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).

  • Patent number: 11921212
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Sihao Ding, Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao, Ying Li
  • Patent number: 11884279
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Saurabh Gawande, Srikar Muppirisetty, Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao
  • Patent number: 11866051
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Minming Zhao, Sohini Roy Chowdhury
  • Patent number: 11781882
    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: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Srikar Muppirisetty, Niklas Ohlsson, Minming Zhao, Mats Jonasson
  • Publication number: 20230219577
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Saurabh GAWANDE, Srikar MUPPIRISETTY, Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY, Minming ZHAO
  • Patent number: 11628844
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Saurabh Gawande, Srikar Muppirisetty, Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao
  • Publication number: 20230071940
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Sihao DING, Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY, Minming ZHAO, Ying LI
  • Patent number: 11592566
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao, Srikar Muppirisetty
  • Patent number: 11531107
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Sihao Ding, Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao, Ying Li
  • Publication number: 20220126833
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Minming ZHAO, Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY
  • Publication number: 20220001873
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Saurabh GAWANDE, Srikar MUPPIRISETTY, Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY, Minming ZHAO
  • Patent number: 11198442
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Mats Jonasson, Niklas Ohlsson, Srikar Muppirisetty, Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao
  • Patent number: 11164013
    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 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Mats Jonasson, Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao, Niklas Ohlsson
  • Patent number: 11124193
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Saurabh Gawande, Srikar Muppirisetty, Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao
  • Publication number: 20210149051
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Sihao DING, Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY, Minming ZHAO, Ying LI
  • Patent number: 10968803
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Minming Zhao, Josh Si Shao, Sriram Madhavan, Matthew John Zanker
  • Publication number: 20210048529
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Sohini ROY CHOWDHURY, Minming ZHAO, Srikar MUPPIRISETTY
  • 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: 10915767
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Sihao Ding, Minming Zhao, Ying Li, Andreas Wallin, Harshavardhan Reddy Dasari, Gambhir Bista
  • 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