Patents by Inventor Brian Mark
Brian Mark 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: 11500377Abstract: According to certain aspects, a computer-implemented method for operating an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be provided. With the customer's permission, an identity of a vehicle operator may be identified and a vehicle operator profile may be retrieved. Operating data regarding autonomous operation features operating the vehicle may be received from vehicle-mounted sensors. When a request to disable an autonomous feature is received, a risk level for the autonomous feature is determined and compared with a driver behavior setting for the autonomous feature stored in the vehicle operator profile. Based upon the risk level comparison, the autonomous vehicle retains control of vehicle or the autonomous feature is disengaged depending upon which is the safer driver—the autonomous vehicle or the vehicle human occupant. As a result, unsafe disengagement of self-driving functionality for autonomous vehicles may be alleviated.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2020Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance CompanyInventors: Brian Mark Fields, Chien Che Huang, Mohamed A. Wazeer, Shawn C. Bennett, Steven Cielocha, Ronny S. Bryant, Stephen Kohaus, Terry Quakenbush, Richard A. Novak, Aaron Scott Chan, Craig M. Main, Weixin Wu, Torri Wollenschlager, Carol Marie Csanda, Stacey Gorsuch, Todd Binion
-
Patent number: 11494175Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring use, determining risk, and pricing insurance policies for a vehicle having one or more autonomous or semi-autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, a computer-implemented method for real-time determination of the status of autonomous operation features of an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be provided. With the customer's permission, the operation of the autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be monitored to obtain operating data from one or more autonomous operation features. An operating status of the autonomous features may be determined based upon the operating data. After which, a change in the operating status of the autonomous features may be identified, and a report containing information regarding the change in the operating status of the autonomous features may be generated.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2020Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance CompanyInventors: Brian Mark Fields, Chien Che Huang, Mohamed A Wazeer, Shawn C Bennett, Steven Cielocha, Ronny S Bryant, Stephen Kohaus, Terry Quakenbush, Richard A Novak, Aaron Scott Chan, Craig M Main, Weixin Wu, Torri Wollenschlager, Carol Marie Csanda, Stacey Gorsuch, Todd Binion
-
Patent number: 11497050Abstract: A system for 5G radio access networks, that enables smart RF signal repeater devices to perform many of the functions of a 5G base station to extend millimeter wave coverage for 5G communication networks while reducing costs, increasing versatility and optimizing coverage for user devices (UEs). The devices may include outdoor network repeaters and indoor subscriber repeaters, and other mmWave network transmitter devices in a mmWave network. Different types of 5G wireless communication networks may be employed including Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN), and Next Gen Radio Access Network (NG-RAN).Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2022Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: Pivotal Commware, Inc.Inventors: Eric James Black, Mersad Cavcic, Brian Mark Deutsch, Andjela Ilic-Savoia, Alexander Remley Katko, Steven Howard Ostroff, Colby John Harper
-
Patent number: 11487284Abstract: In a network of autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles, an alert may be triggered when one of the vehicles switches from autonomous to manual mode. The alert may be communicated to nearby autonomous vehicles so that drivers of those vehicles may become aware of a potentially unpredictable manual driver nearby. Drivers of autonomous vehicles who may have become disengaged (e.g., sleeping, reading, talking, etc.) during autonomous driving may become re-engaged upon noticing the alert. A re-engaged driver may choose to switch his/her own vehicle from autonomous to manual mode in order to appropriately react to an unpredictable nearby manual driver. In additional or alternative embodiments, the alert may be triggered or intensified when indications of impairment of a nearby driver or malfunction of a nearby vehicle are detected.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2020Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Steve Roberson, Brian Mark Fields
-
Patent number: 11482097Abstract: An alert may be triggered to notify a pedestrian of the current operational mode of a nearby vehicle. For instance, a vehicle may operate in an autonomous or manual mode, and may occasionally switch from one mode to the other. A pedestrian who may be unaware of the current operational mode of a nearby vehicle may notice the alert and proceed accordingly. In one embodiment, an indication of the current operational mode of the nearby vehicle may be transmitted to an electronic device associated with the pedestrian. The device may generate a notification to the pedestrian based on the current operational mode. In an additional or alternative embodiment, the alert may be transmitted by the vehicle externally to be visible or audible to the pedestrian. In some embodiments, the alert may be triggered only for particular operational modes (e.g., only for autonomous or only for manual).Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2021Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Brian Mark Fields, Steve Roberson
-
Publication number: 20220318924Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring use, determining risk, and pricing insurance policies for a vehicle having autonomous or semi-autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, a computer-implemented method for generating or updating usage-based insurance policies for autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles may be provided. A request to generate an insurance quote may be received via wireless communication, and with the customer's permission, risk levels associated with intended usage by the customer of an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be determined. An insurance policy may be adjusted based upon the risk levels and the intended vehicle usage. The insurance policy may then be presented on the customer's mobile device for review and approval. In some aspects, the vehicle may be rented, and the intended vehicle usage is measured in distance or duration of vehicle operation. Insurance discounts may be provided to risk averse vehicle owners based upon low risk levels.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Applicant: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Brian Mark Fields, Chien Che Huang, Mohamed A. Wazeer, Shawn C. Bennett, Steven C. Cielocha, Ronny S. Bryant, Stephen A. Kohaus, Terry Quakenbush, Richard A. Novak, Aaron Scott Chan, Craig M. Main, Weixin Wu, Torri Wollenschlager, Carol Marie Csanda, Stacey Gorsuch, Todd Binion
-
Publication number: 20220314839Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling an interior configuration of a vehicle. The system may include an interior vehicle component, an actuator component configured to adjust a physical configuration of the interior vehicle component, an external communication component configured to collect driving environment data representing an external environment of the vehicle, and one or more processors configured to receive driving environment data and detect, by processing the driving environment data, an external driving condition. When the one or more processors detect the external driving condition, the one or more processors may cause the actuator component to adjust the interior vehicle component from a first physical configuration to a second physical configuration, or may cause the actuator component to restrict movement of the interior vehicle component to a predetermined range of physical configurations.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Steve Roberson, Scott Thomas Christensen, Stephen R. Prevatt
-
Publication number: 20220309726Abstract: A computer system is used to host a virtual reality universe process in which multiple avatars are independently controlled in response to client input. The host provides coordinated motion information for defining coordinated movement between designated portions of multiple avatars, and an application responsive to detect conditions triggering a coordinated movement sequence between two or more avatars. During coordinated movement, user commands for controlling avatar movement may be in part used normally and in part ignored or otherwise processed to cause the involved avatars to respond in part to respective client input and in part to predefined coordinated movement information. Thus, users may be assisted with executing coordinated movement between multiple avatars.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Inventor: Brian Mark SHUSTER
-
Publication number: 20220309727Abstract: A method for managing a multi-user animation platform is disclosed. A three-dimensional space within a computer memory is modeled. An avatar of a client is located within the three-dimensional space, the avatar being graphically represented by a three-dimensional figure within the three-dimensional space. The avatar is responsive to client input commands, and the three-dimensional figure includes a graphical representation of client activity. The client input commands are monitored to determine client activity. The graphical representation of client activity is then altered according to an inactivity scheme when client input commands are not detected. Following a predetermined period of client inactivity, the inactivity scheme varies non-repetitively with time.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Inventor: Brian Mark Shuster
-
Publication number: 20220308736Abstract: In one implementation, a method comprises: obtaining a first input from a user of a client device associated with creating a personal transportation center within a virtual environment; in response to obtaining the first input, instantiating the personal transportation center within the virtual environment; in response to obtaining a second user input from the user of the client device, instantiating a first portal within the personal transportation center, wherein the first portal corresponds to a first destination environment within the virtual environment specified by the user; and in response to obtaining a third user input from the user of the client device, instantiating a second portal different from the first portal within the personal transportation center, wherein the second portal corresponds to a second destination environment different from the first destination environment within the virtual environment specified by the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Inventor: Brian Mark Shuster
-
Publication number: 20220300877Abstract: Systems, methods, and techniques for determining optimal safe driving behaviors and optimal safety thresholds of the various parameters for particular routes are disclosed. Historical driver data for a plurality of drivers operating vehicles over various routes during different contextual situations and/or different combinations of conditions along the routes is analyzed to determine respective, relative weightings/contributions of various parameters towards driving safety. Data indicative of a particular driver's behavior along a particular route during a particular set of conditions or contexts is obtained and compared to the analysis results to thereby determine or assess the driver's safety performance. The driver's safety performance may be evaluated in real-time, e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2022Publication date: September 22, 2022Inventor: Brian Mark Fields
-
Patent number: 11450206Abstract: Methods and systems are described for generating a vehicle-to-vehicle traffic alert and updating a vehicle-usage profile. Various aspects include detecting, via one or more processors associated with a first vehicle, that an abnormal traffic condition exists in an operating environment of the first vehicle. An electronic message is generated and transmitted wirelessly, via a vehicle-mounted transceiver associated with the first vehicle, to alert a nearby vehicle of the abnormal traffic condition and to allow the nearby vehicle to avoid the abnormal traffic condition. The first vehicle receives telematics data regarding operation of the nearby vehicle after the nearby vehicle received the electronic message, and transmits the telematics data to a remote server for updating a vehicle-usage profile associated with the nearby vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Brian Mark Fields, Steven C. Cielocha, Jacob J. Alt, Laura A. Uphoff, Leo Nelson Chan, Mohamed A. Wazeer, Kristopher Keith Gaudin, Justin Davis, Nathan W. Baumann, Giles Roll
-
Patent number: 11443472Abstract: A method for managing a multi-user animation platform is disclosed. A three-dimensional space within a computer memory is modeled. An avatar of a client is located within the three-dimensional space, the avatar being graphically represented by a three-dimensional figure within the three-dimensional space. The avatar is responsive to client input commands, and the three-dimensional figure includes a graphical representation of client activity. The client input commands are monitored to determine client activity. The graphical representation of client activity is then altered according to an inactivity scheme when client input commands are not detected. Following a predetermined period of client inactivity, the inactivity scheme varies non-repetitively with time.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2021Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: PFAQUTRUMA RESEARCH LLCInventor: Brian Mark Shuster
-
Publication number: 20220284484Abstract: Disclosed systems and methods incorporate machine learning to assess damage to vehicles. An example method includes: accessing image data representing one or more digital images of damage to a vehicle; selecting, using one or more processors, an applicable machine learning algorithm from a plurality of different trained machine learning algorithms, wherein the plurality of different machine learning algorithms are trained for respective different combinations of one or more of vehicle make, vehicle model, vehicle year, or area of damage; processing the image data, with the applicable machine learning algorithm using one or more processors, to determine assessed damage for the vehicle; accessing actual damage information for the vehicle; determining, using one or more processors, differences between the actual damage and the assessed damage; and iterating, using one or more processors, the applicable machine learning algorithm based on the differences to improve its damage assessment accuracy.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2022Publication date: September 8, 2022Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Lee Marvin John Assam
-
Patent number: 11431382Abstract: A platform that automates providing wireless communication between one or more of a plurality of antennas and a moving vehicle that is traveling along a path. One or more of the plurality of antennas are employed to detect wireless signals communicated by the vehicle and/or wireless devices for the vehicle's passengers. In one or more embodiments, characteristics of the detected wireless signals and the plurality of antennas is employed to select an antenna to provide wireless communication with the vehicle and/or wireless devices for the vehicle's passengers at a current location on the path.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2021Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: Pivotal Commware, Inc.Inventors: Brian Mark Deutsch, Shannon Lee Hitchen, Alexander Remley Katko
-
Publication number: 20220266132Abstract: A multi-user virtual reality universe (VRU) process receives input from multiple remote clients to manipulate avatars through a modeled 3-D environment. A VRU host models movement of avatars in the VRU environment in response to client input, which each user providing input for control of a corresponding avatar. The modeled VRU data is provided by the host to client workstations for display of a simulated environment visible to all participants. The host maintains personalized data for selected modeled objects or areas that is personalized for specific users in response to client input. The host includes personalized data in modeling the VRU environment. The host may segregate VRU data provided to different clients participating in the same VRU environment according to limit personalized data to authorized users, while all users receive common data.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2022Publication date: August 25, 2022Inventor: Brian Mark Shuster
-
Patent number: 11424815Abstract: A method for performing monitoring, commissioning, upgrading, analyzing, load balancing, remediating, and optimizing the operation, control, and maintenance of a plurality of remotely located RF signal repeater devices in a wireless network arranged to operate as an Internet of Things (IoT) network. Electronic RF signal repeater devices are employed as elements in the wireless network and communicate wireless radio frequency (RF) signals for a plurality of users. An RF signal repeater device may be arranged to operate as a donor unit device that provides RF signal communication between one or more remotely located wireless base stations, or other donor unit devices on the wireless network. Also, an RF signal repeater device may be arranged to operate as a service unit device that provides wireless RF signal communication between one or more user equipment devices (UEs) and a donor unit device or a wireless base station.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2021Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: Pivotal Commware, Inc.Inventors: Eric James Black, Mersad Cavcic, Brian Mark Deutsch, Alexander Remley Katko, Juan Pablo Olivo González, Christophe Jean Marcel Vidal
-
Patent number: 11410367Abstract: A computer system is used to host a virtual reality universe process in which multiple avatars are independently controlled in response to client input. The host provides coordinated motion information for defining coordinated movement between designated portions of multiple avatars, and an application responsive to detect conditions triggering a coordinated movement sequence between two or more avatars. During coordinated movement, user commands for controlling avatar movement may be in part used normally and in part ignored or otherwise processed to cause the involved avatars to respond in part to respective client input and in part to predefined coordinated movement information. Thus, users may be assisted with executing coordinated movement between multiple avatars.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2021Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: PFAQUTRUMA RESEARCH LLCInventor: Brian Mark Shuster
-
Patent number: 11400834Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling an interior configuration of a vehicle. The system may include an interior vehicle component, an actuator component configured to adjust a physical configuration of the interior vehicle component, an external communication component configured to collect driving environment data representing an external environment of the vehicle, and one or more processors configured to receive driving environment data and detect, by processing the driving environment data, an external driving condition. When the one or more processors detect the external driving condition, the one or more processors may cause the actuator component to adjust the interior vehicle component from a first physical configuration to a second physical configuration, or may cause the actuator component to restrict movement of the interior vehicle component to a predetermined range of physical configurations.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2018Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Brian Mark Fields, Steve Roberson, Scott T. Christensen, Stephen R. Prevatt
-
Publication number: 20220239759Abstract: Systems and methods are presented herein for dynamic mapping and integration between one or more software applications via a meta-model definitional application platform. This may comprise receiving from a target system an at least one input data object or request; loading an at least one meaningful data object from a meta-model definitional application platform into a memory, the at least one meaningful data object containing one or more definitions; identifying, via a queue service manager, an integration type definition of the at least one input data object or request; loading, based on the integration type definition, the target specific mapping definition; preparing the at least one input data object or request for processing; generating an integration worker for transforming in sequence of the target specific mapping definition, where the transformations are done according to the one or more definitions; generating and transmitting, an at least one output data object.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2022Publication date: July 28, 2022Inventors: Laurence Karl Grey, Brian Mark Sparling