Patents by Inventor Lorenz Laubinger

Lorenz Laubinger 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: 12050474
    Abstract: A system and method for mitigating or avoiding risks due to hazards encountered by platooning vehicles. The system and method involve interrogating, with one or more sensors, a space radially extending from a lead vehicle as the lead vehicle travels over the road surface, perceiving the environment within the space, ascertaining a hazard caused by an object in the space, and causing a following vehicle, operating in a platoon with the lead vehicle, to take a preemptive braking action to avoid or mitigate risks resulting from the hazard caused by the object in the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: Peloton Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua P. Switkes, Stephen M. Erlien, Lorenz Laubinger
  • Patent number: 11427196
    Abstract: Systems and methods for causing a vehicle to avoid an adverse action are described. In one aspect, a sensor on first vehicle may determine the existence and location of lane markers or objects, and use that information to cause a second vehicle to avoid exiting its lane or colliding with an object. Data transmitted from a first vehicle to a second vehicle may be used to determine a path for the second vehicle, such that it avoids an adverse action. This data may include information used to determine a pose of the second vehicle, kinematics of the second vehicle, determine dimensions of the second vehicle, and potential adverse actions. This data may be transmitted while the vehicles are platooning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Peloton Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua P Switkes, Shad M Laws, Lorenz Laubinger
  • Patent number: 11294396
    Abstract: A system and method for mitigating or avoiding risks due to hazards encountered by platooning vehicles. The system and method involve interrogating, with one or more sensors, a space radially extending from a lead vehicle as the lead vehicle travels over the road surface, perceiving the environment within the space, ascertaining a hazard caused by an object in the space, and causing a following vehicle, operating in a platoon with the lead vehicle, to take a preemptive braking action to avoid or mitigate risks resulting from the hazard caused by the object in the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: PELOTON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Joshua P. Switkes, Stephen M. Erlien, Lorenz Laubinger
  • Publication number: 20200324763
    Abstract: Systems and methods for causing a vehicle to avoid an adverse action are described. In one aspect, a sensor on first vehicle may determine the existence and location of lane markers or objects, and use that information to cause a second vehicle to avoid exiting its lane or colliding with an object. Data transmitted from a first vehicle to a second vehicle may be used to determine a path for the second vehicle, such that it avoids an adverse action. This data may include information used to determine a pose of the second vehicle, kinematics of the second vehicle, determine dimensions of the second vehicle, and potential adverse actions. This data may be transmitted while the vehicles are platooning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Applicant: Peloton Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua P. Switkes, Shad M. Laws, Lorenz Laubinger
  • Patent number: 10474166
    Abstract: A system and method for mitigating or avoiding risks due to hazards encountered by platooning vehicles. The system and method involve interrogating, with one or more sensors, a space radially extending from a lead vehicle as the lead vehicle travels over the road surface, perceiving the environment within the space, ascertaining a hazard caused by an object in the space, and causing a following vehicle, operating in a platoon with the lead vehicle, to take a preemptive braking action to avoid or mitigate risks resulting from the hazard caused by the object in the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Peloton Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua P. Switkes, Stephen M. Erlien, Lorenz Laubinger
  • Publication number: 20190171225
    Abstract: Systems, methods, controllers and algorithms for controlling a vehicle to closely follow another vehicle safely using automatic or partially automatic control are described. The described control schemes are well suited for use in vehicle platooning and/or vehicle convoying applications, including truck platooning and convoying controllers. In one aspect, methods of initiating a platoon between a host vehicle and a platoon partner are described. In another aspect, a number of specific checks are described for determining whether a platoon controller is ready to initiate platoon control of the host vehicle. In another aspect, a platoon controller that includes a state machine that determines the state of the platoon controller is described. In another aspect, methods for generating braking alerts to a driver of a vehicle while the vehicle is being at least semi-automatically controlled by a platoon controller are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Applicant: Peloton Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua P. Switkes, Stephen M. Erlien, Lorenz Laubinger
  • Patent number: 10254764
    Abstract: Systems, methods, controllers and algorithms for controlling a vehicle to closely follow another vehicle safely using automatic or partially automatic control are described. The described control schemes are well suited for use in vehicle platooning and/or vehicle convoying applications, including truck platooning and convoying controllers. In one aspect, methods of initiating a platoon between a host vehicle and a platoon partner are described. In another aspect, a number of specific checks are described for determining whether a platoon controller is ready to initiate platoon control of the host vehicle. In another aspect, a platoon controller that includes a state machine that determines the state of the platoon controller is described. In another aspect, methods for generating braking alerts to a driver of a vehicle while the vehicle is being at least semi-automatically controlled by a platoon controller are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Peloton Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Lorenz Laubinger, Stephen M. Erlien, Joshua P. Switkes
  • Publication number: 20190079538
    Abstract: Systems, methods, controllers and algorithms for controlling a vehicle to closely follow another vehicle safely using automatic or partially automatic control are described. The described control schemes are well suited for use in vehicle platooning and/or vehicle convoying applications, including truck platooning and convoying controllers. In one aspect, methods of initiating a platoon between a host vehicle and a platoon partner are described. In another aspect, a number of specific checks are described for determining whether a platoon controller is ready to initiate platoon control of the host vehicle. In another aspect, a platoon controller that includes a state machine that determines the state of the platoon controller is described. In another aspect, methods for generating braking alerts to a driver of a vehicle while the vehicle is being at least semi-automatically controlled by a platoon controller are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicant: Peloton Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua P. Switkes, Stephen M. Erlien, Lorenz Laubinger
  • Patent number: 9470537
    Abstract: An in-vehicle system for determining whether a vehicle has moved off of a main roadway and into an exit lane. A navigation unit determines that an exit is approaching on a first side of the vehicle, and a camera obtains image data regarding lane markings and exit signs in response to a notification that the exit is approaching. An image processor identifies predetermined patterns among the lane markings, including V-shaped patterns or Y-shaped patterns. The system determines that the vehicle has moved into the exit lane in response to an identification of one of the predetermined patterns on a second side of the vehicle opposite the first side of the vehicle. The system may verify its determination based on recognition of an exit sign on the second side of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignees: Volkswagen AG, Audi AG
    Inventors: Kaushik Raghu, Premkumar Natarajan, Lorenz Laubinger
  • Patent number: 9341493
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for providing a user interface, particularly in a vehicle, in which a structured volume of data is stored which relates to the scope of functions of at least one function. At least two hierarchically related modes of operation are predetermined which each produce and each at least partially display a user menu with controllable graphic objects on the basis of a predetermined subset of the structured volume of data, wherein a hierarchically higher mode of operation is based on a hierarchically higher subset of the structured volume of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AG, AUDI AG
    Inventors: Annie Lien, Lorenz Laubinger
  • Publication number: 20120266108
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus (2) for providing a user interface, particularly in a vehicle (1), in which a structured volume of data is stored which relates to the scope of functions of at least one function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventors: Annie Lien, Lorenz Laubinger
  • Patent number: 8044781
    Abstract: A system and method relates to displaying a vehicle surrounding with an adjustable point of view, including at least one sensor device on the vehicle, a processor, and a display. The sensor device is configured to measure distances to objects of the vehicle surrounding. In addition, the processor is configured to generate a three-dimensional environment map based on the measured distances of the sensor device. Further, the display is configured to display the three-dimensional environment map having an adjustable point of view based on a particular driving situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Lorenz Laubinger, Jamie Camhi
  • Publication number: 20100014711
    Abstract: A method for controlling an illumination in a vehicle interior includes the steps of collecting, with a 3D sensor, three-dimensional information about a driver and detecting the driver as an object in a three-dimensional space by processing the three-dimensional information about the driver. At least one three-dimensional driver characteristic, such as a head pose, a head position, a body position and a body posture, is determined. An area of attention of the driver is determined by evaluating the at least one three-dimensional driver characteristic. An illumination scheme for the vehicle interior is determined based on the area of attention of the driver such that vision conditions for the driver are improved. A method for detecting driver drowsiness and a method for controlling a visibility of display screen information in the vehicle interior are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Jaime Camhi, Daniel Rosario, Lorenz Laubinger, Arne Stoschek