes. In the longitudinal direction, driver inputs of pedal and brake position as well as drivability metrics are used to calculate the desired future torque trajectory. In the lateral direction, the front and rear steering angles may be used with a bicycle model to derive the trajectories. The trajectories are used in a vehicle motion controller that uses weighting to tradeoff competing requests and deliver performance that is consistent with a selected driver mode, such as a tour mode, a sport mode, an off-road mode, a trailering mode, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Paul G. Otanez, Yiran Hu, Hualin Tan, Daniel L Baibak, Ruixing Long
  • Patent number: 11816996
    Abstract: A system for predicting pressure waves in a sonic boom footprint calculates alternative footprints and pressure waves along a flight path based on speed and altitude modifiers. The available, adjustable parameters are bounded within a flight envelope and along an approved flight corridor. The system receives and incorporates data from external sources, such as weather data, that impacts sonic boom pressure wave predictions and aircraft performance characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Laura M. Smith-Velazquez, Erik Theunissen
  • Patent number: 11804141
    Abstract: Aerial vehicles are assigned to routes within a transportation network based on a state of charge, state of power, and/or state of health for the aerial vehicle. Such aspects can be modeled based on one or more statistical models and/or machine-learned models, among other examples. As another example, an energy budget is used to ensure that the state of charge, state of power, and/or state of health of the aerial vehicle during and/or after traveling the route remains within the energy budget. A payload is assigned to a route and an associated aerial vehicle, thereby generating an itinerary. In examples, the itinerary is validated by the aerial vehicle to ensure that the aerial vehicle is capable of traveling the route with the payload. In examples where the aerial vehicle rejects the itinerary, the itinerary is assigned to another aerial vehicle and a new itinerary is identified for the aerial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: JOBY AERO, INC.
    Inventors: Adam Thomas Chase, Ian Andreas Villa, Luke Asher Wilhelm, Jon Petersen, Robert Alan McDonald, Mark Douglass Moore, Celina Mikolajczak
  • Patent number: 11796322
    Abstract: An apparatus, a method and a computer program product are provided for updating link information on a client device. The method may include determining at least one map area comprising one or more links, the map area having at least one map area identifier, Sending to a data service, a request for at least one categorized link. Receiving, from the data service, at least one bloom filter, the at least one bloom filter encoding the at least one categorized link, determining one or more link identifiers for the one or more links in the map area and associating candidate link of the one or more links to the at least one categorized link, based on the link identifier of the at least one candidate link satisfying the at least one received bloom filter, to update the link information on the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
    Inventors: Daniel Rolf, Raul Cajias