Patents by Inventor Carl Nygaard

Carl Nygaard 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: 11385991
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to testing software for operating an autonomous vehicle. For instance, a first simulation may be run. The simulation may be run using the software to control a simulated vehicle and at least one agent. During the running of the first simulation, whether a particular type of interaction between the simulated vehicle and the at least one agent has occurred may be determined. In response to this determination, a second simulation may be run using the log data by replacing the at least one agent with a model agent that simulates a road user capable of responding to actions performed by the simulated vehicle. The second simulation may be used to determine in order to determine whether the software is able to complete the second simulation without the particular type of interaction between a second simulated vehicle and the model agent occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Carl Nygaard, Alexander Ruben Stacey McCarthy, James Stout
  • Patent number: 10943414
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle is tested using virtual objects. The autonomous vehicle is maneuvered, by one or more computing devices, the autonomous vehicle in an autonomous driving mode. Sensor data is received corresponding to objects in the autonomous vehicle's environment, and virtual object data is received corresponding to a virtual object in the autonomous vehicle's environment. The virtual object represents a real object that is not in the vehicle's environment. The autonomous vehicle is maneuvered based on both the sensor data and the virtual object data. Information about the maneuvering of the vehicle based on both the sensor data and the virtual object data may be logged and analyzed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Carl Nygaard, James Stout, Jiajun Zhu
  • Patent number: 10896122
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to testing software for operating an autonomous vehicle. For instance, a first simulation may be run using log data and the software to control a first simulated vehicle. During this, one or more characteristics of the simulated vehicle may be compared with one or more characteristics of a vehicle from the log data. The comparison may be used to determine a divergence point for starting a timer. In addition, a second simulation may be run using the log data and the software to control a second simulated vehicle. The divergence point may be used to determine a handover time to allow the software to take control of the second simulated vehicle. Whether the software is able to continue through the first simulation before the timer expires without a particular type of event occurring and/or the second simulation without the particular type of event occurring is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Carl Nygaard, Yiwen Xu, James Stout
  • Publication number: 20200349057
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to testing software for operating an autonomous vehicle. For instance, a first simulation may be run using log data and the software to control a first simulated vehicle. During this, one or more characteristics of the simulated vehicle may be compared with one or more characteristics of a vehicle from the log data. The comparison may be used to determine a divergence point for starting a timer. In addition, a second simulation may be run using the log data and the software to control a second simulated vehicle. The divergence point may be used to determine a handover time to allow the software to take control of the second simulated vehicle. Whether the software is able to continue through the first simulation before the timer expires without a particular type of event occurring and/or the second simulation without the particular type of event occurring is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Carl Nygaard, Yiwen Xu, James Stout
  • Patent number: 10795804
    Abstract: The disclosure relate to testing software for operating an autonomous vehicle. For instance, a first simulation may be run. The simulation may be run using the software to control a simulated vehicle and at least one agent. During the running of the first simulation, whether a particular type of interaction between the simulated vehicle and the at least one agent has occurred may be determined. In response to this determination, a second simulation may be run using the log data by replacing the at least one agent with a model agent that simulates a road user capable of responding to actions performed by the simulated vehicle. The second simulation may be used to determine in order to determine whether the software is able to complete the second simulation without the particular type of interaction between a second simulated vehicle and the model agent occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Carl Nygaard, Alexander Ruben Stacey McCarthy, James Stout
  • Patent number: 10713148
    Abstract: The disclosure relate to testing software for operating an autonomous vehicle. For instance, a first simulation may be run using log data and the software to control a first simulated vehicle. During this, one or more characteristics of the simulated vehicle may be compared with one or more characteristics of a vehicle from the log data. The comparison may be used to determine a divergence point for starting a timer. In addition, a second simulation may be run using the log data and the software to control a second simulated vehicle. The divergence point may be used to determine a handover time to allow the software to take control of the second simulated vehicle. Whether the software is able to continue through the first simulation before the timer expires without a particular type of event occurring and/or the second simulation without the particular type of event occurring is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Carl Nygaard, Yiwen Xu, James Stout
  • Publication number: 20200050536
    Abstract: The disclosure relate to testing software for operating an autonomous vehicle. For instance, a first simulation may be run using log data and the software to control a first simulated vehicle. During this, one or more characteristics of the simulated vehicle may be compared with one or more characteristics of a vehicle from the log data. The comparison may be used to determine a divergence point for starting a timer. In addition, a second simulation may be run using the log data and the software to control a second simulated vehicle. The divergence point may be used to determine a handover time to allow the software to take control of the second simulated vehicle. Whether the software is able to continue through the first simulation before the timer expires without a particular type of event occurring and/or the second simulation without the particular type of event occurring is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Carl Nygaard, Yiwen Xu, James Stout
  • Patent number: 9836895
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle is tested using virtual objects. The autonomous vehicle is maneuvered, by one or more computing devices, the autonomous vehicle in an autonomous driving mode. Sensor data is received corresponding to objects in the autonomous vehicle's environment, and virtual object data is received corresponding to a virtual object in the autonomous vehicle's environment. The virtual object represents a real object that is not in the vehicle's environment. The autonomous vehicle is maneuvered based on both the sensor data and the virtual object data. Information about the maneuvering of the vehicle based on both the sensor data and the virtual object data may be logged and analyzed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Carl Nygaard, James Stout, Jiajun Zhu
  • Patent number: 8954566
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to determining the number of unique users of computer software without individually identifying users with a unique identification. In an embodiment, data elements are communicated from clients to a server. Each data element contains the number of days that have elapsed since the last communication from the client to the server. Based on the communicated data elements and the time and date at which each data element is received, the server can determine a count of unique users over a specified time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Carl Nygaard, Dudley Carr