Patents by Inventor Julien Mercay

Julien Mercay 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: 20210362736
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for determining when to provide and providing secondary disengage alerts for a vehicle having autonomous and manual driving modes. For instance, while the vehicle is being controlled in the autonomous driving mode, receiving user input at one or more using input devices of the vehicle. In response to receiving the user input, the vehicle may be transitioned from the autonomous driving mode to a manual driving mode and provide a primary disengage alert to an occupant of the vehicle regarding the transition. Whether to provide a secondary disengage alert may be determined based on at least circumstances of the user input. After the transition, the secondary disengage alert may be provided based on the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Philip Nemec, Keith Hutchings, Julien Mercay, Annissa Al-Alusi, Saswat Panigrahi, Cristi Landy, Matthew Schwall
  • Patent number: 11155205
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method of facilitating communications from an autonomous vehicle to a user. For instance, a method may include, while attempting to pick up the user and prior to the user entering an vehicle, inputting a current location of the vehicle and map information into a model in order to identify a type of communication action for communicating a location of the vehicle to the user; enabling a first communication based on the type of the communication action; determining whether the user has responded to the first communication from received sensor data; and enabling a second communication based on the determination of whether the user has responded to the communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Salil Pandit, Julien Mercay, Clement Wright
  • Patent number: 11077863
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for determining when to provide and providing secondary disengage alerts for a vehicle having autonomous and manual driving modes. For instance, while the vehicle is being controlled in the autonomous driving mode, receiving user input at one or more using input devices of the vehicle. In response to receiving the user input, the vehicle may be transitioned from the autonomous driving mode to a manual driving mode and provide a primary disengage alert to an occupant of the vehicle regarding the transition. Whether to provide a secondary disengage alert may be determined based on at least circumstances of the user input. After the transition, the secondary disengage alert may be provided based on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Philip Nemec, Keith Hutchings, Julien Mercay, Annissa Al-Alusi, Saswat Panigrahi, Cristi Landy, Matthew Schwall
  • Publication number: 20210221393
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to prioritizing notifications for a vehicle operating in an autonomous driving mode. As an example, a set of notifications based on one or more messages received or transmitted by a planning system of the vehicle may be generated. Each notification of the set of notifications is assigned a priority ranking. The set of notifications may be stored in a cache and the one or more processors may determine a first notification for display based on the priority rankings of the set of notifications and the first notification may be displayed on a display of the vehicle to a passenger of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Maria Moon, Hans-olav Cavelie, Juliet Rothenberg, Julien Mercay, Ryan Powell, Yang Li
  • Patent number: 11056003
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering an occupant of the vehicle to a destination autonomously as well as providing information about the vehicle and the vehicle's environment for display to the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Min Li Chan, Philip Nemec, Brian Douglas Cullinane, Julien Mercay, Peter Crandall
  • Publication number: 20210141376
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to a method of managing a fleet of autonomous vehicles providing trip services. The method includes receiving information identifying an intermediate destination and a final destination for a trip. In this example, the intermediate destination is a destination where an autonomous vehicle will drop off and wait for a passenger in order to continue the trip, and the final destination is a destination where the trip ends. The method also includes determining an amount of waiting time the vehicle is likely to be waiting for the passenger at the intermediate destination, determining how a vehicle of the fleet of autonomous vehicles should spend the amount of waiting time, and sending an instruction to the vehicle, based on the determination of how the vehicle should spend the amount of waiting time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Cristi Landy, Julien Mercay, Saksiri Tanphaichitr, Laurens Andreas Feenstra, Salil Pandit
  • Publication number: 20210106266
    Abstract: Assessing a likelihood of a person experiencing a fatigue event when the person tasked with monitoring a vehicle operating in an autonomous driving mode may include receiving a set of response times for a psychomotor vigilance test administered to the person. The test may include a plurality of trials which involve a person lifting a finger from a user input device. Whether the person passed or failed each trial of the set of trials may be determined. A model trained using data from prior psychomotor vigilance tests administered to the person may be identified for the person. Results of the determinations of whether the person passed or failed each trial of the set of trials may be input into the model in order to determine a value representative of a likelihood of a fatigue event. An intervention response may be initiated based on the value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Keith Hutchings, Julien Mercay, Nirmal Patel, Ilmo van der Lowe, Vasily Starostenko, Samrat Kansara
  • Patent number: 10957203
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle for maneuvering an occupant of the vehicle to a destination autonomously as well as providing information about the vehicle and the vehicle's environment for display to the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Min Li Chan, Philip Nemec, Brian Douglas Cullinane, Julien Mercay, Peter Crandall
  • Patent number: 10933886
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to prioritizing notifications for a vehicle operating in an autonomous driving mode. As an example, a set of notifications based on one or more messages received or transmitted by a planning system of the vehicle may be generated. Each notification of the set of notifications is assigned a priority ranking. The set of notifications may be stored in a cache and the one or more processors may determine a first notification for display based on the priority rankings of the set of notifications and the first notification may be displayed on a display of the vehicle to a passenger of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Maria Moon, Hans-olav Cavelie, Juliet Rothenberg, Julien Mercay, Ryan Powell, Yang Li
  • Publication number: 20210046946
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for determining when to provide and providing secondary disengage alerts for a vehicle having autonomous and manual driving modes. For instance, while the vehicle is being controlled in the autonomous driving mode, receiving user input at one or more using input devices of the vehicle. In response to receiving the user input, the vehicle may be transitioned from the autonomous driving mode to a manual driving mode and provide a primary disengage alert to an occupant of the vehicle regarding the transition. Whether to provide a secondary disengage alert may be determined based on at least circumstances of the user input. After the transition, the secondary disengage alert may be provided based on the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Philip Nemec, Keith Hutchings, Julien Mercay, Annissa Al-Alusi, Saswat Panigrahi
  • Publication number: 20210001865
    Abstract: This technology relates to dynamically detecting, managing and mitigating driver fatigue in autonomous systems. For instance, interactions of a driver in a vehicle may be monitored to determine a distance or time when primary tasks associated with operation of the vehicle or secondary tasks issued by the vehicle computing were last performed. If primary tasks or secondary tasks are not performed within given distance thresholds or time limits, then one or more secondary tasks are initiated by the computing device of the vehicle. In another instance, potential driver fatigue, driver distraction or overreliance on an automated driving system is detected based on gaze direction or pattern of a driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Keith Hutchings, Julien Mercay, Philip Nemec, Hans-olav CaveLie, Saswat Panigrahi, Renaud-Roland Hubert, Johan Engstrom
  • Publication number: 20210001864
    Abstract: This technology relates to dynamically detecting, managing and mitigating driver fatigue in autonomous systems. For instance, interactions of a driver in a vehicle may be monitored to determine a distance or time when primary tasks associated with operation of the vehicle or secondary tasks issued by the vehicle computing were last performed. If primary tasks or secondary tasks are not performed within given distance thresholds or time limits, then one or more secondary tasks are initiated by the computing device of the vehicle. In another instance, potential driver fatigue, driver distraction or overreliance on an automated driving system is detected based on gaze direction or pattern of a driver. For example, a detected gaze direction or pattern may be compared to an expected gaze direction or pattern given the surrounding environment in a vicinity of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Keith Hutchings, Julien Mercay, Philip Nemec, Hans-olav Cavelie, Saswat Panigrahi, Renaud-Roland Hubert, Johan Engstrom
  • Patent number: 10877479
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to a method of managing a fleet of autonomous vehicles providing trip services. The method includes receiving information identifying an intermediate destination and a final destination for a trip. In this example, the intermediate destination is a destination where an autonomous vehicle will drop off and wait for a passenger in order to continue the trip, and the final destination is a destination where the trip ends. The method also includes determining an amount of waiting time the vehicle is likely to be waiting for the passenger at the intermediate destination, determining how a vehicle of the fleet of autonomous vehicles should spend the amount of waiting time, and sending an instruction to the vehicle, based on the determination of how the vehicle should spend the amount of waiting time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Cristi Landy, Julien Mercay, Saksiri Tanphaichitr, Laurens Andreas Feenstra, Salil Pandit
  • Patent number: 10807605
    Abstract: This technology relates to dynamically detecting, managing and mitigating driver fatigue in autonomous systems. For instance, interactions of a driver in a vehicle may be monitored to determine a distance or time when primary tasks associated with operation of the vehicle or secondary tasks issued by the vehicle computing were last performed. If primary tasks or secondary tasks are not performed within given distance thresholds or time limits, then one or more secondary tasks are initiated by the computing device of the vehicle. In another instance, potential driver fatigue, driver distraction or overreliance on an automated driving system is detected based on gaze direction or pattern of a driver. For example, a detected gaze direction or pattern may be compared to an expected gaze direction or pattern given the surrounding environment in a vicinity of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Keith Hutchings, Julien Mercay, Philip Nemec, Hans-olav CaveLie, Saswat Panigrahi, Renaud-Roland Hubert, Johan Engstrom
  • Publication number: 20200290509
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method of facilitating communications from an autonomous vehicle to a user. For instance, a method may include, while attempting to pick up the user and prior to the user entering an vehicle, inputting a current location of the vehicle and map information into a model in order to identify a type of communication action for communicating a location of the vehicle to the user; enabling a first communication based on the type of the communication action; determining whether the user has responded to the first communication from received sensor data; and enabling a second communication based on the determination of whether the user has responded to the communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Salil Pandit, Julien Mercay, Clement Wright
  • Publication number: 20200234588
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate providing a lane change notification when a vehicle is to perform a lane change. One or more computing devices may generate and display a video, where the video is generated from a perspective of a virtual camera at a default position and default pitch. The one or more computing devices may receive an indication that the vehicle is to perform a lane change from a first lane to a second lane and adjust, after the vehicle receives the indication, the default position and default pitch of the virtual camera to an updated position further above the vehicle relative to ground than the default position and an updated pitch directed more towards the ground than the default pitch. The video may be generated and displayed from the perspective of the virtual camera at the updated position and updated pitch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: Nirmal Patel, Peter Crandall, Julien Mercay
  • Patent number: 10696222
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method of facilitating communications from an autonomous vehicle to a user. For instance, a method may include, while attempting to pick up the user and prior to the user entering an vehicle, inputting a current location of the vehicle and map information into a model in order to identify a type of communication action for communicating a location of the vehicle to the user; enabling a first communication based on the type of the communication action; determining whether the user has responded to the first communication from received sensor data; and enabling a second communication based on the determination of whether the user has responded to the communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Salil Pandit, Julien Mercay, Clement Wright
  • Publication number: 20200198644
    Abstract: This technology relates to dynamically detecting, managing and mitigating driver fatigue in autonomous systems. For instance, interactions of a driver in a vehicle may be monitored to determine a distance or time when primary tasks associated with operation of the vehicle or secondary tasks issued by the vehicle computing were last performed. If primary tasks or secondary tasks are not performed within given distance thresholds or time limits, then one or more secondary tasks are initiated by the computing device of the vehicle. In another instance, potential driver fatigue, driver distraction or overreliance on an automated driving system is detected based on gaze direction or pattern of a driver. For example, a detected gaze direction or pattern may be compared to an expected gaze direction or pattern given the surrounding environment in a vicinity of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Keith Hutchings, Julien Mercay, Philip Nemec, Hans-olav CaveLie, Saswat Panigrahi, Renaud-Roland Hubert, Johan Engstrom
  • Publication number: 20200192363
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to a method of managing a fleet of autonomous vehicles providing trip services. The method includes receiving information identifying an intermediate destination and a final destination for a trip. In this example, the intermediate destination is a destination where an autonomous vehicle will drop off and wait for a passenger in order to continue the trip, and the final destination is a destination where the trip ends. The method also includes determining an amount of waiting time the vehicle is likely to be waiting for the passenger at the intermediate destination, determining how a vehicle of the fleet of autonomous vehicles should spend the amount of waiting time, and sending an instruction to the vehicle, based on the determination of how the vehicle should spend the amount of waiting time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Cristi Landy, Julien Mercay, Saksiri Tanphaichitr, Laurens Andreas Feenstra, Salil Pandit
  • Publication number: 20200175428
    Abstract: The technology relates to assigning customer service requests for a fleet of autonomous vehicles providing trip services. For instance, a message having contents including information about a trip the vehicle is currently servicing may be received from a computing device of an autonomous vehicle of the fleet of vehicles. A request for customer service for the vehicle may be generated based on the contents of the message. A priority of the request may be determined based on the contents of the message. The request may be inserted into a queue based on the priority. The request may be assigned to a customer service representative based on a place of the request in the queue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Julien Mercay, Laurens Andreas Feenstra, Shir Yehoshua, Kyle Bechtel, Peter Colijn, Angela Wise