Patents Examined by Yufeng Zhang
  • Patent number: 11015758
    Abstract: Radial counterbalance mechanisms and related techniques are provided to improve the accuracy and reliability of gimbal systems. A radial counterbalance system includes a radial counterbalance mechanism, an orientation sensor, and a logic device. The radial counterbalance mechanism includes a counterbalance weight and a motor configured to adjust a radial position of the counterbalance weight. The orientation sensor is configured to provide an orientation of a payload coupled to the gimbal ring, a platform coupled to the gimbal ring, and/or the gimbal ring. The logic device is configured to determine a compensating radial weight position for the counterbalance weight based, at least in part, on a received orientation, and to control the motor to position the counterbalance weight at the compensating radial weight position. The compensating radial weight position is configured to reduce a radial displacement of a center of gravity of the payload from the rotational axis of the gimbal ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: FLIR Surveillance, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam C. Espersen, Charles Rush
  • Patent number: 11008007
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus is provided with: an acquirer configured to obtain an expected end timing of a first deceleration support control, which is a deceleration support control for a first target, and an expected start timing of a second deceleration support control, which is the deceleration support control for a second target, if there is the first target as a deceleration target ahead of a host vehicle in the traveling direction and if there is the second target as the deceleration target ahead of the first target; and a controller programmed or configured to perform an interpolation deceleration support control of interpolating the first deceleration support control and the second deceleration support control, in a predetermined period including at least a part of an interval between the expected end timing and the predicted start timing, if the interval is less than a first time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Tochigi, Shin Tanaka, Masahiko Adachi, Shogo Ito
  • Patent number: 10974732
    Abstract: A host vehicle includes a plurality of sensors communicably coupled to the host vehicle. Additionally, the host vehicle includes processing circuitry configured to map-match a location of the host vehicle in response to approaching a traffic intersection, receive traffic intersection information from the plurality of sensors in response to approaching the traffic intersection, the plurality of sensors having a predetermined field of view corresponding to a host vehicle field of view, estimate a driver field of view based on the host vehicle field of view, determine whether navigating through the traffic intersection is safe based on the driver field of view, and modify driver operation in response to a determination that navigation through the traffic intersection is not safe based on the driver field of view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Vladimeros Vladimerou
  • Patent number: 10955841
    Abstract: Example methods and systems are disclosed to provide autonomous vehicle sensor security. An example method may include generating, by a first autonomous vehicle, a first map instance of a physical environment using first environmental information generated by a first sensor of a first autonomous vehicle. A second map instance from at least one of a second autonomous vehicle located in the physical environment is received. The first map instance may be correlated with the second map instance. In response to a discrepancy between the first map instance and the second map instance, a secure sensor may be activated to generate a third map instance. In response to the third map instance verifying that the discrepancy accurately describes the physical environment, the first environmental information including the discrepancy is used to navigate the first autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Joseph Soryal, Dylan C. Reid
  • Patent number: 10926772
    Abstract: Provided is a driving assistance device such that even if the main power supply voltage of a main electricity storage device becomes less than or equal to the operable voltage of a device for monitoring the state of a driver, interruptions in driving assistance are prevented. While a voltage reduction state in which the main power supply voltage of the main electricity storage device is equal to or less than the operable voltage of the driver state monitoring device is continuing, the state of the driver is monitored by a device (steering torque sensor) that operates with the auxiliary power supply voltage of an auxiliary electricity storage device, such as a capacitor. Thus, it is possible to monitor whether or not the driver is a so-called Driver in the Loop and continue driving assistance even while the voltage reduction state of the main power supply voltage is continuing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shotaro Odate