Patents Examined by David P. Merlino
-
Patent number: 12269619Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling horizontal translational motion of a rocket without changing the attitude of the body and without increasing manufacturing costs and operation costs. This allows for accurate execution of rocket landing operation. A rocket control system includes a gimbal actuator that controls a steering angle of a gimbal mechanism located on a lower side of the body of the rocket with respect to the center of gravity; a fin actuator that controls a steering angle of an attitude control fin located on an upper side of the body of the rocket with respect to the center of gravity; a measurement unit that measures a physical quantity related to motion of the body of the rocket; and a control unit that controls the gimbal mechanism and the attitude control fin according to a result of measurement by the measurement unit to control horizontal translational motion of the rocket.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2021Date of Patent: April 8, 2025Assignee: JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCYInventor: Shinji Ishimoto
-
Patent number: 12269505Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory, and the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to sequentially activate a plurality of lamps aimed at a scene, the lamps mounted to a vehicle; receive image data of the scene generated while sequentially activating the lamps; generate a map of surface normals of the scene by executing a photometric stereo algorithm on the image data; and in response to a speed of the vehicle being below a speed threshold, navigate the vehicle based on the map of the surface normals.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2023Date of Patent: April 8, 2025Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: David Michael Herman, Larry Sanders, Binduhasini Sairamesh, Akshay Vaidya
-
Patent number: 12263865Abstract: A method includes obtaining, by a processing device, radar sensor data from a driving environment of an autonomous vehicle (AV). The radar sensor data corresponds to a field-of-view (FOV) of a radar sensor of the AV. The method further includes identifying, by the processing device from the radar sensor data, a potential occlusion within the driving environment, obtaining, by the processing device, non-radar sensor data from the driving environment, the non-radar sensor data corresponding to a FOV of a non-radar sensor of the AV, determining, by the processing device from the non-radar sensor data, whether the potential occlusion is a false occlusion, and in response to determining that the potential occlusion is a false occlusion, removing, by the processing device, the false occlusion from the FOV of the radar sensor.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2022Date of Patent: April 1, 2025Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Nicholas Armstrong-Crews, Mayank Singal
-
Patent number: 12240352Abstract: A control method for an electric vehicle using a motor as a traveling drive source to decelerate by a regenerative braking force of the motor, including: obtaining an accelerator operation amount; estimating a disturbance torque acting on a vehicle body of the electric vehicle; obtaining an angular velocity of a rotating body that correlates to a rotation speed of a drive shaft which drives the electric vehicle; calculating a first torque command value based on the accelerator operation amount; setting the first torque command value to a torque command value; controlling a torque generated in the motor based on the torque command value; setting a target stop position at the time of stopping the electric vehicle; calculating a target angular velocity of the rotating body according to a distance from the electric vehicle to the target stop position; calculating a second torque command value for stopping the electric vehicle at the target stop position based on a difference between the target angular velocity anType: GrantFiled: October 28, 2019Date of Patent: March 4, 2025Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Katsunori Nakamura, Akira Sawada, Takashi Nakajima, Kengo Fujiwara
-
Patent number: 12242270Abstract: A method and system for controlling multi-unmanned surface vessel (USV) collaborative search are disclosed which relate to the technical field of the marine intelligent USV collaborative operation. The method includes determining a task region of a USV team; determining environmental perception information corresponding to each of the USVs at the current moment according to the task region and the probability graph mode; inputting the environmental perception information corresponding to each of the USVs at the current moment into the corresponding target search strategy output model respectively to obtain an execution action of each of the USVs at the next moment; sending the execution action of each of the USVs at the next moment to a corresponding USV execution structure to search for underwater targets within the task region. The target search strategy output model is obtained by training based on a training sample and a DDQN network structure.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2021Date of Patent: March 4, 2025Assignees: Shanghai University, Chongqing UniversityInventors: Huayan Pu, Yuan Liu, Jun Luo, Zhijiang Xie, Xiaomao Li, Jiajia Xie, Zhou Su, Yan Peng, Shaorong Xie
-
Patent number: 12214784Abstract: A driving assistance control apparatus for a vehicle includes an acquiring unit and a control unit. The acquiring unit acquires a detected traveling environment of the vehicle. Using the acquired traveling environment, and in response to a preceding vehicle being present near a road edge and no obstacle being present between the road edge and the preceding vehicle, the control unit causes a driving assisting unit to perform driving assistance in which the preceding vehicle is tracked.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2020Date of Patent: February 4, 2025Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Yuta Komoguchi, Yohei Masui, Kenji Kato
-
Patent number: 12208808Abstract: One or more devices in a data analysis computing system may be configured to receive and analyze acceleration data corresponding to driving data, analyze the acceleration data, and determine driving patterns and associated drivers based on the data. Acceleration data may be collected by one or more mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablet computers, and/or on-board vehicle systems. Drivers associated with driving trips may be identified based on the acceleration data collected by the mobile devices. In some cases, driving patterns may be determined based on the acceleration data before and after stopping points during driving trips, and the driving patterns may be compared to a set of previously stored driving patterns associated with various different drivers.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2023Date of Patent: January 28, 2025Assignee: Allstate Insurance CompanyInventor: Valery Alexander Kanevsky
-
Patent number: 12208870Abstract: An underwater vehicle system includes: a first underwater vehicle configured to perform work in water while moving in a predetermined proceeding direction; and a second underwater vehicle configured to replace the first underwater vehicle and perform work in water. When the second underwater vehicle replaces the first underwater vehicle, the second underwater vehicle approaches the first underwater vehicle based on a signal transmitted from the first underwater vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2019Date of Patent: January 28, 2025Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Minehiko Mukaida, Hiroshi Sakaue, Noriyuki Okaya, Koichi Fukui, Yuki Kaga, Fumitaka Tachinami
-
Patent number: 12202521Abstract: A method for unregulated pedestrian step down (PSD) alert, the method may include (i) receiving, by a vehicle computerized system, a unregulated PSD indicators that are indicative of unregulated PSD situations; (ii) obtaining sensed information regarding an environment of the vehicle; (iii) processing the sensed information, wherein the processing comprises searching for at least one of the unregulated PSD indicators; and (iv) autonomously determining, when finding the at least one of the unregulated PSD identifiers, that the vehicle is approaching a situation in which a pedestrian is expected to step down into a drivable space within the environment of the vehicle. Wherein the autonomously determining triggering a response to the finding, the response is an immediate response and is executed by at least the vehicle computerized system.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2023Date of Patent: January 21, 2025Assignee: AUTOBRAINS TECHNOLOGIES LTDInventors: Igal Raichelgauz, Karina Odinaev
-
Patent number: 12195049Abstract: This document discloses system, method, and computer program product embodiments for operating a robot. For example, the method includes: detecting an object in proximity to the robot; generating a path of travel for the object that is defined by a plurality of first data points representing different object locations in an area; generating cost curves respectively associated with the plurality of first data points; generating a polyline comprising a plurality of second data points associated with displacements of the cost curves from a particular location in the area; defining a predicted path of travel for the object based on the polyline; and using the predicted path of travel for the object to facilitate at least one autonomous operation of the robot.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2022Date of Patent: January 14, 2025Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Pietro Blandizzi, Randall Schur, Constantin Savtchenko
-
Patent number: 12169132Abstract: A system and method for using gaming as a tool to determine optimum routes through areas that have experienced a disaster are provided. Due to the disaster, an area may have some destroyed roads and other infrastructure. In one embodiment, input data collected from people on the ground, drones, and other aerial vehicles can be used to generate a virtual simulation of the area. The virtual area may include renderings of destroyed roads and infrastructure. Once created, the virtual area may be uploaded to an online gaming environment where users can participate in online games that permit them to find the best routes through the virtual area between starting and destination points. Once optimal routes are found, the system may send these routes to navigation systems used by rescuers and other people in the area to help them navigate the disaster area.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2022Date of Patent: December 17, 2024Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)Inventors: Jennifer Marie Chandler-Bradley, Gabrielle Diane Salazar, Ivan Ortiz, Yevgeniy Viatcheslavovich Khmelev, Carol Lyn Lawrence, Keegan Patrick Hayes, Gregory Brian Meyer
-
Patent number: 12146747Abstract: A self-localization device that can reduce the processing time even when estimating the self-location in an environment where the number of pieces of three-dimensional point group data is large wherein the self-localization device includes an estimation unit that includes: a map generation unit that generates a map of surroundings of the mobile robot based on three-dimensional point group data detected by a detection unit; a geometric feature extraction unit that extracts geometric features from a current map and extracts geometric features from a past map; a self-location calculation unit that selects the geometric features extracted by the geometric feature extraction unit as sets of geometric features and calculates self-locations in the past map; and a self-location evaluation unit that evaluates a degree of coincidence between the current map and the past map for each set of geometric features.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2020Date of Patent: November 19, 2024Assignee: CHIBA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYInventor: Masahiro Tomono
-
Patent number: 12142096Abstract: This disclosure relates to a system and method for detecting vehicle events. The system includes sensors configured to generate output signals conveying information related to the vehicle. The system detects a vehicle event based on the information conveyed by the output signals. The system selects a subset of sensors based on the detected vehicle event. The system captures and records information from the selected subset of sensors. The system transfers the recorded information to a remote server or provider.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2022Date of Patent: November 12, 2024Assignee: SmartDrive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Jason Palmer, Mark Freitas, Daniel A. Deninger, David Forney, Slaven Sljivar, Alekh Vaidya, Jeffrey Griswold
-
Patent number: 12139137Abstract: A method includes providing a simulation environment that simulates a vehicle. The method includes providing the vehicular lane centering algorithm to the simulation environment, generating a base scenario for the vehicular lane centering algorithm for use by the simulated vehicle, and extracting, from the simulation environment, traffic lane information. The method also includes measuring performance of the vehicular lane centering algorithm during the base scenario using the extracted traffic lane information and generating a plurality of modified scenarios derived from the base scenario. Each modified scenario of the plurality of modified scenarios adjusts at least one parameter of the base scenario. The method also includes measuring performance of the vehicular lane centering algorithm during the plurality of modified scenarios using the extracted traffic lane information.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2021Date of Patent: November 12, 2024Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.Inventors: Tejas M. Varunjikar, Arpit Awathe, Chao Chen, Pushpendra Kushwaha
-
Patent number: 12134409Abstract: Disclosed is a method for cooperative decision-making on lane-changing behavior of an autonomous vehicle based on Bayesian game. On one hand, intelligent networked road perception and big data analysis are utilized to infer statistical characteristics of driving styles of a side vehicle under different time periods and traffic flow states, serving as prior predictions of driving styles of the side vehicle. On the other hand, the dynamic interaction behaviors during lane-changing processes of a specified vehicle and the side vehicle are continuously observed and posterior corrections are made to the driving styles of the side vehicle. When the specified vehicle generates a lane-changing willingness, probabilities of driving styles are iteratively predicted using Bayesian game principles. Comprehensive consideration of style and willingness probabilities yields a lane-changing probability of the specified vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2024Date of Patent: November 5, 2024Assignee: TIANJIN UNIVERSITYInventors: Kang Song, Fan Guo, Hui Xie
-
Patent number: 12129026Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to the technical field of aircrafts and provide an aircraft control method and a flight control system. The method is applicable to an aircraft and includes: connecting a remote control to a master terminal; connecting the master terminal to at least one slave terminal, so that each of the at least one slave terminal is connected to the master terminal; determining that the remote control has been connected to the aircraft; and controlling, by the remote control, the aircraft according to control instructions transmitted by the master terminal and/or the at least one slave terminal. By means of the method, providing each terminal with a remote control can be avoided, thereby reducing the burden of holding remote controls and reducing costs.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2021Date of Patent: October 29, 2024Assignee: AUTEL ROBOTICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Yinhua Feng, Hongliang Yu
-
Patent number: 12131591Abstract: Apparatus, device, methods and system relating to a vehicular telemetry environment for the real time generation and transformation of raw telematics big data into analytical telematics big data that includes raw telematics big data and supplemental data.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2023Date of Patent: October 29, 2024Assignee: Geotab Inc.Inventors: Neil Charles Cawse, Yi Zhao, Daniel Michael Dodgson
-
Patent number: 12123722Abstract: A driver assistance system for an ego vehicle, and a method for a driver assistance system is provided. The system is configured to refine a coarse geolocation method based on the detection of the static features located in the vicinity of the ego vehicle. The system performs at least one measurement of the visual appearance of each of at least one static feature located in the vicinity of the ego vehicle. Using the at least one measurement, a position of the ego vehicle relative to the static feature is calculated. The real world position of the static feature is identified. The position of the ego vehicle relative to the static feature is calculated, which is, in turn, used to calculate a static feature measurement of the vehicle location. The coarse geolocation measurement and the static feature measurement are combined to form a fine geolocation position. By combining the measurements, a more accurate location of the ego vehicle can be determined.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2022Date of Patent: October 22, 2024Assignee: Arriver Software ABInventor: Hendrik Honsel
-
Patent number: 12118498Abstract: A system for automated goods transportation is provided. The system includes a management system, a vehicle scheduling system, a loading/unloading control device, and autonomous driving control devices provided on respective autonomous vehicles. The management system is configured to manage goods information, generate a transportation plan based on the goods information, and transmit the transportation plan to the vehicle scheduling system. The vehicle scheduling system is configured to generate transportation tasks based on the transportation plan and the transportation statuses of the respective autonomous vehicles, and transmit each of the transportation tasks to the autonomous driving control device of the matching autonomous vehicle. The autonomous driving control device is configured to control the autonomous vehicle to complete transportation in accordance with the transportation task.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2021Date of Patent: October 15, 2024Assignee: BEIJING TUSEN ZHITU TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventor: Nan Wu
-
Patent number: 12097858Abstract: A travel control method is provided, in which a subject vehicle is controlled to autonomously travel on a road including intersections, the travel control method comprising: determining whether or not an intersection for the subject vehicle to seek to pass straight through is an offset intersection that is offset to the right or left with respect to a direction straight ahead of the subject vehicle; and when the intersection is an offset intersection, controlling the subject vehicle to pass through the intersection at a lower speed than when the intersection is not an offset intersection.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2021Date of Patent: September 24, 2024Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masafumi Tsuji, Akinobu Goto