Patents by Inventor Lee A. Pedersen
Lee A. Pedersen 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).
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Publication number: 20240101104Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for controlling an autonomous vehicle to enter a driveway. As an example, an instruction to pickup or drop off a passenger at a location may be received. It may be determined that the vehicle is arriving in a lane on an opposite side of a street as the location, the lane having a traffic direction opposite to a traffic direction of a lane adjacent to the location. A difficulty score to maneuver the vehicle to the lane adjacent to the location may be determined, and the difficulty score may be compared to a predetermined difficulty score. Based on the comparison, it may be determined to an available driveway on the same side of the street as the location. The vehicle may be controlled to enter the available driveway.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2023Publication date: March 28, 2024Inventors: John Wesley Dyer, Michael Epstein, Jonathan Lee Pedersen
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Patent number: 11884264Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for controlling an autonomous vehicle to enter a driveway. As an example, an instruction to pickup or drop off a passenger at a location may be received. It may be determined that the vehicle is arriving in a lane on an opposite side of a street as the location, the lane having a traffic direction opposite to a traffic direction of a lane adjacent to the location. A difficulty score to maneuver the vehicle to the lane adjacent to the location may be determined, and the difficulty score may be compared to a predetermined difficulty score. Based on the comparison, it may be determined to an available driveway on the same side of the street as the location. The vehicle may be controlled to enter the available driveway.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2021Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: John Wesley Dyer, Michael Epstein, Jonathan Lee Pedersen
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Patent number: 11859989Abstract: The technology involves pullover maneuvers for vehicles operating in an autonomous driving mode. A vehicle operating in an autonomous driving mode is able to identify parking locations that may be occluded or otherwise not readily visible. A best case estimation for any potential parking locations, including partially or fully occluded areas, is compared against predictions for identified visible parking locations. This can include calculating a cost for each potential parking location and comparing that cost to a baseline cost. Upon determining that an occluded location would provide a more viable option than any visible parking locations, the vehicle is able to initiate a driving adjustment (e.g., slow down) prior to arriving at the occluded location. This enables the vehicle to minimize passenger discomfort while also providing notice to other road users of an intent to pull over.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2021Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Xu Dong, Jonathan Lee Pedersen, Jakob Robert Zwiener
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Publication number: 20230415771Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for enabling autonomous vehicles to pull over into driveways when picking up or dropping off passengers or goods. For instance, a request for a trip identifying a first location and a second location may be received. The first location may be a location of a client computing device, and the second location may be a starting location or a destination for the trip. A user preference for the trip indicating that a pickup for the trip be in a driveway may be identified. That the first location corresponds with the second location may be identified. Based on the determination that the first location corresponds with the second location, dispatch instructions may be to an autonomous vehicle. The dispatch instructions may identify a polygon for a driveway at the second location in order to cause the autonomous vehicle to pull over into the driveway.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2023Publication date: December 28, 2023Inventors: Mishika Vora, Jonathan Lee Pedersen
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Patent number: 11780462Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for enabling autonomous vehicles to pull over into driveways when picking up or dropping off passengers or goods. For instance, a request for a trip identifying a first location and a second location may be received. The first location may be a location of a client computing device, and the second location may be a starting location or a destination for the trip. A user preference for the trip indicating that a pickup for the trip be in a driveway may be identified. That the first location corresponds with the second location may be identified. Based on the determination that the first location corresponds with the second location, dispatch instructions may be to an autonomous vehicle. The dispatch instructions may identify a polygon for a driveway at the second location in order to cause the autonomous vehicle to pull over into the driveway.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2022Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Mishika Vora, Jonathan Lee Pedersen
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Patent number: 11720102Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to parking behaviors and maneuvering a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode accordingly. For instance, a pullover location for the vehicle to stop and wait for a passenger may be identified. The vehicle may be maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode in order to pull over by pulling forward into the pullover location. Whether to maneuver the vehicle in reverse in the pullover location before or after the passenger enters the vehicle may be determined based on context for the pull over with respect to the passenger. The vehicle may be maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode in reverse based on the determination of whether to maneuver the vehicle in reverse in the pullover location before or after the passenger enters the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2021Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: John Wesley Dyer, Michael Epstein, Konstantin Pervyshev, Jonathan Lee Pedersen, Salil Pandit
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Publication number: 20230099334Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for selecting a pull-over location using machine learning. One of the methods includes obtaining data specifying a target pull-over location for an autonomous vehicle travelling on a roadway. A plurality of candidate pull-over locations in a vicinity of the target pull-over location are identified. For each candidate pull-over location, an input that includes features of the candidate pull-over location is processed using a machine learning model to generate a respective likelihood score representing a predicted likelihood that the candidate pull-over location is an optimal location. The features of the candidate pull-over location include one or more features that compare the candidate pull-over location to the target pull-over location. Using the respective likelihood scores, one of the candidate pull-over locations is selected as an actual pull-over location for the autonomous vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2021Publication date: March 30, 2023Inventors: Jonathan Lee Pedersen, Yu Zheng, Eamonn Michael Doherty, Brian Clair Williammee, Kevin Joseph Malta, Chung Eun Kim, Xu Dong
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Publication number: 20230082219Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for enabling autonomous vehicles to pull over into driveways when picking up or dropping off passengers or goods. For instance, a request for a trip identifying a first location and a second location may be received. The first location may be a location of a client computing device, and the second location may be a starting location or a destination for the trip. A user preference for the trip indicating that a pickup for the trip be in a driveway may be identified. That the first location corresponds with the second location may be identified. Based on the determination that the first location corresponds with the second location, dispatch instructions may be to an autonomous vehicle. The dispatch instructions may identify a polygon for a driveway at the second location in order to cause the autonomous vehicle to pull over into the driveway.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2022Publication date: March 16, 2023Inventors: Mishika Vora, Jonathan Lee Pedersen
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Publication number: 20230064179Abstract: The technology involves pullover maneuvers for vehicles operating in an autonomous driving mode. A vehicle operating in an autonomous driving mode is able to identify parking locations that may be occluded or otherwise not readily visible. A best case estimation for any potential parking locations, including partially or fully occluded areas, is compared against predictions for identified visible parking locations. This can include calculating a cost for each potential parking location and comparing that cost to a baseline cost. Upon determining that an occluded location would provide a more viable option than any visible parking locations, the vehicle is able to initiate a driving adjustment (e.g., slow down) prior to arriving at the occluded location. This enables the vehicle to minimize passenger discomfort while also providing notice to other road users of an intent to pull over.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2021Publication date: March 2, 2023Inventors: Xu Dong, Jonathan Lee Pedersen, Jakob Robert Zwiener
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Patent number: 11498585Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for enabling autonomous vehicles to pull over into driveways when picking up or dropping off passengers or goods. For instance, a request for a trip identifying a first location and a second location may be received. The first location may be a location of a client computing device, and the second location may be a starting location or a destination for the trip. A user preference for the trip indicating that a pickup for the trip be in a driveway may be identified. That the first location corresponds with the second location may be identified. Based on the determination that the first location corresponds with the second location, dispatch instructions may be to an autonomous vehicle. The dispatch instructions may identify a polygon for a driveway at the second location in order to cause the autonomous vehicle to pull over into the driveway.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2021Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Mishika Vora, Jonathan Lee Pedersen
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Publication number: 20220355817Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for enabling autonomous vehicles to pull over into driveways when picking up or dropping off passengers or goods. For instance, a request for a trip identifying a first location and a second location may be received. The first location may be a location of a client computing device, and the second location may be a starting location or a destination for the trip. A user preference for the trip indicating that a pickup for the trip be in a driveway may be identified. That the first location corresponds with the second location may be identified. Based on the determination that the first location corresponds with the second location, dispatch instructions may be to an autonomous vehicle. The dispatch instructions may identify a polygon for a driveway at the second location in order to cause the autonomous vehicle to pull over into the driveway.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2021Publication date: November 10, 2022Inventors: Mishika Vora, Jonathan Lee Pedersen
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Publication number: 20220198107Abstract: Evaluating a simulation of an autonomous vehicle may be performed by using one or more processors to receive log data collected for a given area, generate environment data for the given area using the log data, run the set of simulations using an autonomous vehicle software, extract one or more metrics from the set of simulations, and evaluate the set of simulations using the one or more metrics. The set of simulations includes one or more of a selection simulation comprising a selection of a location related to the particular maneuver in the given area, a decision process simulation comprising a decision process playthrough for the particular maneuver in the given area, a maneuver simulation comprising a maneuver playthrough of the particular maneuver in the given area, and a replay simulation comprising a replay of the particular maneuver in a run from the log data.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2020Publication date: June 23, 2022Inventor: Jonathan Lee Pedersen
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Publication number: 20210278844Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to parking behaviors and maneuvering a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode accordingly. For instance, a pullover location for the vehicle to stop and wait for a passenger may be identified. The vehicle may be maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode in order to pull over by pulling forward into the pullover location. Whether to maneuver the vehicle in reverse in the pullover location before or after the passenger enters the vehicle may be determined based on context for the pull over with respect to the passenger. The vehicle may be maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode in reverse based on the determination of whether to maneuver the vehicle in reverse in the pullover location before or after the passenger enters the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2021Publication date: September 9, 2021Inventors: John Wesley Dyer, Michael Epstein, Konstantin Pervyshev, Jonathan Lee Pedersen, Salil Pandit
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Publication number: 20210245737Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for controlling an autonomous vehicle to enter a driveway. As an example, an instruction to pickup or drop off a passenger at a location may be received. It may be determined that the vehicle is arriving in a lane on an opposite side of a street as the location, the lane having a traffic direction opposite to a traffic direction of a lane adjacent to the location. A difficulty score to maneuver the vehicle to the lane adjacent to the location may be determined, and the difficulty score may be compared to a predetermined difficulty score. Based on the comparison, it may be determined to an available driveway on the same side of the street as the location. The vehicle may be controlled to enter the available driveway.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2021Publication date: August 12, 2021Inventors: John Wesley Dyer, Michael Epstein, Jonathan Lee Pedersen
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Patent number: 11048256Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to parking behaviors and maneuvering a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode accordingly. For instance, a pullover location for the vehicle to stop and wait for a passenger may be identified. The vehicle may be maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode in order to pull over by pulling forward into the pullover location. Whether to maneuver the vehicle in reverse in the pullover location before or after the passenger enters the vehicle may be determined based on context for the pull over with respect to the passenger. The vehicle may be maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode in reverse based on the determination of whether to maneuver the vehicle in reverse in the pullover location before or after the passenger enters the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2019Date of Patent: June 29, 2021Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: John Wesley Dyer, Michael Epstein, Konstantin Pervyshev, Jonathan Lee Pedersen, Salil Pandit
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Patent number: 10988137Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for controlling an autonomous vehicle to enter a driveway. As an example, an instruction to pickup or drop off a passenger at a location may be received. It may be determined that the vehicle is arriving in a lane on an opposite side of a street as the location, the lane having a traffic direction opposite to a traffic direction of a lane adjacent to the location. A difficulty score to maneuver the vehicle to the lane adjacent to the location may be determined, and the difficulty score may be compared to a predetermined difficulty score. Based on the comparison, it may be determined to an available driveway on the same side of the street as the location. The vehicle may be controlled to enter the available driveway.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2018Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: John Wesley Dyer, Michael Epstein, Jonathan Lee Pedersen
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Publication number: 20210053567Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to maneuvering a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode. For instance, a time constraint for a pullover maneuver and a geographic constraint for the pullover maneuver may be identified. The time constraint and the geographic constraint may be input into a model in order to receive a list of qualities for a region, the region including a plurality of pullover locations. Whether to attempt to find a pullover location within the region to perform the pullover maneuver may be determined based on the list of qualities for the region. The vehicle may be maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode based on the determination whether to attempt to find a pullover location within the region.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2019Publication date: February 25, 2021Inventors: John Wesley Dyer, Michael Epstein, Jonathan Lee Pedersen
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Publication number: 20210041870Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to parking behaviors and maneuvering a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode accordingly. For instance, a pullover location for the vehicle to stop and wait for a passenger may be identified. The vehicle may be maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode in order to pull over by pulling forward into the pullover location. Whether to maneuver the vehicle in reverse in the pullover location before or after the passenger enters the vehicle may be determined based on context for the pull over with respect to the passenger. The vehicle may be maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode in reverse based on the determination of whether to maneuver the vehicle in reverse in the pullover location before or after the passenger enters the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2019Publication date: February 11, 2021Inventors: John Wesley Dyer, Michael Epstein, Konstantin Pervyshev, Jonathan Lee Pedersen, Salil Pandit
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Publication number: 20200172089Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for controlling an autonomous vehicle to enter a driveway. As an example, an instruction to pickup or drop off a passenger at a location may be received. It may be determined that the vehicle is arriving in a lane on an opposite side of a street as the location, the lane having a traffic direction opposite to a traffic direction of a lane adjacent to the location. A difficulty score to maneuver the vehicle to the lane adjacent to the location may be determined, and the difficulty score may be compared to a predetermined difficulty score. Based on the comparison, it may be determined to an available driveway on the same side of the street as the location. The vehicle may be controlled to enter the available driveway.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2018Publication date: June 4, 2020Inventors: John Wesley Dyer, Michael Epstein, Jonathan Lee Pedersen
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Patent number: 5032379Abstract: Alumina having greater than 0.4 cc/g pore volume in the range 30 to 200 Angstroms pore diameter.A catalyst containing gamma alumina but essentially no eta alumina.The method of tailoring pore size distribution comprising bonding mixtures of particles of rehydration bondable alumina of different particle porosity.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 1985Date of Patent: July 16, 1991Assignee: Aluminum Company of AmericaInventor: Lee A. Pedersen