Patents by Inventor Jeffrey Charles Koechling

Jeffrey Charles Koechling 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: 8949024
    Abstract: Described are a method and a system for localization of a vehicle. The method includes the acquisition of SPR images of a subsurface region along a vehicle track. Acquired SPR images are compared to SPR images previously acquired for a subsurface region that at least partially overlaps the subsurface region along the vehicle track. In some embodiments, the comparison includes an image correlation procedure. Location data for the vehicle are determined based in part on location data for the SPR images previously acquired for the second subsurface region. Location data can be used to guide the vehicle along a desired path. The relatively static nature of features in the subsurface region provides the method with advantages over other sensor-based navigation systems that may be adversely affected by weather conditions, dynamic features and time-varying illumination. The method can be used in a variety of applications, including self-driving automobiles and autonomous platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Byron McCall Stanley, Matthew Tyler Cornick, Charles Michael Coldwell, Jeffrey Charles Koechling, Beijia Zhang
  • Publication number: 20140121964
    Abstract: Described are a method and a system for localization of a vehicle. The method includes the acquisition of SPR images of a subsurface region along a vehicle track. Acquired SPR images are compared to SPR images previously acquired for a subsurface region that at least partially overlaps the subsurface region along the vehicle track. In some embodiments, the comparison includes an image correlation procedure. Location data for the vehicle are determined based in part on location data for the SPR images previously acquired for the second subsurface region. Location data can be used to guide the vehicle along a desired path. The relatively static nature of features in the subsurface region provides the method with advantages over other sensor-based navigation systems that may be adversely affected by weather conditions, dynamic features and time-varying illumination. The method can be used in a variety of applications, including self-driving automobiles and autonomous platforms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Byron McCall Stanley, Matthew Tyler Cornick, Charles Michael Coldwell, Jeffrey Charles Koechling, Beijia Zhang