Patents by Inventor Christopher Paul Urmson
Christopher Paul Urmson 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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Patent number: 8712104Abstract: A system and method provides maps identifying the 3D location of traffic lights. The position, location, and orientation of a traffic light may be automatically extrapolated from two or more images. The maps may then be used to assist robotic vehicles or human drivers to identify the location and status of a traffic signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2013Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Nathaniel Fairfield, Christopher Paul Urmson, Sebastian Thrun
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Patent number: 8706342Abstract: Autonomous vehicles use various computing systems to transport passengers from one location to another. A control computer sends messages to the various systems of the vehicle in order to maneuver the vehicle safely to the destination. The control computer may display information on an electronic display in order to allow the passenger to understand what actions the vehicle may be taking in the immediate future. Various icons and images may be used to provide this information to the passenger.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2012Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Andrew Szybalski, Luis Ricardo Prada Gomez, Philip Nemec, Christopher Paul Urmson, Sebastian Thrun
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Patent number: 8688306Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to limiting the use of an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle by particular occupants based on permission data. More specifically, permission data may include destinations, routes, and/or other information that is predefined or set by a third party. The vehicle may then access the permission data in order to transport the particular occupant to the predefined destination, for example, without deviation from the predefined route. The vehicle may drop the particular occupant off at the destination and may wait until the passenger is ready to move to another predefined destination. The permission data may be used to limit the ability of the particular occupant to change the route of the vehicle completely or by some maximum deviation value. For example, the vehicle may be able to deviate from the route up to a particular distance from or along the route.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2011Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Philip Nemec, Christopher Paul Urmson, Bradley Templeton, Nathaniel Fairfield, Anthony Scott Levandowski
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Patent number: 8670891Abstract: A passenger in an automated vehicle may relinquish control of the vehicle to a control computer when the control computer has determined that it may maneuver the vehicle safely to a destination. The passenger may relinquish or regain control of the vehicle by applying different degrees of pressure, for example, on a steering wheel of the vehicle. The control computer may convey status information to a passenger in a variety of ways including by illuminating elements of the vehicle. The color and location of the illumination may indicate the status of the control computer, for example, whether the control computer has been armed, is ready to take control of the vehicle, or is currently controlling the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2013Date of Patent: March 11, 2014Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Andrew Szybalski, Luis Ricardo Prada Gomez, Christopher Paul Urmson, Sebastian Thrun, Philip Nemec
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Patent number: 8634980Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling a vehicle. A safe envelope driving pattern is determined to control the vehicle in an autonomous mode. User identification data and sensor data are received from one or more sensors associated with the vehicle. A driver-specific driving pattern is determined based on the received sensor data and the user identification data. Operation of the vehicle is controlled in the autonomous mode based on the identification of the user in the driver's seat, the safe envelope driving pattern, and the user-specific driving pattern.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2011Date of Patent: January 21, 2014Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Christopher Paul Urmson, Dmitri A. Dolgov, Philip Nemec
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Publication number: 20140016826Abstract: A system and method provides maps identifying the 3D location of traffic lights. The position, location, and orientation of a traffic light may be automatically extrapolated from two or more images. The maps may then be used to assist robotic vehicles or human drivers to identify the location and status of a traffic signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2013Publication date: January 16, 2014Applicant: GOOGLE INC.Inventors: Nathaniel Fairfield, Christopher Paul Urmson, Sebastian Thrun
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Patent number: 8630897Abstract: The present invention relates generally to arranging for free or discounted transportation to an advertiser's business location. More specifically, the invention involves automatically comparing the cost of transportation and the potential profit from a completed transaction using a number of real-time calculations. For example, the calculation may consider various factors including a consumer's current location, the consumer's most likely route and form of transportation (such as train, personal car, taxi, rental car, or shared vehicle), the consumer's daily agenda, the price competing advertisers are willing to pay for the customer to be delivered to alternate locations, and other costs. In this regard, the customer's obstacles to entering a business location are reduced while routing and cost calculations are automatically handled based on the demand for the advertiser's goods and potential profit margins.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2011Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Luis Ricardo Prada Gomez, Andrew Timothy Szybalski, Sebastian Thrun, Philip Nemec, Christopher Paul Urmson
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Publication number: 20130297140Abstract: A roadgraph may include a graph network of information such as roads, lanes, intersections, and the connections between these features. The roadgraph may also include one or more zones associated with particular rules. The zones may include locations where driving is typically challenging such as merges, construction zones, or other obstacles. In one example, the rules may require an autonomous vehicle to alert a driver that the vehicle is approaching a zone. The vehicle may thus require a driver to take control of steering, acceleration, deceleration, etc. In another example, the zones may be designated by a driver and may be broadcast to other nearby vehicles, for example using a radio link or other network such that other vehicles may be able to observer the same rule at the same location or at least notify the other vehicle's drivers that another driver felt the location was unsafe for autonomous driving.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2013Publication date: November 7, 2013Inventors: Michael Steven Montemerlo, Dmitri A. Dolgov, Christopher Paul Urmson
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Patent number: 8509982Abstract: A roadgraph may include a graph network of information such as roads, lanes, intersections, and the connections between these features. The roadgraph may also include one or more zones associated with particular rules. The zones may include locations where driving is typically challenging such as merges, construction zones, or other obstacles. In one example, the rules may require an autonomous vehicle to alert a driver that the vehicle is approaching a zone. The vehicle may thus require a driver to take control of steering, acceleration, deceleration, etc. In another example, the zones may be designated by a driver and may be broadcast to other nearby vehicles, for example using a radio link or other network such that other vehicles may be able to observer the same rule at the same location or at least notify the other vehicle's drivers that another driver felt the location was unsafe for autonomous driving.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2011Date of Patent: August 13, 2013Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Michael Steven Montemerlo, Dmitri A. Dolgov, Christopher Paul Urmson
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Patent number: 8433470Abstract: A passenger in an automated vehicle may relinquish control of the vehicle to a control computer when the control computer has determined that it may maneuver the vehicle safely to a destination. The passenger may relinquish or regain control of the vehicle by applying different degrees of pressure, for example, on a steering wheel of the vehicle. The control computer may convey status information to a passenger in a variety of ways including by illuminating elements of the vehicle. The color and location of the illumination may indicate the status of the control computer, for example, whether the control computer has been armed, is ready to take control of the vehicle, or is currently controlling the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2012Date of Patent: April 30, 2013Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Andrew Szybalski, Luis Ricardo Prada Gomez, Christopher Paul Urmson, Sebastian Thrun, Philip Nemec
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Patent number: 8352110Abstract: A passenger in an automated vehicle may relinquish control of the vehicle to a control computer when the control computer has determined that it may maneuver the vehicle safely to a destination. The passenger may relinquish or regain control of the vehicle by applying different degrees of pressure, for example, on a steering wheel of the vehicle. The control computer may convey status information to a passenger in a variety of ways including by illuminating elements of the vehicle. The color and location of the illumination may indicate the status of the control computer, for example, whether the control computer has been armed, is ready to take control of the vehicle, or is currently controlling the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2012Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Andrew Szybalski, Luis Ricardo Prada Gomez, Christopher Paul Urmson, Sebastian Thrun, Philip Nemec
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Patent number: 8194927Abstract: A method is provided for detecting road lane markers using a light-based sensing device. Reflectivity data is captured using the light-based sensing device. A light intensity signal is generated based on the captured reflectivity data. The light intensity signal is convolved with a differential filter for generating a filter response that identifies a candidate lane marker region and ground segment regions juxtaposed on each side of the candidate lane marker region. A weighted standard deviation of the data points within the identified candidate lane marker region and weighted standard deviation of the data points within the ground segment regions are calculated. An objective value is determined as a function of the respective weighted standard deviations. The objective value is compared to a respective threshold for determining whether the identified candidate lane marker region is a lane marker.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2008Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Wende Zhang, Varsha Sadekar, Christopher Paul Urmson
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Patent number: 8195394Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to safe and effective use of autonomous vehicles. More specifically, objects detected in a vehicle's surroundings may be detected by the vehicle's various sensors and identified based on their relative location in a roadgraph. The roadgraph may include a graph network of information such as roads, lanes, intersections, and the connections between these features. The roadgraph may also include the boundaries of areas, including for example, crosswalks or bicycle lanes. In one example, an object detected in a location corresponding to a crosswalk area of the roadgraph may be identified as a person. In another example, an object detected in a location corresponding to a bicycle area of the roadgraph and identified as a bicycle. By identifying the type of object in this way, an autonomous vehicle may be better prepared to react to or simply avoid the object.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2011Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Jiajun Zhu, Michael Steven Montemerlo, Christopher Paul Urmson, Andrew Chatham
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Publication number: 20120083964Abstract: A roadgraph may include a graph network of information such as roads, lanes, intersections, and the connections between these features. The roadgraph may also include one or more zones associated with particular rules. The zones may include locations where driving is typically challenging such as merges, construction zones, or other obstacles. In one example, the rules may require an autonomous vehicle to alert a driver that the vehicle is approaching a zone. The vehicle may thus require a driver to take control of steering, acceleration, deceleration, etc. In another example, the zones may be designated by a driver and may be broadcast to other nearby vehicles, for example using a radio link or other network such that other vehicles may be able to observer the same rule at the same location or at least notify the other vehicle's drivers that another driver felt the location was unsafe for autonomous driving.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2011Publication date: April 5, 2012Applicant: GOOGLE INC.Inventors: Michael Steven Montemerlo, Dmitri A. Dolgov, Christopher Paul Urmson
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Publication number: 20120083959Abstract: A system and method of controlling a vehicle is provided. In one aspect, the system and method determines the amount of wear on a component of the vehicle and, based on the amount of wear and information derived from the environment surrounding the vehicle (e.g., another vehicle in the path of the vehicle or a requirement to stop at a particular location), maneuvers the vehicle to mitigate further wear on the component.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2011Publication date: April 5, 2012Applicant: GOOGLE INC.Inventors: Dmitri A. Dolgov, Christopher Paul Urmson
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Publication number: 20100014713Abstract: A method is provided for detecting road lane markers using a light-based sensing device. Reflectivity data is captured using the light-based sensing device. A light intensity signal is generated based on the captured reflectivity data. The light intensity signal is convolved with a differential filter for generating a filter response that identifies a candidate lane marker region and ground segment regions juxtaposed on each side of the candidate lane marker region. A weighted standard deviation of the data points within the identified candidate lane marker region and weighted standard deviation of the data points within the ground segment regions are calculated. An objective value is determined as a function of the respective weighted standard deviations. The objective value is compared to a respective threshold for determining whether the identified candidate lane marker region is a lane marker.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2008Publication date: January 21, 2010Applicants: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC., CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITYInventors: Wende Zhang, Varsha Sadekar, Christopher Paul Urmson