Patents Examined by Michael J. Zanelli
  • Patent number: 11740629
    Abstract: A control device for an autonomous operating machine includes: an acquisition unit that acquires first state information of a first autonomous operating machine and second state information of a second autonomous operating machine in a case where the first and the second autonomous operating machines that operate in cooperation with each other select and execute executable operations as needed in order to achieve an object; a generation unit that generates value information indicating a height of a value of execution for achievement of the object regarding each of the operations that can be executed by the first autonomous operating machine by using a value calculation criterion based on the first state information and the second state information; a selection unit that selects a specific operation from among the operations based on the value information; and a control that controls the first autonomous operating machine to execute the specific operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatsugu Ogawa, Masumi Ichien, Masafumi Emura
  • Patent number: 11736495
    Abstract: Aspects of validating information sent to and/or received by a computing device, such as a vehicle computing device, are discussed herein. A vehicle may receive information associated with a computing device, the information indicating that the computing device is authorized to provide guidance information to an autonomous vehicle. Further, the vehicle can receive a message comprising the guidance information associated with the autonomous vehicle. The vehicle can determine that the message is associated with the computing device and can evaluate the message based at least in part on configuration data associated with maneuvering the autonomous vehicle or state information associated with the autonomous vehicle. The vehicle can be controlled based at least in part on evaluating the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Ravi Gogna, Meredith James Goldman
  • Patent number: 11727164
    Abstract: A system and method including identifying lane line data associated with a road within the sensor data; modelling a geometry of the road as a sequence of road segments, each road segment being defined by parameters including a curvature rate and a road grade rate; generating, based on a mathematical representation of the modelled road geometry, an approximation of each road segment; and generating, based on the generated approximation of each road segment, a three-dimensional representation of the road including the sequence of segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: EMBARK TRUCKS INC.
    Inventor: Karl Granstrom
  • Patent number: 11721219
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling stable flight of an unmanned aircraft, comprising the following steps: acquiring real-time flight operation data of the aircraft itself by means of an attitude sensor, a position sensor and an altitude sensor mounted to the unmanned aircraft, performing corresponding analysis on a kinematic problem of the aircraft by a processor mounted thereto, and establishing a dynamics model of the aircraft (S1); designing a controller of the unmanned aircraft according to a multi-layer zeroing neurodynamic method (S2); solving output control quantities of motors of the aircraft by the designed multi-layer zeroing neural network controller using the acquired real-time operation data of the aircraft and target attitude data (S3); and transferring solution results to a motor governor of the aircraft, and controlling powers of the motors according to a relationship between the control quantities solved by the controller and the powers of the motors of the multi-rotor unmanned aircraft, s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: South China University of Technology
    Inventors: Zhijun Zhang, Lu'nan Zheng, Dongyu Ji
  • Patent number: 11713006
    Abstract: Generally, the present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for streaming processing within one or more systems of an autonomy computing system. When an update for a particular object or region of interest is received by a given system, the system can control transmission of data associated with the update as well as a determination of other aspects by the given system. For example, the system can determine based on a received update for a particular aspect and a priority classification and/or interaction classification determined for that aspect whether data associated with the update should be transmitted to a subsequent system before waiting for other updates to arrive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: David McAllister Bradley, Galen Clark Haynes
  • Patent number: 11707991
    Abstract: A vehicle having a motor with a transmission, provided with a fixed gear ratio, to a propelling unit includes a virtual gearbox including a microprocessor, operatively interfaced with the motor and programmed to manage and check the generation of motor driving torque, limiting, at the motor output, a maximum angular velocity and a maximum torque which are variable with a predetermined law.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventor: Samuele Mazzini
  • Patent number: 11703874
    Abstract: Systems and methods to systematically identify and collect operational vehicle data for selective transmission to a non-local storage location for further analysis and use in training autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles are provided. The systems and methods provided overcome limitations in storage and transmission of collected data by selectively archiving only that collected driving data warranting further analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen G. McGill, Guy Rosman, Luke S. Fletcher
  • Patent number: 11699350
    Abstract: Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft can provide opportunities to incorporate aerial transportation into transportation networks for cities and metropolitan areas. However, VTOL aircraft may be noisy. To accommodate this, the aircraft may utilize onboard sensors, offboard sensing, network, and predictive temporal data for noise signature mitigation. By building a composite understanding of real data offboard the aircraft, the aircraft can make adjustments to the way it is flying and verify this against a predicted noise signature (via computational methods) to reduce environmental impact. This might be realized via a change in translative speed, propeller speed, or choices in propulsor usage (e.g., a quiet propulsor vs. a high thrust, noisier propulsor). These noise mitigation actions may also be decided at the network level rather than the vehicle level to balance concerns across a city and relieve computing constraints on the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: JOBY AERO, INC.
    Inventor: Ian Villa
  • Patent number: 11691623
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a vehicle are described. A processor of a longitudinal planning system determines a state of the vehicle. The processor determines a state of a leader vehicle. The processor, based on the determined state of the vehicle and the determined state of the leader vehicle, determines a critical distance for the vehicle. The processor compares a distance between the vehicle and the leader vehicle with the critical distance. The processor, based on the comparison, determines whether the vehicle is too close to or too far from the leader vehicle. The processor, based on the determination, applies one or more of overshoot constraints, undershoot constraints, and critical constraints. After applying the one or more of overshoot constraints, undershoot constraints, and critical constraints, the processor determines a target acceleration for the vehicle. The processor controls the vehicle to track the target acceleration for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: NIO Technology (Anhui) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Albert Wu, Zhongkui Wang, Arek V. Sredzki, Keja S. A. Rowe
  • Patent number: 11692835
    Abstract: Systems and methods for route mapping with familiar routes include striking a balance between optimal routes from standard navigation systems minimizing time and distance and a mapping component that suggests familiar routes based on a user's route history. New routes including one or more familiar routes may be suggested to the user when they are not too far out of the way or take too long compared to the optimal routes and when they may be preferable or more comfortable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: CAPITAL ONE SERVICES, LLC
    Inventors: Anh Truong, Vincent Pham, Jeremy Goodsitt, Austin Walters, Mark Watson
  • Patent number: 11685449
    Abstract: Provided is a system for robotic collaboration, including a first robotic chassis and a second robotic chassis each including a medium storing instructions that when executed by a respective processor effectuates operations including: capturing data of an environment and data indicative of movement; inferring locations visited up to a current location based on at least the data of the environment; and tracking areas cleaned based on the locations visited. The first robotic chassis performs a first part of a task and the second robotic chassis performs a second part of the task after the first robotic chassis completes the first part of the task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: AI Incorporated
    Inventors: Ali Ebrahimi Afrouzi, Lukas Robinson, Shahin Fathi Djalali
  • Patent number: 11687096
    Abstract: Systems and methods for flexible conveyance in an assembly-line or manufacturing process are disclosed. A fleet of self-driving vehicles and a fleet-management system can be used to convey workpieces through a sequence of workstations at which operations are performed in order to produce a finished assembly. An assembly can be transported to a first workstation using a self-driving vehicle, where an operation is performed on the assembly. Subsequently, the assembly can be transported to a second workstation using the self-driving vehicle. The operation can be performed on the assembly while it is being conveyed by the self-driving vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Andrew Dobson, Nir Rikovitch, William John Alexander Torrens, Roydyn Clayton
  • Patent number: 11680388
    Abstract: A system and method for collecting operational vibration data for a mining machine. The method includes, receiving at least one motion command. The method further includes, controlling at least one component based on the at least one motion command. The method further includes determining, by an electronic processor, at least one predicate parameter. The method further includes determining, by the electronic processor, whether the predicate parameter is true. The method further includes, while the at least one component is being controlled based on the motion command and the at least one predicate parameter is true, receiving, from a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors positioned at one of a plurality of measurement points on the at least one component of the mining machine, a plurality of vibration data sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Joy Global Surface Mining Inc
    Inventor: Brian N. White
  • Patent number: 11674321
    Abstract: A robotic system having a movable gantry robot (10) for conducting construction operations. The gantry may have an expandable bridge (20) and articulated gantry support legs (34) as well as a support track system (60) holding a gantry robot (800) which may hold one or more implements and peripheral devices (806). The device can be moved by propulsion mechanisms, a controller, and one or more geo-positioned control devices to provide position information for the robotic gantry as it moves back and forth along a plurality of work sites (700). The robotic gantry is connected to a power supply system (236). The controller is automated, self-navigating, and activates, deactivates, and/or changes the operation of the propulsion mechanisms, and deploys, retracts, activates, deactivates, and/or changes the operation of one or more of the construction implements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventor: Kent Douglas Pearson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11675370
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to assigning a fleet of driverless vehicles to a plurality of parking locations for parking vehicles of the fleet. For instance, locations of the vehicles of the fleet as well as a number of available spaces at each of the plurality of parking location locations may be tracked. A subset of the fleet not already located at one of the plurality of parking locations is identified. At least one assignment assigning each vehicle of the subset to a respective parking location of the plurality of parking locations is determined according to the numbers of available spaces and the identified locations of the subset. For the at least one assignment, a total cost is determined by determining a cost value for each of a plurality of factors. The given assignment is sent to the fleet based on the total cost and the cost value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Peter Colijn, Laurens Andreas Feenstra, Joshua Seth Herbach, Katharine Patterson
  • Patent number: 11675351
    Abstract: An autonomous mobile device (AMD) builds up electrostatic charges from moving and generates heat from the operation of internal components. In addition to possible user discomfort, electrostatic discharges may damage sensors and electronics. Electrostatic charges are dissipated from the AMD using an electrostatic dissipation structure and conductive wheels. A conductive path between a chassis ground, the electrostatic dissipation structure, and the conductive wheels improves the dissipation of electrostatic charges. Electrostatic charges are also dissipated from components by mounting the components using conductive materials. Sensors may be affixed to a support structure that is affected by thermal expansion. Thermal expansion may distort precise positioning of sensors, reducing accuracy of sensor data. An elastomeric foam may be used to mount sensors to a support structure, allowing for thermal expansion without distorting the positioning of the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Wells Fitzhugh, Li Huang, Catherine May Farmer, Duc Hongle Ngo, Eric Foxlin, Gregory Turner Witmer, Babak Hashemizadeh, Marcel Colman Eric Stieber
  • Patent number: 11662734
    Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to make it possible to obtain, with a simple operation, a target route for autonomous travel suited to, for example, a user's sense of values. A target route generation system for a work vehicle includes a storage part 30A that stores basic data necessary for generating a target route P for autonomous travel, a priority item selection part 34 that prompts selection of a priority item with regard to generation of the target route P, and a target route generation part 30D that generates the target route P based on the basic data and the selected priority item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Yanmar Power Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuto Nishii
  • Patent number: 11661041
    Abstract: A parking brake controller comprises at least one input for receiving a signal indicative of at least one vehicle factor, a control input for receiving a request to unpark the vehicle, an output for transmitting a control signal to a parking brake valve and control logic. The control logic determines the at least one vehicle factor indicates the vehicle can be unparked, determines an unpark request has been received, and transmits a control signal to the parking brake valve only in response to the unpark request being received while the at least one vehicle factor is being met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Inventors: Girish Barade, Christopher H Hutchins, Meviltan Mendis, Thomas J Weed
  • Patent number: 11654776
    Abstract: A method for controlling a rotating electrical machine of a motor vehicle is disclosed. The motor vehicle includes a thermal drive chain including a heat engine connected to a gearbox by means of a clutch. The electrical machine is integrated in the thermal drive chain or in a drive chain independent of the heat engine. When the clutch is open and the rotating electrical machine operates in motor mode in order to ensure the electrical operation of the motor vehicle, the method includes: generating a setpoint torque corresponding to a desire of the driver to accelerate; determining a pulsed compensation torque for torque oscillations generated by the drive chain; combining the setpoint torque and the previously determined pulsed compensation torque in order to obtain a resulting modified setpoint torque; and applying the resulting modified setpoint torque to the rotating electrical machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventor: Joachim Laupa
  • Patent number: 11654906
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a control apparatus and method for improving fuel efficiency in a CACC system, which can improve fuel efficiency through control of a vehicle speed so that a vehicle travels using an optimized cost in consideration of a target vehicle speed, current vehicle speed, minimum driving speed set in the vehicle, and a deceleration distance if the vehicle that uses the CACC system senses a forward vehicle and enters into a CACC active mode. The control method for improving fuel efficiency in a CACC system includes setting a target speed profile based on a target speed of the subject vehicle and an expected driving path, determining whether a target vehicle to be followed by the subject vehicle exists, and controlling the driving speed of the subject vehicle according to the set target speed profile depending on whether or not the target vehicle exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoon Soo Kim, Dong Gyu Noh, In Yong Jung, Su Lyun Sung, Seung Wook Park, Jong Rok Park, Kyung Joo Bang, Cho Rong Ryu, Min Byeong Lee, Hahk Rel Noh, Dae Sung Hwang