Patents by Inventor Katharine Patterson
Katharine Patterson 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: 20240125619Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to generating scouting objectives in order to update map information used to control a fleet of vehicles in an autonomous driving mode. For instance, a notification from a vehicle of the fleet identifying a feature and a location of the feature may be received. A first bound for a scouting area may be identified based on the location of the feature. A second bound for the scouting area may be identified based on a lane closest to the feature. A scouting objective may be generated for the feature based on the first bound and the second bound.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2023Publication date: April 18, 2024Inventors: Katharine Patterson, Joshua Herbach, David Silver, David Margines
-
Patent number: 11885639Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to generating scouting objectives in order to update map information used to control a fleet of vehicles in an autonomous driving mode. For instance, a notification from a vehicle of the fleet identifying a feature and a location of the feature may be received. A first bound for a scouting area may be identified based on the location of the feature. A second bound for the scouting area may be identified based on a lane closest to the feature. A scouting objective may be generated for the feature based on the first bound and the second bound.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2020Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Katharine Patterson, Joshua Herbach, David Silver, David Margines
-
Patent number: 11804136Abstract: A method is provided for managing and tracking scouting tasks to obtain map information using a fleet of autonomous vehicles. For instance, the method includes defining a scouting quest to obtain the map information. The scouting quest includes a plurality of objectives. Each objective is associated with a geographic location from which sensor data is to be captured. The method also includes receiving a first update message from an autonomous vehicle of the fleet. The update message identifies a location of the autonomous vehicle. The method also includes assigning at least one of the objectives to the autonomous vehicle based on the location of the autonomous vehicle. The method also includes sending instructions to the autonomous vehicle in order to cause the autonomous vehicle to complete the at least one objective and after sending, tracking a status of the scouting quest.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2021Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Katharine Patterson, Laurens Andreas Feenstra, Peter Colijn, Austin Daniel Abrams
-
Patent number: 11708086Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to distributing vehicles to perform scouting. This may involve receiving a request for a scouting objective for a vehicle, and in response, identifying a set of scouting objectives that the vehicle is eligible to visit. Each scouting objective of the set is associated with one or more scouting quests, and each scouting quest is associated with a plurality of scouting objectives. For each given scouting objective in the set of scouting objectives, an overall weight may be determined using combined weights for the given scouting objective and any scouting quests with which the given scouting objective is associated. One or more scouting objectives of the set of scouting objectives may be selected using the determined overall weights. The one or more selected scouting objectives may be provided to the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2020Date of Patent: July 25, 2023Assignee: Waymo LLCInventor: Katharine Patterson
-
Patent number: 11675370Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to assigning a fleet of driverless vehicles to a plurality of parking locations for parking vehicles of the fleet. For instance, locations of the vehicles of the fleet as well as a number of available spaces at each of the plurality of parking location locations may be tracked. A subset of the fleet not already located at one of the plurality of parking locations is identified. At least one assignment assigning each vehicle of the subset to a respective parking location of the plurality of parking locations is determined according to the numbers of available spaces and the identified locations of the subset. For the at least one assignment, a total cost is determined by determining a cost value for each of a plurality of factors. The given assignment is sent to the fleet based on the total cost and the cost value.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2021Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Peter Colijn, Laurens Andreas Feenstra, Joshua Seth Herbach, Katharine Patterson
-
Publication number: 20220413510Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method of providing a destination to an autonomous vehicle in order to enable the autonomous vehicle to collect data according to a targeted driving goal. For instance, a current location of an autonomous vehicle may be received. A set of destinations may be selected from a plurality of predetermined destinations. A route may be determined for each destination. A relevance score may be determined for each destination based on the determined routes and the targeted driving goal. Each destination may be assigned to one of a set of two or more buckets based on the relevance scores. A destination of the set may be selected based on a predetermined sampling probability. The selected destination is sent to the autonomous vehicle in order to cause the autonomous vehicle to travel to the selected destination in an autonomous driving mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2021Publication date: December 29, 2022Inventors: Xiaoyue Zhao, Henning Hohnhold, Xiang Gao, Ajay Joshi, Vishay Nihalani, Katharine Patterson, Joseph Lee
-
Publication number: 20220089176Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to distributing vehicles to perform scouting. This may involve receiving a request for a scouting objective for a vehicle, and in response, identifying a set of scouting objectives that the vehicle is eligible to visit. Each scouting objective of the set is associated with one or more scouting quests, and each scouting quest is associated with a plurality of scouting objectives. For each given scouting objective in the set of scouting objectives, an overall weight may be determined using combined weights for the given scouting objective and any scouting quests with which the given scouting objective is associated. One or more scouting objectives of the set of scouting objectives may be selected using the determined overall weights. The one or more selected scouting objectives may be provided to the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2020Publication date: March 24, 2022Inventor: Katharine Patterson
-
Publication number: 20220042821Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to generating scouting objectives in order to update map information used to control a fleet of vehicles in an autonomous driving mode. For instance, a notification from a vehicle of the fleet identifying a feature and a location of the feature may be received. A first bound for a scouting area may be identified based on the location of the feature. A second bound for the scouting area may be identified based on a lane closest to the feature. A scouting objective may be generated for the feature based on the first bound and the second bound.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2020Publication date: February 10, 2022Inventors: Katharine Patterson, Joshua Herbach, David Silver, David Margines
-
Publication number: 20220004200Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to assigning a fleet of driverless vehicles to a plurality of parking locations for parking vehicles of the fleet. For instance, locations of the vehicles of the fleet as well as a number of available spaces at each of the plurality of parking location locations may be tracked. A subset of the fleet not already located at one of the plurality of parking locations is identified. At least one assignment assigning each vehicle of the subset to a respective parking location of the plurality of parking locations is determined according to the numbers of available spaces and the identified locations of the subset. For the at least one assignment, a total cost is determined by determining a cost value for each of a plurality of factors. The given assignment is sent to the fleet based on the total cost and the cost value.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: Peter Colijn, Laurens Andreas Feenstra, Joshua Seth Herbach, Katharine Patterson
-
Patent number: 11157018Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to assigning a fleet of driverless vehicles to a plurality of parking locations for parking vehicles of the fleet. For instance, locations of the vehicles of the fleet as well as a number of available spaces at each of the plurality of parking location locations may be tracked. A subset of the fleet not already located at one of the plurality of parking locations is identified. At least one assignment assigning each vehicle of the subset to a respective parking location of the plurality of parking locations is determined according to the numbers of available spaces and the identified locations of the subset. For the at least one assignment, a total cost is determined by determining a cost value for each of a plurality of factors. The given assignment is sent to the fleet based on the total cost and the cost value.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2019Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Peter Colijn, Laurens Andreas Feenstra, Joshua Seth Herbach, Katharine Patterson
-
Patent number: 11017674Abstract: A method is provided for managing and tracking scouting tasks to obtain map information using a fleet of autonomous vehicles. For instance, the method includes defining a scouting quest to obtain the map information. The scouting quest includes a plurality of objectives. Each objective is associated with a geographic location from which sensor data is to be captured. The method also includes receiving a first update message from an autonomous vehicle of the fleet. The update message identifies a location of the autonomous vehicle. The method also includes assigning at least one of the objectives to the autonomous vehicle based on the location of the autonomous vehicle. The method also includes, sending instructions to the autonomous vehicle in order to cause the autonomous vehicle to complete the at least one objective and after sending, tracking a status of the scouting quest.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2018Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Katharine Patterson, Laurens Andreas Feenstra, Peter Colijn, Austin Daniel Abrams
-
Publication number: 20200201355Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to assigning a fleet of driverless vehicles to a plurality of parking locations for parking vehicles of the fleet. For instance, locations of the vehicles of the fleet as well as a number of available spaces at each of the plurality of parking location locations may be tracked. A subset of the fleet not already located at one of the plurality of parking locations is identified. At least one assignment assigning each vehicle of the subset to a respective parking location of the plurality of parking locations is determined according to the numbers of available spaces and the identified locations of the subset. For the at least one assignment, a total cost is determined by determining a cost value for each of a plurality of factors. The given assignment is sent to the fleet based on the total cost and the cost value.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2019Publication date: June 25, 2020Inventors: Peter Colijn, Laurens Andreas Feenstra, Joshua Seth Herbach, Katharine Patterson
-
Patent number: 10545510Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to assigning a fleet of driverless vehicles to a plurality of parking locations for parking vehicles of the fleet. For instance, locations of the vehicles of the fleet as well as a number of available spaces at each of the plurality of parking location locations may be tracked. A subset of the fleet not already located at one of the plurality of parking locations is identified. At least one assignment assigning each vehicle of the subset to a respective parking location of the plurality of parking locations is determined according to the numbers of available spaces and the identified locations of the subset. For the at least one assignment, a total cost is determined by determining a cost value for each of a plurality of factors. The given assignment is sent to the fleet based on the total cost and the cost value.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2017Date of Patent: January 28, 2020Assignee: WAYMO LLCInventors: Peter Colijn, Laurens Andreas Feenstra, Joshua Seth Herbach, Katharine Patterson
-
Publication number: 20190179336Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to assigning a fleet of driverless vehicles to a plurality of parking locations for parking vehicles of the fleet. For instance, locations of the vehicles of the fleet as well as a number of available spaces at each of the plurality of parking location locations may be tracked. A subset of the fleet not already located at one of the plurality of parking locations is identified. At least one assignment assigning each vehicle of the subset to a respective parking location of the plurality of parking locations is determined according to the numbers of available spaces and the identified locations of the subset. For the at least one assignment, a total cost is determined by determining a cost value for each of a plurality of factors. The given assignment is sent to the fleet based on the total cost and the cost value.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2017Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventors: Peter Colijn, Laurens Andreas Feenstra, Joshua Seth Herbach, Katharine Patterson
-
Publication number: 20190092341Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to vehicle systems including one or more control computing devices configured to send commands to one or more actuators of the vehicle in order to control deceleration, acceleration, and steering. The vehicle may include user input devices for allowing a driver to control the one or more actuators in order to control deceleration, acceleration, and steering. The computing devices are configured to operate in a manual driving mode where commands from the control computing devices are invalidated and ignored by the actuators, a first autonomous driving mode where the control computing devices are configured to send the commands to control the actuators and inputs from the user input devices are prioritized over the commands; and a second autonomous driving mode wherein the control computing devices are configured to send the commands to control the actuators and inputs from commands are prioritized over inputs from the user input devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2017Publication date: March 28, 2019Inventors: Ethan Stark, Daniel Trawick Egnor, Ryan Cash, Katharine Patterson