Patents by Inventor Minming Zhao
Minming Zhao 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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Patent number: 11921212Abstract: A LIDAR-based method of determining an absolute speed of an object at a relatively longer distance from an ego vehicle, including: estimating a self speed of the ego vehicle using a first frame t?1 and a second frame t obtained from a LIDAR sensor by estimating an intervening rotation ? about a z axis and translation in orthogonal x and y directions using a deep learning algorithm over a relatively closer distance range; dividing each of the first frame t?1 and the second frame t into multiple adjacent input ranges and estimating a relative speed of the object at the relatively longer distance by subsequently processing each frame using a network, with each input range processed using a corresponding convolutional neural network; and combining the estimation of the estimating the self speed with the estimation of the estimating the relative speed to obtain an estimation of the absolute speed.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2022Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Sihao Ding, Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao, Ying Li
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Patent number: 11884279Abstract: Vehicle alert and control systems and methods taking into account a detected road friction at a following vehicle and a predicted road friction by the following vehicle. The detected road friction between the following vehicle tires and the road surface may be assessed using a variety of methodologies and is used to compute a critical safety distance between the following vehicle and the preceding vehicle and a critical safety speed of the following vehicle. The predicted road friction ahead of the following vehicle may also be assessed using a variety of methodologies (lidar, camera, and cloud-based examples are provided) and is used to compute a warning safety distance between the following vehicle and the preceding vehicle and a warning safety speed of the following vehicle. These functionalities may be applied to vehicle/stationary object warning and response scenarios as well.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2023Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Saurabh Gawande, Srikar Muppirisetty, Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao
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Patent number: 11866051Abstract: A vehicle control method and system, including: receiving road friction information indicating road friction estimates for a plurality of regions surrounding the vehicle; detecting and determining a predicted trajectory for an object within the plurality of regions surrounding the vehicle; wherein the predicted trajectory for the object is determined based in part on the road friction estimates for the plurality of regions surrounding the vehicle; and modifying operation of the vehicle based on the predicted trajectory for the object. The predicted trajectory for the object is determined based in part on a risk map for the plurality of regions surrounding the vehicle that is generated from a road friction map for the plurality of regions surrounding the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2020Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATIONInventors: Minming Zhao, Sohini Roy Chowdhury
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Patent number: 11781882Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 26, 2020Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Srikar Muppirisetty, Niklas Ohlsson, Minming Zhao, Mats Jonasson
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Publication number: 20230219577Abstract: Vehicle alert and control systems and methods taking into account a detected road friction at a following vehicle and a predicted road friction by the following vehicle. The detected road friction between the following vehicle tires and the road surface may be assessed using a variety of methodologies and is used to compute a critical safety distance between the following vehicle and the preceding vehicle and a critical safety speed of the following vehicle. The predicted road friction ahead of the following vehicle may also be assessed using a variety of methodologies (lidar, camera, and cloud-based examples are provided) and is used to compute a warning safety distance between the following vehicle and the preceding vehicle and a warning safety speed of the following vehicle. These functionalities may be applied to vehicle/stationary object warning and response scenarios as well.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2023Publication date: July 13, 2023Inventors: Saurabh GAWANDE, Srikar MUPPIRISETTY, Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY, Minming ZHAO
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Patent number: 11628844Abstract: Vehicle alert and control systems and methods taking into account a detected road friction at a following vehicle and a predicted road friction by the following vehicle. The detected road friction between the following vehicle tires and the road surface may be assessed using a variety of methodologies and is used to compute a critical safety distance between the following vehicle and the preceding vehicle and a critical safety speed of the following vehicle. The predicted road friction ahead of the following vehicle may also be assessed using a variety of methodologies (lidar, camera, and cloud-based examples are provided) and is used to compute a warning safety distance between the following vehicle and the preceding vehicle and a warning safety speed of the following vehicle. These functionalities may be applied to vehicle/stationary object warning and response scenarios as well.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2021Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Saurabh Gawande, Srikar Muppirisetty, Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao
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Publication number: 20230071940Abstract: A LIDAR-based method of determining an absolute speed of an object at a relatively longer distance from an ego vehicle, including: estimating a self speed of the ego vehicle using a first frame t-1 and a second frame t obtained from a LIDAR sensor by estimating an intervening rotation ? about a z axis and translation in orthogonal x and y directions using a deep learning algorithm over a relatively closer distance range; dividing each of the first frame t-1 and the second frame t into multiple adjacent input ranges and estimating a relative speed of the object at the relatively longer distance by subsequently processing each frame using a network, with each input range processed using a corresponding convolutional neural network; and combining the estimation of the estimating the self speed with the estimation of the estimating the relative speed to obtain an estimation of the absolute speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2022Publication date: March 9, 2023Inventors: Sihao DING, Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY, Minming ZHAO, Ying LI
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Patent number: 11592566Abstract: A system and method for estimating road conditions ahead of a vehicle, including: a LIDAR sensor operable for generating a LIDAR point cloud; a processor executing a road condition estimation algorithm stored in a memory, the road condition estimation algorithm performing the steps including: detecting a ground plane or drivable surface in the LIDAR point cloud; superimposing an M×N matrix on at least a portion of the LIDAR point cloud; for each patch of the LIDAR point cloud defined by the M×N matrix, statistically evaluating a relative position, a feature elevation, and a scaled reflectance index; and, from the statistically evaluated relative position, feature elevation, and scaled reflectance index, determining a slipperiness probability for each patch of the LIDAR point cloud; and a vehicle control system operable for, based on the determined slipperiness probability for each patch of the LIDAR point cloud, affecting an operation of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2019Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao, Srikar Muppirisetty
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Patent number: 11531107Abstract: A LIDAR-based method of determining an absolute speed of an object at a relatively longer distance from an ego vehicle, including: estimating a self speed of the ego vehicle using a first frame t-1 and a second frame t obtained from a LIDAR sensor by estimating an intervening rotation ? about a z axis and translation in orthogonal x and y directions using a deep learning algorithm over a relatively closer distance range; dividing each of the first frame t-1 and the second frame t into multiple adjacent input ranges and estimating a relative speed of the object at the relatively longer distance by subsequently processing each frame using a network, with each input range processed using a corresponding convolutional neural network; and combining the estimation of the estimating the self speed with the estimation of the estimating the relative speed to obtain an estimation of the absolute speed.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2019Date of Patent: December 20, 2022Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Sihao Ding, Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao, Ying Li
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Publication number: 20220126833Abstract: A vehicle control method and system, including: receiving road friction information indicating road friction estimates for a plurality of regions surrounding the vehicle; detecting and determining a predicted trajectory for an object within the plurality of regions surrounding the vehicle; wherein the predicted trajectory for the object is determined based in part on the road friction estimates for the plurality of regions surrounding the vehicle; and modifying operation of the vehicle based on the predicted trajectory for the object. The predicted trajectory for the object is determined based in part on a risk map for the plurality of regions surrounding the vehicle that is generated from a road friction map for the plurality of regions surrounding the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2020Publication date: April 28, 2022Inventors: Minming ZHAO, Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY
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Publication number: 20220001873Abstract: Vehicle alert and control systems and methods taking into account a detected road friction at a following vehicle and a predicted road friction by the following vehicle. The detected road friction between the following vehicle tires and the road surface may be assessed using a variety of methodologies and is used to compute a critical safety distance between the following vehicle and the preceding vehicle and a critical safety speed of the following vehicle. The predicted road friction ahead of the following vehicle may also be assessed using a variety of methodologies (lidar, camera, and cloud-based examples are provided) and is used to compute a warning safety distance between the following vehicle and the preceding vehicle and a warning safety speed of the following vehicle. These functionalities may be applied to vehicle/stationary object warning and response scenarios as well.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: Saurabh GAWANDE, Srikar MUPPIRISETTY, Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY, Minming ZHAO
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Patent number: 11198442Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 23, 2019Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Mats Jonasson, Niklas Ohlsson, Srikar Muppirisetty, Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao
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Patent number: 11164013Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 27, 2020Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Mats Jonasson, Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao, Niklas Ohlsson
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Patent number: 11124193Abstract: Vehicle alert and control systems and methods taking into account a detected road friction at a following vehicle and a predicted road friction by the following vehicle. The detected road friction between the following vehicle tires and the road surface may be assessed using a variety of methodologies and is used to compute a critical safety distance between the following vehicle and the preceding vehicle and a critical safety speed of the following vehicle. The predicted road friction ahead of the following vehicle may also be assessed using a variety of methodologies (lidar, camera, and cloud-based examples are provided) and is used to compute a warning safety distance between the following vehicle and the preceding vehicle and a warning safety speed of the following vehicle. These functionalities may be applied to vehicle/stationary object warning and response scenarios as well.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2019Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Saurabh Gawande, Srikar Muppirisetty, Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao
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Publication number: 20210149051Abstract: A LIDAR-based method of determining an absolute speed of an object at a relatively longer distance from an ego vehicle, including: estimating a self speed of the ego vehicle using a first frame t-1 and a second frame t obtained from a LIDAR sensor by estimating an intervening rotation ? about a z axis and translation in orthogonal x and y directions using a deep learning algorithm over a relatively closer distance range; dividing each of the first frame t-1 and the second frame t into multiple adjacent input ranges and estimating a relative speed of the object at the relatively longer distance by subsequently processing each frame using a network, with each input range processed using a corresponding convolutional neural network; and combining the estimation of the estimating the self speed with the estimation of the estimating the relative speed to obtain an estimation of the absolute speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2019Publication date: May 20, 2021Inventors: Sihao DING, Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY, Minming ZHAO, Ying LI
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Patent number: 10968803Abstract: An apparatus includes a stored reductant determination circuit structured to determine an amount of stored reductant in a component of an exhaust aftertreatment system, and a fuel mode economy circuit structured to control an amount of reductant added to the exhaust aftertreatment system during an engine idle mode of operation based on the amount of stored reductant.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2019Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: Cummins Inc.Inventors: Minming Zhao, Josh Si Shao, Sriram Madhavan, Matthew John Zanker
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Publication number: 20210048529Abstract: A system and method for estimating road conditions ahead of a vehicle, including: a LIDAR sensor operable for generating a LIDAR point cloud; a processor executing a road condition estimation algorithm stored in a memory, the road condition estimation algorithm performing the steps including: detecting a ground plane or drivable surface in the LIDAR point cloud; superimposing an M×N matrix on at least a portion of the LIDAR point cloud; for each patch of the LIDAR point cloud defined by the M×N matrix, statistically evaluating a relative position, a feature elevation, and a scaled reflectance index; and, from the statistically evaluated relative position, feature elevation, and scaled reflectance index, determining a slipperiness probability for each patch of the LIDAR point cloud; and a vehicle control system operable for, based on the determined slipperiness probability for each patch of the LIDAR point cloud, affecting an operation of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2019Publication date: February 18, 2021Inventors: Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY, Minming ZHAO, Srikar MUPPIRISETTY
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Publication number: 20210041261Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Inventors: Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY, Srikar MUPPIRISETTY, Niklas OHLSSON, Minming ZHAO, Mats JONASSON
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Patent number: 10915767Abstract: Parking spot detection methods and systems that detect and pair parking line markers, improving the accuracy and speed of parking spot detection in vehicular driver assist (DA) and autonomous driving (AD) applications. These methods and systems incorporate three major steps: (1) preprocessing—one or more standard camera images are input into the algorithm and a bird's-eye-view (BEV) image is output from the algorithm; (2) deep neural network (DNN) segmentation of the parking line markers—the BEV image is input into the algorithm and a binary image is output from the algorithm (with, e.g., the parking line markers areas displayed in white and the background displayed in black); and (3) binary image processing—the binary image is input into the algorithm and detected and paired parking line markers representing the parking spots are output from the algorithm.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2019Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Sihao Ding, Minming Zhao, Ying Li, Andreas Wallin, Harshavardhan Reddy Dasari, Gambhir Bista
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Patent number: 10837793Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 12, 2018Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Srikar Muppirisetty, Niklas Ohlsson, Minming Zhao, Mats Jonasson