Patents Examined by Muhammad Shafi
  • Patent number: 11535276
    Abstract: Example embodiments relate to using remote assistance to maneuver an autonomous vehicle to a location. A computing device used by a remote operator may receive a request for assistance from a vehicle that indicates the vehicle is stopped at a first location with one or more navigation options for enabling the vehicle to navigate from the first location to a second location. At least one navigation option includes a maneuver technique that requires operator approval prior to execution. The computing device may then display a graphical user interface (GUI) that conveys the one or more navigation options. Based on detecting a selection of a particular navigation option, the computing device may transmit instructions to the vehicle to perform the particular navigation option. The vehicle may configured to navigate from the first location to the second location by performing the particular navigation option while monitoring for changes in the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Ioan-Alexandru Sucan, Joshua Herbach, Collin Winter
  • Patent number: 11538336
    Abstract: This application discloses an object control system (OCS) to control navigation of a moving vehicle when exiting from its own road or freeway to a new road or freeway. The new road or freeway is an underpass or overpass and have no physical junction with the moving vehicle's own road or freeway. The moving vehicles obtains its navigation information data from the IoT network it is registered with and a plurality of stationary objects near and in vicinity of an exit. The stationary objects during the time slots assigned to them by OCS transmit variety of information data that assist moving vehicle navigating to the right lane and exit. These stationary objects also provide an operation information data that is used in the new road or freeway in case the vehicle exits to a road or freeway that belongs to a new cell with different operation information data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Inventor: Kiomars Anvari
  • Patent number: 11535314
    Abstract: An apparatus and system for: combining independent driving vehicles into a single assembly for condensed, efficient, variable capacity transportation on common routes; and for separating into independent vehicles for flexibility on diverse routes. Connection logistics are exchanged locally via line of sight optical channel. Retractable coupling and mated coupling on opposing ends of the vehicles provide multiple degrees of freedom (DOF) to accommodate misalignment during initial dynamic engagement, and lock as rigidly coupled assembly with zero DOF. Mating vehicles' doors open during transit, permitting inter-vehicle movement and consolidation of passengers en route to urban locales, and release of empty vehicles. On return, independent vehicles combine to dense passenger vehicles from urban locales for redistribution of passengers in individual vehicles that later separate for diverse destinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: GETPLUS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Tommaso Gecchelin, Emmanuele Spera
  • Patent number: 11531951
    Abstract: The location detection unit detects a destination location for delivery of an item by a drone. The release determination unit determines whether the drone transporting the item can release and place the item at the destination. Upon determination that the release and placement is not possible, a standby airspace determination unit determines a standby airspace within which the drone waits. The wait-time determination unit determines a wait-time for the drone in the determined standby airspace. The wait-time determination unit determines a wait-time by which the drone can arrive at a next destination by a scheduled arrival time following departure of the drone departs after standby. The standby instruction unit issues to the drone an instruction related to the standby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yamada, Ken Koumoto, Hidetoshi Ebara, Youhei Oono, Yuichiro Segawa, Yukiko Nakamura, Shinya Hanano
  • Patent number: 11531347
    Abstract: A virtual teaching system includes a semi-autonomous device to perform a task such as cleaning a target environment. The semi-autonomous device includes one or more sensors configured to record environmental data from the target environment that can be used to construct a virtual environment. The semi-autonomous device is operably coupled to an analysis system. The analysis system includes a processor to perform multiple functions, such as constructing the virtual environment from the recorded environmental data and supporting operation of a user interface. The user interface can be operably coupled to the processor, allowing a human operator to teach a virtual device in the virtual environment to perform an action sequence. Once the virtual device has been taught an action sequence in the virtual environment, the analysis system can transfer the recorded action sequence to the semi-autonomous device for use in the target environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Avidbots Corp
    Inventors: Pablo Roberto Molina Cabrera, Thomas Joseph Duchesne, Ronald Scotte Zinn
  • Patent number: 11527113
    Abstract: A system comprises a processor that is programmed to define a plurality of vehicle groups based on vehicle specification data and define a plurality of sub-groups for each of the vehicle groups based on environmental data and sensor data received from each of a plurality of vehicles. The processor is programmed to adjust fuel tank leak detection classifiers for the sub-groups based on ground truth data. The ground truth data include, for each of the plurality of vehicles, a leak detection status and a leak test result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Fling Finn Tseng, Imad Hassan Makki, Aed M. Dudar, Medville Jay Throop, Brian David Tillman, Dimitar Petrov Filev, Robert Roy Jentz
  • Patent number: 11518422
    Abstract: A control system and method determine an energy demand associated with delivery of cargo in a trip. The energy demand represents how much electric energy is needed to move cargo vehicles that carry the cargo through the trip. Locations of energy tenders and states of charge of the energy tenders are determined. A schedule for the cargo vehicles to deliver the cargo to a delivery location within a delivery time slot is determined. This schedule is determined based on the energy demand, the locations of the energy tenders, and the states of charge of the energy tenders. The system and method direct which of the energy tenders that the cargo vehicles are to couple with, be powered by, and move with for powering the cargo along routes to the delivery location of the trip within the designated time slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Jared Klineman Cooper, Samuel William Golden, Robert James Foy, David Michael Peltz, Nathan Thomas North, Milan Karunaratne
  • Patent number: 11520684
    Abstract: The application provides a method and an apparatus for testing an autonomous vehicle, and a storage medium, where the method includes: obtaining detection information of the autonomous vehicle, where the detection information is configured to indicate the test result obtained when the detecting apparatus in the autonomous vehicle tests the autonomous vehicle; further, generating a test interface according to the obtained detection information, and displaying the test interface, so that the tester can visually check various test information of the autonomous vehicle during the road running test, thereby not only saving a labor cost, but also improving a test efficiency of the road running test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Apollo Intelligent Driving Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yue Cui, Yaling Zhang, Ji Tao, Hongshun Shen
  • Patent number: 11511761
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a first actuator that is configured to perform at least any of driving, braking, or steering of a host vehicle, a first controller that is configured to perform traveling control of the host vehicle by controlling the first actuator, a second actuator that is configured to perform at least any of driving, braking, or steering of the host vehicle, a second controller that is configured to perform traveling control of the host vehicle by controlling the second actuator, and a communication line that is interposed between the first controller and the second controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Ochida, Tadahiko Kanoh, Takuji Hiroma, Kanta Tsuji, Takuyuki Mukai
  • Patent number: 11513512
    Abstract: A remote driving service processing device includes: a general user terminal by which a requester applies for a remote driving service for moving a vehicle to a destination; a remote control terminal by which a remote driver remotely control the vehicle and sends a remote driving service termination permission request for terminating the remote driving service when the vehicle is having difficulty reaching the destination; and a server that sends a termination approval to the remote control terminal and terminates the remote driving service when (i) transferring the remote driving service termination permission request received from the remote control terminal to the general user terminal, and (ii) receiving a remote driving service termination consent, which is a response to the remote driving service termination permission request, from the general user terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuji Suzuki, Mutsumi Matsuura, Tomoaki Miyazawa, Toshiki Kindo, Shunsuke Tanimori
  • Patent number: 11505919
    Abstract: A method for remote operation of machines using a mobile device is disclosed. The mobile device may detect and display one or more machines. The mobile device may establish a wireless connection with a machine. The mobile device may retrieve and display machine related information including one or more machine parameters, one or more implements, and one or more controls of the machine. In addition, the mobile device may transmit input commands received from an operator via the controls to the machine. The machine may be configured to establish the wireless connection with the mobile device and broadcast machine related information to the mobile device. The machine may also execute the input commands received from the mobile device and perform one or more functions. The method includes steps performed by the mobile device and the machine for the remote operation respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Suneel Venkata Kandula, Justin Peters
  • Patent number: 11501649
    Abstract: This application discloses a drone control method and device and a drone and pertains to the technical field of drone control. The method includes: monitoring a running status of each power motor in a drone; determining according to the running status of each power motor whether the drone is in a crashed state; and controlling the drone to alarm when determining that the drone is in the crashed state. The drone control method and device and the drone can rapidly locate a crashed drone, greatly increasing the probability of finding back the crashed drone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: AUTEL ROBOTICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yidong Chen, Xiangxi Pan
  • Patent number: 11493916
    Abstract: A method of operating a moving object on which a drone is mounted includes detecting, by the moving object, occurrence of an event; determining whether to use the drone, on the basis of the detected event; and determining an operation mode, among a first operation mode and a second operation mode, of the drone when the drone is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION, AJOU UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Jae Jun Ha, Ilsoo Yun, Seungkyu Ryu, Sangmin Park, Sungho Park, Harim Jeong, Cheolwoo Kwon, Jiwon Kim, Kiyeon Park
  • Patent number: 11493635
    Abstract: A system for determining a pose of a vehicle and building maps from vehicle priors processes received ground intensity LIDAR data including intensity data for points believed to be on the ground and height information to form ground intensity LIDAR (GIL) images including pixels in 2D coordinates where each pixel contains an intensity value, a height value, and x- and y-gradients of intensity and height. The GIL images are formed by filtering aggregated ground intensity LIDAR data falling into a same spatial bin on the ground and using a registration algorithm to align two GIL images relative to one another by estimating a 6-degree-of-freedom pose with associated uncertainty that minimizes error between the two GIL images. The aligned GIL images are provided as a pose estimate to a localizer. The system may provide online localization and pose estimation, prior building, and prior to prior alignment pose estimation using image-based techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Hansen, Hatem Alismail
  • Patent number: 11492110
    Abstract: A station recognition and a landing method are disclosed. More specifically, an unmanned aerial robot includes a camera sensor configured to capture a first pattern that is marked on a station cover and is used for a station identification and a second pattern that is marked inside a station and is used for a precision landing; a transceiver configured to transmit and receive a radio signal; and a processor functionally connected to the camera sensor and the transceiver, wherein the processor is configured to determine a landing station for landing based on the first pattern captured by the camera sensor, control the transceiver to transmit a radio signal that indicates the landing station to open the station cover, and perform the precision landing at the landing station based on the second pattern of the landing station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seokhee Yi, Nakyeong Kim, Jeongkyo Seo, Kwangho An, Beomseok Chae
  • Patent number: 11492836
    Abstract: A vehicle cargo compartment system includes an electric outlet mounted within an accessible location within a vehicle cargo compartment and a sensor assembly mounted proximate the electric outlet within the cargo compartment for detecting a presence of an electrical power cord. The cargo compartment system integrates powered features such as an electric outlet, powered tailgate and the powered top that utilizes environmental information gathered by various sensors on the vehicle in combination with predefined actions to simplify use and automate operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, David Brian Glickman, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Aaron Halonen, Kristopher Karl Brown
  • Patent number: 11487281
    Abstract: The disclosure is generally directed to remotely-controlled automated vehicle parking operations. A driver of a vehicle stands on a curb and launches a software application on a handheld device. The software application uses a camera of the handheld device to capture images of the vehicle that can be observed by the driver. The software application then attempts to obtain a visual lock between the camera and the vehicle. In some cases, obtaining the visual lock may be hampered due to adverse lighting conditions. Light may be transmitted from the handheld device to illuminate the vehicle for better image capture. Alternatively, a command can be transmitted from the handheld device to a controller in the vehicle for turning on a light in the vehicle. After obtaining visual lock, various techniques such as vehicle path prediction and interpolation, can be used for effectively tracking the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Lawrence Chikeziri Amadi, Hemanth Yadav Aradhyula, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Patent number: 11486115
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method for shared access of a machine for operator training, the machine including a traction device and an implement, includes receiving an authorization from an access device to share access to the machine, and entering a shared control state based on at least the authorization received from the access device. The method also includes receiving commands from a remote operation device during the shared control state and operating at least one of the traction device or the implement of the machine based on at least the commands from the remote operation device while an operator is present in the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley P. Krone, Joseph Faivre, Steven D. Ott, Michael W. Bridenbaugh, Tony R. Metzger
  • Patent number: 11482117
    Abstract: Data associated with a flight, including a flight plan, a vehicle, and/or a pilot is processed via a risk assessment platform to obtain one of more numerical risk values, for example a ground risk value and an air risk value. Based on the processed data, a matrix of risk assessment decisions is generated containing risk related information (such as risk remediation information). Accordingly, based on a consistent set of risk relation information, a predictable and repeatable flight decision (such as a decision whether to fly, or an adjustment to a flight route) can be made. In some instances, the data to be processed is quantitative data collected from one or more third party systems, such as sensor data or geospatial data. The risk assessment platform includes toolkits or services to be used in the processing and transformation of this data to reach a risk assessment decision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: A^3 by Airbus
    Inventors: Peter Sachs, Richard Golding, Joseph Polastre, Karthik Balakrishnan, Ryan Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 11482019
    Abstract: An apparatus including an interface and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive video frames corresponding to an interior of a vehicle. The processor may be configured to perform video operations on the video frames to detect objects in the video frames, detect one or more passengers based on the objects detected in the video frames, determine a location of each of the passengers detected and generate a climate control signal for each of said passengers. The climate control signal may be implemented to control climate settings in a plurality of climate zones within the vehicle. The processor may correlate the location of each of the passengers to the climate zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Ambarella International LP
    Inventor: Pier Paolo Porta