Patents by Inventor Pi-Ming Cheng

Pi-Ming Cheng 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: 7990286
    Abstract: Vehicles driving on a roadway interrogate passive tags in or on lanes of the roadway. Codes in the tags represent locations along the highway and which lane the vehicle is traveling in. Units in the vehicles communicate longitudinal and lane positions derived from the codes among each other or with infrastructure units for purposes such as traffic management, alerts concerning other vehicles, alerts concerning external conditions, or traffic control. The units may also communicate vehicle lengths or other parameters or characteristics. Vehicle units may communicate with sensors and actuators in the vehicles for purposes such as updating the vehicles' positions between adjacent tags. Specific applications for intelligent transportation systems are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
  • Publication number: 20090115638
    Abstract: Vehicles driving on a roadway interrogate passive tags in or on lanes of the roadway. Codes in the tags represent locations along the highway and which lane the vehicle is traveling in. Units in the vehicles communicate longitudinal and lane positions derived from the codes among each other or with infrastructure units for purposes such as traffic management, alerts concerning other vehicles, alerts concerning external conditions, or traffic control. The units may also communicate vehicle lengths or other parameters or characteristics. Vehicle units may communicate with sensors and actuators in the vehicles for purposes such as updating the vehicles' positions between adjacent tags. Specific applications for intelligent transportation systems are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
  • Patent number: 7375728
    Abstract: A virtual mirror is rendered by a computer graphics display or screen. The display substantially replicates the optical properties of a physical mirror. The display is provided on a host vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Max Donath, Craig R. Shankwitz, Pi-Ming Cheng, Sameer Pardhy
  • Patent number: 7209051
    Abstract: An intersection assistance system includes at least one vehicle sensor and a gap estimator. The vehicle sensor is configured to obtain vehicle information on vehicles approaching the intersection along a main roadway. The gap estimator is configured to estimate gap information relating to a gap between the vehicles based on the vehicle information. The gap information includes a length of the gap, a location of the gap, and a velocity of the gap. In a method of obtaining information for use in assisting a driver of an entering vehicle to safely enter an intersection, vehicle information is obtained on vehicles traveling toward the intersection on a main roadway. Next, gap information is estimated relating to a gap between the vehicles based on the vehicle information. The gap information includes a length of the gap, a location of the gap, and a velocity of the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Craig R. Shankwitz, Lee Alexander, Pi-Ming Cheng, Max Donath, Alec Gorjestani, Arvind Menon, Bryan Newstrom, Nicholas J. Ward
  • Patent number: 6977630
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a visual mobility assist device which provides a conformal, augmented display to assist a moving body. When the moving body is a motor vehicle, for instance (although it can be substantially any other body), the present invention assists the driver in either lane keeping or collision avoidance, or both. The system can display objects such as lane boundaries, targets, other navigational and guidance elements or objects, or a variety of other indicators, in proper perspective, to assist the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Max Donath, Craig R. Shankwitz, Heon Min Lim, Bryan Newstrom, Alec Gorjestani, Sameer Pardy, Lee Alexander, Pi-Ming Cheng
  • Publication number: 20050174257
    Abstract: An intersection assistance system includes at least one vehicle sensor and a gap estimator. The vehicle sensor is configured to obtain vehicle information on vehicles approaching the intersection along a main roadway. The gap estimator is configured to estimate gap information relating to a gap between the vehicles based on the vehicle information. The gap information includes a length of the gap, a location of the gap, and a velocity of the gap. In a method of obtaining information for use in assisting a driver of an entering vehicle to safely enter an intersection, vehicle information is obtained on vehicles traveling toward the intersection on a main roadway. Next, gap information is estimated relating to a gap between the vehicles based on the vehicle information. The gap information includes a length of the gap, a location of the gap, and a velocity of the gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Applicant: The University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Craig Shankwitz, Lee Alexander, Pi-Ming Cheng, Max Donath, Alec Gorjestani, Arvind Menon, Bryan Newstrom, Nicholas Ward
  • Publication number: 20040066376
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a visual mobility assist device which provides a conformal, augmented display to assist a moving body. When the moving body is a motor vehicle, for instance (although it can be substantially any other body), the present invention assists the driver in either lane keeping or collision avoidance, or both. The system can display objects such as lane boundaries, targets, other navigational and guidance elements or objects, or a variety of other indicators, in proper perspective, to assist the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Inventors: Max Donath, Craig R. Shankwitz, Heon Min Lim, Bryan Newstrom, Alec Gorjestani, Sameer Pardhy, Lee Alexander, Pi-Ming Cheng
  • Publication number: 20030128182
    Abstract: A virtual mirror is rendered by a computer graphics display or screen. The display substantially replicates the optical properties of a physical mirror. The display is provided on a host vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Inventors: Max Donath, Craig R. Shankwitz, Pi-Ming Cheng, Sameer Pardhy