Patents by Inventor Peter Harda

Peter Harda 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: 9926011
    Abstract: A method for steering assistance in an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle comprises identifying an upcoming curve, detecting an inner lane boundary and an outer lane boundary of the upcoming curve, determining a safety distance between the vehicle and the outer lane boundary, and controlling a position of the vehicle in the curve with respect to the inner and outer lane boundary such that the vehicle is at a distance from the outer lane boundary which is equal to or larger than the safety distance. A steering assistance system is also described capable of performing the method for steering assistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Harda, Jonas Nilsson
  • Publication number: 20180061226
    Abstract: A suitability determining system for establishing whether a road section is suitable for at least semi-autonomous vehicle driving is described. The system identifies a road section including at least one lane and delimited by at least one lateral road boundary, and derives from at least a first estimate providing vehicle a respective utilization direction estimate along with a corresponding respective detection confidence value for each of respective lanes detected by the estimate providing vehicle along the road section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sebastian THELEN, Peter HARDA
  • Publication number: 20180012493
    Abstract: A method performed by a database managing system for maintaining a database comprising reported traffic-affecting events is provided. The system derives a position of a first vehicle supporting detection of vehicle surroundings and determines by comparing the vehicle position to positions of reported traffic-affecting events comprised in the database, that the first vehicle is approaching at least a first traffic-affecting event. The system prompts the first vehicle to attempt to detect the first traffic-affecting event, which prompting comprises providing to the first vehicle an expected position of the first traffic-affecting event. The system receives a response from the first vehicle, which response indicates whether or not the expected position was at least partly unobstructedly observable by the first vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Applicant: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter HARDA, Joakim Lin SORSTEDT
  • Patent number: 9809194
    Abstract: A safety system for a motor vehicle having at least a front wheel arrangement having one or more wheels and rear wheel arrangement having one or more wheels, the arrangement having: a control unit; and one or more vehicle inertial sensors to detect acceleration experienced by the vehicle, the inertial sensors being connected to the control unit so the control unit receives output signals from the inertial sensors; and one or more vehicle safety systems which may be activated by the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to process the signals received from the inertial sensors and to determine whether at least one of the wheels of the front and rear wheel arrangements is not in contact with the surface over which the vehicle is driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignees: Autoliv Development AB, Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Moroine Laoufi, Alessandro Zin, Peter Harda, Pär Nilsson, Anders Axelsson, Anders Wogel
  • Patent number: 9802565
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for operating a safety system of a vehicle, which safety system comprises a remote sensor, an impact sensor and a protection system adapted to be activated by the impact sensor. The method includes scanning a selectable region in front of the vehicle by means of the remote sensor, determining that the selectable region provides a free path for the vehicle based on information from the remote sensor, and lowering a sensitivity of the impact sensor. The disclosure further relates to the safety system and a vehicle comprising the safety system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Par Nilsson, Stefan Jarvholm, Peter Harda, Bjorn Johansson, Anders Dahlen
  • Publication number: 20170300052
    Abstract: A handover notification arrangement is configured to provide a handover notification in a driver environment of a vehicle having autonomous driving capabilities. The handover notification arrangement includes a road information arrangement configured to acquire road information representative of an upcoming road section at which the autonomous driving is likely to become at least partially disabled. The handover notification arrangement further includes a processing unit configured to calculate an estimated time available for autonomous driving and configured to calculate an uncertainty estimate of the estimated time available for autonomous driving. The handover notification arrangement is configured to cause the output unit to provide the handover notification such that the handover notification is provided earlier in cases of high uncertainty estimates than in cases of low uncertainty estimates. The present disclosure also describes a vehicle and a method of providing a handover notification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Applicant: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter HARDA, Per JESSEN, Joakim CHRISTOFFERSSON
  • Publication number: 20170267248
    Abstract: A vehicle control arrangement is configured to control steering and velocity of a road vehicle including a velocity control arrangement, remote sensors configured to acquire vehicle surrounding information, a steering control unit configured to control steering of the vehicle based on the vehicle surrounding information, an upcoming road geometry detecting unit configured to detect presence of an upcoming curve section, a hands-on-wheel detecting unit configured to detect if presence exists of at least one hand on a steering wheel of the vehicle. The velocity control arrangement is configured to perform a reduction of velocity of the vehicle in case presence of an upcoming curve section is detected and no presence is detected of at least one hand on the steering wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Applicant: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter HARDA, Jonas NILSSON, Erik COELINGH
  • Patent number: 9764665
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for vehicle occupant protection in large animal collisions. Objects forward of the host vehicle are monitored using at least one forward looking remote sensor and object signals output. A velocity of the host vehicle is determined and velocity signals output. The object signals and the velocity signals are processed to determine whether the host vehicle unavoidably will suffer a collision with a large animal while traveling at or above a threshold velocity and a collision signal is output. Operation of a motor operated height adjustment device, an inclination adjustment device and/or a longitudinal position adjustment device of a vehicle seat is triggered to move a seat cushion and a backrest thereof away from a leading edge of a roof of the host vehicle in response to the collision signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Harda, Anders Axelson, II, Par Nilsson, Stefan Berge
  • Patent number: 9688278
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle, an overtake assessment arrangement, and an overtake assessment system are provided. The overtake assessment arrangement is configured to receive, from at least one external source, real time traffic information on one or more surrounding vehicles outside a sensor monitoring area, assess whether to overtake at least one preceding vehicle within the sensor monitoring area or not, based on the real time traffic information received via the communication unit, and provide a vehicle drive arrangement with input indicative of the assessment, such that the vehicle drive arrangement is able to control the host vehicle to overtake the at least one preceding vehicle or not in accordance with the input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Harda, Erik Israelsson
  • Patent number: 9612322
    Abstract: A system for determining a position of a living being in a vehicle interior includes at least three components, each component of a first type or a second type, one of the first or second type being a transmitter and the other a receiver. Two components are of the first type and one component is of the second type. Each component is adapted to transmit or receive a signal dependent on type. The signal is adapted for determining a presence of the living being and for determining a distance (d1, d2) between the living being and each component of the first type. The components have active sectors adapted to at least partly overlap within the vehicle interior. The components of the first type are located at different positions known relative to each other. The system is adapted to determine the living being position based on the determined distances (d1, d2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Harda
  • Patent number: 9604594
    Abstract: A method is provided for operation of a safety arrangement in a vehicle. The safety arrangement comprises a seat belt, a seat belt retractor and at least one seat position adjustment arrangement for position adjustment of a seat of the vehicle and/or a portion of the seat. The method comprises a refraction of the seat belt by means of the seat belt retractor with a retraction force, and a pre-crash displacement of the seat and/or the portion of the seat resulting in a displacement force acting on the seat belt. The method further comprises adapting the pre-crash displacement and the refraction of the seat belt to each other by ascertaining that a combined seat belt force comprising the refraction force and the displacement force does not exceed a selectable level. The disclosure further relates to a safety arrangement for a vehicle and a vehicle comprising such a safety arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter Harda, Anders Axelson, II, Stefan Berge, Par Nilsson
  • Patent number: 9566983
    Abstract: A vehicle, method, control arrangement, and autonomous drive arrangement are provided. The control arrangement is for controlling an autonomous drive arrangement in a host vehicle including an autonomous drive arrangement configured to control steering and velocity of the host vehicle up to an autonomous drive maximum velocity of the host vehicle, a speed limit determination unit, and a communication unit arranged to receive, from at least one external source, real time preceding vehicle velocity for one or more preceding vehicles. The control arrangement is configured to control the autonomous drive arrangement in dependence on a difference between the autonomous drive maximum velocity and at least one of a speed limit and at least one preceding vehicle velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Harda
  • Patent number: 9533643
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for vehicle occupant protection in unintentional roadway departure by a vehicle having at least one vehicle seat with a seat cushion mounted on a seat frame, the height of which is adjustable through a motor operated height adjustment device. Vehicle travel is monitored using a remote sensor and/or a vehicle dynamics sensor. The remote sensor detects edges of the road. The vehicle dynamics sensor determines vehicle dynamics parameters. Road edge signals and/or vehicle dynamics signals are processed to determine whether the vehicle is about to leave the road. Operation of the height adjustment device to move a seat cushion towards a crash-position is triggered in response to an off-road signal indicating that the vehicle is about to leave the road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Harda, Anders Axelson, Magnus Bjorklund, Gunnar Bengtsson
  • Publication number: 20160368534
    Abstract: A method for steering assistance in an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle comprises identifying an upcoming curve, detecting an inner lane boundary and an outer lane boundary of the upcoming curve, determining a safety distance between the vehicle and the outer lane boundary, and controlling a position of the vehicle in the curve with respect to the inner and outer lane boundary such that the vehicle is at a distance from the outer lane boundary which is equal to or larger than the safety distance. A steering assistance system is also described capable of performing the method for steering assistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Peter HARDA, Jonas NILSSON
  • Patent number: 9463793
    Abstract: A method for transition between driving modes of a vehicle is disclosed. The driving modes include an autonomous driving (AD) mode, a partly autonomous driving (PAD) mode and a manual driving (MD) mode. A transition from the PAD mode to the AD mode is performed by enabling the AD mode. A transition from the AD mode to the PAD mode is performed by releasing a steering wheel lock when the PAD mode is in an enabled state. A transition from the MD mode to the AD mode is performed by enabling the AD mode. A transition from the AD mode to the MD mode is performed by releasing the steering wheel lock when the PAD mode is in a disabled state. A system for performing the method and a vehicle including the system are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Henrik Lind, Erik Coelingh, Mattias Erik Brannstrom, Peter Harda, Julia Nilsson
  • Patent number: 9457750
    Abstract: A method performed by a retraction control system of a vehicle for controlling refraction of a seat belt of a reversible seat belt refractor arrangement for a vehicle occupant is provided. The control system determines fulfillment of an activation condition based on an initiating input derived from a vehicle situation sensing system, which initiating input indicates that the vehicle, at an initiating time instant, is considered likely to be, or is about to become, involved in a hazardous situation and/or uncomfortable dynamic situation. The control system generates an activation signal utilizable for initiation of retraction of the seat belt. If the control system determines absence of fulfillment of a confirming condition within a predetermined confirming time period, and/or if the control system determines fulfillment of an abort condition within a predetermined abort time period, the control system generates a deactivation signal utilizable for aborting the initiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Par Nilsson, Peter Harda, Anders Axelson, Stefan Berge
  • Publication number: 20160129879
    Abstract: A method is provided for operation of a safety arrangement in a vehicle. The safety arrangement comprises a seat belt, a seat belt retractor and at least one seat position adjustment arrangement for position adjustment of a seat of the vehicle and/or a portion of the seat. The method comprises a refraction of the seat belt by means of the seat belt retractor with a retraction force, and a pre-crash displacement of the seat and/or the portion of the seat resulting in a displacement force acting on the seat belt. The method further comprises adapting the pre-crash displacement and the refraction of the seat belt to each other by ascertaining that a combined seat belt force comprising the refraction force and the displacement force does not exceed a selectable level. The disclosure further relates to a safety arrangement for a vehicle and a vehicle comprising such a safety arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Peter HARDA, Anders AXELSON, II, Stefan BERGE, Par NILSSON
  • Publication number: 20160129908
    Abstract: A vehicle, method, control arrangement, and autonomous drive arrangement are provided. The control arrangement is for controlling an autonomous drive arrangement in a host vehicle including an autonomous drive arrangement configured to control steering and velocity of the host vehicle up to an autonomous drive maximum velocity of the host vehicle, a speed limit determination unit, and a communication unit arranged to receive, from at least one external source, real time preceding vehicle velocity for one or more preceding vehicles. The control arrangement is configured to control the autonomous drive arrangement in dependence on a difference between the autonomous drive maximum velocity and at least one of a speed limit and at least one preceding vehicle velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventor: Peter HARDA
  • Publication number: 20160129881
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling a time of activation of a restraint system in a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a seat belt associated to a seat, the restraint system being a reversible restraint system, the method comprising the steps of a) determining a current length (L) of pulled out seat belt, b) detecting a collision or an imminent collision involving the vehicle, c) predicting a time (T0) when the collision is predicted to affect a user of the seat belt, d) activating the reversible restraint system a selectable time period (?1) before the time (T0) when the collision is predicted to affect the user of the seat belt, wherein a length of the selectable time period (?1) is a function of the determined current length (L) of pulled out seat belt. The disclosure further relates to a safety arrangement of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Peter HARDA, Anders AXELSON, II, Stefan BERGE, Par NILSSON
  • Publication number: 20150353094
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle, an overtake assessment arrangement, and an overtake assessment system are provided. The overtake assessment arrangement is configured to receive, from at least one external source, real time traffic information on one or more surrounding vehicles outside a sensor monitoring area, assess whether to overtake at least one preceding vehicle within the sensor monitoring area or not, based on the real time traffic information received via the communication unit, and provide a vehicle drive arrangement with input indicative of the assessment, such that the vehicle drive arrangement is able to control the host vehicle to overtake the at least one preceding vehicle or not in accordance with the input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Peter HARDA, Erik ISRAELSSON