Patents by Inventor Brandon D. Northcutt

Brandon D. Northcutt 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).

  • Patent number: 12055936
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an electronic control unit that includes a processor; and one or more processor-readable instructions; and an occupant detection sensor configured to output a signal indicative of a presence of an occupant. When executed by the processor, the one or more processor-readable instructions cause the vehicle to: record a route from a first location to a second location, and autonomously return to the first location from the second location using the recorded route based on the signal received from the occupant detection sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Gregg, Brandon D. Northcutt, Yasuyuki Kohaya, Stephen Hughes
  • Patent number: 11294387
    Abstract: A system for determining when a vehicle has learned a route is provided. The system includes at least one camera configured to capture image data of an external environment, a processor and a memory module storing one or more processor-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to: generate one or more predictions about objects in the external environment as the vehicle proceeds along the route based on the image data, determine a prediction error based on an accuracy of the one or more predictions, determine a confidence level for the route based on the prediction error, and determine that the vehicle has learned the route in response to the confidence level exceeding a confidence level threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Brandon D. Northcutt, Christopher Gregg, Ewaldo Eder Carvalho Santana, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20200393842
    Abstract: A system for determining when a vehicle has learned a route is provided. The system includes at least one camera configured to capture image data of an external environment, a processor and a memory module storing one or more processor-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to: generate one or more predictions about objects in the external environment as the vehicle proceeds along the route based on the image data, determine a prediction error based on an accuracy of the one or more predictions, determine a confidence level for the route based on the prediction error, and determine that the vehicle has learned the route in response to the confidence level exceeding a confidence level threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon D. Northcutt, Christopher Gregg, Ewaldo Eder Carvalho Santana, JR.
  • Publication number: 20200393835
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an electronic control unit that includes a processor; and one or more processor-readable instructions; and an occupant detection sensor configured to output a signal indicative of a presence of an occupant. When executed by the processor, the one or more processor-readable instructions cause the vehicle to: record a route from a first location to a second location, and autonomously return to the first location from the second location using the recorded route based on the signal received from the occupant detection sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Gregg, Brandon D. Northcutt, Yasuyuki Kohaya, Stephen Hughes
  • Patent number: 10521669
    Abstract: A device for providing guidance or feedback to a user. The device includes a camera configured to detect image data indicating a user performance of an activity. The system includes a guidance unit connected to the camera. The guidance unit is configured to identify the activity based on image processing of the image data or an identification of the activity from the user. The guidance unit is also configured to determine a criteria associated with the activity. The guidance unit is also configured to determine a user performance of the activity based on the image data. The guidance unit is also configured to determine feedback based on a comparison of the criteria and the user performance of the activity, the feedback indicating an improvement or suggestion for the user. The system also includes an output unit connected to the guidance unit, the output unit configured to output the feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Rajiv Dayal, Tiffany L. Chen, Patrick K. Ching, Brandon D. Northcutt
  • Patent number: 10012505
    Abstract: A wearable computing device includes an input device, a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a camera, and a memory that is designed to store a database of landmarks and corresponding locations. The device includes a mobile processor that is designed to receive first user input indicating that the user is traveling from a starting location to a destination location and second user input indicating that new landmarks are present. The processor is designed to determine locations of the new landmarks based on the current location, the inertial measurement data, and/or the detected image data. The processor is designed to update the database to include the new landmarks and corresponding locations. The processor is designed to update the database to include an ordered list of landmarks including the new landmarks in order of their appearance from the starting location to the destination location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Rajiv Dayal, Tiffany L. Chen, Patrick K. Ching, Brandon D. Northcutt
  • Publication number: 20180135986
    Abstract: A wearable computing device includes an input device, a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a camera, and a memory that is designed to store a database of landmarks and corresponding locations. The device includes a mobile processor that is designed to receive first user input indicating that the user is traveling from a starting location to a destination location and second user input indicating that new landmarks are present. The processor is designed to determine locations of the new landmarks based on the current location, the inertial measurement data, and/or the detected image data. The processor is designed to update the database to include the new landmarks and corresponding locations. The processor is designed to update the database to include an ordered list of landmarks including the new landmarks in order of their appearance from the starting location to the destination location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Rajiv Dayal, Tiffany L. Chen, Patrick K. Ching, Brandon D. Northcutt
  • Publication number: 20180137359
    Abstract: A device for providing guidance or feedback to a user. The device includes a camera configured to detect image data indicating a user performance of an activity. The system includes a guidance unit connected to the camera. The guidance unit is configured to identify the activity based on image processing of the image data or an identification of the activity from the user. The guidance unit is also configured to determine a criteria associated with the activity. The guidance unit is also configured to determine a user performance of the activity based on the image data. The guidance unit is also configured to determine feedback based on a comparison of the criteria and the user performance of the activity, the feedback indicating an improvement or suggestion for the user. The system also includes an output unit connected to the guidance unit, the output unit configured to output the feedback.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Rajiv Dayal, Tiffany L. Chen, Patrick K. Ching, Brandon D. Northcutt
  • Publication number: 20180129254
    Abstract: A wearable computing device includes a first sensor designed to detect first data of a first type. The device also includes a second sensor designed to detect second data of a second type. The device also includes an input device designed to receive user input. The device also includes a memory designed to store a plurality of triggers corresponding to the first type of data and to store the second data. The device also includes a mobile processor designed to compare the first data to the plurality of triggers as the first data is being detected. The processor is also designed to cause the memory to store the second data when the first data matches one of the plurality of triggers. The device also includes an output device configured to output the second data when the user input indicates a request to output the second data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Rajiv Dayal, Tiffany L. Chen, Patrick K. Ching, Brandon D. Northcutt