Patents Examined by Thomas Ingram
  • Patent number: 11794764
    Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of determining, by a transport, that an issue will soon occur, determining, by the transport, a time the issue will occur, and displaying, by the transport, the time the issue will occur. The issue is based on sensor data approaching a threshold within a period of time that is faster than an average period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen Paul McFarland, Jr., Satyajit P. Patne, Edward Allen Cain, Jr., Brian D. McFarland
  • Patent number: 11788853
    Abstract: A navigation system and a route search method thereof are provided. The navigation system includes a vehicle controller that performs platoon driving and a service server. The service server includes a communicator that communicates with the vehicle and receives traffic information, a database that stores platoon driving information received from the communicator, and a processor that generates a driving route based on the traffic information and the platoon driving information according to a route search request from the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Chi Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 11788844
    Abstract: Techniques are described for using sensor-based objection recognition and property condition monitoring techniques to automate and improve methods of navigating a property during a property tour. In some implementations, sensor data is received from one or more sensors that are located within a property. Property data that identifies characteristics of the property is received. A model of the property is generated. Authentication data that identifies users who are authorized to access the property is received. Data identifying a visiting user is received. The data identifying the visiting user is compared to the authentication data. The visiting user is determined to be authorized to access the property. Preference data that indicates preferences of the visiting user is accessed. A path to guide the user around the property is generated based on the model of the property and the preferences of the visiting user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Alarm.com Incorporated
    Inventor: Babak Rezvani
  • Patent number: 11781882
    Abstract: A system and method for utilizing aggregated weather data (AWD) for deriving road surface condition (RSC) estimates. This system and method supplements road friction estimates (RFEs) made at the vehicle level with AWD in the cloud to form the RSC estimates, which are then transmitted to the vehicles such that more accurate RFEs can be made locally, and so on. Conventional RFE physics-based models are replaced with enhanced RFE trained machine learning (ML) models accordingly. Global RSC estimates are derived for each geographical region using weather and location constraints. Thus, improved autonomous driving and driver assist functions may be implemented, better driver warnings may be provided, and safer road trips may be planned in advance based on a thorough analysis of the drivable conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Srikar Muppirisetty, Niklas Ohlsson, Minming Zhao, Mats Jonasson
  • Patent number: 11782440
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle simulation system for analyzing motion planners is disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: receiving map data corresponding to a real world driving environment; obtaining perception data and configuration data including pre-defined parameters and executables defining a specific driving behavior for each of a plurality of simulated dynamic vehicles; generating simulated perception data for each of the plurality of simulated dynamic vehicles based on the map data, the perception data, and the configuration data; receiving vehicle control messages from an autonomous vehicle control system; and simulating the operation and behavior of areal world autonomous vehicle based on the vehicle control messages received from the autonomous vehicle control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: TUSIMPLE, INC.
    Inventors: Liu Liu, Yuwei Wang, Xing Sun, Yufei Zhao, Wutu Lin
  • Patent number: 11767026
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to motion planning for autonomous vehicles to find a contiguous path to travel from a source to a destination in a real time environment. But, motion planning suffers due to dimensionality problem during planning a path in high dimensional configuration space. Conventional a priori path planning techniques utilize deterministic selection of a seed and there is a challenge in providing resolution completeness, especially in a cluttered environment. Here, the resolution problem associated with the cluttered environment, is rectified by utilizing random seed generation technique. A convex region is grown around each seed and a set of hyperplanes are generated around each convex region. A contiguous polytope is created by utilizing the set of hyperplanes associated with each convex region. Further, an undirected graph is created based on a plurality of polytope points associated with the contiguous polytope and a shortest path in the graph is computed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES LIMITED
    Inventors: Arup Kumar Sadhu, Shubham Shukla, Titas Bera, Ranjan Dasgupta
  • Patent number: 11760369
    Abstract: A system and method for disabling a function of a feature of a vehicle based on a validation request to a centralized validation authority, prior to a use of the feature includes determining that a condition is met as part of a startup sequence of the vehicle, transmitting the validation request to the centralized validation authority, in response to determining the condition is met, wherein the validation request is part of the startup sequence of the vehicle, receiving a validation decision from the centralized validation authority, and disabling the feature of the vehicle as a function of the receiving the validation decision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Kyndryl, Inc.
    Inventors: Cesar Augusto Rodriguez Bravo, Gregory J. Boss, Rick A. Hamilton, II
  • Patent number: 11753792
    Abstract: A movement processing unit is configured to generate operation signals of a work equipment and a swing body for moving a bucket to a loading point based on a start command of an automatic movement of the bucket. A stop processing unit is configured to brake a swing of the swing body based on a stop command of the automatic movement of the bucket, and is further configured to generate an operation signal for retreating the work equipment when a height of the bucket is lower than the loading point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoki Konda, Yusuke Saigo, Ryuta Okuwaki, Kazuhiro Hatake
  • Patent number: 11753858
    Abstract: A movable window apparatus is disclosed. The movable window apparatus may comprise a window panel, a first electrical contact, and a second electrical contact. The window panel is operable between an opened position and a closed position. The first electrical contact is coupled to the window panel. The second electrical contact is coupled to the vehicle. Further, the first electrical contact is operable to engage the second electrical contact when the window panel is in a first position and disengage the second electrical contact when the window panel is out of the first position. Engagement of the second electrical contact by the first electrical contact forms a conductive connection. This conductive connection has the advantage of being engageable and dis-engageable. Accordingly, the movable window apparatus enables a conductive connection with a window panel without inhibiting the movement of the window panel between two or more positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Drew D. Brennan, David J. Cammenga, Luke A. Bomers
  • Patent number: 11755917
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for generating a depth map of a scene from a camera image using a neural network. One of the methods includes obtaining an image captured by a first sensor. A neural network processes the image to generate a respective score for each of a plurality of locations in the image. Known depth data specifying respective known depth values for some of the locations in the image is obtained. A depth output is generated that assigns a depth value to some of the locations in the image, including determining whether the score for a location exceeds a threshold; and when the score exceeds the threshold and the known depth value is available for the location, assigning the known depth value for the location to the location in the depth output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Bradley Dodson, Zhinan Xu
  • Patent number: 11749113
    Abstract: A parking lot management device configured to manage traveling of vehicles by setting a scheduled passage time for each node indicating a travel route in a parking lot includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire an actual passage time at which a first vehicle has actually passed a first node; a determination unit configured to determine a collision risk between a second vehicle and the first vehicle based on the actual passage time, the second vehicle being scheduled to pass, following the first vehicle, a second node that is located forward of the first node in a traveling direction of the first vehicle; and a setting unit configured to delay a first scheduled passage time at which the second vehicle passes the second node to cause the second vehicle to pass the second node following the first vehicle when it is determined that there is the collision risk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takanori Imazu
  • Patent number: 11745732
    Abstract: A method for certified control of a self-driving ego vehicle is described. The method includes analyzing a safety situation of the self-driving ego vehicle to determine a proposed vehicle control action using a main controller of the self-driving ego vehicle. The method also includes presenting, by the main controller, the proposed vehicle control action to an interlock controller, including a certificate of the proposed vehicle control action. The method further includes checking a safety certification evidence from the certificate by the interlock controller using a predefined safety argument to verify the safety certification evidence of the certificate. The method also includes directing, by a low-level controller, the self-driving ego vehicle to perform a certified vehicle control action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC., MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Daniel Jackson, Jonathan Decastro, Soon Ho Kong, Nikos Arechiga Gonzalez, Dimitrios Koutentakis, Feng Ping Angela Leong, Mike Meichang Wang, Xin Zhang
  • Patent number: 11745605
    Abstract: A charging system for an autonomous data machine may be provided. The system may comprise: a charging station, wherein the charging station has a low profile allowing the autonomous data machine to drive over to charge a power supply of the autonomous data machine automatically; and one or more processors of the autonomous data machine configured to make charging decisions to effect charging operations of the autonomous data machine that include charging time, charging location, and operations to be performed during charging. In some instances, the charging decision are based on at least one of the following: location of charging station, availability of charging station, mission parameters, locations of other autonomous data machines, and/or charging requirements and/or availability of charging stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Knightscope, Inc.
    Inventors: William Santana Li, Stacy Dean Stephens, Mercedes Soria-Li, Aaron J. Lehnhardt, Dominic A. Villa, Phillip Wong, Arne Stoschek
  • Patent number: 11748967
    Abstract: A vehicle exterior environment recognition apparatus includes a stereo speed derivation unit, a monocular speed derivation unit, a predicted speed derivation unit, a mixture ratio derivation unit, and an object speed derivation unit. The stereo speed derivation unit derives a stereo speed indicating a speed of a three-dimensional object extracted from a distance image derived from luminance images of two image-capturing units. The monocular speed derivation unit derives a monocular speed indicating a speed of the three-dimensional object extracted from the luminance image of one of the image-capturing units. The predicted speed derivation unit derives a predicted speed based on a past speed of the three-dimensional object. The mixture ratio derivation unit derives a mixture ratio of the stereo, monocular, and predicted speeds. The object speed derivation unit mixes the stereo, monocular, and predicted speeds at the mixture ratio, to derive an object speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Takahashi, Yusuke Goto, Yuki Katsuno
  • Patent number: 11733713
    Abstract: A method for controlling a desired change in course for an aircraft is provided. The method comprises: determining a roll angle for a constant radius curve in a constant roll attitude lateral path segment of a lateral path to achieve the desired change in course; determining, for each of a first plurality of derivative lateral path segments between a first straight lateral path segment of the lateral path and the constant roll attitude lateral path segment and a second plurality of derivative lateral path segments between the constant roll attitude lateral path segment and a second straight lateral path segment of the lateral path, a derivative roll parameter to apply in the lateral path segment, wherein the derivative roll parameter comprises a constant roll acceleration value or a constant roll rate value; and causing the aircraft to sequentially execute a maneuver specified by the roll angle and, derivative roll parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jim Rumbo, Natasha Proctor, Ryan Glaser
  • Patent number: 11718296
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provide for highway vehicle platoon maintenance management. Commercial highway vehicle platoon maintenance management is provided where it is desirable to determine traffic conditions around vehicles of the platoon, to share the determined traffic conditions with the other vehicles of the platoon, and to determine and share adaptive cruise control (ACC) parameters between the platooning vehicles for adjusting platoon inter-vehicle following distances based on the determined traffic conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: Rohan N. Nachnolkar, Phillip J. Kasper, Nicholas A. Broyles, Amrut A. Patki
  • Patent number: 11709057
    Abstract: System for finding at least one mobile trolley in a locale, the system including at least one communication beacon which has a range covering the locale and which is connected to a computer control unit, and at least one electronic module mounted on the trolley and including a transmission device arranged to transmit position data to the communication beacon, and an inertial motion detection hub that includes a device for detecting linear motion along axes of a detection reference system and a device for detecting angular motion about the axes of the detection reference system and that is arranged to provide position data on the basis of linear motion measurement data and angular motion measurement data, the module being mounted on an element of the trolley such that any movement of the trolley within the locale causes angular movement of the element, the system being arranged to detect when the trolley is stopped when the angular motion measurement data correspond to zero angular motion at one measurement in
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: SAGEMCOM ENERGY & TELECOM SAS
    Inventor: Henri Teboulle
  • Patent number: 11703347
    Abstract: The method of preparing a navigation autonomy map for a vehicle covering a zone including path segments, comprising the following steps: identifying the path segments for which the map needs to be prepared; for each path segment, calculating a primary autonomy index in accordance with at least two distinct functions; and calculating for each path segment a final autonomy index by taking a weighted average of the primary autonomy indices. An autonomy map, an application of the autonomy map, and a vehicle using such an autonomy map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignees: Safran Electronics & Defense, Valeo Schalter UND Sensoren GMBH
    Inventors: Emmanuel Robert, Jacques Yelloz, Philippe Gougeon
  • Patent number: 11697372
    Abstract: A method for enhancing situational awareness in a transportation vehicle including combination tractor and a trailer. The method includes locating a plurality of cameras on the trailer of the vehicle. Each camera is equipped with a camera wash system including a wash nozzle, dryer, and defroster. The cameras are operatively connected to a local area user network via an onboard access point. The onboard access point communicates with a data bus of the vehicle. At vehicle start-up, the cameras are automatically paired with a computing device located inside the tractor. The computing device includes a display screen and graphical interface with icon tabs representing each of the connected cameras. Using the icon tabs rendered on the display screen of the computing device, a selected camera and associated camera wash system can be manually activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Spirited Eagle Enterprises, LLC
    Inventors: Jerry K. Hubbell, Alan C. Lesesky
  • Patent number: 11691628
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for integrated predictive dynamic control of a vehicle powertrain in an autonomous vehicle are described. An example method for controlling a vehicle includes generating, based on performing an optimization on a blended smooth wheel domain fuel consumption map subject to a modified torque availability constraint, one or more wheel domain control commands, converting the one or more wheel domain control commands to one or more powertrain-executable engine domain control commands, and transmitting the one or more powertrain-executable engine domain control commands to a powertrain of the vehicle, the powertrain configured to operate a plurality of gears, wherein the one or more powertrain-executable engine domain control commands enable the vehicle to track a reference kinematic trajectory associated with a vehicle speed driving plan within a predetermined tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: TUSIMPLE, INC.
    Inventors: Junbo Jing, Dinghua Li, Arda Kurt, Chasen Sherman