Patents Examined by Daniel M. Robert
  • Patent number: 12637072
    Abstract: The driver assist ECU determines whether there is another vehicle on the collision course based on the other vehicle information. ECU determines whether a predetermined execution condition for executing the collision avoidance assist operation is satisfied when it is determined that there are other vehicles on the collision course, and starts executing the collision avoidance assist operation when it is determined that the execution condition is satisfied. ECU changes the execution condition based on an approaching direction determination result as to whether the other vehicle on the collision course is approaching from the direction of the driver's seat of the host vehicle or is approaching from the direction on the passenger seat of the host vehicle, and a visual perception determination result as to whether the probability that the driver of the host vehicle has visually perceived the other vehicle on the collision course is high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuta Hiraiwa
  • Patent number: 12623620
    Abstract: An occupant-dependent setting system for a vehicle includes a setting processor, a server apparatus, and first and second authentication processors. The server apparatus includes a server memory that holds personalized setting data regarding an occupant to be on board the vehicle. The first authentication processor authenticates multiple occupants on board the vehicle. The second authentication processor authenticates a combination of the occupants authenticated by the first authentication processor and the vehicle. The setting processor acquires the personalized setting data regarding the occupants authenticated by the second authentication processor, from the server memory of the server apparatus, and provide the vehicle with setting, in accordance with authentication results by the first and second authentication processors with respect to the occupants on board the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2026
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryota Nakamura
  • Patent number: 12617391
    Abstract: Provided is a mobile object control device including: a storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored therein; and a processor connected to the storage medium, wherein the processor executes the computer-readable instructions to recognize an object which is located near a mobile object, set a risk which is an index value indicating a degree to which the mobile object should avoid entry on the basis of a position of the object, and generate a target trajectory for the mobile object to travel along so as to pass through a point at which the risk is low, and generating the target trajectory includes setting a plurality of first observation points at intervals in a traveling direction of the mobile object, setting one or more second observation points in each of a left direction and a right direction as seen from the mobile object for each of the plurality of first observation points, and searching for a point at which the risk is low on the basis of the risk at an observation point group including
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2026
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Kato, Kotaro Fujimura, Yuji Yasui
  • Patent number: 12617392
    Abstract: Techniques for accurately predicting and avoiding collisions with objects detected in an environment of a vehicle are discussed herein. A vehicle computing device can determine a trajectory for a vehicle based on vehicle state data over a simulation period including a plurality of intervals. The vehicle computing device may determine the trajectory by determining control polic(ies) for at least a part of the simulation based on a control policy interval and determine control(s) and/or updated vehicle state data for at least the part of the simulation based on a current control policy and one or more dynamic integration interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2026
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventor: Weifu Wang
  • Patent number: 12600351
    Abstract: A vehicle control device has a control unit provided which executes driving support control including emergency stopping control for decelerating and stopping a vehicle when an abnormality occurs in a driver based on a first detection value indicating a state in a vehicle, and the control unit is configured to determine that a risk of contact between the vehicle and an object is equal to or higher than a predetermined level based on a second detection value indicating a state outside the vehicle in a state in which the emergency stopping control is not executed based on the predetermined condition, and to forcibly execute the emergency stopping control regardless of an operation state of the emergency stopping control when it is determined that an occupant of a vehicle other than the driver is performing an emergency operation related to driving of the vehicle based on the first detection value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2026
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masakatsu Onitsuka
  • Patent number: 12552397
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes: a vehicle state judgment unit that judges a transverse driving control state and a longitudinal driving control state of a vehicle when detecting that a torque of a vehicle power source is abnormal, and judges a normal power source when the transverse driving control is in a normal state and the longitudinal driving control is in a failure state; a driving condition judgment unit that judges a driving state corresponding to a predetermined accident risk driving condition by using vehicle information when there is the normal power source; and a vehicle control unit that controls driving of the vehicle by using a target safety torque provided in advance when the driving state of the vehicle corresponds to the accident risk driving condition, where the vehicle is operated using the target safety torque when the driving state is the accident risk driving condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2026
    Assignee: Hyundai Kefico Corporation
    Inventors: Hyun Ki Shin, Eun Sang Park, Byung Gun Kim
  • Patent number: 12545245
    Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory, and the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to determine a threat number based on sensor data indicating an obstacle, the threat number representing a risk of an impact between a vehicle and the obstacle; formulate a control barrier function based on sensor data indicating the obstacle; determine a control input based on an expression including the control barrier function and the threat number; and actuate a component of the vehicle according to the control input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2026
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohit Srinivasan, Aditya Ganesha
  • Patent number: 12545247
    Abstract: A system for reducing damage from a vehicle collision includes an autonomous driving controller configured to calculate a collision index indicating the possibility of collision between a host vehicle and another vehicle approaching the host vehicle and to obtain data necessary to rotate the host vehicle in a stopped state. When the collision index is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the autonomous driving controller calculates a rotation direction and a rotation angle of the host vehicle based on a robustness index indicating the degree of damage to the host vehicle depending on a heading angle of the other vehicle and a collision position of the host vehicle. The autonomous driving controller calculates the rotation direction and rotation angle of the host vehicle so that collision with the other vehicle occurs at a collision position at which a value of the robustness index is maximized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2026
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Myung Ki Yeom, In Su Kim
  • Patent number: 12515645
    Abstract: A collision avoidance assistance device and method determine a risk of collision with a structure such as a guardrail present in a driving path using information obtained by a front-side light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor and a front camera, and then enable desirable braking control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2026
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hyoung Jong Wi, Dong Hyun Sung, Yong Seok Kwon, Sang Yeob Lee, Tae Geun An, Joon Ho Lee, Eung Seo Kim, Sang Min Lee
  • Patent number: 12515707
    Abstract: A system includes an autonomous driving controller configured to calculate data necessary to control rotation of a host vehicle when collision between the host vehicle and another vehicle is expected. The autonomous driving controller determines an expected collision position based on a heading angle of the other vehicle approaching the host vehicle and the center of the host vehicle. The autonomous driving controller determines whether the expected collision position and the position of an occupant of the host vehicle correspond to each other. Upon determining that the expected collision position and the position of the occupant correspond to each other, the autonomous driving controller calculates data necessary to rotate the host vehicle based on a safety index indicating the degree of damage to the occupant depending on a collision position and the position of the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2026
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Myung Ki Yeom, In Su Kim
  • Patent number: 12503103
    Abstract: A vehicle driving assistance apparatus executes a braking assistance control to forcibly stop an own vehicle when there is a probability that the own vehicle collides with an object, and executes a stopped-state keeping control to keep the own vehicle stopped when the own vehicle is stopped by the braking assistance control. The apparatus executes the stopped-state keeping control for a standard time when the own vehicle is stopped at a place in an area other than a termination recommendation area in which an execution of the stopped-state keeping control is recommended to be terminated. The apparatus executes the stopped-state keeping control for a time shorter than the standard time when the own vehicle is stopped at a place in the termination recommendation area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenichi Shimizu, Takashi Hasegawa, Yuma Hoshikawa
  • Patent number: 12497032
    Abstract: A drive support apparatus capable of performing vehicle control at an appropriate timing in accordance with an attribute of a person existing in surroundings of a vehicle is provided. A drive support apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: a detection unit configured to detect a person in an image of surroundings of a vehicle; a calculation unit configured to calculate a positional relation between the vehicle and the person based on the image; an estimation unit configured to estimate an attribute of the person based on the image, the attribute being related to likelihood of an accident; and a determination unit configured to determine a timing of a vehicle control based on the positional relation and the attribute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2025
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Longshuang Huang
  • Patent number: 12497038
    Abstract: An assistance system for a road vehicle which can be used on a roadway having one or more lanes, includes a position determination system for determining a lateral relative position of the road vehicle on the roadway. The position determination system has an electrical signal line disposed parallel to the roadway, a signal generator for generating and feeding an electrical signal into the signal line, resulting in a current flow which can be generated in the signal line, an on-vehicle sensor assembly for capturing a field strength and/or a field direction of an electromagnetic field forming about the signal line as a result of the current flow generated, and an on-vehicle evaluation unit, configured to determine, from the captured field strength and/or field direction, a lateral relative position of the road vehicle relative to the signal line. A more reliable position determination system is thus provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2025
    Assignee: Siemens Mobility GmbH
    Inventors: Helge Molthan, Claus Seisenberger
  • Patent number: 12491874
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit: calculates a yaw rate change rate of a first vehicle to which the driving assistance apparatus is to be applied, based on a yaw rate of the first vehicle obtained at multiple time points; predicts a sequential position of the first vehicle as a first vehicle position assuming that the yaw rate change rate is kept constant; predicts a sequential position of a second vehicle as a second vehicle position; determines whether contact occurs, based on presence or absence of a contact position where the first vehicle position partly overlaps with the second vehicle position; and ends prediction of the first vehicle position and the second vehicle position, upon determining that no contact occurs until a prediction end time that is a time when the first vehicle turns by a setting angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2025
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuya Kozono, Takamichi Kirihara
  • Patent number: 12491893
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method and system for constructing a predictive vehicle driving condition, a device and a medium. The method includes: acquiring a first road set and historical vehicle driving data; screening distances less than or equal to a distance threshold from the first distance set, generating a road point-in-time set; sequencing a plurality of point-in-time corresponding to the same road segment, and cutting at two adjacent point-in-time with a time difference greater than a time threshold, to obtain a plurality of road segments; establishing road segment databases; screening segments with segment feature data meeting a second preset condition from all the road segment databases, and generating a road-condition segment set; and sequencing a plurality of condition segments corresponding to each road segment, and screening condition segments meeting a third preset condition from all the segment sequences, to generate an optimal driving condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2025
    Assignees: CHINA AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH CENTER CO., LTD., CATARC AUTOMOTIVE TEST CENTER (TIANJIN) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu Liu, Yongkai Liang, Xianglei Zhu, Hanzhengnan Yu, Jingyuan Li, Zhengjun Yang, Xiaopan An, Xi Hu, Kunqi Ma, Hang Xu, Hao Zhang
  • Patent number: 12491872
    Abstract: A vehicle control system generates a target trajectory and controls a vehicle to follow the target trajectory. Blind spot information indicates a blind spot region present in front of the vehicle. Under assumption that a first object appears at a first position in front of the vehicle, decelerating the vehicle with a first deceleration cannot avoid a collision between the first object and the vehicle. A deceleration map, which is prepared in advance, indicates at least a collision region consisting of the first position. The vehicle control system recognizes, based on the deceleration map, the collision region under assumption that the vehicle reaches a future position on the target trajectory. When the collision region and the blind spot region overlap each other, the vehicle control system modifies the target trajectory so that the collision region and the blind spot region do not overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sadayuki Abe, Yusuke Hayashi, Daichi Hotta, Taichi Kawanai
  • Patent number: 12466396
    Abstract: A system for mitigating an effect of a collision between a vehicle and an obstacle can include a processor and a memory. The memory can store a seat occupancy determination module and a set of modules including a candidate response determination module, a candidate response evaluation module, and a controller module. The seat occupancy determination module can determine a state of a seat with respect to being occupied by a living being, the seat being on a first side opposite of a second side at which an operator is located. The set of modules can cause, in response to the state being: (1) occupied, a first set of operations to be implemented and (2) unoccupied, a second set of operations to be implemented. Each of the first set and the second set can be different from a current trajectory of the vehicle and can mitigate the effect of the collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2025
    Assignee: Woven By Toyota, Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel Ludwig Kuehner, Hiroshi Yasuda, Julia I. Pralle
  • Patent number: 12459487
    Abstract: A method of the pre-conditioning system for a battery of a vehicle includes: receiving an input of a destination of the vehicle; generating and outputting a destination route to the destination; searching for information on one or more battery charging stations located within a predetermined range on or around the destination route; determining whether each of the searched battery charging stations satisfies a preset environmental condition; adding a charging station path to a charging station selected among charging stations provided with the environmental condition to the destination route; determining whether the battery of the vehicle satisfies a preset state condition; and warming the battery at a preset time point when the preset state condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2025
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Joong Woo Lee, Jin Gyu Lim, Seung Myun Chung, Tae Geun Jeong
  • Patent number: 12447952
    Abstract: Vehicle control apparatus includes: detection unit including external sensor configured to detect external situation of vehicle; and control unit configured to control vehicle based on external situation detected by external sensor. Detection unit includes first processor and first memory. First processor counts first time, first time being elapsed time from predetermined time. First memory stores external situation and first time in association with each other. Control unit includes second processor and second memory. Second processor: calculates control value for controlling traveling actuator of vehicle based on external situation; and counts second time, second time being elapsed time from predetermined time. Second memory stores control value and second time in association with each other. Second processor transmits second time to detection unit at predetermined transmission cycle counted as second time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2025
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Etsuhiro Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 12447995
    Abstract: A server device includes a support information generation unit, a condition determination unit, and a resource calculation unit. The support information generation unit generates support information for each support-provided area using information from a communication terminal. The condition determination unit determines a support information generation condition being a condition concerning the support information to be generated by the support information generation unit, based on area situation information representing a situation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2025
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Suehiro, Kenichi Nakura, Shusaku Umeda, Mari Ochiai, Teruko Fujii, Takashi Asahara, Masaaki Takeyasu, Akiko Iwasaki