Patents Examined by Michael J. Zanelli
  • Patent number: 11644838
    Abstract: The present technology is effective to cause at least one processor to determine, based upon attributes of a sidewalk section and a height of a portion of an autonomous vehicle, a potential location for pick-up or drop-off of a passenger by the autonomous vehicle and navigate the autonomous vehicle to the potential location for pick-up or drop-off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC.
    Inventors: Daniel Kan, Jessica Uelmen
  • Patent number: 11639179
    Abstract: An apparatus for ensuring a fail-safe function of an autonomous traveling system may include: a dead reckoning (DR) information input unit configured to receive plural pieces of sensing information outputted from a plurality of sensors mounted in a vehicle as DR information; an identification value calculation unit configured to calculate an identification value for determining whether the respective pieces of sensing information inputted through the DR information input unit are fails; and a fail determination unit configured to determine whether the plural pieces of sensing information inputted through the DR information input unit are fails, using the identification value calculated through the identification value calculation unit, wherein the identification value calculation unit is configured to calculate the identification value for determining whether the pieces of sensing information are fails, using a rule-based method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Je Young Lee
  • Patent number: 11635762
    Abstract: The present teaching relates to method, system, medium, and implementations for sensor calibration. An ego vehicle determines whether a sensor deployed on the ego vehicle to facilitate autonomous driving of the ego vehicle needs to be calibrated and sends, if it is determined that the sensor needs to be calibrated, a request for assistance in collaborative calibration of the sensor, with a first position of the ego vehicle or a first configuration of the sensor with respect to the ego vehicle. When a response of the request is received, an assisting vehicle is indicated to travel to be near the ego vehicle to facilitate the calibration of the sensor by collaborating with the moving ego vehicle and the ego vehicle coordinates with the assisting vehicle to enable the sensor to acquire information of a target present on the assisting vehicle for the collaborative calibration of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: PlusAI, Inc.
    Inventor: Ankur Agarwal
  • Patent number: 11635765
    Abstract: One or more information maps are obtained by an agricultural work machine. The one or more information maps map one or more agricultural characteristic values at different geographic locations of a field. An in-situ sensor on the agricultural work machine senses an agricultural characteristic as the agricultural work machine moves through the field. A predictive map generator generates a predictive map that predicts a predictive agricultural characteristic at different locations in the field based on a relationship between the values in the one or more information maps and the agricultural characteristic sensed by the in-situ sensor. The predictive map can be output and used in automated machine control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Nathan R. Vandike, Bhanu Kiran Reddy Palla, Noel W. Anderson
  • Patent number: 11628729
    Abstract: An inverter controller includes a processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to obtain a command rotation speed transmitted repeatedly from outside of the inverter controller, count a command obtaining interval that is a period from a point in time where an old command rotation speed was obtained to a point in time where a new command rotation speed is obtained, set a target acceleration of the electric motor when the command rotation speed has been obtained, and control the inverter circuit such that the electric motor rotates at the set target acceleration. The processing circuitry is configured to calculate a command acceleration based on the counted command obtaining interval and the new command rotation speed, the command acceleration being set as the target acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Takashi Kawashima, Kazuki Najima, Tomohiro Takami, Yoshiki Nagata
  • Patent number: 11628730
    Abstract: Pulsed control of electric motors, and more particularly, to selectively adjusting one or more of a pulsing frequency, an amplitude of the pulses and/or a duty cycle of the pulses for reducing Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) while maintaining high levels of operating efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Tula eTechnology, Inc.
    Inventor: Vijay Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 11623669
    Abstract: An on-board thermal track misalignment detection system method therefor is presented. The system can use on-board locomotive sensors attached to an end-of-train device to detect (on the edge), signs and symptoms of thermal misalignments of the track. Once detected an alert can be transmitted to prevent potential derailments. The system can also include a forward-facing and rearward-facing imaging sensors (e.g., camera, LiDAR sensor, etc). The system can wirelessly communicate (e.g., via radio) with a leading locomotive to ensure proper air pressure and location. The system can be powered by an on-board battery and/or air pressure device. Advantageously, the system can calculate whether any rail deviation is significant (e.g., via one or more threshold values). The system can also leverage image processing functionality, executed by one or more processors) to find the centerline and the distance between the tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Inventors: Asim Ghanchi, Nicholas Dryer, Coleman Barkley, Michael Saied Saniei
  • Patent number: 11602998
    Abstract: An electrified vehicle, system, and method include an electric machine, a traction battery coupled to the electric machine, and a controller programmed to control wheel slip to provide high wheel slip to traverse deformable terrain, such as sand or loose soil, and lower wheel slip to avoid excessive soil removal beneath the wheels after detecting a vertical acceleration or heave event, such as after landing when driving over a jump or bump. When vehicle vertical acceleration exceeds a first threshold, and a ratio of a wheel angular acceleration to vehicle longitudinal acceleration exceeds a second threshold, the electric machine is controlled to limit wheel slip to a lower value that provides sufficient tractive force to maintain some forward motion. Otherwise, the electric machine is controlled to limit wheel slip to a higher value to accommodate higher vehicle speeds over the deformable terrain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan Sullivan, Kevin Mackenzie
  • Patent number: 11604474
    Abstract: A scenario aware perception system (10) suitable for use on an automated vehicle includes a traffic-scenario detector (14), an object-detection device (24), and a controller (32). The traffic-scenario detector (14) is used to detect a present-scenario (16) experienced by a host-vehicle (12). The object-detection device (24) is used to detect an object (26) proximate to the host-vehicle (12). The controller (32) is in communication with the traffic-scenario detector (14) and the object-detection device (24). The controller (32) configured to determine a preferred-algorithm (36) used to identify the object (26). The preferred-algorithm (36) is determined based on the present-scenario (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Motional AD LLC
    Inventors: Wenda Xu, Jarrod M. Snider, Junqing Wei
  • Patent number: 11597282
    Abstract: A vehicle includes at least one wheel hub, a wheel hub speed sensor, and a controller. The wheel hub is configured to be coupled to a drive wheel. The wheel hub speed sensor is proximate to the wheel hub and is configured to generate a wheel hub speed signal that facilitates determination of a rate and direction of rotation of the wheel hub. The controller is configured to communicate power to a motor assembly coupled to the wheel hub to rotate the wheel hub at a particular rate and in a particular direction. The particular rate and the particular direction are associated with a particular position of a plurality of positions of a steering control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    Inventor: Randall Thompson
  • Patent number: 11597413
    Abstract: The railway vehicle is intended to run on a railway including at least one tunnel, wherein it includes a system for protection against pressure waves, and is configured to hermetically isolate the interior of the railway vehicle from the exterior of the railway vehicle when this protection system is activated. The vehicle includes a geolocation unit providing instantaneous geolocation coordinates of the railway vehicle, wherein a database includes fixed geolocation coordinates of an entry point of this tunnel for each tunnel of the railway, and a unit for comparing the instantaneous coordinates with the fixed coordinates, and wherein it is configured to indicate when the instantaneous geolocation coordinates of the railway vehicle substantially correspond to the fixed coordinates of the entry point of one of the at least one tunnels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: SPEEDINNOV
    Inventor: Christophe Bollengier
  • Patent number: 11598644
    Abstract: The methods and systems disclosed herein provide a server that periodically monitors a user's location using one or more beacons while periodically monitoring hazardous conditions using a variety of electronic sensors, such as thermographic imaging. When the user is within a predetermined proximity of a hazardous condition the server transmits an instruction to an electronic wearable device to present a notification (e.g., haptic, noise, and the like) warning the user of the hazardous condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Michal Knas, Jiby John
  • Patent number: 11592829
    Abstract: A control device and a control method can quickly estimate a self-location even when the self-location is unknown. In a case of storing information supplied in a time series detected by LIDAR or a wheel encoder and estimating a self-location by using the stored time-series information, when a position change happens unpredictably in advance such as a kidnap state is detected, the stored time-series information is reset, and then the self-location is estimated again. Example host platforms include a multi-legged robot, a flying object, and an in-vehicle system that autonomously moves in accordance with a mounted computing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dai Kobayashi, Ryo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11591088
    Abstract: A method is provided. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is operated. A position of the UAV is determined while in flight, and a nonce is generated. A Merkel root is generated based at least in part on a timestamp and the position of the UAV. A current block is calculated based at least in part on a previous block, the Merkel root, and the nonce, and the current block, the timestamp, the nonce, the prior block, and the position of the UAV are transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Inventor: George A. Miller
  • Patent number: 11578980
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods may provide for technology that generates a sequence of predictive maps based on a sequence of historical maps and overlays the sequence of predictive maps on one another to obtain a map overlay. The technology may also apply an attenuation factor to the map overlay. In one example, the map overlay includes a grid of cells and each cell includes an occupation probability in accordance with the attenuation factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Zhigang Wang, Ganmei You
  • Patent number: 11576296
    Abstract: An agricultural mowing system includes: a driving vehicle having a steerable axle and a pivotable tongue and defining a travel axis; a first mower coupled to the driving vehicle; a second mower coupled to the tongue; a tongue actuator configured to pivot the tongue; a tongue angle sensor configured to output signals corresponding to a tongue angle of the tongue; and a controller operatively coupled to the tongue actuator and the tongue angle sensor. The controller is configured to: determine a lateral overlap or underlap of the mowers exceeds a threshold value based at least partially on the tongue angle and a steering angle of the steerable axle; determine a correction angle needed for the tongue to pivot such that the lateral overlap or underlap no longer exceeds the threshold value; and output a correction signal to the tongue actuator to pivot the tongue by the correction angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Edward H. Priepke, John H. Posselius
  • Patent number: 11571980
    Abstract: A robotic lawnmower system comprising a charging station (210) and a robotic work tool (100), the charging station comprising a signal generator (240) to which a boundary cable (250) is to be connected, the signal generator (240) being configured to transmit a signal (245) through the boundary cable (250), and the robotic working tool (100) comprising a sensor (170) configured to pick up magnetic fields generated by the signal (245) in the boundary cable (250) thereby receiving the signal (245) being transmitted and a controller (110) configured to analyse the picked up signal, wherein the signal generator (240) is further configured to: prefilter the signal through an filter model; and transmit the prefiltered signal to through the boundary cable (250) by means of a current generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: HUSQVARNA AB
    Inventor: Marcus Liljedahl
  • Patent number: 11563333
    Abstract: The combination of: a) a wheeled operating unit having a drive powered by a rechargeable power supply and at least one connector; and b) a charging station having at least one connector. The at least one connector on the wheeled operating unit and the at least one connector on the charging station cooperate with each other to establish an operative connection between the charging station and the wheeled operating unit, whereupon the charging station is operable to effect charging of the rechargeable power supply. The operative connection can be established with the wheeled operating unit moved selectively from first and second different starting positions, each spaced fully from the charging station, respectively in first and second different path portions up to the charging station and into at least one charging position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: ECHO INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Stephen J. Towner, Ryan Garrett, Joseph John Zenkus, Brent Peterson
  • Patent number: 11560163
    Abstract: A vehicle-position monitoring system includes liquid-capacitive inclinometer sensor, configured to provide a measurement of grade (?grade) of a surface over which a vehicle travels, and an accelerometer to measure acceleration of the vehicle along a principal axis (ax) of the vehicle along the surface. Direct measurement of the grade (?grade) provides a position-tracking system with accurate information to extract acceleration due to motoring and braking (aMB) from acceleration experienced along the principal axis and track vehicle position without regard to wheel diameter calibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: THALES CANADA INC
    Inventors: Alon Green, Marco De-Thomasis
  • Patent number: 11557210
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for trajectory and route planning including obstacle detection and avoidance for an aerial vehicle. For example, an aerial vehicle's flight control system may include a trajectory planner that may use short segments calculated using an iterative Dubins path to find a first path between a start point and an end point that does not avoid obstacles. Then the trajectory planner may use a rapidly exploring random tree algorithm that uses points along the first path as seed points to find a trajectory or route between the start point and end point that avoids known or detected obstacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Jeffery Saunders