Patents Examined by David Hatch
  • Patent number: 12130621
    Abstract: Techniques to provide guidance to a vehicle operating in an environment are discussed herein. For example, such techniques may include sending a request for assistance, receiving a reference trajectory, and causing the vehicle to determine a trajectory based on the reference trajectory. Data such as sensor data and vehicle state data may be sent from the vehicle to a remote computing device. The computing device outputs a user interface using the data and determines the reference trajectory based on receiving an input in the user interface. The techniques can send an indication of the reference trajectory to the vehicle for use in planning a trajectory for the vehicle. A vehicle, such as an autonomous vehicle, can be controlled to traverse an environment based on the trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventor: Ravi Gogna
  • Patent number: 12097884
    Abstract: The present invention provides an autonomous vehicle lane change monitoring method and lane change monitoring system, wherein the lane change monitoring system comprises at least a reference vehicle, a test road, a network communication device, and a control platform, wherein the reference vehicle and the to-be-tested vehicle traveling on the test road, wherein the control platform sends a control instruction to the reference vehicle and the to-be-tested vehicle through the network communication device for the to-be-tested vehicle to change lane on the test road when appropriate, the driving data of the to-be-tested vehicle is transmitted to the control platform through the network communication device, so as for the control platform to evaluate the lane change performance of the to-be-tested vehicle based on the driving data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: INSTITUTE OF AUTOMATION SHANDONG ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Yanqiang Li, Hongyun Chen
  • Patent number: 12097888
    Abstract: A power supply facility includes a wireless communication unit capable of wirelessly communicating with a plurality of electric vehicles traveling in line, a plurality of power supply coils installed at a predetermined interval, and an inter-vehicle calculation unit configured to acquire a plurality of pieces of information including power supply coil interval information indicating a distance of the predetermined interval, information on an entire length of a vehicle body of each of the plurality of electric vehicles, and information on a position of a power reception coil installed in each of the vehicle bodies, and calculate an inter-vehicle distance for leading each of the plurality of electric vehicles to be parked in accordance with the acquired plurality of pieces of information so as to align the plurality of power supply coils with the power reception coils to face each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Michisato Maekawa, Kenji Nishimura, Satoshi Yazaki, Naoki Omura, Tomoya Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 12073331
    Abstract: In an aspect, a fuel economy of a vehicle is determined by: receiving telematics data produced at least partly by one or more sensors at a vehicle; identifying, based at least partly on the telematics data, one or more fueling events of the vehicle; determining, for each fueling event of the one or more fueling events, an amount of fuel added to the vehicle for that fueling event; and determining, based at least partly on the amount of fuel added to the vehicle for each fueling event and the telematics data, a fuel economy of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Cambridge Mobile Telematics Inc.
    Inventors: William Bradley, Juan Martin Munoz Valdez
  • Patent number: 12065164
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods and computer program products for object state prediction. For example, the methods include: obtaining, by a computing device, LiDAR datasets from a LiDAR system; and generating, by the computing device, a most likely sequence of states for an object using (i) velocity and acceleration values that are each functions of center point coordinates of amodal cuboids encompassing at least some points in LiDAR point clouds comprising the LiDAR datasets and (ii) a score that is a function of a first geometrical distance of a given point in the LiDAR datasets to an edge of an amodal cuboid and a second geometrical distance from the given point to a center point of the amodal cuboid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin James Player
  • Patent number: 12060087
    Abstract: A driving handover control device includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. In a case in which driving is handed over from a first state in which a vehicle travels in accordance with instruction from a first remote operator of the vehicle to a second state in which the vehicle travels in accordance with instruction from a second remote operator who is different from the first remote operator, the processor implements a transition from the first state to a third state in which the vehicle travels autonomously without instruction from the first remote operator or the second remote operator, and, after the transition from the first state to the third state, implements a transition from the third state to the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiki Kindo, Yuji Suzuki, Mutsumi Matsuura, Tomoaki Miyazawa, Shunsuke Tanimori, Kuniaki Jinnai, Kohta Tarao, Yoshihiro Maekawa, Hiroki Awano, Tae Sugimura, Tomoyuki Kuriyama, Yusuke Yokota, Makoto Matsushita, Yasuki Nakagawa, Atsushi Hanawa
  • Patent number: 12060086
    Abstract: An autonomous driving device includes a plurality of driving function ECUs having a function to drive a vehicle in place of an occupant, and a driving function switch ECU is configured to individually change operating states of the driving function ECUs according to a route to a destination and remaining power. The driving function ECUs include an autonomous driving ECU configured to autonomously drive the vehicle, and a remote control ECU configured to operate the vehicle according to remote control from outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Sho Otaki, Takashi Suzuki, Toru Takashima, Hojung Jung, Hiromitsu Kobayashi, Satoru Niwa, Kosuke Akatsuka
  • Patent number: 12049239
    Abstract: An interconnected network including a plurality of autonomous vehicles is described. Each autonomous vehicle can include an immersion cooling system. The network can include a central server for determining whether there has been any network disruption. In the event of the network disruption (or when a network disruption is predicted), the central server can deploy at least one vehicle to the area to maintain the network connectivity. Upon receiving the instructions, the vehicle can drive to the area. The central server can use an artificial intelligence algorithm to make the prediction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: MODINE LLC
    Inventors: Jacob Mertel, John David Enright, Taylor Monning
  • Patent number: 12049242
    Abstract: A driving handover control device includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. In a case in which driving is handed over from a first state in which a vehicle travels in accordance with instruction from a remote operator of the vehicle to a second state in which the vehicle travels in accordance with operation by a passenger of the vehicle, the processor implements a transition from the first state to a third state in which the vehicle travels autonomously without instruction from the remote operator or operation by the passenger, and, after the transition from the first state to the third state, implements a transition from the third state to the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiki Kindo, Yuji Suzuki, Mutsumi Matsuura, Tomoaki Miyazawa, Shunsuke Tanimori, Kuniaki Jinnai, Kohta Tarao, Yoshihiro Maekawa, Hiroki Awano, Tae Sugimura, Tomoyuki Kuriyama, Yusuke Yokota, Makoto Matsushita, Yasuki Nakagawa, Atsushi Hanawa
  • Patent number: 12043285
    Abstract: A vehicle that can be customized and personalized via a mobile user profile. The vehicle can include a body, a powertrain, vehicle electronics, and a computing system. The computing system of the vehicle can be configured to: receive data fields of a driver profile of a user from a mobile device; estimate, using machine learning, configurations of vehicle functions for the vehicle according to the data fields; and control settings of a set of components of the vehicle, via the vehicle electronics, according to the estimated configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Richard Noel Bielby
  • Patent number: 12030529
    Abstract: An electronic device and an operating method thereof are for predicting future trajectories of an unspecified number of surrounding vehicles in an integrated way. The electronic device and operating method may be configured to recognize historical trajectories of one or more surrounding objects, predict future trajectories of the surrounding objects in an integrated way based on the recognized historical trajectories, and plan a driving trajectory of the electronic device based on the predicted future trajectories of the surrounding objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: KOREA ADVANCED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Dongsuk Kum, Hyeong Seok Jeon
  • Patent number: 12005930
    Abstract: An autonomous tractor for autonomously crossing farmland, includes one or more sensors for detection of an obstacle when crossing the farmland, and a central processing unit (CPU) for receiving input signals from the the sensors and for controlling movement of the tractor based on the input signals in order to avoid the obstacle, a coupler for coupling an agricultural machine able to be coupled to the tractor, and the agricultural machine includes one or more additional sensors for detection of the obstacle, wherein coupling of the agricultural machine operatively connects the additional sensors to the CPU and automatically provides data to the CPU regarding the location of each of the additional sensors on the agricultural machine and one or more specifications of each of these additional sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: AgXeed Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Laurentius Hubertus Margaretha Schmitz, Joris Jan Hiddema
  • Patent number: 12005909
    Abstract: A system includes a shaft extendable from a vehicle roof, a sensor mount mounted to the shaft, a plurality of sensors supported by the sensor mount, and a computer communicatively coupled with one or more of the sensors to receive data from the one or more of the sensors, the computer including a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to extend the shaft to position the sensor mount to a specified height above the roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mostafa Parchami, Stephen Giardinelli, John Anthony Lockwood
  • Patent number: 11980126
    Abstract: An agricultural apparatus including an agricultural vehicle and a number of work units suitable for cutting standing crop, including a front work unit and two lateral work units located behind and to the sides of the front work unit, each of the work units deposit cut crop as a swath. Each of the lateral work units include a conveyor to deposit cut crop. A plurality of sensors determine the speed of the agricultural apparatus and the speed of operation of each of the conveyors. A control unit receives inputs from the sensors, compares the inputs to a predetermined set of values for a desired vehicle speed and a speed of operation of the conveyors, and as indicated by the comparison, adjusts the speed of operation of at least one conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: AGCO International GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Fillep, Ronnie Kinast
  • Patent number: 11958493
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a recognizer configured to recognize a surrounding situation of a vehicle, a driving controller configured to control steering and acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle independently of an operation of a driver of the vehicle; and a mode decider configured to decide on any one of a plurality of driving modes including a first driving mode and a second driving mode as a driving mode of the vehicle. The recognizer recognizes a sign existing within a reference range of a route along which the vehicle travels. The mode decider changes the driving mode of the vehicle from the second driving mode to the first driving mode when the driving mode of the vehicle is the second driving mode and when the number of signs recognized by the recognizer exceeds a first reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sho Hitakatsu, Toshikazu Suwa, Masaki Nakajima
  • Patent number: 11938968
    Abstract: A vehicle for collecting image data of a target object for generating a classifier. The vehicle includes an image sensor and an electronic processor. The electronic processor is configured to determine a plurality of potential trajectories of the vehicle, determine, for each of the plurality of potential trajectories of the vehicle, a total number of views including the target object that would be captured by the image sensor as the vehicle moved along the respective trajectory, and determine a key trajectory of the vehicle from the plurality of potential trajectories based on the total number of views including the target of the key trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Luiz Ricardo Douat, Michael Erz, Jayanta Kumar Dutta, Marc Naumann, Naveen Ramakrishnan
  • Patent number: 11919540
    Abstract: At least one processor of a vehicle is configured to execute at least one program to: generate a speed plan for a first travel route from a blind spot elimination position to a position specified by a control standby condition, the speed plan specifying a speed of the vehicle for a position on the first travel route so as to meet a requirement that the vehicle be decelerated at a predetermined allowable deceleration or less for a predetermined time from the blind spot elimination position to satisfy the control standby condition; and instruct, for a second travel route from a current position of the vehicle to the blind spot elimination position, the vehicle to travel along the second travel route by autonomous driving so as to cause the vehicle to reach a speed specified by the speed plan at the blind spot elimination position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Hayashi, Taichi Kawanai
  • Patent number: 11915534
    Abstract: A method of providing vehicle diagnostics may include receiving a first communication from a user, processing the first communication using a natural language processing (NLP) model to produce NLP model output including a sequence of words, extracting one or more keywords from the sequence of words, and instructing a data acquisition and transfer device (DAT) connected to an OBD port of a vehicle to perform a selected function based on the one or more keywords. The method may further include receiving diagnostic data from the DAT, the diagnostic data having been retrieved from the vehicle by the DAT in accordance with the selected function, and determining a diagnostic condition of the vehicle based on the diagnostic data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Phuong Pham, Ly Bach, Van Nguyen, Bruce Brunda
  • Patent number: 11897519
    Abstract: A system and method for utilizing multiple driver stations in a track vehicle is described. A primary driver station can utilize controls with hybrid drive by wire (DbW) functionality (i.e. hydro-mechanical and electric control). A secondary driver station and a tertiary driver station can utilize controls with DbW (i.e. electronic) control systems. The secondary and tertiary driver stations can be adapted for autonomous driving. The invention also includes a method of transfer between driver stations with safeguards for safety and reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: ST ENGINEERING LAND SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventors: Tze Meng Jensen Chew, Fu-Jun Timmy Low
  • Patent number: 11891087
    Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to generating behavioral predictions in reaction to autonomous vehicle movement. In one example, a computer-implemented method includes obtaining, by a computing system, local scene data associated with an environment external to an autonomous vehicle, the local scene data including actor data for an actor in the environment external to the autonomous vehicle. The method includes extracting, by the computing system and from the local scene data, one or more actor prediction parameters for the actor using a machine-learned parameter extraction model. The method includes determining, by the computing system, a candidate motion plan for the autonomous vehicle. The method includes generating, by the computing system and using a machine-learned prediction model, a reactive prediction for the actor based at least in part on the one or more actor prediction parameters and the candidate motion plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Micol Marchetti-Bowick, Yiming Gu