Patents by Inventor Birgit Henke

Birgit Henke has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240239374
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to behavior planning for autonomous vehicles. The technology described herein selects a preferred trajectory for an autonomous vehicle based on an evaluation of multiple hypothetical trajectories by different components within a planning system. The various components provide an optimization score for each trajectory according to the priorities of the component and scores from multiple components may form a final optimization score. This scoring system allows the competing priorities (e.g., comfort, minimal travel time, fuel economy) of different components to be considered together. In examples, the trajectory with the best combined score may be selected for implementation. As such, an iterative approach that evaluates various factors may be used to identify an optimal or preferred trajectory for an autonomous vehicle when navigating an environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2024
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Inventors: David Nister, Yizhou Wang, Julia Ng, Rotem Aviv, Seungho Lee, Joshua John Bialkowski, Hon Leung Lee, Hermes Lanker, Raul Correal Tezanos, Zhenyi Zhang, Nikolai Smolyanskiy, Alexey Kamenev, Ollin Boer Bohan, Anton Vorontsov, Miguel Sainz Serra, Birgit Henke
  • Publication number: 20240217557
    Abstract: In various examples, a yield scenario may be identified for a first vehicle. A wait element is received that encodes a first path for the first vehicle to traverse a yield area and a second path for a second vehicle to traverse the yield area. The first path is employed to determine a first trajectory in the yield area for the first vehicle based at least on a first location of the first vehicle at a time and the second path is employed to determine a second trajectory in the yield area for the second vehicle based at least on a second location of the second vehicle at the time. To operate the first vehicle in accordance with a wait state, it may be determined whether there is a conflict between the first trajectory and the second trajectory, where the wait state defines a yielding behavior for the first vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2024
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Fangkai Yang, David Nister, Yizhou Wang, Rotem Aviv, Julia Ng, Birgit Henke, Hon Leung Lee, Yunfei Shi
  • Patent number: 11981349
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to behavior planning for autonomous vehicles. The technology described herein selects a preferred trajectory for an autonomous vehicle based on an evaluation of multiple hypothetical trajectories by different components within a planning system. The various components provide an optimization score for each trajectory according to the priorities of the component and scores from multiple components may form a final optimization score. This scoring system allows the competing priorities (e.g., comfort, minimal travel time, fuel economy) of different components to be considered together. In examples, the trajectory with the best combined score may be selected for implementation. As such, an iterative approach that evaluates various factors may be used to identify an optimal or preferred trajectory for an autonomous vehicle when navigating an environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: David Nister, Yizhou Wang, Julia Ng, Rotem Aviv, Seungho Lee, Joshua John Bialkowski, Hon Leung Lee, Hermes Lanker, Raul Correal Tezanos, Zhenyi Zhang, Nikolai Smolyanskiy, Alexey Kamenev, Ollin Boer Bohan, Anton Vorontsov, Miguel Sainz Serra, Birgit Henke
  • Patent number: 11926346
    Abstract: In various examples, a yield scenario may be identified for a first vehicle. A wait element is received that encodes a first path for the first vehicle to traverse a yield area and a second path for a second vehicle to traverse the yield area. The first path is employed to determine a first trajectory in the yield area for the first vehicle based at least on a first location of the first vehicle at a time and the second path is employed to determine a second trajectory in the yield area for the second vehicle based at least on a second location of the second vehicle at the time. To operate the first vehicle in accordance with a wait state, it may be determined whether there is a conflict between the first trajectory and the second trajectory, where the wait state defines a yielding behavior for the first vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Fangkai Yang, David Nister, Yizhou Wang, Rotem Aviv, Julia Ng, Birgit Henke, Hon Leung Lee, Yunfei Shi
  • Publication number: 20230357076
    Abstract: An end-to-end system for data generation, map creation using the generated data, and localization to the created map is disclosed. Mapstreams—or streams of sensor data, perception outputs from deep neural networks (DNNs), and/or relative trajectory data—corresponding to any number of drives by any number of vehicles may be generated and uploaded to the cloud. The mapstreams may be used to generate map data—and ultimately a fused high definition (HD) map—that represents data generated over a plurality of drives. When localizing to the fused HD map, individual localization results may be generated based on comparisons of real-time data from a sensor modality to map data corresponding to the same sensor modality. This process may be repeated for any number of sensor modalities and the results may be fused together to determine a final fused localization result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Kroepfl, Amir Akbarzadeh, Ruchi Bhargava, Viabhav Thukral, Neda Cvijetic, Vadim Cugunovs, David Nister, Birgit Henke, Ibrahim Eden, Youding Zhu, Michael Grabner, Ivana Stojanovic, Yu Sheng, Jeffrey Liu, Enliang Zheng, Jordan Marr, Andrew Carley
  • Publication number: 20230341234
    Abstract: In various examples, a lane planner for generating lane planner output data based on a state and probabilistic action space is provided. A driving system—that operates based on a hierarchical drive planning framework—includes the lane planner and other planning and control components. The lane planner processes lane planner input data (e.g., large lane graph, source node, target node) to generate lane planner output data (e.g., expected time rewards). The driving system can also include a route planner (e.g., a first planning layer) that operates to provide the lane planner input data to the lane planner. The lane planner operates as second planning layer that processes the lane planner input data based at least in part on a state and probabilistic action space of the large lane graph and calculates a time cost associated with navigating from a source node to a target node in the large lane graph.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: David Nister, Hon Leung Lee, Yizhou Wang, Rotem Aviv, Birgit Henke, Julia Ng, Amir Akbarzadeh
  • Publication number: 20230296748
    Abstract: One or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate to generation of map data. In these or other embodiments, the generation of the map data may include determining whether objects indicated by the sensor data are static objects or dynamic objects. Additionally or alternatively, sensor data may be removed or included in the map data based on determinations as to whether it corresponds to static objects or dynamic objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Amir AKBARZADEH, Andrew CARLEY, Birgit HENKE, Si LU, Ivana STOJANOVIC, Jugnu AGRAWAL, Michael KROEPFL, Yu SHENG, David NISTER, Enliang ZHENG
  • Publication number: 20230294726
    Abstract: One or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate to aligning sensor data. In some embodiments, the aligning may be used for performing localization. In these or other embodiments, the aligning may be used for map creation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Amir AKBARZADEH, Andrew CARLEY, Birgit HENKE, Si LU, Ivana STOJANOVIC, Jugnu AGRAWAL, Michael KROEPFL, Yu SHENG
  • Publication number: 20230296756
    Abstract: One or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate to generating RADAR (RAdio Detection And Ranging) point clouds based on RADAR data obtained from one or more RADAR sensors disposed on one or more ego-machines. In these or other embodiments, the RADAR point clouds may be communicated to a distributed map system that is configured to generate map data based on the RADAR point clouds. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, certain compression operations may be performed on the RADAR point clouds to reduce the amount of data that is communicated from the ego-machines to the map system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Amir AKBARZADEH, Andrew CARLEY, Birgit HENKE, Si LU, Ivana STOJANOVIC, Jugnu AGRAWAL, Michael KROEPFL, Yu SHENG, David NISTER, Enliang ZHENG, Niharika ARORA
  • Publication number: 20230296758
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to generating RADAR (RAdio Detection And Ranging) point clouds based on RADAR data obtained from one or more RADAR sensors disposed on one or more ego-machines. In these or other embodiments, the RADAR point clouds may be used to generate map data. Additionally or alternatively, the RADAR point clouds may be used for performing localization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Amir AKBARZADEH, Andrew CARLEY, Birgit HENKE, Si LU, Ivana STOJANOVIC, Jugnu AGRAWAL, Michael KROEPFL, Yu SHENG, David NISTER, Enliang ZHENG
  • Patent number: 11713978
    Abstract: An end-to-end system for data generation, map creation using the generated data, and localization to the created map is disclosed. Mapstreams—or streams of sensor data, perception outputs from deep neural networks (DNNs), and/or relative trajectory data—corresponding to any number of drives by any number of vehicles may be generated and uploaded to the cloud. The mapstreams may be used to generate map data—and ultimately a fused high definition (HD) map—that represents data generated over a plurality of drives. When localizing to the fused HD map, individual localization results may be generated based on comparisons of real-time data from a sensor modality to map data corresponding to the same sensor modality. This process may be repeated for any number of sensor modalities and the results may be fused together to determine a final fused localization result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Amir Akbarzadeh, David Nister, Ruchi Bhargava, Birgit Henke, Ivana Stojanovic, Yu Sheng
  • Patent number: 11698272
    Abstract: An end-to-end system for data generation, map creation using the generated data, and localization to the created map is disclosed. Mapstreams—or streams of sensor data, perception outputs from deep neural networks (DNNs), and/or relative trajectory data—corresponding to any number of drives by any number of vehicles may be generated and uploaded to the cloud. The mapstreams may be used to generate map data—and ultimately a fused high definition (HD) map—that represents data generated over a plurality of drives. When localizing to the fused HD map, individual localization results may be generated based on comparisons of real-time data from a sensor modality to map data corresponding to the same sensor modality. This process may be repeated for any number of sensor modalities and the results may be fused together to determine a final fused localization result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Kroepfl, Amir Akbarzadeh, Ruchi Bhargava, Vaibhav Thukral, Neda Cvijetic, Vadim Cugunovs, David Nister, Birgit Henke, Ibrahim Eden, Youding Zhu, Michael Grabner, Ivana Stojanovic, Yu Sheng, Jeffrey Liu, Enliang Zheng, Jordan Marr, Andrew Carley
  • Publication number: 20230204383
    Abstract: An end-to-end system for data generation, map creation using the generated data, and localization to the created map is disclosed. Mapstreams – or streams of sensor data, perception outputs from deep neural networks (DNNs), and/or relative trajectory data – corresponding to any number of drives by any number of vehicles may be generated and uploaded to the cloud. The mapstreams may be used to generate map data – and ultimately a fused high definition (HD) map – that represents data generated over a plurality of drives. When localizing to the fused HD map, individual localization results may be generated based on comparisons of real-time data from a sensor modality to map data corresponding to the same sensor modality. This process may be repeated for any number of sensor modalities and the results may be fused together to determine a final fused localization result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2023
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Amir Akbarzadeh, David Nister, Ruchi Bhargava, Birgit Henke, Ivana Stojanovic, Yu Sheng
  • Publication number: 20230037767
    Abstract: In various examples, a yield scenario may be identified for a first vehicle. A wait element is received that encodes a first path for the first vehicle to traverse a yield area and a second path for a second vehicle to traverse the yield area. The first path is employed to determine a first trajectory in the yield area for the first vehicle based at least on a first location of the first vehicle at a time and the second path is employed to determine a second trajectory in the yield area for the second vehicle based at least on a second location of the second vehicle at the time. To operate the first vehicle in accordance with a wait state, it may be determined whether there is a conflict between the first trajectory and the second trajectory, where the wait state defines a yielding behavior for the first vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Fangkai Yang, David Nister, Yizhou Wang, Rotem Aviv, Julia Ng, Birgit Henke, Hon Leung Lee, Yunfei Shi
  • Publication number: 20220379917
    Abstract: A trajectory for an autonomous machine may be evaluated for safety based at least on determining whether the autonomous machine would be capable of occupying points of the trajectory in space-time while still being able to avoid a potential future collision with one or more objects in the environment through use of one or more safety procedures. To do so, a point of the trajectory may be evaluated for conflict based at least on a comparison between points in space-time that correspond to the autonomous machine executing the safety procedure(s) from the point and arrival times of the one or more objects to corresponding position(s) in the environment. A trajectory may be sampled and evaluated for conflicts at various points throughout the trajectory. Based on results of one or more evaluations, the trajectory may be scored, eliminated from consideration, or otherwise considered for control of the autonomous machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Birgit Henke, David Nister, Julia Ng
  • Publication number: 20210253128
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to behavior planning for autonomous vehicles. The technology described herein selects a preferred trajectory for an autonomous vehicle based on an evaluation of multiple hypothetical trajectories by different components within a planning system. The various components provide an optimization score for each trajectory according to the priorities of the component and scores from multiple components may form a final optimization score. This scoring system allows the competing priorities (e.g., comfort, minimal travel time, fuel economy) of different components to be considered together. In examples, the trajectory with the best combined score may be selected for implementation. As such, an iterative approach that evaluates various factors may be used to identify an optimal or preferred trajectory for an autonomous vehicle when navigating an environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: David Nister, Yizhou Wang, Julia Ng, Rotem Aviv, Seungho Lee, Joshua John Bialkowski, Hon Leung Lee, Hermes Lanker, Raul Correal Tezanos, Zhenyi Zhang, Nikolai Smolyanskiy, Alexey Kamenev, Ollin Boer Bohan, Anton Vorontsov, Miguel Sainz Serra, Birgit Henke
  • Publication number: 20210063199
    Abstract: An end-to-end system for data generation, map creation using the generated data, and localization to the created map is disclosed. Mapstreams—or streams of sensor data, perception outputs from deep neural networks (DNNs), and/or relative trajectory data—corresponding to any number of drives by any number of vehicles may be generated and uploaded to the cloud. The mapstreams may be used to generate map data—and ultimately a fused high definition (HD) map—that represents data generated over a plurality of drives. When localizing to the fused HD map, individual localization results may be generated based on comparisons of real-time data from a sensor modality to map data corresponding to the same sensor modality. This process may be repeated for any number of sensor modalities and the results may be fused together to determine a final fused localization result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Amir Akbarzadeh, David Nister, Ruchi Bhargava, Birgit Henke, Ivana Stojanovic, Yu Sheng
  • Publication number: 20210063200
    Abstract: An end-to-end system for data generation, map creation using the generated data, and localization to the created map is disclosed. Mapstreams—or streams of sensor data, perception outputs from deep neural networks (DNNs), and/or relative trajectory data—corresponding to any number of drives by any number of vehicles may be generated and uploaded to the cloud. The mapstreams may be used to generate map data—and ultimately a fused high definition (HD) map—that represents data generated over a plurality of drives. When localizing to the fused HD map, individual localization results may be generated based on comparisons of real-time data from a sensor modality to map data corresponding to the same sensor modality. This process may be repeated for any number of sensor modalities and the results may be fused together to determine a final fused localization result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Michael Kroepfl, Amir Akbarzadeh, Ruchi Bhargava, Vaibhav Thukral, Neda Cvijetic, Vadim Cugunovs, David Nister, Birgit Henke, Ibrahim Eden, Youding Zhu, Michael Grabner, Ivana Stojanovic, Yu Sheng, Jeffrey Liu, Enliang Zheng, Jordan Marr, Andrew Carley