Patents Examined by Adam M Alharbi
  • Patent number: 11619496
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a system includes at least one change detecting device that includes a map information storage unit receiving a high-definition map including a property of each road facility object and spatial coordinates of a feature point from a map updating server and storing the received high-definition map, an object coordinates obtaining unit recognizing at least one road facility object from the road image and obtaining a property of the recognized object and spatial coordinates of a feature point. and a changed object detecting unit comparing the property of the recognized object and the spatial coordinates of the feature point with the high-definition map and, if a change object is detected, transmitting object change information including a property and feature point spatial coordinates of the change object to the map updating server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Inventors: In Gu Choi, Jae Hyung Park, Gi Chang Kim, Duk Jung Kim
  • Patent number: 11592575
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems, vehicles, and methods for adjusting a pointing direction and/or a scanning region of a lidar. An example method includes determining a plurality of points of interest within an environment of a vehicle. The method also includes assigning, to each point of interest of the plurality of points of interest, a respective priority score. The method additionally includes partitioning at least a portion of the environment of the vehicle into a plurality of sectors. Each sector of the plurality of sectors includes at least one point of interest. For each sector of the plurality of sectors, the method includes adjusting a scanning region of a lidar unit based on the respective sector and causing the lidar unit to scan the respective sector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: Clayton Kunz
  • Patent number: 11590885
    Abstract: A method and a system can include receiving travel direction information representing a planned driving maneuver of the motor vehicle, detecting at least one road user in a path region of the planned driving maneuver based on an evaluation of at least the travel direction information, determining a lamp operation data set for operating at least one lamp of the motor vehicle based on the evaluation of at least the travel direction information when a road user is detected in the path region, and operating the lamp in accordance with the lamp operation data set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Anette Sawonski
  • Patent number: 11584533
    Abstract: This disclosure describes an unmanned aerial vehicle that may be configured during flight to optimize for agility or efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gur Kimchi, Daniel Buchmueller, Brian C. Beckman, Amir Navot
  • Patent number: 11585906
    Abstract: An electronically scanning emitter array that includes a two-dimensional array of light emitters arranged in k emitter banks. Each of the k emitter banks can include a subset of the light emitters in the two-dimensional array and can be independently operable to emit light from its subset of emitters. The electronically scanning emitter array can further include first and second capacitor banks coupled to provide energy to the two-dimensional array of light emitters and emitter array driving circuitry coupled to the first and second capacitor banks and to the k emitter banks. Each of the first and second capacitor banks can include at least one capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Ouster, Inc.
    Inventors: Angus Pacala, Marvin Liu Shu
  • Patent number: 11579621
    Abstract: The present application discloses an automated restaurant comprising: a kitchen; a customer-tracking area comprising a dining area; and a plurality of vehicles. The kitchen comprises a storage apparatus to store ingredient containers, a transfer apparatus to move ingredient containers, and one or more cooking stations. Each vehicle is configured to move one or more food containers from cooking stations to dining tables. A tracking system comprises cameras, lidars, etc., which are fixedly mounted. The tracking system can dynamically map out the fixtures, humans and vehicles in the restaurant. Information from the tracking system is used to control the motion of the vehicles. The tracking system can dynamically track the positions of customers in the customer-tracking area, so that foods ordered by specific customers may be automatically sent by vehicles to the customers' locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Inventor: Zhengxu He
  • Patent number: 11577705
    Abstract: A communication system for a vehicle comprises a mechanism for sensing a motion status of a vehicle, a control device, plurality of data acquisition sensors, and one or more alerting device activation circuits. The communication system is customizable with the plurality of data acquisition sensors and one or more alerting device activation circuits based upon the needs of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: VisionWorks IP Corporation
    Inventor: Fritz Braunberger
  • Patent number: 11573119
    Abstract: A method for dynamically determining a mass of a vehicle including a propulsion system coupled to a drive wheel is described, and includes monitoring vehicle operating conditions, executing an event-based estimation method based upon the vehicle operating conditions to determine a first vehicle mass state, and executing a recursive estimation method based upon the vehicle operating conditions to determine a second vehicle mass state. A final vehicle mass is determined based upon the first and second vehicle mass states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Xiaoyu Huang, Xueying Kang, Hualin Tan
  • Patent number: 11566902
    Abstract: A system and method for localizing an autonomous vehicle using a digital stereo camera mounted to the autonomous vehicle and oriented to obtain images of the road surface. The system comprises an image processor configured to analyze the images of the road surface and identify micro-features, such as pores, holes, cracks, and granular material embedded in the street. The image processor is configured to compile previously obtained images of the road surface into reference mosaics and to compare the micro-features identified in newly obtained images to the reference mosaic to determine the location of the autonomous vehicle. The system may be further configured with a communications module to transmit images and localization information to a database repository or server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Idealab
    Inventors: Maximilian Zavodny, Erik Karl Antonsson, Bill Gross, Mark Goodstein
  • Patent number: 11543821
    Abstract: An autonomous electronic bicycle comprises a frame, a front wheel that can be powered by a first electronic motor, a rear wheel that can be powered by a second electronic motor, and handlebars that can steer the front wheel which can be controlled by a third electronic motor. The autonomous electronic bicycle can operate autonomously, traveling to a chosen destination. When operating autonomously the autonomous electronic bicycle can shift between a set of balance modes, including a mode used when moving and a mode used when stationary but balanced. To transition between modes, a transition sequence of control commands can be selected and used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: WEEL AUTONOMY INC.
    Inventors: Justin Allan Corbett, David Carlyle Hansen, Dylan Meehan
  • Patent number: 11535386
    Abstract: There is provided a system and a method for operating a multi-engine rotorcraft. When the rotorcraft is cruising in an asymmetric operating regime (AOR) at least one engine is an active engine and is operated in an active mode to provide motive power to the rotorcraft and at least one second engine is a standby engine and is operated in a standby mode to provide substantially no motive power to the rotorcraft, at least one of a power level of the at least one second engine is increased and at least one variable geometry mechanism of the at least one second engine is moved to shed any ice accumulation on the at least one second engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Philippe Beauchesne-Martel, Mark Cunningham
  • Patent number: 11531093
    Abstract: There are disclosed techniques for laser scanning control. A system includes control equipment to perform a coordinated scanning control by controlling: a mirror driver, to drive a mirror along desired mirror positions through a motion mirror control signal; and a laser driver, to generate laser light pulses to be impinged onto the mirror at the desired mirror positions through a pulse trigger control signal. The control equipment includes a motion estimator to provide estimated motion information based on feedback motion measurement(s), to generate the pulse trigger control signal by adapting a desired scheduling, for triggering the laser light pulses, to the estimated motion information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Franz Michael Darrer, David Brunner, Georg Schitter, Han Woong Yoo
  • Patent number: 11518463
    Abstract: The present application is directed to a Bicycle Stem with Integrated Bell that mounts between the steering post and the handle bars. It incorporates a utility accessory mount for attaching a front light, a camera or other devices that can be easily removed. In addition, it will have an internal cavity where a gravity and motion activated conventional bell that can ring using a magnetic on/off option or a mechanical on/off capability. The internal cavity may additionally house an electronic component with a bell or siren having a continuous sound or when the cyclist presses the on/off switch or an intermittent audible sound control button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Inventor: Brandon P. Aymar
  • Patent number: 11520045
    Abstract: A method for detecting objects using a LIDAR system. The method includes emitting a first light beam scanning in a scanning direction in an emission direction at a first instant, allocating a first propagation time between the first transmission instant and a first receiving instant of a first reflection of the first light beam to the emission direction, emitting in the emission direction, an angle-resolved, further light beam scanning in the scanning direction and angularly offset from the first light beam, at a second transmission instant following the first emission instant, allocating a second propagation time between the second transmission instant and a second receiving instant of a second reflection of the second light beam to the emission direction, and evaluating hits using the propagation times allocated to the emission direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ingmar Schultz, Reiner Schnitzer, Remigius Has, Stefan Spiessberger
  • Patent number: 11514545
    Abstract: A rideshare management system includes: a communicator configured to communicate with a plurality of terminal devices used by a plurality of users; an acquirer configured to acquire use requests from the plurality of users in which a use condition including at least a desired access place is defined; a user arrival situation monitor configured to monitor an arrival situation of the users at a predetermined place derived according to the desired access place; and a service manager configured to search for an available vehicle according to the use condition included in the use requests and determine a vehicle service schedule and configured to determine a user accessing the vehicle at the predetermined place according to the arrival situation of the users monitored by the user arrival situation monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naotoshi Fujimoto, Yo Ito, Seiichi Yamamoto, Susumu Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 11511629
    Abstract: An electrified vehicle system includes an electric motor coupled to a drive wheel via a plurality of power transmission components and a control device. The control device is configured to act as: a feedforward control section configured based on a transfer function simulating vibration transmission characteristics of a power transmission system, receiving as an input a required torque of the electric motor from a driver, and outputting a base command torque of the electric motor; a timing estimation section estimating, based on information on the power transmission system, a timing at which a backlash between the plurality of power transmission components is eliminated; and a torque correction section applying, to the base command torque, a correction torque for reducing a vibration generated in the power transmission system due to elimination of the backlash, in response to an arrival of the timing estimated by the timing estimation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsaku Oide, Tomohiro Yamazaki, Fusahiro Tsukano, Yuya Takahashi, Shinya Asaura
  • Patent number: 11500393
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of controlling a robot system, including receiving user input including a request for a predetermined service, by a first robot, transmitting information based on the user input to a server, by the first robot, identifying a support robot for supporting a task corresponding to the service request, by the server, making a request to the second robot identified to be the support robot for the task, by the server, and performing the task, by the second robot, wherein the first robot is different from the second robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Byungkuk Sohn
  • Patent number: 11479195
    Abstract: A crash sensor system includes an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU has an accelerometer to measure longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle. Front crash satellite sensors are mounted at the front of the vehicle to detect a front or a rear crash event. When a front or rear crash event occurs, the first accelerometer is utilized to determine if the crash occurred at the front or the rear of the vehicle, regardless of the polarity of the front crash satellite sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert M Andres
  • Patent number: 11479148
    Abstract: A system and method for personalization of adjustable features of a vehicle. The system includes a processor and an actuator. The processor detectors key points of a person from a two-dimensional image and predicts a pose of the person. The processor translates a respective position of the key points from a two-dimensional coordinate system to a three-dimensional coordinate system based in part on the pose and measurements of distances between the key points. The processor determines a baseline configuration of an adjustable feature of the vehicle based in part on measurements between the key points in the three-dimensional coordinate system. The processor causes an actuator to adjust the adjustable feature to conform to the baseline configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Yasen Hu, Kausalya Singuru, Shiming Duan, Yao Hu, Nicholas W. Pinto, Bradley R. Frieberg
  • Patent number: 11474243
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and a system for retrieving a location of a base point of a wheeled vehicle in a local coordinate system of a tridimensional sensor mounted on the vehicle. The method includes acquiring point cloud frames while the wheeled vehicle is moving along a straight path and a curved path and a point cloud representative of a portion of the vehicle, computing a main direction vector, a main direction line and a location of an instantaneous centre of rotation of the wheeled vehicle in the local coordinate system, and retrieving the location of the base point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: OUTSIGHT
    Inventors: Raul Bravo Orellana, Olivier Garcia