Patents by Inventor Robert Edward Somers

Robert Edward Somers 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: 20190052119
    Abstract: An electrical system may include a power circuit configured to provide a power output, first and second batteries, and first and second switches configured to connect and disconnect the first and second batteries, respectively, to the power output in parallel with one another. The electrical system may also include a controller electrically connected to the first and the second switches, and configured to control operation of the first switch and/or the second switch. The electrical system may also include a load predictor in communication with the controller and configured to predict power demands of an electric load on the power circuit and send a signal indicative of the predicted power demands to the controller, which may activate the first switch and/or the second switch to connect the first battery and/or the second battery to the power output based at least in part on the signal indicative of the predicted load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Austin Hendrix, Moritz Boecker, Robert Edward Somers
  • Patent number: 10133275
    Abstract: Techniques for determining a trajectory for an autonomous vehicle are described herein. In general, determining a route can include utilizing a search algorithm such as Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) to search for possible trajectories, while using temporal logic formulas, such as Linear Temporal Logic (LTL), to validate or reject the possible trajectories. Trajectories can be selected based on various costs and constraints optimized for performance. Determining a trajectory can include determining a current state of the autonomous vehicle, which can include determining static and dynamic symbols in an environment. A context of an environment can be populated with the symbols, features, predicates, and LTL formula. Rabin automata can be based on the LTL formula, and the automata can be used to evaluate various candidate trajectories. Nodes of the MCTS can be generated and actions can be explored based on machine learning implemented as, for example, a deep neural network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Marin Kobilarov, Timothy Caldwell, Vasumathi Raman, Christopher Paxton, Joona Markus Petteri Kiiski, Jacob Lee Askeland, Robert Edward Somers
  • Publication number: 20180251126
    Abstract: Techniques for generating and executing trajectories to guide autonomous vehicles are described. In an example, a first computer system associated with an autonomous vehicle can generate, at a first operational frequency, a route to guide the autonomous vehicle from a current location to a target location. The first computer system can further determine, at a second operational frequency, an instruction for guiding the autonomous vehicle along the route and can generate, at a third operational frequency, a trajectory based at least partly on the instruction and real-time processed sensor data. A second computer system that is associated with the autonomous vehicle and is in communication with the first computer system can execute, at a fourth operational frequency, the trajectory to cause the autonomous vehicle to travel along the route. The separation of the first computer system and the second computer system can provide enhanced safety, redundancy, and optimization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: Gary Linscott, Robert Edward Somers, Joona Markus Petteri Kiiski, Marin Kobilarov, Timothy Caldwell, Jacob Lee Askeland, Ashutosh Gajanan Rege, Joseph Funke
  • Patent number: 9860709
    Abstract: A method includes establishing communication channels between an on-board unit (OBU) of a vehicle and a plurality of nodes, tagging each of a plurality of data from the plurality of nodes with a priority level, storing the plurality of data in a priority queue according to respective priority levels, selecting a medium to present a first data of the plurality of data to a user, and presenting the first data to the user via the medium. In the method, the plurality of nodes includes a remote node and an in-vehicle device. Another method includes receiving a data from a remote node, generating a plurality of data streams from the data and transmitting the plurality of data streams across a plurality of wireless interfaces. Another method includes enhancing audio signals from a plurality of microphones and speakers. Yet another method includes various gesture based user interfaces coupled to the OBU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sateesh K. Addepalli, Lillian Lei Dai, Raghuram S. Sudhaakar, Flavio Bonomi, Xiaoqing Zhu, Preethi Natarajan, Vijaynarayanan Subramanian, Rong Pan, Robert Edward Somers
  • Publication number: 20170251339
    Abstract: A method includes receiving, by a processor of a data collector, a request for sensor data related to an event. The method also includes sending a plurality of requests for the sensor data to a plurality of on-board units (OBUs), respectively, where the plurality of OBUs is associated with a plurality of vehicles, respectively. The method further includes receiving a plurality of responses from the plurality of OBUs, respectively, wherein each response of the plurality of responses includes a sensor data item related to the event. In more specific embodiments the plurality of requests are sent to the plurality of OBUs based on the plurality of OBUs being located within a certain proximity to the event. In yet further embodiments, each sensor data item of the plurality of responses is encapsulated with a respective tag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Applicant: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Sateesh K. Addepalli, Raghuram S. Sudhaakar, Lillian Lei Dai, Robert Edward Somers
  • Publication number: 20150264554
    Abstract: A method includes selecting a path for routing a data packet from a source node to a destination node in a vehicular ad hoc network, storing the data packet if the selected path is identified as a dead end, and establishing a communication link with a first node. The method also includes forwarding the data packet to the first node if a first distance between the first node and the destination node is less than a second distance between the source node and the destination node. More specific embodiments include sending a query for location information of the destination node, receiving the location information including two or more available paths from the source node to the destination node, and determining the path for routing the data packet is an optimal path of the two or more available paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Sateesh K. Addepalli, Raghuram S. Sudhaakar, Lillian Lei Dai, Vina Ermagan, Preethi Natarajan, Kevin C. Lee, Pere Monclus, Robert Edward Somers
  • Publication number: 20140303807
    Abstract: A method includes establishing communication channels between an on-board unit (OBU) of a vehicle and a plurality of nodes, tagging each of a plurality of data from the plurality of nodes with a priority level, storing the plurality of data in a priority queue according to respective priority levels, selecting a medium to present a first data of the plurality of data to a user, and presenting the first data to the user via the medium. In the method, the plurality of nodes includes a remote node and an in-vehicle device. Another method includes receiving a data from a remote node, generating a plurality of data streams from the data and transmitting the plurality of data streams across a plurality of wireless interfaces. Another method includes enhancing audio signals from a plurality of microphones and speakers. Yet another method includes various gesture based user interfaces coupled to the OBU.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Sateesh K. Addepalli, Lillian Lei Dai, Raghuram S. Sudhaakar, Flavio Bonomi, Xiaoqing Zhu, Preethi Natarajan, Vijaynarayanan Subramanian, Rong Pan, Robert Edward Somers
  • Patent number: 8718797
    Abstract: A method includes establishing communication channels between an on-board unit (OBU) of a vehicle and a plurality of nodes, tagging each of a plurality of data from the plurality of nodes with a priority level, storing the plurality of data in a priority queue according to respective priority levels, selecting a medium to present a first data of the plurality of data to a user, and presenting the first data to the user via the medium. In the method, the plurality of nodes includes a remote node and an in-vehicle device. Another method includes receiving a data from a remote node, generating a plurality of data streams from the data and transmitting the plurality of data streams across a plurality of wireless interfaces. Another method includes enhancing audio signals from a plurality of microphones and speakers. Yet another method includes various gesture based user interfaces coupled to the OBU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sateesh K. Addepalli, Lillian Lei Dai, Raghuram S. Sudhaakar, Robert Edward Somers