Patents Examined by Matthew J. Reda
  • Patent number: 11479142
    Abstract: A system receives historical vehicle battery data from a gateway device connected to a vehicle. Some vehicles with plug-in rechargeable batteries recommend/require that the vehicle computer be turned off when recharging. Thus, obtaining a current state of charge while a vehicle is charging can be difficult because the vehicle computer can be off. While the vehicle/gateway device is unable to transmit current battery data, the systems estimate a battery charge from the historical data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Samsara Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Thomas Govan, Alvin Wu, Benjamin Chang, Jennifer Zhang, Katherine Lee
  • Patent number: 11480962
    Abstract: A vehicle can determine a drivable region of an environment and determine an expansion region to expand the drivable region. Candidate regions can be identified in the environment and portions of the candidate regions which may be used for planning can be determined. The width of such a portion can meet or exceed a threshold and an expansion region can be determined. The expansion region can be associated with the drivable region to determine an expanded drivable region. The vehicle can traverse the environment based on the expanded drivable region to avoid, for example, an object in the environment while maintaining a safe distance the object and/or other entities in the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventor: Victoria Magdalena Dax
  • Patent number: 11467576
    Abstract: An autonomous driving system includes a target object position recognition unit configured to recognize a target object position detected by a vehicle-mounted sensor based on map information in a map database, a vehicle position recognition unit configured to recognize a vehicle position, a relative-relationship-on-map acquisition unit configured to acquire a relative-relationship-on-map between the target object and the vehicle based on the target object position and the vehicle position on the map, a detected-relative-relationship acquisition unit configured to acquire a detected-relative-relationship between the target object detected by the sensor and the vehicle based on a result of detection performed by the sensor, a map accuracy evaluation unit configured to evaluate map accuracy of the map information based on the relative-relationship-on-map and the detected-relative-relationship, and an autonomous driving permission unit configured to permit an autonomous driving control using the map information b
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhide Kamata, Ryo Igarashi, Kazuhiko Kamikado, Kiyosumi Kidono, Kunihiro Goto, Takashi Naito
  • Patent number: 11454979
    Abstract: A system includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to, upon determining that a first fluid level in a vehicle container is below a threshold based on fluid level sensor data, determine a second fluid level based on a fluid consumption signal and the fluid level sensor, and to navigate the vehicle based on the determined second fluid level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Brandon Hicks, Venkatesh Krishnan, David J. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11453512
    Abstract: A method that recommends capturing a stream of images of the landing zone, using a first imaging system to calculate position information for the landing zone on the basis of at least one real image of the stream, using an autopilot system to determine a current position of the landing zone at the current calculation instant, using a second imaging system to verify the presence of a landing zone at the current position in the real image, and generating an alarm if the presence is not found.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
    Inventor: Marc Salesse-Lavergne
  • Patent number: 11400928
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a driverless vehicle testing method and apparatus, a device and a storage medium, wherein the method comprises: obtaining traffic scenario data of a traffic accident happening on a real road; constructing sensor data needed by travel of the driverless vehicle according to the traffic scenario data; performing simulation of a testing scenario according to the traffic scenario data; performing test for the driverless vehicle's capability of dealing with the traffic accident according to the sensor data and testing scenario. The solution of the present disclosure may be applied to improve accuracy of testing results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: APOLLO INTELLIGENT DRIVING TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taiqun Hu
  • Patent number: 11386790
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle operation management system having a server device and one or more vehicles. The vehicle includes equipment configured to provide a predetermined service inside the vehicle and a running control unit configured to control autonomous running of the vehicle. The server device includes a service request information acquisition unit. At least one of the server device and the vehicle includes a position information acquisition unit configured to acquire position information on the autonomous vehicle and a running route setting unit configured to set a running route of the vehicle. The running control unit controls running of the vehicle such that the vehicle runs along the running route set by the running route setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Igata, Yuchi Yamanouchi, Atsushi Sajiki, Hidenari Soya, Satoshi Usui
  • Patent number: 11378967
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system receives an initial reference line representing a route from a first location to a second location associated with an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV), where the initial reference line includes a number of reference line segments. The system smooths the line segments by applying a quadratic programming (QP) spline smoothing algorithm to the line segments. The system determines that the QP spline smoothing algorithm for the line segments fails to converge. The system adjusts (or enumerates) a location of an end point of a line segment. The system smooths the line segments by applying a QP spline smoothing algorithm to the adjusted (or enumerated) line segments. The system generates a smoothed reference line based on the smoothed line segments to be used as a reference line of the route to control the ADV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: BAIDU USA LLC
    Inventor: Fan Zhu
  • Patent number: 11347223
    Abstract: A marine propulsion system for a marine vessel includes a first marine propulsion device rotatable with respect to the marine vessel about at least one of a first steering axis and a first tilt-trim axis and a second marine propulsion device rotatable with respect to the marine vessel about at least one of a second steering axis and a second tilt-trim axis. A first control module controls operation of the first marine propulsion device, and a second control module controls operation of the second marine propulsion device. In response to one of the first and second marine propulsion devices being commanded to rotate about at least one of its respective first or second steering axis and its respective first or second tilt-trim axis, the respective first or second control module of the other of the first and second marine propulsion devices is turned ON.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Belter, Matthew W. Snyder, Brad E. Taylor
  • Patent number: 11299199
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for EPS control, which determine the amount of assist torque and estimate the amount of available assist in order to prevent a problem in relation to vehicle driving and driver's safety when there is malfunction in power supply. Accordingly, the present disclosure provides an effect in which the driver can take various measures according to his or her determination, instead of promptly moving the vehicle to a safety zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: KwangHyung Lee
  • Patent number: 11300961
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus configured to control automated driving of a vehicle acquires information relating to a situation in a surrounding area of the vehicle, acquires, for each of a plurality of positions, a first value relating to a probability that an object that is present in the surrounding area will be present at a future point in time and a second value obtained based on travel data of a predetermined driver based on the information, and determines a path on which the vehicle is to move, by selecting positions at which the vehicle is to be present at a plurality of future points in time from the plurality of positions based on combinations of the first values and the second values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuki Kizumi
  • Patent number: 11293168
    Abstract: A control system for a material handling vehicle has a boom arm connected to a vehicle frame for rotation about the vehicle frame. An actuator is connected to the vehicle frame and the boom arm to cause the boom arm to rotate about the vehicle frame, and an attachment is connected to the boom arm for rotation with respect to the boom arm. The control system includes a controller that is configured to calculate a pre-determined acceleration limit of the attachment, and a sensor that senses acceleration of the attachment and communicate the sensed acceleration to the controller. The controller is configured to compare the pre-determined acceleration limit of the attachment to the sensed acceleration of the attachment and is configured to adjust a control valve to limit flow to the actuator in response to the sensed acceleration of the attachment being above the pre-determined acceleration upper limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Aaron R. Kenkel, Grant R. Henn, Doug M. Lehmann
  • Patent number: 11279405
    Abstract: A hitch assist system is provided herein that includes a sensing system configured to detect a trailer and obstacles proximate the trailer. The hitch assist system also includes a controller in communication with the sensing system and configured to define a final vehicle heading direction relative to the trailer when a hitch ball of a vehicle is aligned with a coupler of the trailer; determine an uppermost/farthest position of the vehicle from the trailer; determine a lowermost/nearest position of the vehicle from the trailer; and determine a vehicle path that aligns the vehicle within the uppermost/farthest and lowermost/nearest positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Li Xu, Douglas Blue, Kyle Simmons, Luke Niewiadomski, Eric Hongtei Tseng, Peter Ling
  • Patent number: 11247782
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a rotorcraft includes: a plurality of engines; a flight control computer connected to the plurality of engines, the flight control computer being configured to: receive an operating parameter of a first engine of the plurality of engines; determine an engine output ramping rate for the first engine according to a difference between the operating parameter of the first engine and a nominal limit of the first engine; and increase the output of the first engine in response to detecting an outage of another engine of the plurality of engines, the output of the first engine being increased according to the engine output ramping rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Morganne Cody Klein, Jillian Samantha Alfred, Christopher James Ludtke
  • Patent number: 11242152
    Abstract: A method of determining ice accretion on a surface of an aircraft can include supplying a known power to a heating element formed in a patch, wherein the patch includes a temperature sensor. A controller module can compare a sensed thermal signature with a threshold signature and determine the presence of ice accretion on the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC
    Inventors: Julian Alexander Opificius, Stephen Craig Carlson
  • Patent number: 11237552
    Abstract: Implementations of a flight termination system for unmanned aircraft systems are provided. The flight termination system comprises a ground-based flight termination transmitter (FTTx) located with an operator/observer, an airborne flight termination receiver (FTRx) located on an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), and a radio link connecting the FTTx and the FTRx. The FTTx is configured to communicate a TERMINATE FLIGHT message to the FTRx and, once the TERMINATE FLIGHT message has been confirmed, the FTRx is configured to terminate the flight of the UAS by disabling the propulsion system thereof. In this way, the UAS (e.g., a drone or other unmanned aerial vehicle) may be prevented from flying away in an uncontrolled fashion. The FTTx includes an arming switch that can be actuated by a provided key. The dedicated radio link connecting the FTTx and the FTRx is independent of any radio link used to operate the UAS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Inventors: David S. Giessel, Bruce Hildesheim
  • Patent number: 11220251
    Abstract: A method of identifying a fault in a friction brake actuated by hydraulic brake pressure and configured to decelerate a vehicle road wheel includes detecting, via a first sensor, a vibration at the road wheel and communicating data indicative of the detected vibration to a controller. The method additionally includes detecting, via a second sensor, upon application of the hydraulic brake pressure, a hydraulic brake pressure variation and communicating data indicative of the detected hydraulic brake pressure variation. The method additionally includes comparing, via the controller, the data indicative of the detected vibration with a threshold vibration value and the data indicative of the detected hydraulic brake pressure variation with a threshold hydraulic brake pressure value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Xinyu Du, Dongyi Zhou, Mutasim A. Salman, Kevin A. Cansiani, Xiaoyu Huang, Wen-Chiao Lin
  • Patent number: 11214276
    Abstract: In an operating method for an emergency vehicle, especially a fire truck, having a vehicle body, a drive unit having a drive motor and a motor controller, front-wheel and rear-wheel pairs, an emergency aggregate, a signaling device, an illuminating device, and a mode-of-operation controller having a mode-of-operation selector switch having selectable operation modes and a memory with saved operating-data sets, by a sequence controller of the mode-of-operation controller, selecting a first operation mode corresponding to an emergency trip transmits from the memory to the target systems, and activates, first operating-data data sets. Selecting a second operation mode corresponding to an emergency mode deactivates the transmitted first operation mode operating-data sets, and transmits from the memory to the target systems, and activates, second operating-data sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Rosenbauer International AG
    Inventors: Anton Klucsarits, Edmund Penz, Alexander Ronacher, Stefan Zauner
  • Patent number: 11199841
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining an optimal routing policy for an autonomous vehicle are described. A set of states that represent portions of lanes are determined. A set of costs for a set of actions is associated with each state. The set of actions includes a stay in lane action, a lane change action, and a forced lane change action. A lane change action has a non-deterministic outcome with a probability based on the length of the state. A cost for a stay in lane action is greater or equal than a length of the state and a cost of a forced lane change action is the reciprocal of a success rate of lane changes. An optimal routing policy is determined for the autonomous vehicle according to a shortest path first (SPF) algorithm run on the set of states based on the set of costs and the set of actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: NURO, INC.
    Inventor: Jur Van Den Berg
  • Patent number: 11181929
    Abstract: Systems and methods for shared autonomy through cooperative sensing are described. According to one embodiment, a cooperative sensing system includes a rendezvous module that receives broadcast messages from a plurality of cooperating vehicles on the roadway. The rendezvous module also selects a subordinate vehicle from the plurality of cooperating vehicles based on the autonomy level of the subordinate vehicle as compared to an autonomy level of a principal vehicle. The cooperative sensing system also includes a positioning module that determines a cooperative position of the principal vehicle and the subordinate vehicle. The cooperative sensing system further includes a negotiation module that receives at least one cooperating parameter from the subordinate vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Paritosh Kelkar, Xue Bai, Samer Rajab, Hasan Tafish