Patents Examined by Michael A Berns
  • Patent number: 12043268
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining the performance of a driver of a vehicle based on changes, over time, in the context and environment in which the vehicle operates, and any resultant driver behavior are disclosed. A set of driver response data is created from based on an analysis of time-series data indicative of the driver's operation of the vehicle in conjunction with time-series data indicative of changes in the vehicle's context/environment. The driver response data indicates the types and magnitudes of the driver's responses to various changes in the vehicle's operating context/environment and the driver's time-to-respond for each of the responses. That is, the driver response data indicates how a driver compensated his or her behavior (if at all) in response to different changes in the vehicle's context and/or environment. The driver response data may be compared to one or more thresholds to determine the driver's performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
    Inventor: Brian Mark Fields
  • Patent number: 12030503
    Abstract: Vehicle movement sensor for a vehicle travelling on a road surface. An optoelectronic sensor from a first sample area on the road surface at a first location relative to the vehicle and generating a pixel pattern image of road surface irregularities in the first sample area. A processor for sampling pixel pattern images of the first sample area and determining movement of the vehicle using digital image correlation of sequential sampled pixel pattern images of the first sample area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
    Inventor: Tomasz Sulkowski
  • Patent number: 12024863
    Abstract: There is provided a system including a work machine, comprising a main body of the work machine, a work implement attached to the main body of the work machine, an operating member operated to operate the work implement, and a computer. The computer has a trained position estimation model for determining the position of a portion of the work implement that is a target of positional estimation. The computer obtains an operation command value causing the work implement to make a movement in response to an operation of the operating member, uses the trained position estimation model to estimate from the operation command value an amount of displacement of the target of positional estimation from a reference position, and outputs an estimated position that is a position of the target of positional estimation estimated from the reference position and the amount of displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Yamanaka, Toshiaki Kumagai, Kensuke Fujii
  • Patent number: 12024164
    Abstract: An autonomous driving control system and a method thereof are provided. The autonomous driving control system includes a strategy performing device that generates and performs a stop strategy of a vehicle on the basis of a target stop location, when a critical situation occurs during autonomous driving, a behavior controller that controls a behavior of the vehicle depending on the stop strategy, and an emergency module controller that runs a predetermined emergency module, when the critical situation occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Dong Hwi Lee, Keon Chang Lee, Su Jung Yoo
  • Patent number: 12023285
    Abstract: A powered balancing mobility device that can provide the user the ability to safely navigate expected environments of daily living including the ability to maneuver in confined spaces and to climb curbs, stairs, and other obstacles, and to travel safely and comfortably in vehicles. The mobility device can provide elevated, balanced travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Dirk A. van der Merwe, Susan D. Dastous, Daniel F. Pawlowski, David Doherty, Matthew A. Norris, Alexander D. Streeter, Constance D. Pitenis, David E. Collins, Erik N. Sabin, David J. Meehan, Tania M. F. Zirn
  • Patent number: 12017683
    Abstract: Methods and devices for operating a Self-Driving Car (SDC) are disclosed. The method includes generating a first graph-structure having nodes and edges, ranking the edges based on a priority logic into a ranked list of edges, and generating a second graph-structure (i) by iteratively generating attributes for respective ones from the ranked list of edges beginning with a highest priority edge in the ranked list of edges and (ii) until a pre-determined limit is met. The method also includes causing operation of the SDC on the road segment using the second graph-structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Direct Cursus Technology L.L.C
    Inventors: Kanstantin Charkin, Aliaksei Labanau
  • Patent number: 12008847
    Abstract: A method for monitoring an electrical system of a motor vehicle. A safety-related electrical consumer and possibly further electrical consumers are supplied by an energy accumulator. At least one model of the vehicle electrical system is provided which represents the safety-related electrical consumer and corresponding lines with associated line resistances and connection to the energy accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Lars Braun, Quang-Minh Le
  • Patent number: 11999361
    Abstract: An apparatus (1) for calibrating an ADAS sensor of a vehicle (9) comprises: a base unit (2) including a plurality of wheels (20); a support structure (3) integral with the base unit (2); a vehicle calibration assistance structure (4), mounted on the support structure (3) and including a calibration device (41, 42) configured to facilitate aligning or calibrating the ADAS sensor; a position detector, configured to capture values of a position parameter representing a position of the support structure (3) relative to the vehicle (9); a processing unit, configured to process the values of the position parameter in real time to derive information regarding an actual position of the support structure (3) relative to the vehicle (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: NEXION S.P.A.
    Inventor: Giulio Corghi
  • Patent number: 11998494
    Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to features for improving wheelchair accessibility in autonomous vehicles (AVs) and in particular, for enabling automatic ingress/egress of a wheelchair ramp to facilitate the loading and unloading of a passenger wheelchair. In some aspects, a process of the disclosed technology includes steps for identifying one or more visual reference features on at least one surface of an autonomous vehicle (AV), automatically deploying a ramp to facilitate ingress of a wheelchair, and tracking ingress of the wheelchair based on the one or more visual reference features. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Rajat Basu, Jessica Uelmen
  • Patent number: 11999373
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an operating method for an autonomously operatable device. According to the method, sensor data relating to a current surroundings condition of the device are detected using at least one sensor device in an autonomous operating mode, and the sensor data is supplied to a control algorithm which is implemented as a machine learning algorithm and which learns in a self-contained manner. The control algorithm estimates the current surroundings condition of the device on the basis of the sensor data and makes a control decision. A degree of quality relating to the control decision is ascertained using a monitoring algorithm which is independent of the control algorithm, and the device is operated according to the control decision depending on the ascertained degree of quality of the control decision or the control decision is rejected and the device is set to a secure operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Karsten Berger
  • Patent number: 11993357
    Abstract: A propulsion control system for a marine vessel includes a memory and a controller coupled to the memory. The controller is configured or programmed to, while performing dynamic positioning control of the marine vessel or in a case in which the marine vessel has changed to a mode in which the marine vessel is kept at a certain location, perform deceleration control to reduce a bow direction speed of the marine vessel. Alternatively, the controller is configured or programmed to, in a case in which the marine vessel has changed to a mode in which the marine vessel moves along a predetermined route, when the marine vessel deviates from the predetermined route in a bow direction of the marine vessel, perform deceleration control to prevent the marine vessel from moving in the bow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuji Ikegaya
  • Patent number: 11997439
    Abstract: Systems and methods for crash determination in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a vehicle telematics device includes a processor and a memory storing a crash determination application, wherein the processor, on reading the crash determination application, is directed to obtain sensor data from at least one sensor installed in a vehicle, calculate peak resultant data based on the sensor data, where the peak resultant data describes the acceleration of the vehicle over a first time period, generate crash score data based on the peak resultant data and a set of crash curve data for the vehicle, where the crash score data describes the likelihood that the vehicle was involved in a crash based on the characteristics of the vehicle and the sensor data, and provide the obtained sensor data when the crash score data exceeds a crash threshold to a remote server system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: CalAmp Corp.
    Inventors: Jeff Jenkins, Greg Bayley, Peter Byrne, Gallin Chen
  • Patent number: 11987207
    Abstract: A vehicle including a powered running board, a motor for positioning the powered running board between a stowed position and a deployed position, a sensor configured to capture data of activity around the vehicle, and an electronic control unit configured to process the data captured by the sensor to detect an unauthorized event around the vehicle, and operate the motor to repeatedly move the powered running board in a predetermined pattern based on at least one of position and a speed in response to the sensor detecting an unauthorized event around the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Clinton Williams, Alexander L. Paradis
  • Patent number: 11972551
    Abstract: A detection system detects malfunctions in an autonomous farming vehicle during an autonomous routine using one or more models and data from sensors coupled to the autonomous farming vehicle. The models may include machine-learned models trained on the sensor data and configured to identify objects indicative of an operational or malfunctioning component within a tilling assembly such as a tilling shank or sweep. Additionally, a machine-learned model may be trained on sensor data to detect whether debris has plugged the tilling assembly of the autonomous farming vehicle. In response to detecting a malfunction or a plug, the detection system may modify the autonomous routine (e.g., pausing operation) or provide information for the malfunction to be addressed (e.g., the likely location of a malfunctioning sweep that has detached from the tilling assembly).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: BLUE RIVER TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Divya Sharma, Michael Albert Elcano, Byron Gajun Ho, Jeremy Douglas Krantz, Tyler Niday, Robert Joseph Plumeau
  • Patent number: 11966228
    Abstract: In various examples, a current claimed set of points representative of a volume in an environment occupied by a vehicle at a time may be determined. A vehicle-occupied trajectory and at least one object-occupied trajectory may be generated at the time. An intersection between the vehicle-occupied trajectory and an object-occupied trajectory may be determined based at least in part on comparing the vehicle-occupied trajectory to the object-occupied trajectory. Based on the intersection, the vehicle may then execute the first safety procedure or an alternative procedure that, when implemented by the vehicle when the object implements the second safety procedure, is determined to have a lesser likelihood of incurring a collision between the vehicle and the object than the first safety procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: David Nister, Hon-Leung Lee, Julia Ng, Yizhou Wang
  • Patent number: 11964535
    Abstract: An electric automotive vehicle gross vehicle rating of greater than 10,000 pounds includes an electric powertrain connected to the frame and positioned at a base of the frame. The vehicle includes a first central axis, and the weight of the electric powertrain is centered about the first central axis. All drivetrain components of the vehicle other than the electric powertrain may be positioned above the base of the electric powertrain. The vehicle includes two electric drive units configured to drive the front and rear axles respectively. The electric drive units consist of an electric motor, motor controller, two speed electrically actuated gearbox, electrically actuated park lock, and electrically actuated locking differential. The drive units transmit power to inboard mounted brakes, which in turn are connected by constant velocity driveshaft to the wheel hubs where a further final gear reduction resides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: BOLLINGER MOTORS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Bollinger, Brian Van Batavia, Karl Hacken, Erik Hardy, John Dannenhoffer, Charles Winegar
  • Patent number: 11958480
    Abstract: An electronic control device comprises a sensor information acquisition unit which acquires state quantities including a position of an object to be measured using an output of a plurality of sensors, or calculates the state quantities of the object to be measured by using the output of the plurality of sensors, a storage unit which stores position determination information as a condition of a classification related to the position, a position determination unit which classifies the object to be measured by using the position determination information, and a fusion unit which determines, by referring to the state quantities, a match among a plurality of the objects to be measured which are classified identically by the position determination unit and which were measured by different sensors, and fuses the positions of the plurality of objects to be measured determined to be a match, wherein the objects to be measured are objects that can be measured by each of the plurality of sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuta Muto, Akira Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 11959247
    Abstract: A shovel includes a lower traveling structure, an upper swing structure swingably mounted on the lower traveling structure, a work attachment attached to the upper swing structure and including a boom, an arm attached to the boom, and an end attachment attached to the arm, a first obtaining device configured to obtain data on the pose state of the work attachment, and a second obtaining device configured to obtain data on the pose state of the lower traveling structure or the upper swing structure. Predetermined control related to the movement of the work attachment is executed based on the data obtained by the first and second obtaining devices. Information on the type of the end attachment is obtained, and a response characteristic of the work attachment or the details of an operation for the work attachment during the predetermined control are corrected based on the obtained information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Keiji Honda
  • Patent number: 11945427
    Abstract: A method for securing a motor vehicle with at least one wheel brake during an automated driving maneuver includes, in order to carry out the automated driving maneuver, setting a hydraulic pressure at the wheel brake in order to generate a defined braking force large enough to securely arrest the motor vehicle during the execution of the automated driving maneuver. The method further includes keeping the hydraulic pressure which is set at the wheel brake essentially constant during the execution of the automated driving maneuver. The method may be implemented in a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Baehrle-Miller, Hubertus Wienken
  • Patent number: 11927954
    Abstract: A vehicular control system includes a forward-viewing camera, a forward-sensing sensor and an in-cabin-sensing sensor. With the system controlling driving of the vehicle, the system determines a triggering event that triggers handing over driving of the vehicle to a driver of the vehicle before the vehicle encounters an event point associated with the triggering event. The vehicular control system (i) determines a total action time available before the vehicle encounters the event point, (ii) estimates a driver takeover time for the driver to take over control of the vehicle and (iii) estimates a handling time for the driver to control the vehicle to avoid encountering the event point. Responsive to the vehicular control system determining that the estimated driver takeover time is less than the difference between the determined total action time and the estimated handling time, control of the vehicle is handed over to the driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Ralph Latotzki, Frank Goseberg