Patents Examined by Rodney Butler
  • Patent number: 11372417
    Abstract: A moving obstacle such as a vehicle within a proximity of an intersection and one or more exits of the intersection are identified. An obstacle state evolution of a spatial position of the moving obstacle over a period of time is determined. For each of the exits, an intersection exit encoding of the exit is determined based on intersection exit features of the exit. An aggregated exit encoding based on aggregating all of the intersection exit encodings for the exits is determined. For each of the exits, an exit probability of the exit that the moving obstacle likely exits the intersection through the exit is determined based on the obstacle state evolution and the aggregated exit encoding. Thereafter, a trajectory of the ADV is planned to control the ADV to avoid a collision with the moving obstacle based on the exit probabilities of the exits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: BAIDU USA LLC
    Inventors: Jiacheng Pan, Kecheng Xu, Hongyi Sun, Jinghao Miao
  • Patent number: 11372415
    Abstract: In a vehicle control system, when an occupant visually recognizes a signboard and signboard course information is included in signboard information corresponding to the signboard, the signboard information is displayed on a display device. When the signboard course information out of the signboard information is visually recognized continuously, a control device generates course information based on the signboard course information. The generated course information is output to a vehicle control ECU, and course change processing based on the course information is performed by the vehicle control ECU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kentaro Otomo, Yu Kawahara, Atsushi Ishibashi, Masaki Saito, Shinichi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 11363929
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for training and operating of robotic appliances. Robotic appliance may be operable to clean user premises. The user may train the appliance to perform cleaning operations in constrained areas. The appliance may be configured to clean other area of the premises automatically. The appliance may perform premises exploration and/or determine map of the premises. The appliance may be provided priority information associated with areas of the premises. The appliance may perform cleaning operations in order of the priority. Robotic vacuum cleaner appliance may be configured for safe cable operation wherein the controller may determine one or more potential obstructions (e.g., a cable) along operating trajectory. Upon approaching the cable, the controller may temporarily disable brushing mechanism in order to prevent cable damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Brain Corporation
    Inventors: Botond Szatmary, Vadim Polonichko
  • Patent number: 11366477
    Abstract: A first image-data acquisition unit (101) acquires a plurality of pieces of image data in which different areas in a facility in which an autonomous driving vehicle conducts autonomous traveling are shown. A priority setting unit (102) analyzes a status shown in each of the plurality of pieces of image data and sets a priority to each image data. A first image-data display unit (103) decides a display mode at a time of displaying the plurality of pieces of image data according to the priority set by the priority setting unit (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takefumi Hasegawa, Masahiro Abukawa, Shu Murayama, Yohei Miki, Michinori Yoshida, Kentaro Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11367362
    Abstract: The DYNAMIC TURBULENCE ENGINE CONTROLLER APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (“DTEC”) transform weather, terrain, and flight parameter data via DTEC components into turbulence avoidance optimized flight plans. In one implementation, the DTEC comprises a processor and a memory disposed in communication with the processor and storing processor-issuable instructions to receive anticipated flight plan parameter data, obtain terrain data based on the flight plan parameter data, obtain atmospheric data based on the flight plan parameter data, and determine a plurality of four-dimensional grid points based on the flight plan parameter data. The DTEC may then determine a non-dimensional mountain wave amplitude and mountain top wave drag, an upper level non-dimensional gravity wave amplitude, and a buoyant turbulent kinetic energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: DTN, LLC
    Inventors: Donald McCann, James H. Block, Daniel W. Lennartson
  • Patent number: 11360474
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to controlling a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode using trajectories. For instance, a trajectory may be received by one or more first computing devices from one or more second computing devices. While the first computing devices are controlling the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode based on the trajectory, an error may be generated by second computing devices. Whether the error is a recoverable error may be determined, and if so, the second computing devices attempt to generate a new trajectory. When the second computing devices generate the new trajectory, the vehicle may be controlled by the first computing devices according to the new trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: Ioan-Alexandru Sucan
  • Patent number: 11360487
    Abstract: A driving support apparatus includes a communication device configured to communicate with a vehicle-mounted device installed in a vehicle that's under automatic driving control; and a processor configured to determine, upon receiving a stop request by a passenger who is riding in the vehicle from a mobile terminal of the passenger or the vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle through the communication device, a stop location in accordance with the stop request; generate a driving route of the vehicle from a present location of the vehicle to the stop location; and calculate a stop time required to stop the vehicle at the stop location, based on the driving route to the stop location, and when the stop time is less than an allocated time for the stop request, send a stop command for moving the vehicle to the stop location to the vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle through the communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Shiga, Mami Kato, Masato Endo
  • Patent number: 11353876
    Abstract: A motion control method and apparatus, an automatic conveyor unit, and an automatic sorting system are provided. The method includes: determining that the automatic conveying unit is to make a turn; configuring a second basic unit in front of a first basic unit where the automatic conveying unit is located to be a basic unit for making the turn; and controlling the automatic conveying unit to move in an arc centered on a predetermined point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: BEIJING GEEKPLUS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hao Han
  • Patent number: 11353877
    Abstract: Techniques to provide guidance to a vehicle operating in an environment may include determining a suggested region to block in the environment along a path of the vehicle and causing presentation of the suggested region to block in a user interface of the computer device. Information about the blocked region may be transmitted to one or more vehicles in the environment. Based on the information about the blocked region, at least one of the computer device or a vehicle computer system of the vehicle may control operation of the vehicle to avoid the blocked region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Ravi Gogna, Meredith James Goldman, Edward William O'Donnell, Frank Reinaldo Ramirez, Dennis Schaefer, Wenhao Sheng, Matthew Miller Young
  • Patent number: 11353879
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: a processor configured to: recognize a surrounding situation of a vehicle; specify a target vehicle which is a control target of the vehicle within a set reference range based on a recognition result; and control at least one of an acceleration or deceleration speed and steering of the vehicle based on a position of the target vehicle. The processor is further configured to specify the target vehicle in a reference range based on lane information and output first target vehicle information, and, in parallel, specify the target vehicle in a reference range based on a behavior of the vehicle, and output second target vehicle information, and select one of the first target vehicle information and the second target vehicle information and output the selected target vehicle information to a driving controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chihiro Oguro
  • Patent number: 11328593
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating trajectories for a vehicle user interface showing a driver's perspective view. Methods include generating an ego-vehicle predicted trajectory for an ego-vehicle; and generating at least one road agent predicted trajectory for a road agent that is external to the ego-vehicle. After the predicted trajectories are generated, the method continues by determining that at least two predicted trajectories overlap when displayed on the user interface showing a driver's perspective view, when displayed on the user interface showing a driver's perspective view. The method includes modifying the at least one road agent predicted trajectory to remove the overlap. The method then proceeds with updating a display of the user interface to include any modified road agent predicted trajectory. Systems include a trajectory-prediction module to execute the methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Maiko Hirano, Yusuke Sawamura
  • Patent number: 11325498
    Abstract: A through the road (TTR) hybridization strategy is proposed to facilitate introduction of hybrid electric vehicle technology in a significant portion of current and expected trucking fleets. In some cases, the technologies can be retrofitted onto an existing vehicle (e.g., a truck, a tractor unit, a trailer, a tractor-trailer configuration, at a tandem, etc.). In some cases, the technologies can be built into new vehicles. In some cases, one vehicle may be built or retrofitted to operate in tandem with another and provide the hybridization benefits contemplated herein. By supplementing motive forces delivered through a primary drivetrain and fuel-fed engine with supplemental torque delivered at one or more electrically-powered drive axles, improvements in overall fuel efficiency and performance may be delivered, typically without significant redesign of existing components and systems that have been proven in the trucking industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Hyliion Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Joseph Healy, Wilson Sa, Morgan Culbertson, Eric Schmidt, Roger Richter
  • Patent number: 11327487
    Abstract: A touch panel of an automatic driving vehicle includes a SLOW DOWN button. An operator is able to operate the SLOW DOWN button while the vehicle is running in the automatic driving mode to apply different deceleration controls using a first operation, or a long press, and a second operation, or a short press. For example, when a long press is applied, the automatic driving vehicle completes deceleration at time t4, or a time immediately after time t3 at which the long press operation is completed. In contrast, when a short press is applied, the automatic driving vehicle completes deceleration after the elapse of a relatively long period after completion of the short press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirohito Ide, Yuchi Yamanouchi, Masaki Shitara, Ryo Hattori
  • Patent number: 11320825
    Abstract: The non-traveling area plan creating unit 4 creates a plan of the non-traveling area, which is an area where the self-driving vehicle 10 can travel and which is an area set as an area where the self-driving vehicle 10 does not travel. The negotiation area information receiving unit 9 receives, from another vehicle, information on one or more negotiation areas each of which is an area other than the non-traveling area and is a subject of negotiation to be included in the non-traveling area. The permissible area determining unit 35 calculates, for each negotiation area, the first value which is the value of the negotiation area indicated by the information for the self-driving vehicle 10, and determines one negotiation area permissible to be included in the non-traveling area, or determines not to include any negotiation area in the non-traveling area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji Nakadai, Satoshi Morinaga
  • Patent number: 11320823
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter includes a method and system for navigating an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), that include: generating, based on the scanning output data, a first map comprising a first group of cells and characterized by a first size; generating, based on the scanning output data, a second map representing an area smaller than that of the first map comprising a second group of cells, which are characterized by a second size being smaller than the first size; wherein each cell in the first group of cells and the second group of cells is classified to a class selected from at least two classes, comprising traversable and non-traversable, wherein the second part at least partly overlaps the first part; navigating the UGV based on data deduced from crossing between cells in the first map and second map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: ELTA SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventors: Ofir Cohen, Dina Appelman, Arnon Degani
  • Patent number: 11320282
    Abstract: A driving control method includes referring to map information including a first map that includes identification information of a travel lane and a second map that does not include the identification information of the travel lane; when calculating a route from the current position of a vehicle to a destination, calculating the route so as to achieve a predetermined relationship between a first travel cost for traveling along a first route that belongs to the first map and a second travel cost for traveling along a second route that belongs to the second map; creating a driving plan for the vehicle to travel along the route; and causing a vehicle controller to execute the driving plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohei Mishina, Yoshiro Takamatsu
  • Patent number: 11314264
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: a recognizer configured to recognize a surrounding situation of a vehicle; a target vehicle specifier configured to specify a target vehicle which is a control target of the vehicle within a set reference range based on a recognition result of the recognizer; and a driving controller configured to control at least one of an acceleration or deceleration speed and steering of the vehicle based on a position of the specified target vehicle. The target vehicle specifier sets the reference range to a more distant location when the reference range is set based on map information than when the reference range is set irrespective of the map information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chihiro Oguro
  • Patent number: 11300976
    Abstract: A work vehicle automatic traveling system includes a route element selecting unit that, on the basis of state information, sequentially selects a next travel route element on which a work vehicle is to travel next, from a travel route element set and a circling route element set. The route element selecting unit includes a cooperative route element selection rule, which is employed when a plurality of work vehicles carry out work travel cooperatively in an area CA to be worked, and an independent route element selection rule, which is employed when a single independent work vehicle among the work vehicles carries out work travel independently in the area CA to be worked. Also described is selecting the next travel route element based on the independent route element selection rule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Sakura Tomita, Tomohiko Sano, Kazuo Sakaguchi, Tetsuya Nakajima, Makoto Oshitani, Kenichi Iwami, Osamu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11293773
    Abstract: Embodiments for providing navigation routes by one or more processors are described. An indication of a destination at a first location is received. A selection of a route initiating event is received. The route initiating event is detected. After the route initiating event is detected, a navigation route from a current location of a user to the destination is determined. No navigational guidance is provided to the user until the route initiating event is detected notwithstanding the user input the destination at the first location. An indication of the determined navigation route is generated thereafter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Hardee, Steven R. Joroff, Pamela A. Nesbitt, Scott E. Schneider
  • Patent number: 11287261
    Abstract: A method for controlling a movable object is described. The method may include controlling the movable object to move with a variable speed along one or more directions; collecting sensing data from one or more sensors onboard the movable object during the movement along the one or more directions, wherein the one or more sensors do not include a magnetic sensor; and determining a correspondence between a local coordinate system and a global coordinate system based on the sensing data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhenzhou Lai, Jianyu Song, Zhaoliang Peng