Patents by Inventor Frederic Tschanz

Frederic Tschanz 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).

  • Publication number: 20240028033
    Abstract: In one example embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes receiving data representing a motion plan of the autonomous vehicle via a plurality of control lanes configured to implement the motion plan to control a motion of the autonomous vehicle, the plurality of control lanes including at least a first control lane and a second control lane, and controlling the first control lane to implement the motion plan. The method includes detecting one or more faults associated with implementation of the motion plan by the first control lane or the second control lane, or in generation of the motion plan, and in response to one or more faults, controlling the first control lane or the second control lane to adjust the motion of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on one or more fault reaction parameters associated with the one or more faults.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Aaron L. Greenfield, Diana Yanakiev, Frederic Tschanz, Charles J. Tytler
  • Patent number: 11768490
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to controlling state transitions in an autonomous vehicle. In particular, a computing system can initiate the autonomous vehicle into a no-authorization state upon startup. The computing system can receive an authorization request. The computing system determines whether the authorization request includes a request to enter the first or second mode of operations, wherein the first mode of operations is associated with the autonomous vehicle being operated without a human operator and the second mode of operations is associated with the autonomous vehicle being operable by a human operator. The computing system can transition the autonomous vehicle from the no-authorization state into a standby state in response to determining the authorization request includes a request to enter the first mode of operations or into a manual-controlled state in response to determining the authorization request is a request to enter the second mode of operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Frederic Tschanz, Maitreya Jayesh Naik, Diana Yanakiev, Aaron L. Greenfield, Scott C. Poeppel
  • Publication number: 20230085877
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to controlling state transitions in an autonomous vehicle. In particular, a computing system can initiate the autonomous vehicle into a no-authorization state upon startup. The computing system can receive an authorization request. The computing system determines whether the authorization request includes a request to enter the first or second mode of operations, wherein the first mode of operations is associated with the autonomous vehicle being operated without a human operator and the second mode of operations is associated with the autonomous vehicle being operable by a human operator. The computing system can transition the autonomous vehicle from the no-authorization state into a standby state in response to determining the authorization request includes a request to enter the first mode of operations or into a manual-controlled state in response to determining the authorization request is a request to enter the second mode of operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Frederic Tschanz, Maitreya Jayesh Naik, Diana Yanakiev, Aaron L. Greenfield, Scott C. Poeppel
  • Patent number: 11513517
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to controlling state transitions in an autonomous vehicle. In particular, a computing system can initiate the autonomous vehicle into a no-authorization state upon startup. The computing system can receive an authorization request. The computing system determines whether the authorization request includes a request to enter the first or second mode of operations, wherein the first mode of operations is associated with the autonomous vehicle being operated without a human operator and the second mode of operations is associated with the autonomous vehicle being operable by a human operator. The computing system can transition the autonomous vehicle from the no-authorization state into a standby state in response to determining the authorization request includes a request to enter the first mode of operations or into a manual-controlled state in response to determining the authorization request is a request to enter the second mode of operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Frederic Tschanz, Maitreya Jayesh Naik, Diana Yanakiev, Aaron L. Greenfield, Scott C. Poeppel
  • Publication number: 20220206490
    Abstract: In one example embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes receiving data representing a motion plan of the autonomous vehicle via a plurality of control lanes configured to implement the motion plan to control a motion of the autonomous vehicle, the plurality of control lanes including at least a first control lane and a second control lane, and controlling the first control lane to implement the motion plan. The method includes detecting one or more faults associated with implementation of the motion plan by the first control lane or the second control lane, or in generation of the motion plan, and in response to one or more faults, controlling the first control lane or the second control lane to adjust the motion of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on one or more fault reaction parameters associated with the one or more faults.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Aaron L. Greenfield, Diana Yanakiev, Frederic Tschanz, Charles J. Tytler
  • Patent number: 11307579
    Abstract: In one example embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes receiving data representing a motion plan of the autonomous vehicle via a plurality of control lanes configured to implement the motion plan to control a motion of the autonomous vehicle, the plurality of control lanes including at least a first control lane and a second control lane, and controlling the first control lane to implement the motion plan. The method includes detecting one or more faults associated with implementation of the motion plan by the first control lane or the second control lane, or in generation of the motion plan, and in response to one or more faults, controlling the first control lane or the second control lane to adjust the motion of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on one or more fault reaction parameters associated with the one or more faults.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Aaron L. Greenfield, Diana Yanakiev, Frederic Tschanz, Charles J. Tytler
  • Patent number: 11260875
    Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to motion planning for an autonomous vehicle. In one example, a computer-implemented method for road surface dependent motion planning includes obtaining, by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices, surface friction data. The method further includes determining, by the computing system, one or more constraints for motion planning based at least in part on the surface friction data. The method further includes generating, by the computing system, a motion plan for an autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the one or more constraints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Diana Yanakiev, Frederic Tschanz, Aaron L. Greenfield
  • Publication number: 20220041146
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed towards a system for implementing emergency braking. In particular, a computing system can obtain current trajectory data from a motion planning system of an autonomous vehicle. The computing system can determine whether an emergency braking flag within the current trajectory data is set to true based at least in part on the current trajectory data. The computing system can, in response to determining that the emergency braking flag within the current trajectory data is set to true, change a current braking mode of the autonomous vehicle from a first braking mode to a second braking mode. While in the second braking mode, the computing system can set a current acceleration value to the second maximum stopping rate. The computing system can transmit the current acceleration value for implementation by the autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Frederic Tschanz, Paul Theodosis, David McAllister Bradley
  • Patent number: 11180024
    Abstract: A system and approach for a vehicle system. The vehicle system may include a vehicle, a propulsion device (e.g., a combustion engine or electric motor), and a controller. The propulsion device may at least partially power the vehicle. The controller may be in communication with the propulsion device and may control the propulsion device according to a target speed of the vehicle. The controller may include a model of energy balances of the vehicle and may use the model to estimate energy losses over a travel horizon of the vehicle. The controller may optimize a cost function over the travel horizon of the vehicle based at least in part on the estimated energy losses to set an actual speed for the vehicle. The estimated energy losses may include one or more of aerodynamic drag, vehicle friction, and conversion efficiency from the propulsion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Garrett Transportation I Inc.
    Inventor: Frederic Tschanz
  • Publication number: 20210302958
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to controlling state transitions in an autonomous vehicle. In particular, a computing system can initiate the autonomous vehicle into a no-authorization state upon startup. The computing system can receive an authorization request. The computing system determines whether the authorization request includes a request to enter the first or second mode of operations, wherein the first mode of operations is associated with the autonomous vehicle being operated without a human operator and the second mode of operations is associated with the autonomous vehicle being operable by a human operator. The computing system can transition the autonomous vehicle from the no-authorization state into a standby state in response to determining the authorization request includes a request to enter the first mode of operations or into a manual-controlled state in response to determining the authorization request is a request to enter the second mode of operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Frederic Tschanz, Maitreya Jayesh Naik, Diana Yanakiev, Aaron L. Greenfield, Scott C. Poeppel
  • Publication number: 20210271240
    Abstract: In one example embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes receiving data representing a motion plan of the autonomous vehicle via a plurality of control lanes configured to implement the motion plan to control a motion of the autonomous vehicle, the plurality of control lanes including at least a first control lane and a second control lane, and controlling the first control lane to implement the motion plan. The method includes detecting one or more faults associated with implementation of the motion plan by the first control lane or the second control lane, or in generation of the motion plan, and in response to one or more faults, controlling the first control lane or the second control lane to adjust the motion of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on one or more fault reaction parameters associated with the one or more faults.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Aaron L. Greenfield, Diana Yanakiev, Frederic Tschanz, Charles J. Tytler
  • Patent number: 11009874
    Abstract: In one example embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes receiving data representing a motion plan of the autonomous vehicle via a plurality of control lanes configured to implement the motion plan to control a motion of the autonomous vehicle, the plurality of control lanes including at least a first control lane and a second control lane, and controlling the first control lane to implement the motion plan. The method includes detecting one or more faults associated with implementation of the motion plan by the first control lane or the second control lane, or in generation of the motion plan, and in response to one or more faults, controlling the first control lane or the second control lane to adjust the motion of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on one or more fault reaction parameters associated with the one or more faults.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Aaron L. Greenfield, Diana Yanakiev, Frederic Tschanz, Charles J. Tytler
  • Patent number: 10809719
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling an autonomous vehicle are provided. In one example embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes obtaining data representing a first trajectory including one or more states corresponding to a motion path. The method includes determining a second trajectory based at least in part on the first trajectory, the second trajectory including a first state corresponding to the motion path, and one or more secondary states corresponding to the motion path, the one or more secondary states indicating a state of the autonomous vehicle relative to the first state. The method includes determining one or more control signals based at least in part on the second trajectory. The method includes controlling a motion of the autonomous vehicle according to the motion path, based at least in part on the one or more control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Guillaume Binet, Diana Yanakiev, Dillon Collins, David McAllister Bradley, Frederic Tschanz
  • Patent number: 10620634
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a vehicle interface for an autonomous vehicle. In particular, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can, responsive to receiving, from an autonomy computing system of an autonomous vehicle, a time-based trajectory for the autonomous vehicle, verify that execution of the time-based trajectory is within parameters of the autonomous vehicle. Responsive to verifying that execution of the time-based trajectory is within the parameters of the autonomous vehicle, the time-based trajectory can be converted into a spatial path for the autonomous vehicle, and one or more controls of the autonomous vehicle can be interfaced with such that the autonomous vehicle tracks the spatial path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Frederic Tschanz, Aaron L. Greenfield, Diana Yanakiev, Dillon Collins
  • Patent number: 10571922
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods that employ tolerance values defining a level of vehicle control precision for motion control of an autonomous vehicle. More particularly, a vehicle controller can obtain a trajectory that describes a proposed motion path for the autonomous vehicle. A constraint set of one or more tolerance values (e.g., a longitudinal tolerance value and/or lateral tolerance value) defining a level of vehicle control precision can be determined or otherwise obtained. Motion of the autonomous vehicle can be controlled to follow the trajectory within the one or more tolerance values (e.g., longitudinal tolerance value(s) and/or a lateral tolerance value(s)) identified by the constraint set. By creating a motion control framework for autonomous vehicles that includes an adjustable constraint set of tolerance values, autonomous vehicles can more effectively implement different precision requirements for different driving situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Aaron L. Greenfield, Frederic Tschanz, David McAllister Bradley, Diana Yanakiev
  • Patent number: 10571916
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides control systems and methods for an autonomous vehicle. In one example implementation, a control method includes obtaining data indicative of a motion plan for the autonomous vehicle. The method includes upsampling the data indicative of the motion plan to determine a desired vehicle state for the autonomous vehicle. The method includes obtaining data indicative of a current vehicle state for the autonomous vehicle. The method includes determining a control command for the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the desired vehicle state and the current vehicle state. The method includes controlling the vehicle component based at least in part on the control command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Frederic Tschanz, Diana Yanakiev, Jur van den Berg
  • Publication number: 20190384301
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods that employ tolerance values defining a level of vehicle control precision for motion control of an autonomous vehicle. More particularly, a vehicle controller can obtain a trajectory that describes a proposed motion path for the autonomous vehicle. A constraint set of one or more tolerance values (e.g., a longitudinal tolerance value and/or lateral tolerance value) defining a level of vehicle control precision can be determined or otherwise obtained. Motion of the autonomous vehicle can be controlled to follow the trajectory within the one or more tolerance values (e.g., longitudinal tolerance value(s) and/or a lateral tolerance value(s)) identified by the constraint set. By creating a motion control framework for autonomous vehicles that includes an adjustable constraint set of tolerance values, autonomous vehicles can more effectively implement different precision requirements for different driving situations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: Aaron L. Greenfield, Frederic Tschanz, David McAllister Bradley, Diana Yanakiev
  • Patent number: 10452070
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods that employ tolerance values defining a level of vehicle control precision for motion control of an autonomous vehicle. More particularly, a vehicle controller can obtain a trajectory that describes a proposed motion path for the autonomous vehicle. A constraint set of one or more tolerance values (e.g., a longitudinal tolerance value and/or lateral tolerance value) defining a level of vehicle control precision can be determined or otherwise obtained. Motion of the autonomous vehicle can be controlled to follow the trajectory within the one or more tolerance values (e.g., longitudinal tolerance value(s) and/or a lateral tolerance value(s)) identified by the constraint set. By creating a motion control framework for autonomous vehicles that includes an adjustable constraint set of tolerance values, autonomous vehicles can more effectively implement different precision requirements for different driving situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron L. Greenfield, Frederic Tschanz, David McAllister Bradley, Diana Yanakiev
  • Publication number: 20190217704
    Abstract: A system and approach for a vehicle system. The vehicle system may include a vehicle, a propulsion device (e.g., a combustion engine or electric motor), and a controller. The propulsion device may at least partially power the vehicle. The controller may be in communication with the propulsion device and may control the propulsion device according to a target speed of the vehicle. The controller may include a model of energy balances of the vehicle and may use the model to estimate energy losses over a travel horizon of the vehicle. The controller may optimize a cost function over the travel horizon of the vehicle based at least in part on the estimated energy losses to set an actual speed for the vehicle. The estimated energy losses may include one or more of aerodynamic drag, vehicle friction, and conversion efficiency from the propulsion device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventor: FREDERIC TSCHANZ
  • Publication number: 20190176836
    Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to motion planning for an autonomous vehicle. In one example, a computer-implemented method for road surface dependent motion planning includes obtaining, by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices, surface friction data. The method further includes determining, by the computing system, one or more constraints for motion planning based at least in part on the surface friction data. The method further includes generating, by the computing system, a motion plan for an autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the one or more constraints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Diana Yanakiev, Frederic Tschanz, Aaron L. Greenfield