Patents Examined by Elaine Gort
  • Patent number: 11604478
    Abstract: Concerning a partial area image that constitutes a wide area image, to control a flying body in accordance with a flight altitude at a past point of time of image capturing, an information processing apparatus includes a wide area image generator that extracts, from a flying body video obtained when a flying body captures a ground area spreading below while moving, a plurality of video frame images and combines the video frame images, thereby generating a captured image in a wide area, an image capturing altitude acquirer that acquires a flight altitude at a point of time of image capturing by the flying body for each of the plurality of video frame images, and an image capturing altitude output unit that outputs a difference of the flight altitude for each video frame image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuo Inoshita
  • Patent number: 11597409
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a vehicle capable of performing autonomous driving is provided. The apparatus includes an autonomous driving device that executes the autonomous driving and generates a transition demand when it is impossible to execute the autonomous driving. A driving controller performs a minimum risk maneuver (MRM) of applying a deceleration pattern differently depending on a driving environment of the vehicle, when the transition demand is generated, but when driving manipulation by a driver does not occur. A subsequent safety ensuring function is performed according to the MRM for the driver to recognize the MRM, and a drive mode of the vehicle is changed to a drive mode with a rapid response speed to acceleration or steering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Min Sang Yu, Jin Su Jeong, Eun Young Choi, Ki Seok Seong, Hyeong Jin Ham, Rosali Sun Pyun, Dong Il Yang, Woo Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 11597385
    Abstract: A vehicle running control method includes: calculating, by a controller, a lateral velocity of an adjacent vehicle that travels in a lane adjacent to a traveling lane in which an autonomous vehicle travels in the road-width direction, and a longitudinal velocity of the adjacent vehicle in the direction in which the adjacent lane extends; specifying, by the controller, a predetermined road section based on the longitudinal velocity and calculating a first path on the assumption that an offset distance of the adjacent vehicle in the adjacent lane in the road-width direction is maintained within the road section; and applying, by the controller, the lateral velocity to the first path to calculate a second path corresponding to a predicted traveling path of the adjacent vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jae Hwan Jang
  • Patent number: 11591012
    Abstract: System, method, and device for controlling a vehicle. In one example, the system includes an electronic processor configured to capture, via a camera, a first image, determine, within the first image, a road traffic factor, and generate, based on sensor information from one or more sensors of the vehicle, a second image depicting an environment surrounding the vehicle. The second image includes the road traffic factor. The electronic processor is also configured to, determine, based on the detected road traffic factor and the second image, a predicted trajectory of a traffic participant proximate to the vehicle, and generate a steering command for the vehicle based on the predicted trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Krishna Mohan Chinni
  • Patent number: 11592843
    Abstract: A technique relates to autonomous obstacle avoidance. A vehicle is controlled on a route to a destination, the route being a three-dimensional route. An obstruction is determined on the global route. A local route including alternate points to avoid the obstruction is autonomously determined. The local route is autonomously converged back to the global route in response to avoiding the obstruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Navid Dadkhah Tehrani, Brian Henri Le Floch, Ashish Bhatnagar, Suraj Unnikrishnan, Brian Scott MacAllister, Igor Cherepinsky
  • Patent number: 11584371
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to lane keeping in a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes determining lane boundaries according to at least the sensor data and a map. The method includes defining a reference system over a lane defined by the lane boundaries. The method includes evaluating vehicle boundary points within the reference system as a cost in optimizing a trajectory of the vehicle and using an R-function that defines geometric relationships between the vehicle boundary points and the reference system. The method includes providing an indicator about the trajectory to control the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Miroslav Baric, Jin Ge, Timothee Cazenave
  • Patent number: 11585932
    Abstract: A processor is operably coupled to a time of flight (TOF) camera, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, and an optical camera. The processor can receive a TOF signal representative of a first coordinate associated with a stick-up height of a tool joint of a pipe of a drill string during a tripping operation on a rig drill floor, and a pitch and a roll of the tool joint. The processor can receive a LIDAR signal representative of a second coordinate associated with the stick-up height, and the pitch of the tool joint. The processor can receive an optical camera signal representative of a third coordinate associated with the stick-up height of the tool joint and the roll of the tool joint. The processor can generate a pose estimate and an orientation estimate based on the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TRANSOCEAN SEDCO FOREX VENTURES LIMITED
    Inventors: Charles Blakely, Bradley J. Prevost
  • Patent number: 11577733
    Abstract: A system and method operate an autonomous vehicle. A sensor senses a road and an object. A processor determines, in a Cartesian reference frame, a representation of the road and a source point representative of the object, samples a first waypoint and a second waypoint from the representation of the road, determines a linear projection of the source point to a line connecting the first waypoint and the second waypoint, determines a first estimate of a longitudinal component of the source point in a road-based reference frame based on the linear projection, the first estimate being on a curve representing the road between the first waypoint and the second waypoint, determines a second estimate of the longitudinal component from the first estimate, determines a coordinate of the source point in the road-based reference frame from the second estimate and operates the vehicle with respect to the object using the coordinate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Roi Reshef, Vlad Goldner, Yevgeni Shaphirov
  • Patent number: 11573578
    Abstract: According to some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter there is provided a system and method for deploying a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by an airborne carrier aircraft for dispersing payload material, each UAV comprising at least one container containing payload material and being configured to disperse the payload material at a designated dispersion area in an event site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: ALMOG RESCUE SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventors: Ariel Zilberstein, Udi Graff
  • Patent number: 11565722
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a predicted trajectory of a human-driven host vehicle as the human-driven host vehicle approaches a traffic signal. The method includes: obtaining a host vehicle-traffic light distance dx and a longitudinal host vehicle speed vx that are each taken when the human-driven host vehicle approaches the traffic signal; obtaining a traffic light signal phase Pt and an traffic light signal timing Tt; obtaining a time of day TOD; providing the host vehicle-traffic light distance dx, the longitudinal host vehicle speed vx, the traffic light signal phase Pt, the traffic light signal timing Tt, and the time of day TOD as input into an artificial intelligence (AI) vehicle trajectory prediction application, wherein the AI vehicle trajectory prediction application implements an AI vehicle trajectory prediction model; and determining the predicted trajectory of the human-driven host vehicle using the AI vehicle trajectory prediction application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Geunseob Oh, Huei Peng
  • Patent number: 11562654
    Abstract: A system and method for automated vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft emergency landing is disclosed. The system receives a plurality of inputs from onboard modules including aircraft state, vehicle health, acceptable landing zone (LZ), emergency landing path, and 3D world model to prepare an emergency landing procedure when necessary. If functional onboard an unmanned VTOL aircraft, the vehicle health module determines an emergency landing requirement, the system commands a damage tolerant autopilot to perform the emergency procedure and automatically control the VTOL aircraft. If functional onboard a manned VTOL aircraft, an operator or the vehicle health module initiates the emergency landing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan M. Krawiec, Jack Jordan
  • Patent number: 11560160
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes: a point group data acquisition unit configured to acquire, based on information from a sensor configured to detect an object existing in surroundings of a vehicle, point group data related to a plurality of points representing the object; a movement amount estimation unit configured to estimate a movement amount of the vehicle; a storage unit configured to store, as a point group map recorded in association with position information including a latitude and a longitude, relative positions of the plurality of points relative to a first reference position that is a place on a travel path of the vehicle; and a position estimation unit configured to estimate a position of the vehicle based on the point group map, the point group data, and the movement amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: FAURECIA CLARION ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Morihiko Sakano, Shinya Tagawa, Masahiro Kiyohara
  • Patent number: 11555927
    Abstract: A system and method for providing online multi-LiDAR dynamic occupancy mapping that include receiving LiDAR data from each of a plurality of LiDAR sensors. The system and method also include processing a region of interest grid to compute a static occupancy map of a surrounding environment of the ego vehicle and processing a dynamic occupancy map. The system and method further include controlling the ego vehicle to be operated based on the dynamic occupancy map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiawei Huang, Mahmut Demir, Thang Lian, Kikuo Fujimura
  • Patent number: 11541905
    Abstract: An autonomous driving controller includes: a processor to collect driving data when a vehicle is traveling and calculate a steering override reference value, which is a criterion of determining an override mode, based on the collected driving data; and a storage to store the collected driving data and a set of instructions executed by the processor to calculate the steering override reference value. In particular, the processor controls autonomous driving by varying the steering override reference value based on the collected driving data or information regarding a driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jun Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 11527150
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a controller, programmed to responsive to receiving a credential for connecting to a wireless network from a mobile device, connect to the wireless network using the credential; and establish a link with the mobile device via the wireless network, wherein the credential is received through a cloud server via a wireless connection other than the wireless network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ahmed Elhadeedy
  • Patent number: 11520024
    Abstract: Extrinsic calibration of a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensor and a camera can comprise constructing a first plurality of reconstructed calibration targets in a three-dimensional space based on physical calibration targets detected from input from the LiDAR and a second plurality of reconstructed calibration targets in the three-dimensional space based on physical calibration targets detected from input from the camera. Reconstructed calibration targets in the first and second plurality of reconstructed calibration targets can be matched and a six-degree of freedom rigid body transformation of the LiDAR and camera can be computed based on the matched reconstructed calibration targets. A projection of the LiDAR to the camera can be computed based on the computed six-degree of freedom rigid body transformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: NIO Technology (Anhui) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiu Hong Yu, Tong Lin, Xu Chen, Zhenxiang Jian
  • Patent number: 11491969
    Abstract: A brake system for a transportation vehicle, a transportation vehicle having a brake system, and a method for operating a brake system. The brake system has two control units, wherein the respective control unit actuates a respective brake circuit of the brake system, which includes two of four service brakes and one of two electric parking brakes of the brake system. In response to a defect in one of the brake circuits, the control unit of the other brake circuit actuates the respective brakes of the other brake circuit, to carry out trailer combination stabilization of a trailer combination having the transportation vehicle and a trailer coupled to the transportation vehicle; and/or to steer the transportation vehicle in the case of a defect in a steering system of the transportation vehicle based on a steering command of a control device for autonomous driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Inventor: Bastian Witte
  • Patent number: 11472435
    Abstract: A trajectory determination method for a vehicle is provided. A target vehicle trajectory is determined from among multiple candidate vehicle trajectories by considering, for each of the candidate vehicle trajectories, presence or absence of a front obstacle, presence or absence of a potentially-colliding obstacle, and a condition related to lane change, so as to enhance driving safety of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH & TESTING CENTER
    Inventors: Yu-Ting Lin, Tsung-Ming Hsu
  • Patent number: 11474250
    Abstract: A distance image measuring device includes: a light source; an image sensor receiving a reflected light generated by reflection of a projected light from an object; a housing accommodating the light source and the image sensor; a window provided in the housing and through which the projected light and the reflected light pass; a distance calculation section calculating a distance to the object; a reflection state switching member disposed on an optical path of the projected light; and an abnormality determination section determining whether there is an abnormality in a function of detecting the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Naotake Matsuda
  • Patent number: 11460299
    Abstract: Provided is a survey system capable of more highly accurately obtaining a product of a three-dimensional survey. A survey system includes a mobile body, a scanner including an emitting unit, a light receiving unit, a distance measuring unit, a first optical axis deflecting unit disposed on an optical axis of the distance measuring light and configured to deflect a distance measuring light, a second optical axis deflecting unit disposed on a light receiving optical axis of the reflected distance measuring light and configured to deflect a reflected distance measuring light at the same angle in the same direction as those of the first optical axis deflecting unit, and an emitting direction detecting unit to detect deflection angles and directions of the first and the second optical axis deflecting units, a posture detecting device of the scanner, and a position measuring device of the scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOPCON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Nishita