Patents Examined by Luke Huynh
  • Crowd sourced mapping with robust structural features
    Patent number: 11156464
    Abstract: A location and mapping service is described that creates a global database of indoor navigation maps through crowd-sourcing and data fusion technologies. The navigation maps consist of a database of geo-referenced, uniquely described features in the multi-dimensional sensor space (e.g., including structural, RF, magnetic, image, acoustic, or other data) that are collected automatically as a tracked mobile device is moved through a building (e.g. a person with a mobile phone or a robot). The feature information can be used to create building models as one or more tracked devices traverse a building, to indicate signal strength throughout different parts of the building mode, and to illustrate a path of each tracked device associated with signal strength and other annotations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: TRX SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Travis Young, Kamiar Kordari, Benjamin Funk, Carole Teolis
  • Managing available energy among multiple unmanned aerial vehicles
    Patent number: 11144049
    Abstract: Management of available energy among multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is provided by identifying tasks to be completed by the multiple UAVs, and determining energy requirements of one or more UAVs of the multiple UAVs to facilitate completing one or more tasks of the tasks to be completed by the multiple UAVs. Further, the approach includes identifying an energy sharing approach for completion of the task(s) by the UAV(s) where one or more other UAVs of the multiple UAVs transfer energy in operation to the unmanned aerial vehicle(s) to facilitate completion of the task(s). In operation, the multiple UAVs may be detachably coupled, and the approach may include implementing the energy sharing approach by transferring energy from the other UAV(s) to the UAV(s) to facilitate completion of the task(s), for instance, prior to decoupling of the other UAV(s) from the UAV(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeremy A. Greenberger, Christopher J. Hardee
  • Vehicle control device
    Patent number: 11136027
    Abstract: This vehicle control device is provided with: a detection unit; and an external environment recognition unit that extracts a target object and left and right recognition lines of a traveling path. Additionally, a local environment map creation unit of the vehicle control device calculates an area of activity of an own vehicle and left and right border lines which indicate a limit of non-interference with the target object. Furthermore, the local environment map creation unit calculates left and right recommended border lines during traveling of the own vehicle by adding a margin interval that narrows the left and right border lines toward the inside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daichi Kato, Hiroshi Oguro
  • Localization determination for vehicle operation
    Patent number: 11112259
    Abstract: Traversing a vehicle transportation network, by a vehicle, may include determining vehicle operational information, determining a metric location estimate for the vehicle using the vehicle operational information, determining operational environment information of a portion of the vehicle transportation network, determining a topological location estimate for the vehicle within the vehicle transportation network using the metric location estimate and the operational environment information, and traversing the vehicle transportation network based on the topological location estimate for the vehicle. The operational environment information can include sensor data of a portion of the vehicle transportation network that is observable to the vehicle. To determine the metric location estimate, a non-linear loss function with a Kalman filter may mitigate effects of un-modeled sensor error(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignees: Nissan North America, Inc., Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Samer Nashed, David Ilstrup
  • Parking control method and parking control device
    Patent number: 11091155
    Abstract: A parking control method is provided for executing a control instruction to move a vehicle along a parking route. This method includes selecting a second position with relatively high operability of remote operation from among one or more first positions at which an operator of the vehicle can get off the vehicle, stopping the vehicle at the second position, and parking the vehicle in accordance with the control instruction on the basis of an operation command acquired from the operator who has got off the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Suzuki, Yasuhisa Hayakawa
  • Center console and electronic operating system for a vehicle
    Patent number: 11034241
    Abstract: A vehicle has a driver's position, a passenger position and a center console which is arranged between the driver's position and the passenger position. The center console includes an antenna which is designed to establish a wireless, radio-based near-field communication link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Daniel Wiedemann, Gabriel Hairer, Tobias Schoellermann
  • Drone-based, attacker neutralization
    Patent number: 11021249
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for responding to an attacker including a shooter who opens fire at a site where people are gathered, including identifying, neutralizing, and restraining the attacker. A system may include a central control unit configured to receive signals indicative of gun fire, to responsively determine an origin of the gun fire, to identify features of a shooter associated with the gun fire and to release a UAV from a shielded UAV housing to engage the shooter. The UAV may be configured to fly towards the shooter, according to the origin of the gun fire and the identifying features of the shooter, and to neutralize the shooter by operating a UAV incapacitating mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Inventor: Itai Raz
  • Stabilization of an erratic input to a control system
    Patent number: 11022996
    Abstract: One example aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method. The method can include receiving, by one or more computing devices, an input related to power consumption. The method can include filtering, by the one or more computing devices, the received input. The method can include classifying, by the one or more computing devices, the filtered input into one zone of a plurality of zones. The method can include determining, by the one or more computing devices, a setting associated with the classified zone. The setting can determine power production during an idle setting. The method can include causing, by the one or more computing devices, an adjustment to the determined setting at a rate determined by a rate limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Schroer, Kevin Allen Davis
  • System and method for representing a location of a fault in an aircraft cabin
    Patent number: 11021269
    Abstract: A method and a distributed architecture for controlling functions of an aircraft comprising: a controller, an Input/Output (IO) node and a processor configured to display a graphical user interface component representing at least a portion of an aircraft cabin divided into at least two sections on the IO node and receive, by the IO node, a first and a second input from a user for selecting one of the at least two sections and selecting a preset of at least one controllable parameter respectively. Upon determining that the user requests a modification of the selected preset for the selected section, a preset setting menu including the at least one controllable parameter associated with the selected preset is displayed; a third input from the user for modifying the at least one controllable parameter is received and a modified preset based on the modified at least one controllable parameter is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER INC.
    Inventors: Tim Fagan, Erin Murphy, Linsey Nancarrow, Jeff Bartenbach
  • On-board system and train occupancy range calculation method
    Patent number: 10974747
    Abstract: Whether or not slip-or-skid of a wheel on any one of a plurality of axles of a train to which pulse generators (PGs) are provided has occurred is determined on the basis of speed pulses output from the PGs. When occurrence of slip-or-skid is detected, a train occupancy range is calculated with a front end portion of the train determined on the basis of a forward-side one of train positions obtained on the basis of the speed pulses output by the PGs, and with a rear end portion of the train determined on the basis of a backward-side one of the train positions. Whether or not any of the PGs is abnormal is determined on the basis of the speed pulses or a speed and acceleration/deceleration calculated from the speed pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: KYOSAN ELECTRIC MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Mizuno, Tamotsu Yokoyama, Tomonori Itagaki, Toshifumi Nishi
  • On-board system and train occupancy range calculation method
    Patent number: 10974745
    Abstract: An on-board system increases a forward margin distance and a backward margin distance to expand an train occupancy range, when it is determined that position correction communications with a balise fail to be performed when a train passes through an installation position of the balise, that is, when it is determined that a detection failure has occurred. The expanded train occupancy range is restored to the train occupancy range before being expanded, when it is determined that the position correction communications have been successfully performed with a next balise, that is, when detection has been successfully performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: KYOSAN ELECTRIC MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomonori Itagaki, Toshifumi Nishi, Kenji Mizuno, Tamotsu Yokoyama
  • On-board apparatus and ground system
    Patent number: 10967888
    Abstract: At an on-board control unit of an on-board apparatus, a coupling detecting unit detects coupling of a failure train with respect to the own train. Then, in the case where detection is performed by the coupling detecting unit, a train occupancy range calculating unit updates train length information using the number of vehicles of the failure train and uses the updated train length information to calculate train occupancy range information. Further, a traveling control unit controls traveling and stop of the own train as a series of coupled trains in the case where detection is performed by the coupling detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: KYOSAN ELECTRIC MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Nishi, Tamotsu Yokoyama, Tomonori Itagaki, Kenji Mizuno
  • System for announcing predicted remaining amount of energy
    Patent number: 10906424
    Abstract: A system for generating information about predicted remaining amount of energy includes processing circuitry that obtains traveling state information which contains current vehicle position information, searches a predicted passage point through which the vehicle is predicted to pass in a future on a basis of the traveling state information when a vehicle traveling route is not set, predicts a predicted remaining amount of energy, the predicted remaining amount of energy being a predicted amount of traveling energy remaining at the time when the vehicle passes the predicted passage point and controls to provide information about the predicted remaining amount of energy and the predicted passage point corresponding to the predicted remaining amount of energy for a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyohei Ueda
  • Vehicle with hyperlapse video and social networking
    Patent number: 10870398
    Abstract: A vehicle is described that includes a video camera configured to record video, a processor configured to process the recorded video from the video camera into hyperlapse video, and an input/output device to link the hyperlapse video with a social network associated with at least one of a driver of the vehicle and the vehicle. The processor may be configured to receive video data from the video camera and to create the hyperlapse video by reconstructing a video stream from the video data, planning a smooth path through the video stream, and rendering the video data along the smooth path into the hyperlapse video that has a faster speed and less jitter than the video stream. The hyperlapse video may be a non-native, sped-up video of the recorded video from the video camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Arun Dutta, Alexander Groh, Ali Hassani, Dylan Verster, John William Schmotzer, Pol Llado
  • Determining vehicle occupancy using sensors
    Patent number: 10719996
    Abstract: A method of determining occupancy of a vehicle along a route is determined by processing data generated by two different smartphones reported to be travelling in the same vehicle. An app executing within each smartphone. Information that has been transmitted from the two smartphones includes a unique identification of the mobile computing device and a unique identification of a person associated with the mobile computing device. Sensor data is also received, which corresponds to a local ambient environment inside the vehicle of the mobile computing device generating the data. The sensor data does not include location data or data entered by a user. The received data is used to determine if both mobile computing devices were actually present during the portions of the route, by comparing the data from each device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Priscilla Barreira Avegliano, Carlos Henrique Cardonha, Ricardo Guimaraes Herrmann, Diego Sanchez Gallo
  • Pickup and drop off zones for autonomous vehicles
    Patent number: 10698410
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to providing information about a vehicle dispatched to pick up the user. In one example, a request for the vehicle to stop at a particular location is sent. In response, information identifying a current location of the vehicle is received. A map is generated. The map includes a first marker identifying the received location of the vehicle, a second marker identifying the particular location, and a shape defining an area around the second marker at which the vehicle may stop. The shape has an edge at least a minimum distance greater than zero from the second area. A route is displayed on the map between the first marker and the shape such that the route ends at the shape and does not reach the second marker. Progress of the vehicle towards the area along the route is displayed based on received updated location information for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Jennifer Arden, Brian Douglas Cullinane, Min Li Chan, Renaud-Roland Hubert
  • LIDAR site model to aid counter drone system
    Patent number: 10690772
    Abstract: A system for creating a three dimensional model of an environment includes a LIDAR scanning system to scan an environment to provide an image of a scene of the scanned environment, a geo-locator to tag a plurality of points within the image with geo-reference points and a labeler to label features of interest within the image of the scene and to identify possible access paths within the three dimensional model of the environment from the features of interest potentially providing an access path for a target drone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon BBN Technologies Corp.
    Inventor: Brian R. Van Voorst
  • Method for the maintenance of a ground-level power supply device for a tram-like vehicle
    Patent number: 10683022
    Abstract: A method is for maintenance of a ground-level power supply for a transport vehicle. The device includes: a power supply rail, a detector of spatial coordinates of a vehicle; and a power supply shoe. The device and the shoe equip the same vehicle. The supply shoe includes a vibration sensor. The method includes measuring vibrations of the shoe and simultaneously detecting spatial coordinates of the vehicle during the movement of the vehicle along the rail, followed by comparing measured vibrations of the shoe with a threshold value, and determining spatial coordinates corresponding to vibrations above the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: ALSTOM Transport Technologies
    Inventors: Philippe Boichot, Ouadie Hmad, Frederic Hiely, Stephan Audibert
  • Systems and methods for multi-vehicle adaptive data collection in a network of moving things, for example including autonomous vehicles
    Patent number: 10679431
    Abstract: Systems and methods for optimizing data gathering in a network of moving things. As non-limiting examples, various aspects of this disclosure provide systems and methods for operating sensor systems and collecting data from sensor systems in a network resource-efficient manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Veniam, Inc.
    Inventors: Ricardo Matos, Joao Barros, Joao Azevedo, Tiago Condeixa, Carlos Ameixieira
  • Method and apparatus for localization and mapping based on color block tags
    Patent number: 10656654
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and an apparatus for localization and mapping based on color block tags, applicable for real-time mapping of an area to be localized in which at least one color block tag is arranged, the method comprises: taking a location of a first color block tag as a coordinate origin of a coordinate system when information of the first color block tag is obtained by a mobile electronic device; moving the mobile electronic device to start to traverse the entire area to be localized from the coordinate origin, calculating coordinates of an obstacle detected by the mobile electronic device based on a location of the mobile electronic device relative to the coordinate origin; constructing a map based on recorded information of the color block tags and coordinates thereof and the coordinates of each obstacle when the traversal has been finished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: GUANGZHOU AIROB ROBOT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Beichen Li