Patents by Inventor Jakob Robert Zwiener

Jakob Robert Zwiener 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: 12296852
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for selecting a pullover location for an autonomous vehicle. For instance, a set of potential pullover locations may be identified by, determining a plurality of rightmost points that the autonomous vehicle can reach, determining whether any of the rightmost points would result in the autonomous vehicle encroaching on a bicycle lane, and when any of the rightmost points encroaches on the bicycle lane, determining whether to adjust the location of that rightmost point. One of the set of potential pullover locations may be selected by assessing a cost of each potential pullover location of the set of potential pullover locations. The autonomous vehicle may be controlled to stop based on the selected one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Jakob Robert Zwiener, Mingshen Chen, Daniella Gutlansky
  • Publication number: 20250083695
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for depot behaviors for autonomous vehicles. For instance, a signal to control an autonomous vehicle to a depot area may be received from a server computing device. A prioritized list of staging areas within the depot area may be identified. Each staging area of the prioritized list of staging areas enables the vehicle to observe stopping locations at which a need of the vehicle may be addressed. The vehicle may be controlled to a first staging area of the prioritized list. Once the vehicle has reached the first staging area, whether a stopping location that meets one or more needs of the vehicle is available may be determined. When is available, the vehicle may be controlled to the available stopping location. When not available, the vehicle may be controlled to a second staging area of the prioritized list.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Inventors: Son-Ca Nguyen, Craig Robinson, Jakob Robert Zwiener
  • Publication number: 20240151544
    Abstract: The technology involves pullover maneuvers for vehicles operating in an autonomous driving mode. A vehicle operating in an autonomous driving mode is able to identify parking locations that may be occluded or otherwise not readily visible. A best case estimation for any potential parking locations, including partially or fully occluded areas, is compared against predictions for identified visible parking locations. This can include calculating a cost for each potential parking location and comparing that cost to a baseline cost. Upon determining that an occluded location would provide a more viable option than any visible parking locations, the vehicle is able to initiate a driving adjustment (e.g., slow down) prior to arriving at the occluded location. This enables the vehicle to minimize passenger discomfort while also providing notice to other road users of an intent to pull over.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Xu Dong, Jonathan Lee Pedersen, Jakob Robert Zwiener
  • Publication number: 20240109532
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to managing parking maneuvers for autonomous vehicles. For instance, a vehicle may be stopped at a parking location. A distance between the autonomous vehicle and a road edge at the parking location may be determined. Based on the distance, a plurality of points corresponding to parking locations at various distances from the road edge may be sampled. For each of the plurality of points, a trajectory for the autonomous vehicle may be determined. One of the determined trajectories may be selected. The autonomous vehicle closer to the road edge using the selected one of the determined trajectories.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Ianis Bougdal-Lambert, Mishika Vora, Jakob Robert Zwiener
  • Patent number: 11859989
    Abstract: The technology involves pullover maneuvers for vehicles operating in an autonomous driving mode. A vehicle operating in an autonomous driving mode is able to identify parking locations that may be occluded or otherwise not readily visible. A best case estimation for any potential parking locations, including partially or fully occluded areas, is compared against predictions for identified visible parking locations. This can include calculating a cost for each potential parking location and comparing that cost to a baseline cost. Upon determining that an occluded location would provide a more viable option than any visible parking locations, the vehicle is able to initiate a driving adjustment (e.g., slow down) prior to arriving at the occluded location. This enables the vehicle to minimize passenger discomfort while also providing notice to other road users of an intent to pull over.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Xu Dong, Jonathan Lee Pedersen, Jakob Robert Zwiener
  • Patent number: 11794779
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to conducting pullover maneuvers for autonomous vehicles. For instance, a pullover location may be identified. A pullover start location may be determined for the pullover location. A first distance for the vehicle to come to a complete stop within a pullover deceleration limit may be determined based on a current speed of the vehicle. A second distance between a current location of the vehicle and the pullover start location may be determined. The first distance may be compared to the second distance to assess feasibility of the pullover location. The vehicle may be controlled in order to conduct a pullover maneuver in an autonomous driving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: Jakob Robert Zwiener
  • Publication number: 20230064179
    Abstract: The technology involves pullover maneuvers for vehicles operating in an autonomous driving mode. A vehicle operating in an autonomous driving mode is able to identify parking locations that may be occluded or otherwise not readily visible. A best case estimation for any potential parking locations, including partially or fully occluded areas, is compared against predictions for identified visible parking locations. This can include calculating a cost for each potential parking location and comparing that cost to a baseline cost. Upon determining that an occluded location would provide a more viable option than any visible parking locations, the vehicle is able to initiate a driving adjustment (e.g., slow down) prior to arriving at the occluded location. This enables the vehicle to minimize passenger discomfort while also providing notice to other road users of an intent to pull over.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Xu Dong, Jonathan Lee Pedersen, Jakob Robert Zwiener
  • Publication number: 20220297725
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to conducting pullover maneuvers for autonomous vehicles. For instance, a pullover location may be identified. A pullover start location may be determined for the pullover location. A first distance for the vehicle to come to a complete stop within a pullover deceleration limit may be determined based on a current speed of the vehicle. A second distance between a current location of the vehicle and the pullover start location may be determined. The first distance may be compared to the second distance to assess feasibility of the pullover location. The vehicle may be controlled in order to conduct a pullover maneuver in an autonomous driving mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventor: Jakob Robert Zwiener