Patents by Inventor Laura W. Shane

Laura W. Shane 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: 20240116514
    Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying water on a road surface via ultrasonic return intensity analysis are provided. The method comprises generating, using a processor, a road surface mapping of a road surface of an environment of a vehicle, transmitting, using one or more ultrasonic transducers, one or more ultrasonic waves in a direction of the road surface, receiving, using the one or more ultrasonic transducers, one or more returned ultrasonic waves, wherein the one or more returned ultrasonic waves return to the one or more ultrasonic transducers after reflecting off the road surface, determining an intensity of the one or more returned ultrasonic waves, and, when the intensity is below a threshold intensity, determining that a location at which the returned ultrasonic waves reflected off of the road surface has water present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: Kodiak Robotics, Inc.
    Inventor: Laura W. Shane
  • Publication number: 20240116513
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a degree of wetness of a road surface from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) point clouds are provided. The method comprises generating, using a LiDAR system, at least one point cloud, wherein the LiDAR system comprises a processor, and, using the processor, identifying and isolating one or more road surface points within a point cloud of the at least one point cloud, wherein the one or more road surface points indicate a road surface portion within an environment of the point cloud, analyzing the one or more road surface points to determine a number of the one or more road surface points that are zero intensity returns, and, based on the number of zero intensity returns, determining a degree of wetness of the road surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: Kodiak Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Laura W. Shane, Suzanne L. Woll
  • Publication number: 20240118424
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a presence of water along a surface from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) point clouds is provided. The method comprises generating, using a LiDAR system coupled to a vehicle, at least one point cloud, wherein the LiDAR system comprises a processor, and, using the processor, identifying and isolating a ground plane within the at least one point cloud, identifying one or more objects within the at least one point cloud, determining whether a reflection of the one or more objects is present in the at least one point cloud below the ground plane, and, when the reflection is present, determining that water is present along a surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: Kodiak Robotics, Inc.
    Inventor: Laura W. Shane
  • Publication number: 20240111057
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting a presence of water along a surface and adjusting a speed of a vehicle are provided. The method comprises generating one or more data points from one or more sensors coupled to a vehicle, and, using a processor, determining, based on the one or more data points, whether water is present along a surface, when water is present along the surface, determining a speed adjustment of the vehicle based on the water present along the surface, and generating a control signal configured to cause the vehicle to adjust a speed of the vehicle according to the speed adjustment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicant: Kodiak Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Suzanne L. Woll, Laura W. Shane