Patents by Inventor Calvin Karl Johnson
Calvin Karl Johnson 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).
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Publication number: 20240045424Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering a passenger to a destination autonomously. The vehicle includes one or more computing devices and a set of user input buttons for communicating requests to stop the vehicle and to initiate a trip to the destination with the one or more computing devices. The set of user input buttons consisting essentially of a dual-purpose button and an emergency stopping button different from the dual-purpose button configured to stop the vehicle. The dual-purpose button has a first purpose for communicating a request to initiate the trip to the destination and a second purpose for communicating a request to pull the vehicle over and stop the vehicle. The vehicle has no steering wheel and no user inputs for the steering, acceleration, and deceleration of the vehicle other than the set of user input buttons.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2023Publication date: February 8, 2024Inventors: Philip Nemec, Anne Kristiina Aula, David Tse-Zhou Lu, Brian Douglas Cullinane, Calvin Karl Johnson, Albert Shane, Christopher Kennedy Ludwick, YooJung Ahn
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Patent number: 11803183Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering a passenger to a destination autonomously. The vehicle includes one or more computing devices and a set of user input buttons for communicating requests to stop the vehicle and to initiate a trip to the destination with the one or more computing devices. The set of user input buttons consisting essentially of a dual-purpose button and an emergency stopping button different from the dual-purpose button configured to stop the vehicle. The dual-purpose button has a first purpose for communicating a request to initiate the trip to the destination and a second purpose for communicating a request to pull the vehicle over and stop the vehicle. The vehicle has no steering wheel and no user inputs for the steering, acceleration, and deceleration of the vehicle other than the set of user input buttons.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2020Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Philip Nemec, Anne Kristiina Aula, David Tse-Zhou Lu, Brian Douglas Cullinane, Calvin Karl Johnson, Albert Shane, Christopher Kennedy Ludwick, YooJung Ahn
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Patent number: 11747811Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle having one or more computing devices that may receive instructions to pick up a passenger at a pickup location and determine when the vehicle is within a first distance of the pickup location. When the vehicle is within the first distance, the computing devices may make a first attempt to find a spot to park the vehicle and wait for the passenger. When the vehicle is unable to find a spot to park the vehicle on the first attempt, the computing devices may maneuvering the vehicle in order to make a second attempt to find a spot to park the vehicle and wait for the passenger. When the vehicle is unable to find a spot to park the vehicle on the second attempt, the computing devices may stop the vehicle in a current lane to wait for the passenger.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2019Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Brian Douglas Cullinane, David Tse-Zhou Lu, Anne Kristiina Aula, Jennifer Arden, Nathaniel Fairfield, Joshua Seth Herbach, Calvin Karl Johnson, Renaud-Roland Hubert
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Publication number: 20210055726Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering a passenger to a destination autonomously. The vehicle includes one or more computing devices and a set of user input buttons for communicating requests to stop the vehicle and to initiate a trip to the destination with the one or more computing devices. The set of user input buttons consisting essentially of a dual-purpose button and an emergency stopping button different from the dual-purpose button configured to stop the vehicle. The dual-purpose button has a first purpose for communicating a request to initiate the trip to the destination and a second purpose for communicating a request to pull the vehicle over and stop the vehicle. The vehicle has no steering wheel and no user inputs for the steering, acceleration, and deceleration of the vehicle other than the set of user input buttons.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2020Publication date: February 25, 2021Inventors: Philip Nemec, Anne Kristiina Aula, David Tse-Zhou Lu, Brian Douglas Cullinane, Calvin Karl Johnson, Albert Shane, Christopher Kennedy Ludwick, YooJung Ahn
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Patent number: 10795355Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering a passenger to a destination autonomously. The vehicle includes one or more computing devices and a set of user input buttons for communicating requests to stop the vehicle and to initiate a trip to the destination with the one or more computing devices. The set of user input buttons consisting essentially of a dual-purpose button and an emergency stopping button different from the dual-purpose button configured to stop the vehicle. The dual-purpose button has a first purpose for communicating a request to initiate the trip to the destination and a second purpose for communicating a request to pull the vehicle over and stop the vehicle. The vehicle has no steering wheel and no user inputs for the steering, acceleration, and deceleration of the vehicle other than the set of user input buttons.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2018Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Philip Nemec, Anne Kristiina Aula, David Tse-Zhou Lu, Brian Douglas Cullinane, Calvin Karl Johnson, Albert Shane, Christopher Kennedy Ludwick, YooJung Ahn
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Patent number: 10261512Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle having one or more computing devices that may receive instructions to pick up a passenger at a pickup location and determine when the vehicle is within a first distance of the pickup location. When the vehicle is within the first distance, the computing devices may make a first attempt to find a spot to park the vehicle and wait for the passenger. When the vehicle is unable to find a spot to park the vehicle on the first attempt, the computing devices may maneuvering the vehicle in order to make a second attempt to find a spot to park the vehicle and wait for the passenger. When the vehicle is unable to find a spot to park the vehicle on the second attempt, the computing devices may stop the vehicle in a current lane to wait for the passenger.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2016Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Brian Douglas Cullinane, David Tse-Zhou Lu, Anne Kristiina Aula, Jennifer Arden, Nathaniel Fairfield, Joshua Seth Herbach, Calvin Karl Johnson, Renaud-Roland Hubert
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Publication number: 20180267531Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering a passenger to a destination autonomously. The vehicle includes one or more computing devices and a set of user input buttons for communicating requests to stop the vehicle and to initiate a trip to the destination with the one or more computing devices. The set of user input buttons consisting essentially of a dual-purpose button and an emergency stopping button different from the dual-purpose button configured to stop the vehicle. The dual-purpose button has a first purpose for communicating a request to initiate the trip to the destination and a second purpose for communicating a request to pull the vehicle over and stop the vehicle. The vehicle has no steering wheel and no user inputs for the steering, acceleration, and deceleration of the vehicle other than the set of user input buttons.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2018Publication date: September 20, 2018Inventors: Philip Nemec, Anne Kristiina Aula, David Tse-Zhou Lu, Brian Douglas Cullinane, Calvin Karl Johnson, Albert Shane, Christopher Kennedy Ludwick, YooJung Ahn
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Patent number: 9983582Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering a passenger to a destination autonomously. The vehicle includes one or more computing devices and a set of user input buttons for communicating requests to stop the vehicle and to initiate a trip to the destination with the one or more computing devices. The set of user input buttons consisting essentially of a dual-purpose button and an emergency stopping button different from the dual-purpose button configured to stop the vehicle. The dual-purpose button has a first purpose for communicating a request to initiate the trip to the destination and a second purpose for communicating a request to pull the vehicle over and stop the vehicle. The vehicle has no steering wheel and no user inputs for the steering, acceleration, and deceleration of the vehicle other than the set of user input buttons.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2016Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Philip Nemec, Anne Kristiina Aula, David Tse-Zhou Lu, Brian Douglas Cullinane, Calvin Karl Johnson, Albert Shane, Christopher Kennedy Ludwick, YooJung Ahn
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Patent number: 9547307Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle having one or more computing devices that may receive instructions to pick up a passenger at a pickup location and determine when the vehicle is within a first distance of the pickup location. When the vehicle is within the first distance, the computing devices may make a first attempt to find a spot to park the vehicle and wait for the passenger. When the vehicle is unable to find a spot to park the vehicle on the first attempt, the computing devices may maneuvering the vehicle in order to make a second attempt to find a spot to park the vehicle and wait for the passenger. When the vehicle is unable to find a spot to park the vehicle on the second attempt, the computing devices may stop the vehicle in a current lane to wait for the passenger.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2014Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Brian Douglas Cullinane, David Tse-Zhou Lu, Anne Kristiina Aula, Jennifer Arden, Nathaniel Fairfield, Joshua Seth Herbach, Calvin Karl Johnson, Renaud-Roland Hubert
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Publication number: 20160349750Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering a passenger to a destination autonomously. The vehicle includes one or more computing devices and a set of user input buttons for communicating requests to stop the vehicle and to initiate a trip to the destination with the one or more computing devices. The set of user input buttons consisting essentially of a dual-purpose button and an emergency stopping button different from the dual-purpose button configured to stop the vehicle. The dual-purpose button has a first purpose for communicating a request to initiate the trip to the destination and a second purpose for communicating a request to pull the vehicle over and stop the vehicle. The vehicle has no steering wheel and no user inputs for the steering, acceleration, and deceleration of the vehicle other than the set of user input buttons.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2016Publication date: December 1, 2016Inventors: Philip Nemec, Anne Kristiina Aula, David Tse-Zhou Lu, Brian Douglas Cullinane, Calvin Karl Johnson, Albert Shane, Christopher Kennedy Ludwick, YooJung Ahn
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Patent number: 9436182Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering a passenger to a destination autonomously. The vehicle includes one or more computing devices and a set of user input buttons for communicating requests to stop the vehicle and to initiate a trip to the destination with the one or more computing devices. The set of user input buttons consisting essentially of a dual-purpose button and an emergency stopping button different from the dual-purpose button configured to stop the vehicle. The dual-purpose button has a first purpose for communicating a request to initiate the trip to the destination and a second purpose for communicating a request to pull the vehicle over and stop the vehicle. The vehicle has no steering wheel and no user inputs for the steering, acceleration, and deceleration of the vehicle other than the set of user input buttons.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2014Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Philip Nemec, Anne Aula, David Tse-Zhou Lu, Brian Cullinane, Calvin Karl Johnson, Albert Shane, Christopher Ludwick, YooJung Ahn
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Publication number: 20150337587Abstract: In one aspect, a vehicle's computing device may receive information identifying a client computing device, a pickup location, and an encryption key. When the vehicle is within a given distance of the pickup location, the computing device uses the encryption key to authenticate the client computing device. When the client computing device is authenticated, the computing device may estimate a first distance between the client computing device and the vehicle based on a strength of a signal received from the client computing device. The computing device may then automatically determine when to unlock the vehicle by selecting between a first distance value and a second distance value. The first value is selected when the first distance is greater than a threshold value, and the second value is selected when the first distance is less than the threshold value. The computing device may unlock the vehicle based on the determination.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2014Publication date: November 26, 2015Inventors: David Tse-Zhou Lu, Calvin Karl Johnson, Renaud-Roland Hubert
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Publication number: 20150338849Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering a passenger to a destination autonomously. The vehicle includes one or more computing devices and a set of user input buttons for communicating requests to stop the vehicle and to initiate a trip to the destination with the one or more computing devices. The set of user input buttons consisting essentially of a dual-purpose button and an emergency stopping button different from the dual-purpose button configured to stop the vehicle. The dual-purpose button has a first purpose for communicating a request to initiate the trip to the destination and a second purpose for communicating a request to pull the vehicle over and stop the vehicle. The vehicle has no steering wheel and no user inputs for the steering, acceleration, and deceleration of the vehicle other than the set of user input buttons.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2014Publication date: November 26, 2015Inventors: Philip Nemec, Anne Aula, David Tse-Zhou Lu, Brian Cullinane, Calvin Karl Johnson, Albert Shane, Christopher Ludwick, YooJung Ahn
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Patent number: 9194168Abstract: In one aspect, a vehicle's computing device may receive information identifying a client computing device, a pickup location, and an encryption key. When the vehicle is within a given distance of the pickup location, the computing device uses the encryption key to authenticate the client computing device. When the client computing device is authenticated, the computing device may estimate a first distance between the client computing device and the vehicle based on a strength of a signal received from the client computing device. The computing device may then automatically determine when to unlock the vehicle by selecting between a first distance value and a second distance value. The first value is selected when the first distance is greater than a threshold value, and the second value is selected when the first distance is less than the threshold value. The computing device may unlock the vehicle based on the determination.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2014Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: David Tse-Zhou Lu, Calvin Karl Johnson, Renaud-Roland Hubert