Patents Examined by Shayne M. Gilbertson
  • Patent number: 11780492
    Abstract: The system (10) is configured to detect high friction in a steering gear used with a vehicle. The system (10) has a speed sensor (17), a steering angle sensor (17, 108), a plurality of vehicle sensors (23, 112) to monitor vehicle parameters and a plurality of steering system sensors (17, 108) to monitor steering system parameters. A repository stores (27, 120) the normal operating values for the vehicle and steering system sensors (17, 108). A correlation block (21, 130) compares the vehicle and steering system values with the values in the repository (27, 120). A trigger block (15) receives signals from the speed and steering angle sensors, and activating the correlation block (21, 130) when the speed and steering angle sensors are in a select range. The correlation block (21, 130) sends a warning signal if the values from the repository (27, 120) and the signal from the speed and steering angle sensors (17, 108) exceed a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH AUTOMOTIVE STEERING LLC
    Inventors: Ismail Dagli, Achim Frankovics, Rudy Audi, Divyendu Narayan
  • Patent number: 11767035
    Abstract: A control system for parking a vehicle uses a directed graph representing a traffic network within parking space to determine a coarse path subsequently refined to control the vehicle according to refined path. The directed graph includes waypoints connected by edges, a waypoint defines a position and an orientation, while edge defines a collision free path for the vehicle. The coarse path is selected as a shortest route of waypoints connecting an initial waypoint on the directed graph closest to the initial state of the vehicle with a target waypoint on the directed graph closest to the target state of the vehicle. The refined path is a path on a tree constructed to reduce a deviation of a cost of a motion defined by a refined path connecting the initial node with the target node of the tree from a cost of the coarse path defining the route of waypoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Yebin Wang, Siyu Dai
  • Patent number: 11747481
    Abstract: A 3D LIDAR obstacle avoidance system comprising a camera; a data processor; and a gimbaled laser ranging system. The gimbaled laser ranging system is bore sighted to the camera's optical axis and has its rotation axes centered on the camera focal plane (see the attached drawing). Two-dimensional information of the camera is converted to 3-dimensional information by selectively ranging scene objects of interest (i.e. moving targets). Selected object ranges are queried simply by commanding the gimbal to point to the angle in the scene represented by the object's location in the focal plane. By not sampling the entire scene, significant improvements in throughput and range are achieved. Sensor operation in inclement weather is possible by using an IR camera and a longer wavelength ranging-laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Daniel J. Sox
  • Patent number: 11738753
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a controller configured to, when a plan is made to change a lane of the vehicle from a first lane to a second lane, cause the vehicle to change the lane to the second lane based on a position of a vehicle that travels in the second lane. When a first other vehicle which travels in the second lane and is a predetermined distance from the vehicle is recognized and a second other vehicle behind the vehicle in the second lane is not recognized, the controller sets a first virtual vehicle behind the first other vehicle and a second virtual vehicle behind the first virtual vehicle, and causes the vehicle to change the lane to the second lane based on a position of the first other vehicle, a position of the first virtual vehicle, and a position of the second virtual vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kaijiang Yu
  • Patent number: 11719550
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for building a route time consumption estimation model, and a method and apparatus for estimating a route time consumption are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: BAIDU ONLINE NETWORK TEGHNOLOGY (BEIIING) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiaomin Fang, Jizhou Huang, Fan Wang, Lingke Zeng, Haijin Liang, Haifeng Wang
  • Patent number: 11713135
    Abstract: A monitoring system and method are provided for real time monitoring of flaps, landing gears, or tail skids to determine safe taxi, takeoff, and flight readiness. Monitoring units, including scanning LiDAR devices combined with cameras or sensors, mounted in aircraft exterior locations produce a stream of meshed data that is securely transmitted to a processing system to generate a real time visual display of the flaps, landing gears, or tail skid for communication to aircraft pilots to ensure safe aircraft taxi, takeoff, and flight readiness. Actual flap position alignment with optimal flap setting, proper retraction and extension positions of landing gears, and tail skid condition is ensured. Safety of aircraft taxi, takeoff and flight and airport operations are improved when the present system and method are used to prevent incidents related to misaligned flaps and improperly positioned landing gears or tail skids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Borealis Technical Limited
    Inventors: Stuart Mark Ferrell, William T. Reed, Jan Vana, Isaiah W. Cox
  • Patent number: 11713057
    Abstract: A lateral control error of a steering system of an ADV is determined, which includes iteratively performing following operations for a predetermined time period. Whether the ADV is moving within a predetermined proximity of a current moving direction is determined. Next, whether a road condition of a road on which the ADV is driving satisfies a predetermined road condition is determined. Then, a first steering feedback of the ADV in response to a prior steering control command is measured. Thereafter, the lateral control error is determined based on at least a portion of the first steering feedback over the predetermined time period. Further, a steering command in view of the lateral control error of the steering system is generated. Finally, the steering command is applied to control the ADV to compensate the lateral control error of the steering system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignees: BAIDU USA LLC, BAIDU.COM TIMES TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fan Zhu, Bei Liu, Xin Xu, Lin Ma
  • Patent number: 11685390
    Abstract: A driving assistance device executes processing relating to a behavior model of a vehicle. Detected information from the vehicle is input to a detected information inputter. An acquirer derives at least one of a travel difficulty level of a vehicle, a wakefulness level of a driver, and a driving proficiency level of the driver on the basis of the detected information that is input to the detected information inputter. A determiner determines whether or not to execute processing on the basis of at least one information item derived by the acquirer. If the determiner has made a determination to execute the processing, a processor executes the processing relating to the behavior model. It is assumed that the processor does not execute the processing relating to the behavior model if the determiner has made a determination to not execute the processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Koichi Emura
  • Patent number: 11679760
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for navigating a host vehicle. In one implementation, at least one processor may be programmed to receive images representative of an environment of the host vehicle; identify an oncoming target vehicle associated with a projected trajectory indicated by an aspect of the oncoming target vehicle in the images; determine that a planned trajectory for the host vehicle crosses the projected trajectory of the oncoming target vehicle and indicates a potential turn-across-path event; determine a remedial action for the host vehicle in response to the oncoming target vehicle and the potential turn-across-path event; implement the remedial action if the oncoming target vehicle is determined to be not approaching a road feature that negates the potential turn-across-path event; and forego the remedial action if the oncoming target vehicle is determined to be approaching a road feature that negates the potential turn-across-path event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Ofer Finelt, Tomer Baba
  • Patent number: 11662741
    Abstract: A computer, including a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions to be executed by the processor to determine an eccentricity map based on video image data and determine vehicle motion data by processing the eccentricity map and two red, green, blue (RGB) video images with a deep neural network trained to output vehicle motion data in global coordinates. The instructions can further include instructions to operate a vehicle based on the vehicle motion data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Punarjay Chakravarty, Bruno Sielly Jales Costa, Gintaras Vincent Puskorius
  • Patent number: 11656616
    Abstract: A parking assist apparatus is provided with: a holding device configured to hold the target parking position associated with the parking process operation; an automatic parking device configured to perform an automatic parking control of automatically controlling the vehicle such that the vehicle is parked in the target parking position, as a part of the parking process operation; and a transition device configured to change the automatic parking control into a standby state while allowing the holding device to hold the target parking position, on condition that a door of the vehicle is opened before the vehicle arrives at the target parking position. The transition device is configured to allow the automatic parking device to restart the automatic parking control, on condition that there is an execution request for the automatic parking control, when the automatic parking control is in the standby state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noriyuki Tsuruoka
  • Patent number: 11656089
    Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to techniques for providing augmented reality (AR) navigation assistance to users of an autonomous vehicle (AV) ride hailing service. In some aspects, a process for implementing the disclosed technology can include steps for navigating an autonomous vehicle (AV) along a route terminating in a drop-off location specified by a rider of the AV, detecting an arrival of the AV at the drop-off location, sending location information of the AV to a mobile device associated with the rider, and initializing augment reality (AR) guidance for the rider on the mobile device, wherein the AR guidance is configured to provide the rider with navigation information pertaining to the drop-off location. Systems and computer-readable media are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC.
    Inventors: Charles Matlack, Georgios Georgiou
  • Patent number: 11635774
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises at least one sensor to collect localization information indicating a location of a first robotic agent of a plurality of robotic agents; and a processor comprising circuitry. The processor is to cause the first robotic agent to move and to utilize the at least one sensor and other robotic agents of the plurality of robotic agents to determine the location of the first robotic agent during a first period of time in which the first robotic agent is not selected as an anchor reference point; and cause the first robotic agent to remain stationary during a second period of time in which the first robotic agent is selected as an anchor reference point to assist other robotic agents of the plurality of robotic agents in location determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Dibyendu Ghosh, Ganeshram Nandakumar, Karthik Narayanan, Vinayak Honkote
  • Patent number: 11623659
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a method for controlling an autonomous vehicle to pass through a curve, a device and a medium, and relate to the field of autonomous driving technologies. At least one implementation of the method for controlling an autonomous vehicle to pass through a curve includes: determining a curve boundary within a sensing area in a current driving direction of the autonomous vehicle based on a current position of the autonomous vehicle on the curve; determining a current safe stopping distance of the autonomous vehicle on the curve based on current driving parameters of the autonomous vehicle and the curve boundary; determining a speed threshold of the autonomous vehicle based on the current safe stopping distance, braking parameters of the autonomous vehicle and a curve curvature corresponding to the current position; and controlling a speed of the autonomous vehicle not to exceed the speed threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: APOLLO INTELLIGENT DRIVING TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ning Yu, Jingjing Xue, Dongchun Yao
  • Patent number: 11597280
    Abstract: A display device includes a drawing processing unit displaying a status of a device mounted on a train car, and a data collection unit including a signal definition holding unit holding signal definitions to be bases of first signals requesting information on the status of the device, a signal mapping management unit acquiring configuration information on the number of cars and a traveling direction, and generating the first signals, based on the signal definitions and configuration information to request information on the device status, a signal data storage unit holding a value of a second signal as information on the device status acquired by the signal mapping management unit's request, and a signal mapping generation unit generating signal mapping information for specifying the order of the cars on a display screen, based on the configuration information, and outputting the signal mapping information to the signal data storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eisho Ando, Masayo Nakagawa, Akira Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 11592566
    Abstract: A system and method for estimating road conditions ahead of a vehicle, including: a LIDAR sensor operable for generating a LIDAR point cloud; a processor executing a road condition estimation algorithm stored in a memory, the road condition estimation algorithm performing the steps including: detecting a ground plane or drivable surface in the LIDAR point cloud; superimposing an M×N matrix on at least a portion of the LIDAR point cloud; for each patch of the LIDAR point cloud defined by the M×N matrix, statistically evaluating a relative position, a feature elevation, and a scaled reflectance index; and, from the statistically evaluated relative position, feature elevation, and scaled reflectance index, determining a slipperiness probability for each patch of the LIDAR point cloud; and a vehicle control system operable for, based on the determined slipperiness probability for each patch of the LIDAR point cloud, affecting an operation of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao, Srikar Muppirisetty
  • Patent number: 11524683
    Abstract: Industrial vehicles that include a speed sensor configured to generate a speed sensor signal, a payload sensor configured to generate a payload sensor signal, an inclination sensor configured to generate an inclination sensor signal, a wheel motor connected to a wheel of the industrial vehicle, and a controller. The wheel motor includes an electric retarder device for applying a retardation force to the wheel. The controller is configured to receive the speed sensor signal, receive the payload sensor signal, receive the inclination sensor signal, determine a required retardation force for the industrial vehicle based on the payload sensor signal and the inclination sensor signal, determine an available retardation force for the industrial vehicle based on the speed sensor signal, and generate an output indicating the required retardation force for the industrial vehicle relative to the available retardation force for the industrial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: KOMATSU AMERICA CORP.
    Inventors: David J. Scott, Sudhir Reddy Thaduru
  • Patent number: 11511753
    Abstract: An illustrative example method is for estimating a friction characteristic of a surface beneath a vehicle that has a plurality of wheels contacting the surface. The method includes determining a wheel speed of at least one of the wheels, determining a velocity of the at least one of the wheels separately from determining the wheel speed, determining a wheel slip of the at least one of the wheels based on the determined wheel speed and the determined velocity, and determining the friction characteristic based on the determined wheel slip. Determining the velocity separately from the wheel speed is accomplished using at least one detector that provides an output corresponding to a range rate, such as a RADAR or LIDAR detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: APTIV TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Jan Schiffmann, Henrik Clasen, David Aaron Schwartz, Amith Somanath
  • Patent number: 11491940
    Abstract: A system for determining when an occupant in a motor vehicle seat and restrained by a seatbelt restraint system has improper posture. The system and method include: a seatbelt buckle sensor, a seatbelt payout sensor, an occupant posture sensor. Moreover, a control module executes code to: determine the presence of the seatbelt latchplate in the seatbelt buckle, determine whether the difference between the first seatbelt payout length when the seatbelt is buckled and the second seatbelt payout length is greater than a seatbelt payout length threshold, compare the image of the occupant to at least one of a stored image and a posture zone when the seatbelt payout length threshold is exceeded, and determine whether the occupant has improper posture based on the comparison of the captured image of the occupant and the at least one of the stored image and the posture zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Scott D. Thomas
  • Patent number: 11474521
    Abstract: A maintenance support system includes a terminal to be connected to one or more devices and one or more autonomous mobile bodies configured to acquire an own location, and transmits abnormality information from an abnormal device to the autonomous mobile body. The autonomous mobile body travels to a location of the abnormal device, based on the abnormality information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ryota Takenaka, Takao Yamamoto