Patents Examined by Jason Holloway
  • Patent number: 11186278
    Abstract: An ACC function for performing constant speed cruise according to a target speed when there is no preceding other vehicle in a vehicle's own driving lane and performing following cruise by maintaining a predetermined inter-vehicle distance when there is a preceding other vehicle, an LKA function for maintaining cruise in the vehicle's own driving lane by following control to a target path, a function for performing automated lane change to a neighboring lane when there is no other vehicle in a predetermined range in the neighboring lane, an override function for stopping the automated lane change function by a driver's operation intervention, and a function for performing fallback control of the automated lane change function, with notifying the driver of stopping the automated lane change function and operation takeover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Sato
  • Patent number: 11188100
    Abstract: A system for localizing a swarm of robotic platforms utilizing ranging sensors. The swarm is localized by purposely leaving some of the platforms of the swarm stationary, providing localization to the moving ones. The platforms in the swarm can alternate between a stationary and moving state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Robotic Research, LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy, Joseph Putney, Anne Rachel Schneider
  • Patent number: 11167417
    Abstract: A robot control device that creates a control program for work of a robot with a force detector, the device includes a processor, wherein the processor is configured to: display an input screen including an operation flow creation area for creating an operation flow of work on a display device; convert the created operation flow into a control program; and execute the control program to control the robot, wherein the input screen is configured to display a plurality of operation objects indicating a plurality of operations including an operation using force control, and one or more conditional branch objects indicating a conditional branch, as options, and wherein the operation flow creation area is configured to create an operation flow including the conditional branch by graphically placing an operation object selected from the plurality of operation objects and the conditional branch object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Inventor: Kaoru Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 11168997
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to recognition of navigation and/or guidance related information within an expressed conversational narrative between a provider of the narrative and a receiver thereof. The recognized navigation and/or guidance related information is then converted into navigation data which may be used to present a navigation route and/or guidance information related thereto to the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventor: Mark Slusar
  • Patent number: 11161506
    Abstract: A travel support device including a memory that stores first section information regarding a first section included in a first lane of a road, second section information regarding a second section adjacent to a front in a traveling direction of the first section, and third section information regarding a third section included in a second lane of the road, and the second lane is added to and splits off from the first lane, the second lane is adjacent to the first lane, the third section is a section adjacent to the second section, travel increase information is associated with the third section information when the second lane is a traveling lane, and uphill increase information is associated with the third section information when the second lane is an uphill lane; and processing circuitry that guides a vehicle based on the travel increase information and the uphill increase information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: ZENRIN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Ogata, Keigo Odahara
  • Patent number: 11160622
    Abstract: A method of assigning an auxiliary input device to control a surgical instrument in a computer-assisted surgical system includes detecting a first surgical instrument coupled to a first manipulator interface assembly of a computer-assisted surgical system, the first manipulator interface assembly being controlled by a first input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Randal P. Goldberg, Michael Hanuschik, Paul Millman, Paul W. Mohr, Thomas R. Nixon, David W. Robinson
  • Patent number: 11155257
    Abstract: An automatic parking control device is capable of causing a vehicle to correctly reach the next frame without relying on normal parking route regeneration when a determination is made that the vehicle cannot reach the next frame under automatic parking vehicle control along a section route constituting a part of a parking route. When a determination is made whether the next frame is located on an extension of the current section route and the determination result shows that the next frame is located on the extension, the host vehicle travels further. When the determination is made whether the next frame is located on a remaining section of the current section route and the determination result shows that the next frame is located on the remaining section, the host vehicle decelerates earlier, thereby allowing the host vehicle to reach and come to a stop at the next frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Munetoshi Tsuge, Yoshiyuki Yoshida, Masashi Seimiya, Keiichiro Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 11148779
    Abstract: A system for controlling one or more propulsion devices of a marine vessel. The system includes circuitry configured to: receive a steering angle command for a propulsion device of the marine vessel; receive a trim position of the propulsion device; and generate a steering actuator position command for the propulsion device based on the steering angle command and the trim position of the propulsion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Inventor: Robert A. Morvillo
  • Patent number: 11142193
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a capturer configured to obtain height information of a preceding vehicle; a sensor configured to obtain at least one of position information or speed information of the preceding vehicle and a leading vehicle; and a controller configured to determine a first distance between the preceding vehicle and a subject vehicle, to determine a second distance between the preceding vehicle and the leading vehicle, to determine an acceleration of the preceding vehicle based on a relative speed and a relative distance of the preceding vehicle and the leading vehicle, and to control at least one of braking or steering of the subject vehicle when the second distance is less than or equal to a collision prediction distance between the preceding vehicle and the leading vehicle and the acceleration of the preceding vehicle is less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Seunghyun Kim, Hong Gi Park, Ilhwan Kim, Donghyuk Kim, Kyung-joo Bang
  • Patent number: 11126187
    Abstract: Systems and methods described herein relate to controlling the operation of a vehicle. One embodiment generates predicted trajectories of the vehicle using first trajectory predictors based, at least in part, on first inputs; generates predicted trajectories of a road agent that is external to the vehicle using second trajectory predictors based, at least in part, on second inputs; integrates the predicted trajectories of the road agent into the first inputs to iteratively update the predicted trajectories of the vehicle and integrates the predicted trajectories of the vehicle into the second inputs to iteratively update the predicted trajectories of the road agent; and controls operation of the vehicle based, at least in part, on at least one of (1) the iteratively updated predicted trajectories of the vehicle and (2) the iteratively updated predicted trajectories of the road agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen G. McGill, Jr., Guy Rosman, John Joseph Leonard, Luke S. Fletcher, Yusuke Sawamura, Xin Huang
  • Patent number: 11124187
    Abstract: This invention relates to a vehicle speed control system, configured with off-road performance features, that will allow the driver to travel at a set speed in a smooth, controlled manner on various unmaintained surfaces without requiring the driver to press the brake or accelerator pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignees: ZF Active Safety US Inc., ZF Active Safety GmbH
    Inventors: Sean Simmons, Shawn Hawley, Charles Anthony Bartlett, Elmar Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 11124210
    Abstract: A monitoring method and system monitor a transmitted current that is injected into conductive components of a route traveled by vehicle systems, monitor a received current that represents a portion of the transmitted current that is conducted through the conductive components of the route, examine changes in the transmitted and/or received current over time to determine when the vehicle systems are on the route between a first location where the transmitted current is injected into the conductive components and a second location where the received current is monitored, and examine the changes in the transmitted and/or received currents. The changes are examined to identify (a) a contaminated portion of a surface on which the route is disposed, (b) a foreign object other than the vehicle systems that is contacting the route, and/or (c) a damaged or broken portion of at least one of the conductive components of the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Aric Albert Weingartner, Aaron Richard Mitti
  • Patent number: 11124252
    Abstract: An example implementation involves receiving measurements from an inertial sensor coupled to the robot and detecting an occurrence of a foot of the legged robot making contact with a surface. The implementation also involves reducing a gain value of an amplifier from a nominal value to a reduced value upon detecting the occurrence. The amplifier receives the measurements from the inertial sensor and provides a modulated output based on the gain value. The implementation further involves increasing the gain value from the reduced value to the nominal value over a predetermined duration of time after detecting the occurrence. The gain value is increased according to a profile indicative of a manner in which to increase the gain value of the predetermined duration of time. The implementation also involves controlling at least one actuator of the legged robot based on the modulated output during the predetermined duration of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Blankespoor, Marco da Silva
  • Patent number: 11120410
    Abstract: A service robot may be autonomous, with respect to a portion of a customer service task, and coordinated, with respect to another portion of a customer service task. A resource, such as another robot or an agent (human or automated), may monitor or interact with the robot and, in such a combination, perform a customer service task. The robot may be instructed to pause or delay initiation of a robot portion to allow for a resource to become available at a common time that the interaction portion is to be performed to minimize delay and promote better customer service. Should the delay be beyond an acceptable threshold, the robot may engage in a delay task (e.g., slow down, pause, etc.). The delay task may include a social interaction with a human at a service location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: David Skiba, Valentine C. Matula, George Erhart
  • Patent number: 11116589
    Abstract: A method of initializing the layout of one or more robotic arms controllable by an input object, comprising: entering a paused mode, in which control of movement of the robotic arms by the input object is paused; measuring an input object initialization layout, defined by the layout of at least one segment of the input object; actuating at least a portion of the robotic arms to match the input object initialization layout; and entering a controlled mode, in which movements of the input object control the robotic arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Memic Innovative Surgery Ltd.
    Inventors: Dvir Cohen, Eli Shapira
  • Patent number: 11116593
    Abstract: A robot system which is capable of reducing an operator's workload and easily correcting preset operation of a robot. The robot system includes a robot main body having a plurality of joints, a control device configured to control operation of the robot main body and an operating device including a teaching device configured to teach the control device one of positional information on the robot main body and angular information on the plurality of joints so as to execute an automatic operation of the robot main body and a manipulator configured to receive a manipulating instruction from an operator to manually operate the robot main body or correct the operation of the robot main body under the automatic operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Hashimoto, Masayuki Kamon, Shigetsugu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11097728
    Abstract: A longitudinal driver assistance system, in a hybrid vehicle equipped with at least one electric drive motor, one internal combustion engine and one electronic drive control unit which actuates said motor and engine, includes: a detection system for the predictive detection of an event which, starting from an actual speed, leads to the specification of an increased setpoint speed at a specified location-dependent time, and a function unit which is configured to specify a setpoint acceleration profile to the increased setpoint speed and to output it to the drive control unit for generating a motor/engine torque which is necessary to reach the setpoint acceleration profile. The function unit is also configured to receive, when a defined condition applies, a limiting maximum possible motor/engine torque from the drive control unit, which motor/engine torque is not sufficient to reach the setpoint acceleration profile, and to specify a changed setpoint acceleration profile on the basis thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Norbert Lipot, Stefan Weindl, Mark Van Gelikum
  • Patent number: 11091156
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can determine a road segment. A set of features associated with the road segment can be determined based at least in part on data captured by one or more sensors of a vehicle. A level of similarity between the road segment and each of a set of road segment types can be determined by comparing the set of features to features associated with each of the set of road segment types. The road segment can be classified as a road segment type based on the level of similarity. Scenario information associated with the road segment can be determined based on the classified road segment type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventors: Asif Haque, Mark Douglas Huyler, Gerard Joyce, Ying Liu, David Tse-Zhou Lu, Sameer Qureshi, Vinay Shet
  • Patent number: 11092950
    Abstract: To enhance the productivity of an offline teaching work by visualizing the working position, path, and the like of an end effector in offline teaching. A robot teaching device, includes: a teaching point marker display unit configured to display, on a GUI, teaching point markers for marking teaching points in a three-dimensional modeling space in which at least a three-dimensional model of a robot including an end effector and a three-dimensional model of a work piece are arranged, the teaching points serving as target passing points of the end effector; a joined path display unit configured to display, on the GUI, a joined path, which is a path connecting successive points among the teaching points to each other; and a changing point marker display unit configured to display, on the GUI, a changing point marker marking a point at which a working state of the end effector changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Onoyama, Koichi Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 11091174
    Abstract: A vehicle control device is provided with: a surroundings recognition unit which recognizes external conditions around a host vehicle; a behavior determination unit which, if it is recognized that another vehicle is present along a travel path along which the host vehicle is traveling, determines behavior of the other vehicle; a space setting unit which, if the behavior deter urination unit determines that the other vehicle will cross the travel path, sets a space ahead of the other vehicle in accordance with the behavior of the other vehicle so that the other vehicle can secure fields of vision; and a vehicle control unit which performs control to form the space ahead of the other vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Matsunaga, Masaaki Nagashima, Takeru Goto