Patents Examined by Kenneth M Dunne
  • Patent number: 11498587
    Abstract: An autonomous robot system to enable automated movement of goods and materials in a dynamic environment including one or more dynamic objects. The autonomous robot system includes an autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) including a vehicle management system. The vehicle management system provides real time resource planning and path optimization to enable the AGV to operate safely and efficiently alongside humans in a dynamic environment. The vehicle management system includes one or more processing devices to execute a moving object trajectory prediction module to predict a trajectory of a dynamic or moving object in a shared environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Anatoly Mitlin, Samer Nashed
  • Patent number: 11498668
    Abstract: According to certain aspects of the disclosure, a computer-implemented method may be used for rotorcraft track and balance. The method may include capturing one or more images of at least one rotating blades of a rotorcraft and analyzing the one or more images of the at least one rotating blades to determine blade information. Additionally, the method may include determining a location of the at least one rotating blades in the one or more images based on the blade information and calculating blade position information based on the determined location of the at least one rotating blade and a parameter of a user device capturing the one or more images. Additionally, the method may include displaying the blade position information to the user device and displaying instructions on one or more adjustments to the at least one rotating blades of the rotorcraft based on the blade position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL S.R.O.
    Inventors: Patrik Moravek, Pavel Badin, Michal Dobes
  • Patent number: 11491978
    Abstract: A driving assistance device to properly recognize a relative positional relationship between mobile objects without the use of map information. The driving assistance device includes a relative position judgment section for judging a relative positional relationship of an object of interest and a first neighboring object relative to a second neighboring object, based on object-of-interest information and neighbor information, to make a judgment as a first judgment on a relative positional relationship between the object of interest and the first neighboring object, based on the aforementioned judgment result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuji Hamada, Yoshiaki Adachi, Takayoshi Takehara, Takashi Maeda, Masahiko Ikawa
  • Patent number: 11492113
    Abstract: A security monitoring system may implement a method for surveilling an outdoor area using a drone. The method involves receiving an input to initiate a pre-surveillance operation. The input indicates a type of pre-surveillance operation to be performed in the outdoor area. The drone may be configured according to the input and may then perform the pre-surveillance operation to obtain data indicative of environmental features in the outdoor area. A flight trajectory path for the drone is generated based on the data indicative of the environmental features in the outdoor area. The flight trajectory path includes a path for the drone to move within the outdoor area. The drone then performs a detailed surveillance of the outdoor area according to the flight trajectory path. A graphical representation of the outdoor area is generated based on data obtained from performing the surveillance of the outdoor area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Alarm.com Incorporated
    Inventors: Agris Kipurs, Ilja Nevdahs
  • Patent number: 11488472
    Abstract: A speed of a target vehicle can be detected. A difference in host vehicle speed and the speed of the target vehicle is determined. A target frequency is specified for a sound to be received at the target vehicle. A sending frequency is determined for the sound based on the target frequency and the difference in host vehicle speed and target vehicle speed. The sound is transmitted at the sending frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Parenti, Brad Alan Ignaczak
  • Patent number: 11485353
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method of autonomously parking an autonomous driving vehicle, includes generating environment descriptor data describing a driving environment surrounding the autonomous driving vehicle (ADV), including identifying a parking space and one or more obstacles within a predetermined proximity of the ADV, generating a parking trajectory of the ADV based on the environment descriptor data to autonomously park the ADV into the parking space, including optimizing the parking trajectory in view of the one or more obstacles, segmenting the parking trajectory into one or more trajectory segments based on a vehicle state of the ADV, and controlling the ADV according to the one or more trajectory segments of the parking trajectory to autonomously park the ADV into the parking space without collision with the one or more obstacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: BAIDU USA LLC
    Inventors: Jinyun Zhou, Runxin He, Qi Luo, Jinghao Miao, Jiangtao Hu, Yu Wang, Jiaxuan Xu, Shu Jiang
  • Patent number: 11465740
    Abstract: A system comprising a computer programmed to identify a connected location of a vehicle at which a user device is connected to a first network and a disconnected location of the vehicle at which the user device is disconnected from the first network. Upon further determining that the user device has not connected to a second network within a first predetermined time, the computer is further programmed to activate an aerial drone container to an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oswaldo Perez Barrera, Alvaro Jimenez Hernandez
  • Patent number: 11465613
    Abstract: A parking assistance device includes a parking direction specification unit specifying a parking direction in a case where a subject vehicle is parked at a parking region, an obstacle detection unit detecting an obstacle, a detection range setting unit setting a detection range for detecting a bearing of the obstacle, a division unit dividing the detection range in a direction associated with the specified parking direction and generating plural divided ranges, a bearing calculation unit calculating a bearing of the detected obstacle, which is a bearing of a side surface of the obstacle which extends in the parking direction, for each of the divided ranges and calculating an average value of the bearings which are respectively calculated for the divided ranges, and a parking position setting unit setting a parking position where the subject vehicle is parked at the parking region based on the calculated average value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: CLARION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Umino, Toshihisa Kuwahara, Takehito Ogata, Shuzo Kaneko
  • Patent number: 11458965
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for performing one or more validity checks on potential trajectories for a device, such as an autonomous vehicle, to navigate. In some examples, a potential trajectory may be validated based on whether it is consistent with a current trajectory the vehicle is navigating such that the potential and current trajectories are not too different, whether the vehicle can feasibly or kinematically navigate to the potential trajectory from a current state, whether the potential trajectory was punctual or received within a time period of a prior trajectory, and/or whether the potential trajectory passes a staleness check, such that it was created within a certain time period. In some examples, determining whether a potential trajectory is feasibly may include updating a set of feasibility limits based on one or more operational characteristics of statuses of subsystems of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Sy Kelly Olson, Collin MacGregor, Jefferson Bradfield Packer, David Martins Belo, Joseph Funke
  • Patent number: 11447193
    Abstract: A system is configured to mitigate hydroplaning of a vehicle having an adjustable aerodynamic-aid element configured to generate a selectable downforce on the vehicle body in response to a movement of ambient airflow relative thereto. The system includes a mechanism for varying a position of the adjustable aerodynamic-aid element relative to the body to regulate the downforce and sensor(s) configured to detect a vehicle dynamic parameter indicative of hydroplaning of the vehicle. The system additionally includes an electronic controller in communication with the sensor(s) and programmed to regulate the mechanism. The controller is configured to determine a target position for the adjustable aerodynamic-aid element in response to signal(s) from the sensor(s). The controller is also configured to set the adjustable aerodynamic-aid element to the target position via the mechanism to regulate the downforce on the vehicle body and mitigate the hydroplaning of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Dale Cattell, Jason D. Fahland
  • Patent number: 11450212
    Abstract: The method for organizing a group of several separate vehicles in a platoon includes an identification step (a) in order to identify the candidate vehicles that are to form the platoonp The method also includes an acquisition step (b) in order to acquire, for each candidate vehicle, at least one parameter associated with a tire of the candidate vehicle, such as the wet grip index of the tire tyre, referred to as the “tire parameter”. Subsequently, based on the tire parameter, a processing step (c) for determining the rank attributed to the particular candidate vehicle in the platoon and/or the inter-vehicle distance which, at a given speed, must separate the candidate vehicle in question from the vehicle immediately in front in the platoon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Frederic Domprobst, Nicolas Fangeat, Thomas Ledoux
  • Patent number: 11434004
    Abstract: Drones are controlled by one or more control devices and comprise a respective camera for image capture. The one or more control devices perform a method including obtaining projected flight paths of the drones, obtaining a projected camera setting of the respective camera, computing, as a function of the projected camera setting, a projected viewing frustum of the respective camera, defining, for the drones, projected time-space trajectories of no-fly zones based on the projected viewing frustum of the respective camera, analyzing the projected flight paths of the drones in relation to the projected time-space trajectories for detection of a violation of one or more of the no-fly zones, and setting an operative flight path and/or an operative camera setting for at least one selected drone to prevent the violation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ola Thörn, Peter Exner
  • Patent number: 11435743
    Abstract: An operation method includes sensing, by a movable device, whether the movable device is thrown out by a thrower; in response to a sensing of being thrown out, controlling the movable device to hover in air; and after controlling to hover, performing, by the movable device, an aerial operation of the movable device, such as capturing images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xubin Sun, Dajun Huo, Hao Yang
  • Patent number: 11420633
    Abstract: A driving assistance method for a motor vehicle (1) when approaching a speed bump comprises, according to the invention: detecting and tracking at least one other moving vehicle (41) in front of the motor vehicle (1) based on processing images captured by a camera (10) on board the motor vehicle (1); establishing a temporal profile of the estimated distance between the motor vehicle (1) and the at least one detected and followed other moving vehicle (41); detecting an anomaly area in the temporal profile; and estimating a distance dbump between the motor vehicle (1) and a speed bump (3) on the basis of the estimated distance between the motor vehicle (1) and the at least one other vehicle (41) at a time separate from the times corresponding to the detected anomaly area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Alexandre Garnault, Thomas Heitzmann
  • Patent number: 11409297
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a method for operating an automated vehicle comprising: receiving environmental data; ascertaining a driving area that is to be traveled on by the vehicle, and a prohibited area that is not to be traveled on by the vehicle, based on the environmental data; determining whether a bottleneck exists in which the driving area is in an at least partially blocked state by a further road user or an obstacle, such that it is not possible, exclusively using the driving area, for the automated vehicle and/or the further road user to pass or for the automated vehicle to pass by the obstacle; ascertaining a trajectory in which the vehicle at least partially uses the prohibited area if a bottleneck exists; and emitting an actuation signal for operating the automated vehicle based on ascertained trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Holger Mielenz
  • Patent number: 11402855
    Abstract: This data processing device is provided with: an acceleration acquisition unit that acquires the acceleration of a moving body equipped with a mechanism for generating a propulsion force and equipped with a measuring instrument for measuring the strength of at least a one-direction component of the wind to which the moving body is exposed; a wind information acquisition unit that acquires wind information indicating the blowing direction of the wind and the strength of the wind, both of which are identified from the values measured by the measuring instrument; an external force estimation unit that estimates, on the basis of the acceleration and the direction and magnitude of the propulsion force, the magnitude of an external force exerted by the wind on the moving body; and a generation unit that generates relational information indicating the relation between the wind strength and the estimated magnitude of the external force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshiaki Yamashita
  • Patent number: 11401046
    Abstract: A drone includes a drone chassis, a plurality of motors attached to the drone chassis, and a plurality of propellers coupled to the plurality of motors, the plurality of propellers extending above the drone chassis. A net assembly is mounted to the drone chassis. The net assembly extends above the plurality of propellers. The net assembly includes a frame and one or more portions of netting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Performance Drone Works LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Gury, Florent Arnoux, Michael Dornisch, Max Tubman, Brendan Sullivan, Tom O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 11400942
    Abstract: A prediction device includes a lane information obtaining unit, an estimating unit, and a predicting unit. The observation-value-obtaining unit obtains an observation value of mobile object' movement. The lane information obtaining unit obtains lane information regarding lanes within a threshold distance of the mobile object. Based on the observation value and the lane information, the estimating unit estimates temporal change volume and likelihood information. The predicting unit identifies target lanes based on the likelihood information, and for the identified target lanes, based on current-state information indicating one or more states of the mobile object indicated by the observation value obtained at the reference time and based on the temporal change volume, calculates predicted-state information indicating one or more states of the mobile object after the reference time when the mobile object moves to the target lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Atsushi Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 11402857
    Abstract: An example of a drone includes a drone chassis extending along a plane, a plurality of motors attached to the drone chassis and a plurality of propellers coupled to the plurality of motors. The drone includes net assembly mounted to the drone chassis. The net assembly includes a net enclosure rotatably mounted such that an outward facing opening of the enclosure is rotatable about an axis of rotation that is parallel to the drone chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Performance Drone Works LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Gury, Florent Arnoux, Michael Dornisch, Max Tubman, Matthew Hernandez
  • Patent number: 11391650
    Abstract: A UAV capable of sampling a hazardous body of water and a method of using the same. An electronic controller of the attached apparatus receives a first instruction to lower a sampling device at a specified rate into the body of water. The sampling device is connected to the apparatus via a line, and the sampling device is lowered by unspooling the line from a reel. The sampling device is lowered at the specified rate into the body of water based on the instruction and is retrieved from the body of water. A line-cutting device can cut the line should the sampling device get caught up in an obstruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Inventors: Ian Stuart Fairweather, James Patrick Jonas