Patents Examined by Rodney A. Butler
  • Patent number: 11605301
    Abstract: Various avionics systems may benefit from repeaters. For example, an ADS-B In traffic display repeater system may be useful for, for example, retrofit aircraft. A system, according to certain embodiments, can include a traffic awareness computer of an aircraft. The system can also include an aircraft interface device. The system can further include a data bus configured to convey data from the traffic awareness computer to the aircraft interface device. The data conveyed can be configured to permit repetition of one or more displays of a cockpit of the aircraft on a tablet computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: AVIATION COMMUNICATION & SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventor: Charles Castel Manberg
  • Patent number: 11599122
    Abstract: A vehicle control method and device are disclosed. An embodiment of the method includes: receiving an assistance driving instruction associated with a vehicle; and sending an assistance control instruction to the vehicle, to cause the vehicle to execute the assistance control instruction to control the vehicle, the assistance control instruction being generated through a simulation driving operation performed by an assistance driving user based on travelling environment information of the vehicle presented to the assistance driving user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: BEIJING BAIDU NETCOM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jinyang Gu
  • Patent number: 11592832
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable media that control an autonomous vehicle via at least two sensors. One aspect includes capturing an image of a scene ahead of the vehicle with a first sensor, identifying an object in the scene at a confidence level based on the image, determining the confidence level of the identifying is below a threshold, in response to the confidence level being below the threshold, directing a second sensor having a field of view smaller than the first sensor to generate a second image including a location of the identified object, further identifying the object in the scene based on the second image, controlling the vehicle based on the further identification of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventor: Mark Calleija
  • Patent number: 11592815
    Abstract: A robotic cart platform with a navigation and movement system that integrates into a conventional utility cart to provide both manual and autonomous modes of operation. The platform includes a drive unit with drive wheels replacing the front wheels of the cart. The drive unit has motors, encoders, a processor and a microcontroller. The system has a work environment mapping sensor and a cabled array of proximity and weight sensors, lights, control panel, battery and on/off, “GO” and emergency stop buttons secured throughout the cart. The encoders obtain drive shaft rotation data that the microcontroller periodically sends to the processor. When in autonomous mode, the system provides navigation, movement and location tracking with or without wireless connection to a server. Stored destinations are set using its location tracking to autonomously navigate the cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: MuL Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Paul Armbrust, Robert James Grabon, Radoslaw Adam Jarema
  • Patent number: 11590971
    Abstract: In an apparatus for determining a traveling position of an own vehicle that is an autonomous driving vehicle equipped with the apparatus, a judgment section is configured to judge presence or absence of at least one of a travel history of other vehicles regarding the lane in which the own vehicle is traveling and an object that is located in the vicinity of the own vehicle within the lane in which the own vehicle is traveling and should be avoided coming into contact with. The traveling position is a widthwise position of the own vehicle within a lane in which the own vehicle is traveling. A determination section is configured to determine the traveling position using the travel history in response to the judgment section judging that the travel history exists and using position information of the object in response to the judgment section judging that the object exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tasuku Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 11584389
    Abstract: Techniques to provide guidance to a vehicle operating in an environment are discussed herein. For example, such techniques may include sending a request for assistance, receiving a reference trajectory, and causing the vehicle to determine a trajectory based on the reference trajectory. Data such as sensor data and vehicle state data may be sent from the vehicle to a remote computing device. The computing device outputs a user interface using the data and determines the reference trajectory based on receiving an input in the user interface. The techniques can send an indication of the reference trajectory to the vehicle for use in planning a trajectory for the vehicle. A vehicle, such as an autonomous vehicle, can be controlled to traverse an environment based on the trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventor: Ravi Gogna
  • Patent number: 11577644
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method, apparatus, and system for automatically switching on an emergency light at an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) is disclosed. A present speed of an ADV at a first time instant is determined. A present deceleration of the ADV at the first time instant is determined. Whether the present speed satisfies a present speed condition and whether the present deceleration satisfies a present deceleration condition at the first time instant are determined. In response to determining that the present speed satisfies the present speed condition and that the present deceleration satisfies the present deceleration condition, whether a recent deceleration history of the ADV satisfies a recent deceleration history condition and whether an expected deceleration of the ADV satisfies an expected deceleration condition are determined. If either condition is satisfied, an emergency light of the ADV is automatically switched on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: BAIDU USA LLC
    Inventor: Fan Zhu
  • Patent number: 11577749
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of receiving, by a server, data related to an environment associated with a target transport, analyzing, by the server, the data to determine if at least one adverse condition related to the environment exists, and responsive to existence of the at least one adverse condition, sending, by the server, a recommendation related to operation of the target transport in a safe mode to overcome the at least one adverse condition to the target transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Stephen Paul McFarland, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11579609
    Abstract: Described herein are technologies relating to computing a likelihood of an operation-influencing event with respect to an autonomous vehicle at a geographic location. The likelihood of the operation-influencing event is computed based upon a prediction of a value that indicates whether, through a causal process, the operation-influencing event is expected to occur. The causal process is identified by means of a model, which relates spatiotemporal factors and the operation-influencing events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: GM CRUISE HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Antony Joseph, Geoffrey Louis Chi-Johnston, Nimish Patil, Vishal Suresh Vaingankar, Laura Athena Freeman
  • Patent number: 11580858
    Abstract: An advice target location at which a user had a predetermined emotion, for example, is determined based on location information, user biological information, and user transportation means information, which have been acquired by a terminal device (20) being used by the user. Advice information containing information indicating an advice presentation region set by a server device (50) is generated based on the advice target location. This advice information is supplied from the server device (50) to the terminal device (20), so that the terminal device (20) presents advice. With this, advice as to locations pedestrians find dangerous can be presented to drivers, and advice as to locations drivers find dangerous can be presented to pedestrians. Accordingly, accidents and the like can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoshi Suzuno
  • Patent number: 11573571
    Abstract: Techniques are discussed for generating and optimizing a trajectory using closed-form numerical integration in route-relative coordinates. A decision planner component of an autonomous vehicle, for example, can receive or generate a reference trajectory, which may correspond to an ideal route for an autonomous vehicle to traverse through an environment, such as a center of a road segment. Lateral dynamics (e.g., steering angles, curvature values of trajectory segments) and longitudinal dynamics (e.g., velocity and acceleration) can be represented in a single algorithm such that optimizing the reference trajectory (e.g., based on loss functions or costs) can substantially simultaneously optimize the lateral dynamics and longitudinal dynamics in a single convergence operation. In some cases, the trajectory can be used to control the autonomous vehicle to traverse an environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventor: Marin Kobilarov
  • Patent number: 11565581
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for simulating rev-matching in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). In particular, increased engine response is provided while downshifting during acceleration. The transmission of an HEV may include an electronic control unit that controls the speed of the engine to simulate gears, and increases the speed of the engine responsive to a driver using the gear selector to shift from one of the simulated gears to a lower one of the simulated gears, thereby providing the desired rev-matching experience. The increased engine response can be reflected in a target engine speed that is calculated based on specific gear ratios associated with each of the simulated gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Erik Hasso Benedikt, Shannon Wrobel
  • Patent number: 11561555
    Abstract: Provided is a control apparatus for controlling broadcast data to be broadcasted to an occupant of a movable object with an automated drive function, comprising: a travelling road identification unit for identifying a predetermined travelling road of the movable object corresponding to a destination set in the movable object; a setting unit for setting, according to the predetermined travelling road, a recommended switching point for switching predetermined automated drive to driver subjected manual drive in the predetermined travelling road, and setting predetermined passage time when the movable object passes through the recommended switching point; and a broadcast plan generation unit for generating a broadcast plan for broadcasting predetermined broadcast data to an occupant of the movable object according to the recommended switching point; wherein the broadcast plan generation unit determines an order of the broadcast data to be broadcasted within a predetermined period before or after the recommended s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Rei Sakai, Yo Ito, Tsubasa Shibauchi
  • Patent number: 11550338
    Abstract: A method of maintaining vehicle formation includes receiving a desired along path distance; receiving a plurality of waypoints corresponding to a plurality of positions along a path of the lead vehicle; determining a dynamic path for the follower vehicle by spline fitting the plurality of positions of the plurality of waypoints; determining a commanded curvature of the follower vehicle based on a curvature of the dynamic path at a current position of the follower vehicle; determining a current along path distance between the lead vehicle and the follower vehicle; determining an along path error; determining a next speed of the follower vehicle based on the along path error and the respective waypoint speed of the respective waypoint that is adjacent to a current position of the follower vehicle; and outputting the commanded curvature and the next speed to a control system of the follower vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Trimble Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Rands, Justin Creaby, Brandon Sights
  • Patent number: 11543826
    Abstract: Spin controller that can enable an autonomous vehicle (AV) to spin in place. A model predictive controller (MPC) can trigger the spin controller any time the MPC determines that a spin in place is required. In some configurations, the spin controller can move the AV to within 5° of the destination point. Spin controller can determine spin method based on the configuration of the AV, calculate an optimum turning path based at least on device mode and obstacles, and can enable the AV to spin in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventor: Siyuan Huang
  • Patent number: 11543822
    Abstract: An equipment inspection system receives data captured by a sensor of an autonomous vehicle (AV). The captured data describes a current state of equipment for servicing the AV. The equipment inspection system compares the captured data to a model describing an expected state of the equipment. The equipment inspection system determines, based on the comparison, that the equipment differs from the expected state. The equipment inspection system may transmit data describing the current state of the equipment to an equipment manager. The equipment manager may schedule maintenance for the equipment based on the current state of the equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Adam Mandel-Senft, Tracy Cheung, Michael Frank Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11543833
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a communication unit configured to be communicable with an autonomous driving vehicle that autonomously travels, a determination unit configured to determine whether there is a possibility that communication between the autonomous driving vehicle and the vehicle control device is disconnected, based on information indicating a communication status between the autonomous driving vehicle and the vehicle control device, and a travel instruction unit configured to transmit, when there is the possibility that the communication between the autonomous driving vehicle and the vehicle control device is disconnected, a travel instruction to the autonomous driving vehicle via the communication unit before the communication between the autonomous driving vehicle and the vehicle control device is disconnected. The travel instruction matches conditions associated with travel control of the autonomous driving vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Sakai, Makoto Kawaharada, Akihide Tachibana, Tomoyuki Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 11531355
    Abstract: There is provided a method for controlling an autonomous vehicle using preset area information, the method being performed by a computing apparatus and being a method for controlling the speed of an autonomous vehicle autonomously traveling along a preset travel path, the method including: determining whether the vehicle is located in a preset first area based on the location information of the vehicle; obtaining information about a preset second area corresponding to the first area; obtaining a condition for the second area; and determining a vehicle control command based on the condition for the second area and information collected from the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: RideFlux Inc.
    Inventors: Jung Hee Park, Ho Yun, Hyun Jung Cho, Ha Wook Jeong, Ji Woong Kim
  • Patent number: 11531338
    Abstract: An automatic control mode system for heavy machinery and a method for controlling heavy machinery for an automatic control mode is disclosed. The method may include: monitoring one or more conditions of one or more systems of the heavy machinery for the automatic control mode; determining whether at least one of the one or more conditions is met; and disabling the automatic control mode if at least one of the one or more conditions are met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy M. O'Donnell, Kyle D. Hendricks, Robert J. McGee, John L. Marsolek, Sangameshwar Sonth
  • Patent number: 11526173
    Abstract: A method for correcting a travelling trajectory of a vehicle which is executed by a processor includes: generating a subject vehicle travelling route that a subject vehicle travels based on map information stored in a database; calculating a travelling trajectory of the subject vehicle to be a target trajectory when the subject vehicle travels on the subject vehicle travelling route; detecting a position of another vehicle travelling on a lane located in a width direction of the subject vehicle by a sensor provided for the subject vehicle; calculating an offset of a position of the other vehicle in another vehicle lane that the other vehicle travels based on the position of the other vehicle; and correcting the travelling trajectory of the subject vehicle in accordance with the offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoko Kurotobi, Satoshi Tange, Masafumi Tsuji