Patents by Inventor Mats Jonasson

Mats Jonasson 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: 20210041261
    Abstract: A system and method for utilizing aggregated weather data (AWD) for deriving road surface condition (RSC) estimates. This system and method supplements road friction estimates (RFEs) made at the vehicle level with AWD in the cloud to form the RSC estimates, which are then transmitted to the vehicles such that more accurate RFEs can be made locally, and so on. Conventional RFE physics-based models are replaced with enhanced RFE trained machine learning (ML) models accordingly. Global RSC estimates are derived for each geographical region using weather and location constraints. Thus, improved autonomous driving and driver assist functions may be implemented, better driver warnings may be provided, and safer road trips may be planned in advance based on a thorough analysis of the drivable conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY, Srikar MUPPIRISETTY, Niklas OHLSSON, Minming ZHAO, Mats JONASSON
  • Patent number: 10837793
    Abstract: A system and method for utilizing aggregated weather data (AWD) for deriving road surface condition (RSC) estimates. This system and method supplements road friction estimates (RFEs) made at the vehicle level with AWD in the cloud to form the RSC estimates, which are then transmitted to the vehicles such that more accurate RFEs can be made locally, and so on. Conventional RFE physics-based models are replaced with enhanced RFE trained machine learning (ML) models accordingly. Global RSC estimates are derived for each geographical region using weather and location constraints. Thus, improved autonomous driving and driver assist functions may be implemented, better driver warnings may be provided, and safer road trips may be planned in advance based on a thorough analysis of the drivable conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Srikar Muppirisetty, Niklas Ohlsson, Minming Zhao, Mats Jonasson
  • Publication number: 20200285867
    Abstract: Methods and systems for generating and utilizing a road friction estimate (RFE) indicating the expected friction level between a road surface and the tires of a vehicle based on forward looking camera image signal processing. A forward-looking camera image is pre-processed, patch segmented (both laterally and longitudinally, as defined by wheel tracks or the like), transformed into a bird's eye view (BEV) image using perspective transformation, patch quantized, and finally classified. The resulting RFE may be used to provide driver information, automatically control the associated vehicle's motion, and/or inform a cloud-based alert service to enhance driver safety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Mats JONASSON, Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY, Minming ZHAO, Niklas OHLSSON
  • Patent number: 10710597
    Abstract: A method is described for computing a friction estimate between a road surface and a tire of a vehicle when the vehicle is in motion along a course, the tire being arranged on a steerable wheel of the vehicle, and the vehicle including two front wheels and two rear wheels and an axle rack pivotably attached to a linkage arm connected to the steerable wheel such that a translational motion of the axle rack causes the linkage arm to rotate about a kingpin element such that the linkage arm causes a turning motion of the steerable wheel. A corresponding system and vehicle are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mats Skold, Mats Jonasson
  • Patent number: 10706294
    Abstract: Methods and systems for generating and utilizing a road friction estimate (RFE) indicating the expected friction level between a road surface and the tires of a vehicle based on forward looking camera image signal processing. A forward-looking camera image is pre-processed, patch segmented (both laterally and longitudinally, as defined by wheel tracks or the like), transformed into a bird's eye view (BEV) image using perspective transformation, patch quantized, and finally classified. The resulting RFE may be used to provide driver information, automatically control the associated vehicle's motion, and/or inform a cloud-based alert service to enhance driver safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao, Mats Jonasson, Niklas Ohlsson
  • Publication number: 20200156640
    Abstract: A method for providing instructions for controlling vehicle, the method comprising: predicting a near-future driving path for the vehicle using sensor data received from environmental sensors of the vehicle. Retrieving at least one acceptable spatial deviation value indicative of the acceptable deviation from the predicted driving path. Determining a limit velocity value or a longitudinal deceleration value based on predetermined relations between spatial deviations from the near-future driving path and vehicle motion parameters and corresponding error values. The limit velocity value and the longitudinal deceleration value are determined with the constraint that the acceptable spatial deviation is not violated along the predicted driving path. Providing an instruction signal comprising an instruction for the vehicle to travel below the limit velocity value, or comprising an instruction to decelerate according to the longitudinal deceleration value in the event of a safe stop procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Mats Jonasson, Fredrik Broström
  • Patent number: 10632978
    Abstract: There is provided a method for estimating friction between a tire of a vehicle and a road surface, the method comprising acquiring, a front wheel axle torque, a rear wheel axle torque, a vehicle longitudinal acceleration, a vehicle pitch rate and wheel rotational velocities. The method further comprises determining a front wheel normal force and a rear wheel normal force, based on a center of gravity of the vehicle and the longitudinal acceleration; determining a longitudinal tire stiffness, jointly determining a vehicle longitudinal velocity, based on the wheel rotational velocities and vehicle longitudinal acceleration, and a vehicle pitch angle relative to the horizontal plane based on the vehicle pitch rate; and determining a friction coefficient between tires and ground based on the front and rear wheel axle torque, the front wheel normal force and the joint estimation of pitch angle and vehicle longitudinal velocity. There is also provided a system for performing the described method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tony Gustafsson, Mats Jonasson
  • Publication number: 20200089243
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating data indicative of a friction associated with a driving surface, and for using friction data as part of controlling autonomous vehicle operations. In one example, a computing system can detect an event including at least one of an acceleration, a deceleration, or a stop associated with an autonomous vehicle and obtain, in response to detecting the event, operational data associated with the autonomous vehicle during the event. The computing system can determine, based at least in part on the operational data, data indicative of a friction associated with a surface upon which the autonomous vehicle is traveling during the event. The computing system can control the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the data indicative of the friction associated with the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Scott C. Poeppel, Mats Jonasson
  • Publication number: 20200086919
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for collision avoidance for a host vehicle, the method comprising: detecting a target in the vicinity of the vehicle; determining that the host vehicle is travelling on a collision course with the target; detecting a user initiated steering action for steering the vehicle towards one side of the target; determining a degree of understeering of the host vehicle; when the degree of understeering exceeds a first understeering threshold, controlling a steering control system of the vehicle to counteract the user initiated steering action to thereby reduce the degree of understeering. The invention further relates to an evasive steering system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Mikael RIIKONEN, Derong YANG, Martin IDEGREN, Mats JONASSON, Rickard NILSSON
  • Publication number: 20200086880
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating data indicative of a friction associated with a driving surface, and for using the friction data in association with one or more vehicles. In one example, a computing system can detect a stop associated with a vehicle and initiate a steering action of the vehicle during the stop. The steering action is associated with movement of at least one tire of the vehicle relative to a driving surface. The computing system can obtain operational data associated with the steering action during the stop of the vehicle. The computing system can determine a friction associated with the driving surface based at least in part on the operational data associated with the steering action. The computing system can generate data indicative of the friction associated with the driving surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Scott C. Poeppel, Mats Jonasson
  • Publication number: 20200079391
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for assisting a driver of a host vehicle in the event of a road departure. Collecting a set of drive parameter values, wherein each drive parameter is indicative of a present driving condition parameter for the vehicle. Calculating a collective road departure value based on the set of drive parameter values. When the road departure value exceeds a road departure threshold value, adapt at least one of the speed of the vehicle or the steering torque applied by the steering control system to the steerable wheels of the vehicle, until the road departure value is below the road departure threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Mats JONASSON, Derong YANG, Rickard NILSSON
  • Publication number: 20200023900
    Abstract: A method for providing an intervening action for a host vehicle. A target is detected in the vicinity of the vehicle it is determined that the host vehicle is travelling on a collision course with the target. When a collision with the target is predicted to occur within a predetermined time period and no driver initiated steering action for avoiding the collision course has been detected, controlling a steering control system to provide an initial steering torque action to the steerable wheels of the host vehicle for providing an initial steering action towards the same side of the target as a detected safe side. A driver initiated steering action is in response to the initial steering torque action is detected. Next, the intervening action is provided for altering the present driving course of the host vehicle for avoiding a collision with the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Mats JONASSON, Derong YANG
  • Publication number: 20200023901
    Abstract: A method for assisting a driver of a host vehicle in avoiding a collision, the method including: detecting a target in the vicinity of the vehicle; determining that the host vehicle is travelling on a collision course with the target; detecting a set of road markers on a side of the target; detecting a free space on the side of the road markers opposite the target side of the road markers, and when a collision with the target is predicted to occur within a predetermined time period and no driver initiated steering action for avoiding the collision course has been detected, providing a steering guidance to the driver of the host vehicle including altering of a steering wheel angular orientation for momentarily steering the host vehicle towards the road markers to indicate an evasive steering action to the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Christoffer MODIG, Mats JONASSON, Derong YANG, Rickard NILSSON, David Silva MONTEMAYOR, Andreas LINDBERG
  • Publication number: 20190389475
    Abstract: A method for estimating a tire property of a vehicle based on tire-to-road friction properties for a fleet of vehicles. The method includes: determining a tire-to-road friction for a plurality of vehicles, belonging to the fleet of vehicles, at a plurality of specified locations; determining a reference tire-to-road friction for the fleet of vehicles at each specified location; in a vehicle, determining a current tire-to-road friction at a first location being one of the specified locations; determining a difference between the current tire-to-road friction and the reference tire-to-road friction of the fleet for the first location; and estimating a tire property of the vehicle based on the determined difference. There is also provided a system configured to perform the described method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Mats JONASSON, Niklas OHLSSON, Srikar MUPPIRISETTY, Sohini Roy CHOWDHURY, Minming ZHAO
  • Publication number: 20190376811
    Abstract: A system and method for utilizing aggregated weather data (AWD) for deriving road surface condition (RSC) estimates. This system and method supplements road friction estimates (RFEs) made at the vehicle level with AWD in the cloud to form the RSC estimates, which are then transmitted to the vehicles such that more accurate RFEs can be made locally, and so on. Conventional RFE physics-based models are replaced with enhanced RFE trained machine learning (ML) models accordingly. Global RSC estimates are derived for each geographical region using weather and location constraints. Thus, improved autonomous driving and driver assist functions may be implemented, better driver warnings may be provided, and safer road trips may be planned in advance based on a thorough analysis of the drivable conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY, Srikar MUPPIRISETTY, Niklas OHLSSON, Minming ZHAO, Mats JONASSON
  • Publication number: 20190340445
    Abstract: Methods and systems for generating and utilizing a road friction estimate (RFE) indicating the expected friction level between a road surface and the tires of a vehicle based on forward looking camera image signal processing. A forward-looking camera image is pre-processed, patch segmented (both laterally and longitudinally, as defined by wheel tracks or the like), transformed into a bird's eye view (BEV) image using perspective transformation, patch quantized, and finally classified. The resulting RFE may be used to provide driver information, automatically control the associated vehicle's motion, and/or inform a cloud-based alert service to enhance driver safety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY, Minming ZHAO, Mats JONASSON, Niklas OHLSSON
  • Publication number: 20190291718
    Abstract: A method performed by a vehicle system for handling conditions of a road on which a vehicle travels. The vehicle system detect that a first part of the road has a first condition which is different from a second condition of a second part of the road. The vehicle system estimates friction of the first part and evaluates the estimated friction. The vehicle system determines that the vehicle's motion should be adjusted when a result of the evaluation indicates that the estimated friction of the first part of the road affects the vehicle's expected motion, and initiates adjustment of the vehicle's motion on the road as determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Jonas NILSSON, Mats JONASSON, Mattias BRÄNNSTRÖM
  • Publication number: 20190276008
    Abstract: A method and a system for controlling wheel torques of a vehicle (201) to provide a desired vehicle yaw torque during a cornering event. A set of indirect yaw torque parameters (a,k) indicative of the indirect vehicle yaw torque contribution from lateral wheel forces are determined based on the present wheel torque data (PtTq) and the lateral acceleration data (LatAcc) and a model. A required torque for the front axis wheels (202, 204) and a required torque for the rear axis wheels (206, 208) are calculated such that the desired longitudinal wheel torque and the target vehicle yaw (MzReq) provided, taking into account the set of indirect yaw torque parameters. The calculated torques are applied to the respective individual wheels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Derong YANG, Mats JONASSON
  • Publication number: 20190126933
    Abstract: Method for controlling a vehicle, comprising: identifying an upcoming curve and determining its properties; determining current vehicle speed, vv, estimating friction, ?e, between a tire of the vehicle and the road; estimating maximum allowable vehicle speed, vmax_e, when entering the curve based on the properties, speed and friction; if the current vehicle speed is higher than the estimated maximum allowable vehicle speed, determining that a friction measurement is required; if distance, dv, between the vehicle and a curve entrance is higher than a predetermined threshold distance, dT, and if a braking action is detected, performing a friction measurement during the braking action to determine current friction, ?c; if a distance between the vehicle and the curve entrance is lower than the predetermined threshold distance, performing a friction measurement to determine a current friction; and determining a maximum allowable vehicle speed vmax_d based on the curve radius, speed and friction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Mats JONASSON, Mattias BRANNSTROM, Rickard NILSSON
  • Patent number: 10144433
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and arrangement for estimating a friction coefficient (?i) between tires of a wheeled two-axis two-track road vehicle and the ground. If the longitudinal velocity ?x of the vehicle is above a first threshold ?xthres and the wheel angle ?f and/or the yaw rate ?z are/is below a second threshold ?thres/?zthres, a positive torque is applied to both wheels on a first axle and an and opposite, negative torque, to both wheels on a second axle while following driver requested longitudinal vehicle acceleration (ax). Wheel speeds ?i are measured and tire forces (fi) estimated. The friction coefficient (?i) between the tires and the ground are estimated from the measured wheel speeds ?i and the estimated tire forces (fi). The estimated friction coefficient (?i) is made available to other vehicle systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mats Jonasson, Tony Gustafsson, Anton Albinsson, Frederik Hans Bruzelius