Patents by Inventor Joseph Patrick Wendell Whinnery

Joseph Patrick Wendell Whinnery 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: 11865235
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for disinfecting a cabin of a vehicle. In one example, a disinfection system comprises a controller, an ultraviolet radiation source, an air duct, and a steerable optical system. The ultraviolet radiation source is in communication with the controller, disposed within the air duct, and configured to emit ultraviolet radiation. The air duct comprises an inlet configured to receive air particles from within the cabin. The air duct comprises one or more internal reflective surfaces configured to reflect the ultraviolet radiation so as to disinfect the air particles within the air duct. The air duct comprises an outlet configured to transmit the disinfected air particles out of the air duct via the outlet. The steerable optical system is coupled to the air duct and configured to receive and selectively direct the ultraviolet radiation to disinfect the cabin. Additional systems and related methods are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Patrick Wendell Whinnery, Azhar Kamal Meyer, Benjamin Patrick Rhoads
  • Patent number: 11674812
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can determine at least one potential route for navigating a vehicle within a geographic region. A score that measures a comfort level associated with the potential route can be determined, wherein the score is determined based on at least one sensor map that segments the geographic region into a grid of cells, and wherein the comfort level for the potential route is determined based at least in part on cells through which the vehicle travels while navigating along the potential route. A determination is made whether to use the potential route for navigating the vehicle based at least in part on the score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventors: Sammy Omari, Joseph Patrick Wendell Whinnery, Alfred Charles Jones, II
  • Patent number: 11614753
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can determine sensor data collected by a fleet of vehicles while navigating a geographic region, the sensor data including sensor readings generated at least in part by a surface interaction between one or more tires of each of the fleet of vehicles and a road surface of the geographic region. A sensor map representing the geographic region can be determined. The map can segment the geographic region into a grid of cells. Instances of the collected sensor data can be associated with cells in the grid of cells. A corresponding fingerprint can be determined for one or more cells in the grid of cells based at least in part on a plurality of instances of sensor data associated with the cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventors: Sammy Omari, Joseph Patrick Wendell Whinnery, Alfred Charles Jones, II
  • Publication number: 20220375278
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can determine sensor data collected by a fleet of vehicles while navigating a geographic region. Information describing respective states of a plurality of personal mobility vehicles in the geographic region can be determined based at least in part on the sensor data. One or more operations for managing the personal mobility vehicles can be determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventors: Romain Clément, Joseph Patrick Wendell Whinnery
  • Patent number: 11423710
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can determine sensor data collected by a fleet of vehicles while navigating a geographic region. Information describing respective states of a plurality of personal mobility vehicles in the geographic region can be determined based at least in part on the sensor data. One or more operations for managing the personal mobility vehicles can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventors: Romain Clément, Joseph Patrick Wendell Whinnery
  • Publication number: 20210402041
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for disinfecting a cabin of a vehicle. In one example, a disinfection system comprises a controller, an ultraviolet radiation source, an air duct, and a steerable optical system. The ultraviolet radiation source is in communication with the controller, disposed within the air duct, and configured to emit ultraviolet radiation. The air duct comprises an inlet configured to receive air particles from within the cabin. The air duct comprises one or more internal reflective surfaces configured to reflect the ultraviolet radiation so as to disinfect the air particles within the air duct. The air duct comprises an outlet configured to transmit the disinfected air particles out of the air duct via the outlet. The steerable optical system is coupled to the air duct and configured to receive and selectively direct the ultraviolet radiation to disinfect the cabin. Additional systems and related methods are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Joseph Patrick Wendell Whinnery, Azhar Kamal Meyer, Benjamin Patrick Rhoads
  • Publication number: 20200378766
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can determine one or more sensor measurements captured by one or more sensors of a vehicle while navigating a geographic region. A sensor map representing the geographic region can be determined. The map can segment the geographic region into a grid of cells. A plurality of cells in the grid are associated with one or more corresponding sensor fingerprints. A threshold level of correlation can be determined between a captured sensor measurement and at least one sensor fingerprint associated with a cell in the grid. The vehicle can be localized within the geographic region based at least in part on the threshold level of correlation between the captured sensor measurement and the at least one sensor fingerprint of the cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Applicant: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventors: Sammy Omari, Joseph Patrick Wendell Whinnery, Alfred Charles Jones, II
  • Publication number: 20200379484
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can determine sensor data collected by a fleet of vehicles while navigating a geographic region, the sensor data including sensor readings generated at least in part by a surface interaction between one or more tires of each of the fleet of vehicles and a road surface of the geographic region. A sensor map representing the geographic region can be determined. The map can segment the geographic region into a grid of cells. Instances of the collected sensor data can be associated with cells in the grid of cells. A corresponding fingerprint can be determined for one or more cells in the grid of cells based at least in part on a plurality of instances of sensor data associated with the cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Applicant: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventors: Sammy Omari, Joseph Patrick Wendell Whinnery, Alfred Charles Jones, II
  • Publication number: 20200378776
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can determine at least one potential route for navigating a vehicle within a geographic region. A score that measures a comfort level associated with the potential route can be determined, wherein the score is determined based on at least one sensor map that segments the geographic region into a grid of cells, and wherein the comfort level for the potential route is determined based at least in part on cells through which the vehicle travels while navigating along the potential route. A determination is made whether to use the potential route for navigating the vehicle based at least in part on the score.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Applicant: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventors: Sammy Omari, Joseph Patrick Wendell Whinnery, Alfred Charles Jones, II
  • Publication number: 20200312058
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can determine sensor data collected by a fleet of vehicles while navigating a geographic region. Information describing respective states of a plurality of personal mobility vehicles in the geographic region can be determined based at least in part on the sensor data. One or more operations for managing the personal mobility vehicles can be determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicant: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventors: Romain Clément, Joseph Patrick Wendell Whinnery
  • Patent number: 8922100
    Abstract: A woven active fiber composite is disclosed. The woven active fiber composite includes actuating fibers interwoven with conductive wire electrodes. A method of making the woven active fiber composite is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Joseph Patrick Wendell Whinnery
  • Publication number: 20100227521
    Abstract: A woven active fiber composite is disclosed. The woven active fiber composite includes actuating fibers interwoven with conductive wire electrodes. A method of making the woven active fiber composite is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Joseph Patrick Wendell Whinnery