Patents Examined by Marthe Y. Marc-Coleman
  • Patent number: 11591078
    Abstract: A helicopter autopilot system includes an inner loop for attitude hold for the flight of the helicopter including a given level of redundancy applied to the inner loop. An outer loop is configured for providing a navigation function with respect to the flight of the helicopter including a different level of redundancy than the inner loop. An actuator provides a braking force on a linkage that serves to stabilize the flight of the helicopter during a power failure. The actuator is electromechanical and receives electrical drive signals to provide automatic flight control of the helicopter without requiring a hydraulic assistance system in the helicopter. The autopilot can operate the helicopter in a failed mode of the hydraulic assistance system. A number of flight modes are described with associated sensor inputs including rate based and true attitude modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Merlin Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Mercer, Nicholas Albion, Mark Bartel, Marc Feifel, Mark Marvin
  • Patent number: 11590822
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for controlling the internal air-quality of a vehicle, including configuring a control policy that controls an internal air-quality of a vehicle and performing an action dictated by the control policy according to a window status of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ning Duan, Jing Chang Huang, Peng Ji, Chun Yang Ma, Zhi Hu Wang, Renjie Yao
  • Patent number: 11585924
    Abstract: A spatial recognition device provided with an analysis unit configure to acquire, from an optical device, which is mounted on a moving body and which receives reflected light obtained by radiating light onto a reflective plate provided on a stationary structure positioned within a detection area, reflected light information obtained based on the reflected light in accordance with a radiation direction of the light, and determine a positional relationship between the moving body and the stationary structure on which the reflective plate is provided, based on a distribution of the reflected light information at coordinates within the detection area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Uchimura, Hiroshi Takahashi, Masato Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11586640
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for repairing vehicles. A computing device having first and second software executables can determine vehicle identification information (VII) that identifies a vehicle. The computing device can store first and second vehicle identifiers that are based on the VII and are respectively associated with the first and second software executables, where the first vehicle identifier differs from the second vehicle identifier. The computing device can be used to repair the vehicle by at least: receiving a request to activate the first software executable, and activating the first software executable at least by providing the stored first vehicle identifier to the first software executable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Snap-on Incorporated
    Inventors: Patrick S. Merg, Jacob G. Foreman, Joshua C. Covington, Roy Steven Brozovich
  • Patent number: 11578991
    Abstract: A method and control system for generating and updating digital maps using a plurality of passages along a road portion by at least one road vehicle is provided. The method comprises obtaining positioning data and sensor data of each passage from the at least one road vehicle. Further, the method comprises forming a sub-map representation of the surrounding environment at each obtained longitudinal position based on the obtained sensor data, and estimating a longitudinal error for each obtained longitudinal position within each segment. Furthermore, the method comprises determining a new plurality of longitudinal positions of each road vehicle for each passage by applying the estimated longitudinal error on each corresponding obtained longitudinal position, and applying the determined new plurality of longitudinal positions on associated sensor data in order to generate a first layer of a map representation of the surrounding environment along the road portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Zenuity AB
    Inventors: Tony Gustafsson, Joakim Lin Sörstedt
  • Patent number: 11579619
    Abstract: An autonomous driving apparatus for accompanied driving in an environment that includes a companion and an obstacle includes a sensor, processing circuitry, and a driver. The sensor may generate sensor data. The processing circuitry may define a current state of the autonomous driving apparatus based on processing the sensor data to determine respective positions of the companion and the obstacle in the environment and select a first tracking point of a plurality of tracking points at least partially surrounding the position of the companion in the environment based on the current state, a position of each tracking point of the plurality of tracking points in the environment defined by the position of the companion in the environment. The driving apparatus drive mechanism may move the autonomous driving apparatus to the first tracking point to cause the autonomous driving apparatus to accompany the companion in the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyung-Rock Kim, Jun-Won Jang, Joon-Kee Cho, Taesin Ha
  • Patent number: 11573568
    Abstract: A control device for an electromechanical system includes at least one group of actuators, of which in each case one actuator is configured to be coupled to a mechanical and/or hydraulic unit and is configured to control an operation of the mechanical and/or hydraulic unit. The control device further includes at least one group of functional modules, which are implemented on at least one computing platform. The at least one group of functional modules includes a plurality of control modules, each respective control module being respectively assigned to and coupled in a communicative manner to a respective actuator, and a coordinating module communicatively coupled to the plurality of control modules. The coordinating module is designed to receive, from each respective control module of the plurality of control modules, fault messages with respect to an operating state of the associated mechanical and/or hydraulic unit and/or the associated actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Daniel Stapf
  • Patent number: 11566893
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may include a communication interface and a pressure sensor configured to measure barometric pressure. The UAV may also include a processor configured to generate a request for elevation data and barometric pressure data and transmit, via the communication interface, the request to the at least one other device. The processor may also be configured to receive, from each of the at least one other device, elevation data and barometric pressure data, and estimate the elevation of the UAV based on the measured barometric pressure, the received elevation data and the received barometric pressure data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Shane Pierce Williams, Eric T. Ringer, Jared Nelson Muirhead, Dana Maher, Matthew Fanelli, Michael David Bergeron
  • Patent number: 11565792
    Abstract: Systems and methods for deploying adjacent trailing edge flaps that are part of different flap assemblies of different stiffnesses are disclosed. An exemplary method comprises: deploying a first flap of a first flap assembly having a first stiffness by a first deployment amount and deploying a second flap adjacent the first flap by a second deployment amount where the deployment amount of the first flap part of the flap assembly of lower stiffness is greater than the second deployment amount of the second flap part of the flap assembly of higher stiffness. The difference in deployment amounts may be adapted to improve continuity between the first flap and the second flap when the first and second flaps are deployed and subjected to an aerodynamic load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER INC.
    Inventors: Iyad Akel, Dmitry Budnitsky, Howard Ian Smith, Thomas Hanson
  • Patent number: 11567197
    Abstract: Systems and methods for object detection in a dusty environment can enhance the ability of autonomous machines to distinguish dust clouds from solid obstacles and proceed appropriately. A library of dust classifiers can be provided, where each dust classifier is separately trained to distinguish airborne dust from objects in the environment. Different dust classifiers can correspond to different categories of dusty environments. Based on current conditions, control logic in an autonomous machine can categorize its environment and select a corresponding dust classifier. The dust classifier output can be used to alter a behavior of the autonomous machine, including a behavior of the control logic. For instance, the control logic can apply a consistency check to the output of the dust classifier and an output of an AI-based object classifier to detect instances where the object classifier misidentifies dust as an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: SafeAI, Inc.
    Inventor: Bibhrajit Halder
  • Patent number: 11561544
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an indoor monocular navigation method based on cross-sensor transfer learning and a system thereof. Determining an preliminary autonomous navigation model according to simulated laser radar data; acquiring actual single-line laser radar data and monocular camera data of the mobile robot simultaneously in an actual environment; determining the heading angle of the mobile robot according to the actual laser radar data; determining a laser radar monocular vision navigation model, according to the generated heading angle of the mobile robot and the monocular camera data at a the same moment and by using a Resnet18 network and a pre-trained YOLO v3 network; determining a heading angle of the mobile robot at the current moment, according to the acquired monocular camera data and by using the laser radar monocular vision navigation model; performing navigation of the mobile robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: HARBIN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Huijun Gao, Zhan Li, Xidi Xue, Weichao Sun, Xuebo Yang, Xinghu Yu
  • Patent number: 11561292
    Abstract: Sensors, including time-of-flight sensors, may be used to detect objects in an environment. In an example, a vehicle may include a time-of-flight sensor that images objects around the vehicle, e.g., so the vehicle can navigate relative to the objects. Sensor data generated by the time-of-flight sensor can return unreliable pixels, e.g., in the case of over- or under-exposure. In some examples, parameters associated with power of a time-of-flight sensor can be altered based on a number of unreliable pixels in measured data and/or based on intensity values of the measured data. For example, unreliable pixels can be determined using phase frame information captured at a receiver of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Subasingha Shaminda Subasingha, Turhan Karadeniz, Robert Nicholas Moor, Mehran Ferdowsi, Denis Nikitin
  • Patent number: 11556128
    Abstract: A method, an electronic device and a computer-readable storage medium for testing an autonomous driving system which relate to the technical field of autonomous driving are proposed. An embodiment for testing the autonomous driving system includes: obtaining scenario description information of a testing scenario; analyzing the scenario description information, and determining a scenario risk, a scenario probability and a scenario complexity corresponding to the testing scenario; obtaining a scenario weight of the testing scenario according to the scenario risk, scenario probability and scenario complexity; determining a test period corresponding to the scenario weight, where the test period is used for the autonomous driving system being tested in the testing scenario. The technical solution may reduce the testing pressure of the autonomous driving system and improve the testing efficiency of the autonomous driving system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: APOLLO INTELLIGENT DRIVING TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Qingyu Li
  • Patent number: 11548457
    Abstract: A transport facilitation system can receive a pick-up request from a computing device of a user of a transportation arrangement service, the pick-up request comprising a unique identifier and a pick-up location. Using the unique identifier, the system can perform a lookup in a database for a profile indicating vehicle setup preferences for the user, and select a service vehicle to service the pick-up request. The system can further determine a seat assignment within the service vehicle for the user, and based on the vehicle setup preferences indicated in the profile, the system transmit a set of configuration instructions to the service vehicle, the set of configuration instructions to configure one or more adjustable components of the service vehicle for the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Noah Zych
  • Patent number: 11548407
    Abstract: The battery thermal management system includes a battery pack, a circulation subsystem, and a heat exchanger. The system can optionally include a cooling system, a reservoir, a de-ionization filter, a battery charger, and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Joby Aero, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest Villanueva, Nathaniel Martin, JoeBen Bevirt, Jonathan Wagner, Kevin Witt, Brian Uznanski, Austin Newman
  • Patent number: 11536575
    Abstract: A server device stores on a storage unit an advanced map database which includes feature information associated with a feature. The server device receives, from vehicle mounted devices equipped with external sensors which measure features, difference information indicative of a difference between feature information and the actual feature corresponding to the feature information. In accordance with the degree of reliability which is calculated based on a plurality of the difference information, the server device sends to the vehicle mounted device a raw data request signal for requesting the transmission of raw data which is measurement data of the actual feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Koda, Kenji Mito
  • Patent number: 11529941
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle accessory includes determining a transmission of a vehicle is in a non-park setting; in response to determining the transmission of the vehicle is in the non-park setting, receiving speed data indicative of a speed of the vehicle; determining a speed to operate the vehicle accessory based on the vehicle speed; comparing the determined speed to operate the vehicle accessory to a speed threshold; and in response to determining that the determined speed is below the speed threshold, providing a command to the vehicle accessory to one of deactivate the vehicle accessory or operate the vehicle accessory at a reduced operating state relative to a current operating state of the vehicle accessory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Martin T. Books, Mahesh Madurai Kumar, Robert Dziuba, Praveen Chitradurga Muralidhar, Jeffrey S. Rauch, Joseph E. Paquette
  • Patent number: 11530927
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems, non-transitory computer-readable media, and methods for customizing a user experience for users of a transportation matching system. In particular, in one or more embodiments, the disclosed systems can detect a mobile application session on a requester device, determine information related to a location of a requester device, and then utilize one or more modifications to modify a user interface experience for the mobile application session on the requester device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventor: George Siqiao Wang
  • Patent number: 11531881
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an artificial intelligence apparatus for controlling an auto stop function, including: an input unit configured to receive brake information and velocity information of a vehicle; a storage unit configured to store a control model for the auto stop function; and a processor configured to: acquire driving information comprising the brake information and the velocity information through at the input unit, acquire base data used for determining a control of the auto stop function from the driving information, determine a control mode for the auto stop function by using the base data and the control model for the auto stop function, and control the auto stop function according to the determined control mode, wherein the control mode is one of an activation mode which activates the auto stop function or a deactivation mode which deactivates the auto stop function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Jonghoon Chae
  • Patent number: 11529954
    Abstract: A mild hybrid vehicle controlling method, wherein the mild hybrid vehicle has a driver assistance module for detecting peripheral vehicle information and a mild hybrid starter & generator (MSHG) may comprises comparing, by a controller, the peripheral vehicle information with a predetermined reference value and deciding whether after-treatment regeneration control is performed or not according to a result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, KIA Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Jae-Hyeok Song