Patents Examined by Anne Marie Antonucci
  • Patent number: 11703346
    Abstract: A vehicle and control method thereof are intended to promote safe driving of a driver by securing a map of surroundings around the vehicle and displaying a guide line for safe driving when the driver needs to display a guide line for safe driving while the vehicle is driving. The control method of the vehicle includes: checking whether a preset condition for generating a map and displaying a guide line is satisfied while the vehicle is driving; and generating a new map of the surroundings around a place where the vehicle is located and displaying the guide line for safe driving on the map when the preset condition for generating the map and displaying the guide line is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jaewoong Lee, Jae Kyung Choi
  • Patent number: 11704912
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for evaluating a classifier used to determine a traffic light signal state in images. The method includes, by a computer vision system of a vehicle, receiving at least one image of a traffic signal device of an imminent intersection. The traffic signal device includes a traffic signal face including one or more traffic signal elements. The method includes classifying, by a traffic light classifier (TLC), a classification state of the traffic signal face using labeled images correlated to the received at least one image. The classification state controls an operation of the vehicle at the intersection. The method includes evaluating a performance of the classifying of the classification state generated by the TLC. The evaluation is a label-free performance evaluation based on unlabeled images. The method includes training the TLC based on the evaluated performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Guy Hotson, Richard L. Kwant, Brett Browning, Deva Ramanan
  • Patent number: 11703885
    Abstract: A method for collecting information required for Bode plot creation of a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) autopilot system is provided. The method comprises: creating a Bode plot generation input signal: adding the Bode plot generation input signal to control inputs; collecting data from multiple points within the control system; calculating magnitude and phase at the multiple points using the data collected; recording the magnitude and phase for the multiple points in a datalog; comparing the magnitude and phase for the multiple points to calculate the gain and phase margins for open loop responses in the control system; creating a Bode plot for at least one of the following: i) a closed loop response of the attitude and/or rate loops, ii) an open loop response of the attitude and/or rate loops and iii) a response of the UAV; and outputting the Bode plot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: 4596286 Manitoba Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Andrew Playle, Maziar Mardan, Tyler Desmond Melmoth, Howard William Loewen
  • Patent number: 11698271
    Abstract: An apparatus for updating map information for a vehicle includes a vehicle information detecting device that detects information of a surrounding vehicle which accompanies a vehicle, when the vehicle travels through an intersection, a line analyzing device that analyzes line information based on information of the surrounding vehicle which accompanies the vehicle, a reliability determining device that determines reliability of the line information, and a controller that extracts a change point on a map based on the reliability and update map information based on the change point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Chi Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 11691643
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for improving user experiences for autonomous driving. In context of a method, the method determines one or more autonomous transition region parameters for a respective autonomous transition region along a route. The method also, based on the one or more autonomous transition region parameters, determines whether an action is to be performed by a vehicle in accordance with user preference data associated with a user. The method also causes the vehicle to perform the action in accordance with a determination that the action is to be performed by the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
    Inventors: Jerome Beaurepaire, Leon Stenneth, Jeremy Michael Young
  • Patent number: 11692839
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus are disclosed for providing navigation instructions. The method may include receiving, from a user apparatus, a first location and a destination location; calculating a first route from the first location to the destination location; generating, for a predetermined time period, a first set of maneuvering data corresponding to the first route, the first set of maneuvering data comprising playback cues based on a predicted user apparatus location; transmitting the first set of maneuvering data to the user apparatus; receiving, from the user apparatus, a second location; generating, for a subsequent predetermined time period, a second set of maneuvering data, the second set of maneuvering data comprising playback cues based on a further predicted user apparatus location; calculating an update set of maneuvering data based on the first and second set of maneuvering data; and transmitting the update set of maneuvering data to the user apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
    Inventors: Daniel Rolf, Raul Cajias
  • Patent number: 11694563
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and system are provided for operating one or more drones in a building. In the context of a method, information is determined that includes at least one of real time information or predictive information. The real time information is indicative of a position of at least one individual in the building, while the predictive information is indicative of a predicted location of the at least one individual in the building at a certain time. The method also includes controlling the one or more drones in the building according to the at least one of the real time information or the predictive information to avoid the at least one individual while the drone is performing a task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
    Inventors: Marko Luomi, Lauri Aarne Johannes Wirola, Petri Rauhala, Jouni Kämäräinen
  • Patent number: 11694791
    Abstract: A medical treatment server is configured to reduce load on physicians for work other than examination and treatment. The server is configured to send recruiting conditions and in response receive undertaking conditions that are related to a physician who does not belong to the medical facility. A controller decides whether to appoint the physician depending on whether a pickup location included in the received undertaking conditions is apart from a location of the medical facility by a distance equal to or greater than a threshold. Upon deciding to appoint the physician, the controller determines a pickup location included in the undertaking conditions to be a stopover point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Hara, Shuhei Aketa, Toru Yanagida, Shin Sakurada, Tae Sugimura, Yasutaka Ujihara
  • Patent number: 11685378
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle and a system and method of operating the autonomous vehicle. The system includes a sensor and a processor. The processor determines an effective observation area of the sensor, the effective observation area being affected by an extrinsic condition. The processor determines an available time for performing a lane change based on the effective observation area and performs the lane change based on the available time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Parks, Paul A. Adam, Namai P. Kumara, Shaun C. Bowman, Dmitriy Feldman
  • Patent number: 11685428
    Abstract: A steering control device includes a control circuit and a drive circuit. The control circuit is configured to perform a current feedback computation by which the actual current value of electric current to be supplied to a motor follows a current command value. The control circuit is configured to execute an end-abutting relaxation control to correct the current command value such that decrease in an end interval angle is restricted, when the end interval angle is equal to or smaller than a predetermined angle, the end interval angle indicating the distance of the absolute steer angle from the end position correspondence angle. The control circuit is configured to adjust a control gain to be used in the current feedback computation, such that the control gain increases, when overshoot of the actual current value occurs during the execution of the end-abutting relaxation control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuaki Kataoka, Takahiro Toko, Takafumi Yamaguchi, Yukinobu Ezaki
  • Patent number: 11687082
    Abstract: A traffic management system for controlling an AGV includes a sensor arranged proximate to an intersection between first and second passages in a logistics facility. The sensor transmits sensing beams into the second passage to detect presence of a vehicle in the second passage. The sensor transmits sensor signals based on the presence of the vehicle in the second passage. The traffic management system includes a traffic controller receiving the sensor signals and communicating with the AGV causing the AGV to stop at a stopping location in the first passage and restrict movement of the AGV into the second passage when the object is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH
    Inventors: Swapnilsinh Solanki, Anthony L. Swann
  • Patent number: 11681780
    Abstract: A vehicle receives sensor data from at least one of its sensors as it approaches an intersection and determines whether a traffic flow control device for the intersection is detected. When detected, a detected type, a detected state, or both of the traffic flow control device is determined. Using a type of the intersection, at least one of an existing type or an existing state of the traffic flow control device is determined, where the traffic flow control device is undetected or the detected type, the detected state, or both are determined with a detection confidence less than a defined level of detection confidence. The traffic flow control device is tagged with a label including its location and existing type, the existing state, or both within at least one control system for the vehicle. The vehicle is operated within vehicle transportation network using a control system that incorporates the label.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Luis Lorenzo Bill, David Ilstrup, Stefan Witwicki, Kyle Hollins Wray
  • Patent number: 11679767
    Abstract: A method for vehicle control. The method includes a step of reading in a camera signal, a step of executing a semantic segmentation, and a step of ascertaining a control signal. The camera signal represents an optically detected image of a roadway to be driven by a vehicle. In the step of executing, the semantic segmentation of the image represented by the camera signal is executed, to detect a free area ahead of the vehicle from the image as a drivable road section. In addition, a roadway signal representing the detected drivable road section is provided. In the step of ascertaining, the control signal for activating at least one vehicle component is ascertained, using the roadway signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Gernot Schroeder, Matthias Haug, Maxim Dolgov, Thomas Michalke
  • Patent number: 11675041
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for detecting, identifying, and locating a source emitting an interfering signal is described herein. The UAV can detect wireless network site interference within a given frequency spectrum band and locate the source of the interference based on one or more signals received by one or more antennas, such as directional antennas. The one or more antennas are located on or within a main body or one or more booms of the UAV. The UAV can be flown manually (e.g., by an operator) or automatically (e.g., by a processor or preset routine).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: T-MOBILE USA, INC.
    Inventor: Wei-Ming Lan
  • Patent number: 11674812
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can determine at least one potential route for navigating a vehicle within a geographic region. A score that measures a comfort level associated with the potential route can be determined, wherein the score is determined based on at least one sensor map that segments the geographic region into a grid of cells, and wherein the comfort level for the potential route is determined based at least in part on cells through which the vehicle travels while navigating along the potential route. A determination is made whether to use the potential route for navigating the vehicle based at least in part on the score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventors: Sammy Omari, Joseph Patrick Wendell Whinnery, Alfred Charles Jones, II
  • Patent number: 11676392
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for using surfels for vehicle localization. One of the methods includes obtaining surfel data comprising a plurality of surfels, wherein each surfel corresponds to a respective different location in an environment, and each surfel has associated data that comprises a stability measure, wherein the stability measure characterizes a permanence of a surface represented by the surfel; obtaining sensor data for a plurality of locations in the environment, the sensor data having been captured by one or more sensors of a first vehicle; determining a plurality of high-stability surfels from the plurality of surfels in the surfel data; and determining a location in the environment of the first vehicle using the plurality of selected high-stability surfels and the sensor data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: Michael Montemerlo
  • Patent number: 11675366
    Abstract: This disclosure relates in general to systems and methods for tracking objects proximate an autonomous vehicle. In particular, an object tracking system capable of re-identifying objects it has temporarily lost line of sight to is described. Re-identification of the objects allows earlier object detections to be used more effectively to predict motion likely to be taken by the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Motional AD LLC
    Inventors: Hamed Kiani Galoogahi, Caglayan Dicle
  • Patent number: 11674809
    Abstract: A method for creating a map by a moving robot includes receiving sensor data regarding a distance to an external object through a distance measurement sensor, and creating a cell-based grid map based on the sensor data. Image processing is performed to distinguish between regions in the grid map and to create a boundary line between the regions. An optimal boundary line is selected from the one or more boundary lines, and a path to the optimal boundary line is planned. The grid map is updated while the moving robot is moving along the path such that the map may be automatically created.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Jieun Choi
  • Patent number: 11675349
    Abstract: Techniques for providing a user interface for remote vehicle monitoring and/or control include presenting a digital representation of an environment and a vehicle as it traverses the environment on a first portion of a display and presenting on a second portion of the display a communication interface that is configured to provide communication with multiple people. The communication interface may enable communications between a remote operator and any number of occupants of the vehicle, other operators (e.g., other remote operators or in-vehicle operators), and/or people in an environment around the vehicle. The user interface may additionally include controls to adjust components of the vehicle, and the controls may be presented on a third portion of the display. Furthermore, the user interface may include a vehicle status interface that provides information associated with a current state of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Auver Cedric Austria, Timothy David Kentley-Klay, Jannie Wing Sze Lai, Frank Reinaldo Ramirez, Dennis Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11668578
    Abstract: An interaction device include a processor. The processor being configured to acquire an alertness level of an occupant of a vehicle, request an utterance from the occupant in a case in which the acquired alertness level is below a threshold value, identify a rest point at which the vehicle can stop, measure a cycle spanning from initiation of an interaction until the alertness level falls below the threshold value again, and repeatedly request an utterance from the occupant at a regular interval that is shorter than the measured cycle during a time period from notifying the occupant that the rest point has been set as a destination of the vehicle to the vehicle arriving at the destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Daisuke Furukawa