Patents by Inventor Eric Lloyd Wilkinson
Eric Lloyd Wilkinson 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: 11899453Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods that control the motion of an autonomous vehicle by rewarding or otherwise encouraging progress toward a goal, rather than simply rewarding distance travelled. In particular, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can project a candidate motion plan that describes a proposed motion path for the autonomous vehicle onto a nominal pathway to determine a projected distance associated with the candidate motion plan. The systems and methods of the present disclosure can use the projected distance to evaluate a reward function that provides a reward that is positively correlated to the magnitude of the projected distance. The motion of the vehicle can be controlled based on the reward value provided by the reward function. For example, the candidate motion plan can be selected for implementation or revised based at least in part on the determined reward value.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2021Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: UATC, LLCInventors: Eric Lloyd Wilkinson, Jacob Panikulam, J. Andrew Bagnell
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Patent number: 11537127Abstract: Systems and methods for vehicle motion planning based on uncertainty are provided. A method can include obtaining scene data descriptive of one or more objects within a surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle. The method can include determining one or more subproblems based at least in part on the scene data. In some implementation, each of the one or more subproblems can correspond to at least one object within the surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle. The method can include generating one or more branching policies based at least in part on the one or more subproblems. In some implementations, each of the one or more branching policies can include scene data associated with the autonomous vehicle and one or more objects within the surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle. The method can include determining one or more costs associated each of the one or more branching policies.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2019Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: UATC, LLCInventors: Eric Lloyd Wilkinson, Michael Lee Phillips, David Mcallister Bradley, Zakary Warren Littlefield, Aum Jadhav, Utku Eren, Samuel Philip Marden, Colin Jeffrey Green
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Publication number: 20220171390Abstract: The present disclosure provides autonomous vehicle systems and methods that include or otherwise leverage a motion planning system that generates constraints as part of determining a motion plan for an autonomous vehicle (AV). In particular, a scenario generator within a motion planning system can generate constraints based on where objects of interest are predicted to be relative to an autonomous vehicle. A constraint solver can identify navigation decisions for each of the constraints that provide a consistent solution across all constraints. The solution provided by the constraint solver can be in the form of a trajectory path determined relative to constraint areas for all objects of interest. The trajectory path represents a set of navigation decisions such that a navigation decision relative to one constraint doesn't sacrifice an ability to satisfy a different navigation decision relative to one or more other constraints.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2022Publication date: June 2, 2022Inventors: Michael Lee Phillips, Don Burnette, Kalin Vasilev Gochev, Somchaya Liemhetcharat, Harishma Dayanidhi, Eric Michael Perko, Eric Lloyd Wilkinson, Colin Jeffrey Green, Wei Liu, Anthony Joseph Stentz, David McAllister Bradley, Samuel Philip Marden
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Publication number: 20220083057Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods that control the motion of an autonomous vehicle by rewarding or otherwise encouraging progress toward a goal, rather than simply rewarding distance travelled. In particular, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can project a candidate motion plan that describes a proposed motion path for the autonomous vehicle onto a nominal pathway to determine a projected distance associated with the candidate motion plan. The systems and methods of the present disclosure can use the projected distance to evaluate a reward function that provides a reward that is positively correlated to the magnitude of the projected distance. The motion of the vehicle can be controlled based on the reward value provided by the reward function. For example, the candidate motion plan can be selected for implementation or revised based at least in part on the determined reward value.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2021Publication date: March 17, 2022Inventors: Eric Lloyd Wilkinson, Jacob Panikulam, J. Andrew Bagnell
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Patent number: 11262756Abstract: The present disclosure provides autonomous vehicle systems and methods that include or otherwise leverage a motion planning system that generates constraints as part of determining a motion plan for an autonomous vehicle (AV). In particular, a scenario generator within a motion planning system can generate constraints based on where objects of interest are predicted to be relative to an autonomous vehicle. A constraint solver can identify navigation decisions for each of the constraints that provide a consistent solution across all constraints. The solution provided by the constraint solver can be in the form of a trajectory path determined relative to constraint areas for all objects of interest. The trajectory path represents a set of navigation decisions such that a navigation decision relative to one constraint doesn't sacrifice an ability to satisfy a different navigation decision relative to one or more other constraints.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2018Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: UATC, LLCInventors: Michael Lee Phillips, Don Burnette, Kalin Vasilev Gochev, Somchaya Liemhetcharat, Harishma Dayanidhi, Eric Michael Perko, Eric Lloyd Wilkinson, Colin Jeffrey Green, Wei Liu, Anthony Joseph Stentz, David McAllister Bradley, Samuel Philip Marden
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Patent number: 11237564Abstract: Generally, the present disclosure is directed to systems and methods that include or otherwise leverage a decision point engine as part of determining a motion plan for an autonomous vehicle. In particular, a motion planning system that includes a decision point engine can be configured to obtain object data associated with one or more objects identified near one or more travel paths of an autonomous vehicle. The system can determine a stopping profile based at least in part on the object data, wherein the stopping profile identifies a set of candidate states for the autonomous vehicle that preserves an ability of the autonomous vehicle to stop before the interaction point. The system can determine a decision point corresponding to a selected state from the set of candidate states identified by the stopping profile, and determine a trajectory for the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the decision point.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2018Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: UATC, LLCInventor: Eric Lloyd Wilkinson
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Patent number: 11194327Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods that control the motion of an autonomous vehicle by rewarding or otherwise encouraging progress toward a goal, rather than simply rewarding distance traveled. In particular, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can project a candidate motion plan that describes a proposed motion path for the autonomous vehicle onto a nominal pathway to determine a projected distance associated with the candidate motion plan. The systems and methods of the present disclosure can use the projected distance to evaluate a reward function that provides a reward that is positively correlated to the magnitude of the projected distance. The motion of the vehicle can be controlled based on the reward value provided by the reward function. For example, the candidate motion plan can be selected for implementation or revised based at least in part on the determined reward value.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2019Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: UATC, LLCInventors: Eric Lloyd Wilkinson, Jacob Panikulam, J. Andrew Bagnell
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Publication number: 20210080955Abstract: Systems and methods for vehicle motion planning based on uncertainty are provided. A method can include obtaining scene data descriptive of one or more objects within a surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle. The method can include determining one or more subproblems based at least in part on the scene data. In some implementation, each of the one or more subproblems can correspond to at least one object within the surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle. The method can include generating one or more branching policies based at least in part on the one or more subproblems. In some implementations, each of the one or more branching policies can include scene data associated with the autonomous vehicle and one or more objects within the surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle. The method can include determining one or more costs associated each of the one or more branching policies.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2019Publication date: March 18, 2021Inventors: Eric Lloyd Wilkinson, Michael Lee Phillips, David McAllister Bradley, Zakary Warren Littlefield, Aum Jadhav, Utku Eren, Samuel Philip Marden, Colin Jeffrey Green
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Publication number: 20200064851Abstract: Generally, the present disclosure is directed to systems and methods that include or otherwise leverage a decision point engine as part of determining a motion plan for an autonomous vehicle. In particular, a motion planning system that includes a decision point engine can be configured to obtain object data associated with one or more objects identified near one or more travel paths of an autonomous vehicle. The system can determine a stopping profile based at least in part on the object data, wherein the stopping profile identifies a set of candidate states for the autonomous vehicle that preserves an ability of the autonomous vehicle to stop before the interaction point. The system can determine a decision point corresponding to a selected state from the set of candidate states identified by the stopping profile, and determine a trajectory for the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the decision point.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2018Publication date: February 27, 2020Inventor: Eric Lloyd Wilkinson
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Publication number: 20190332108Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods that control the motion of an autonomous vehicle by rewarding or otherwise encouraging progress toward a goal, rather than simply rewarding distance traveled. In particular, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can project a candidate motion plan that describes a proposed motion path for the autonomous vehicle onto a nominal pathway to determine a projected distance associated with the candidate motion plan. The systems and methods of the present disclosure can use the projected distance to evaluate a reward function that provides a reward that is positively correlated to the magnitude of the projected distance. The motion of the vehicle can be controlled based on the reward value provided by the reward function. For example, the candidate motion plan can be selected for implementation or revised based at least in part on the determined reward value.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2019Publication date: October 31, 2019Inventors: Eric Lloyd Wilkinson, Jacob Panikulam, J. Andrew Bagnell
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Publication number: 20190220016Abstract: The present disclosure provides autonomous vehicle systems and methods that include or otherwise leverage a motion planning system that generates constraints as part of determining a motion plan for an autonomous vehicle (AV). In particular, a constraint solver determines a multi-dimensional space for each phase of a plurality of different phases of a lane change maneuver. For each different phase, objects of interest interacting with first and second lanes of the nominal path can be determined and constraints can be respectively generated. A portion of the multi-dimensional space including corresponding constraints that applies to a respective timeframe associated with each phase can be determined. The respective portions of the multi-dimensional space including corresponding constraints for each phase of the plurality of different phases of the lane change maneuver can be combined to generate a multiplexed space through which a low-cost trajectory path can be determined.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2018Publication date: July 18, 2019Inventors: Michael Lee Phillips, Don Burnette, Kalin Vasilev Gochev, Somchaya Liemhetcharat, Harishma Dayanidhi, Eric Michael Perko, Eric Lloyd Wilkinson, Colin Jeffrey Green, Wei Liu, Anthony Joseph Stentz, David McAllister Bradley, Samuel Philip Marden
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Publication number: 20190220015Abstract: The present disclosure provides autonomous vehicle systems and methods that include or otherwise leverage a motion planning system that generates constraints as part of determining a motion plan for an autonomous vehicle (AV). In particular, a scenario generator within a motion planning system can generate constraints based on where objects of interest are predicted to be relative to an autonomous vehicle. A constraint solver can identify navigation decisions for each of the constraints that provide a consistent solution across all constraints. The solution provided. by the constraint solver can be in the form of a trajectory path determined relative to constraint areas for all objects of interest. The trajectory path represents a set of navigation decisions such that a navigation decision relative to one constraint doesn't sacrifice an ability to satisfy a different navigation decision relative to one or more other constraints.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2018Publication date: July 18, 2019Inventors: Michael Lee Phillips, Don Burnette, Kalin Vasilev Gochev, Somchaya Liemhetcharat, Harishma Dayanidhi, Eric Michael Perko, Eric Lloyd Wilkinson, Colin Jeffrey Green, Wei Liu, Anthony Joseph Stentz, David McAllister Bradley, Samuel Philip Marden
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Patent number: 10345808Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods that control the motion of an autonomous vehicle by rewarding or otherwise encouraging progress toward a goal, rather than simply rewarding distance travelled. In particular, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can project a candidate motion plan that describes a proposed motion path for the autonomous vehicle onto a nominal pathway to determine a projected distance associated with the candidate motion plan. The systems and methods of the present disclosure can use the projected distance to evaluate a reward function that provides a reward that is positively correlated to the magnitude of the projected distance. The motion of the vehicle can be controlled based on the reward value provided by the reward function. For example, the candidate motion plan can be selected for implementation or revised based at least in part on the determined reward value.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2017Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: Uber Technologies, IncInventors: Eric Lloyd Wilkinson, Jacob Panikulam, J. Andrew Bagnell
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Publication number: 20190025843Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to providing speed limit context awareness during operation of an autonomous vehicle. In one example, a computer-implemented method for applying speed limit context awareness in autonomous vehicle operation includes obtaining, by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices, a plurality of features descriptive of a context and a state of an autonomous vehicle. The method further includes determining, by the computing system, a context response for the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on a machine-learned model and the plurality of features, wherein the context response includes a derived speed constraint for the autonomous vehicle. The method further includes providing, by the computing system, the context response to a motion planning application of the autonomous vehicle to determine a motion plan for the autonomous vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2017Publication date: January 24, 2019Inventors: Eric Lloyd Wilkinson, David McAllister Bradley
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Publication number: 20180284768Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods that control the motion of an autonomous vehicle by rewarding or otherwise encouraging progress toward a goal, rather than simply rewarding distance travelled. In particular, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can project a candidate motion plan that describes a proposed motion path for the autonomous vehicle onto a nominal pathway to determine a projected distance associated with the candidate motion plan. The systems and methods of the present disclosure can use the projected distance to evaluate a reward function that provides a reward that is positively correlated to the magnitude of the projected distance. The motion of the vehicle can be controlled based on the reward value provided by the reward function. For example, the candidate motion plan can be selected for implementation or revised based at least in part on the determined reward value.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Eric Lloyd Wilkinson, Jacob Panikulam, J. Andrew Bagnell