Patents by Inventor Scott D. Pendleton

Scott D. Pendleton 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: 11938953
    Abstract: Among other things, we describe techniques for operation of a vehicle based on measured load characteristics and/or passenger comfort. One or more sensors of the vehicle can measure passenger data and/or load data of the vehicle. The passenger data and/or load data of the vehicle can be used by the vehicle to determine how to navigate within the surrounding environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Motional AD LLC
    Inventors: Scott D. Pendleton, Maurilio Di Cicco
  • Patent number: 11899464
    Abstract: Techniques for operation of a vehicle using machine learning with motion planning include storing, using one or more processors of a vehicle located within an environment, a plurality of constraints for operating the vehicle within the environment. One or more sensors of the vehicle receive sensor data describing the environment. The one or more processors extract a feature vector from the stored plurality of constraints and the received sensor data. The feature vector includes a first feature describing an object located within the environment. A machine learning circuit of the vehicle is used to generate a first motion segment based on the feature vector. A number of violations of the stored plurality of constraints is below a threshold. The one or more processors operate the vehicle in accordance with the generated first motion segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Motional AD LLC
    Inventors: Sourabh Vora, Oscar Olof Beijbom, Shih-Yuan Liu, Tichakorn Wongpiromsarn, Daniele De Francesco, Scott D. Pendleton
  • Publication number: 20240028035
    Abstract: Among other things, planning a motion of a machine having moving capabilities is based on strategic guidelines derived from various basic principles, such as laws, ethics, preferences, driving experiences, and road environments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Andrea Censi, Emilio Frazzoli, Hsun-Hsien Cheng, Kostyantyn Slutskyy, Scott D. Pendleton
  • Patent number: 11878695
    Abstract: Among other things, techniques are described for receiving, from at least one sensor of a vehicle, a sensor measurement indicative of at least one of a sound or a vibration associated with a road element; identifying the road element based on a pattern in the sensor measurement; determining, based on the road element, a vehicle behavior for the vehicle; and controlling the vehicle to operate according to vehicle behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Motional AD LLC
    Inventors: Bence Cserna, Shih-Yuan Liu, Scott D. Pendleton
  • Publication number: 20230415774
    Abstract: Provided are methods for gridlock prevention, which can include obtaining sensor data, obtaining an intersection parameter, and determining a constraint. Some methods described also include generating trajectories and providing data associated with a selected trajectory, such as for operation of an autonomous vehicle along the trajectory. Systems and computer program products are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Scott D. Pendleton, Titus Chua, Shu-Kai Lin
  • Patent number: 11851091
    Abstract: Embodiments for operational envelope detection (OED) with situational assessment are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method comprises: determining at least one current or future constraint for a trajectory of a vehicle in an environment that is associated with the vehicle becoming immobile for an extended period of time; determining a stopping-reason for immobility of the vehicle based on determining the at least one current or future constraint for the trajectory of the vehicle in the environment; identifying a timeout threshold based on the stopping-reason, wherein the timeout threshold is an amount of time a planning system of the vehicle will wait before initiating at least one remedial action to address the immobility; identifying that the timeout threshold is satisfied; and initiating the at least one remedial action for the vehicle based on the identifying that the timeout threshold is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Motional AD LLC
    Inventors: Scott D. Pendleton, Zhiliang Chen, You Hong Eng, James Guo Ming Fu
  • Patent number: 11845454
    Abstract: Embodiments for operational envelope detection (OED) with situational assessment are disclosed. Embodiments herein relate to an operational envelope detector that is configured to receive, as inputs, information related to sensors of the system and information related to operational design domain (ODD) requirements. The OED then compares the information related to sensors of the system to the information related to the ODD requirements, and identifies whether the system is operating within its ODD or whether a remedial action is appropriate to adjust the ODD requirements based on the current sensor information. Other embodiments are described and/or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Motional AD LLC
    Inventors: You Hong Eng, James Guo Ming Fu, Scott D. Pendleton, Yu Pan
  • Publication number: 20230341232
    Abstract: Among other things, techniques are described for implementing occlusion representations over road features. In general, one innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include: obtaining area information of at least one area of interest for a vehicle, identifying occlusion data associated with the at least one area of interest, determining occlusion information associated with the at least one area of interest based on the area information and the occlusion data, providing the occlusion information for planning a route for the vehicle, and operating the vehicle in accordance with the planned route. The occlusion data includes data associated with the occlusion information, and the occlusion information has a smaller data size than the occlusion data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Yifan Yang, Scott D. Pendleton, Giancarlo Baldan
  • Publication number: 20230294715
    Abstract: Among other things, we describe techniques for operation of a vehicle based on measured load characteristics and/or passenger comfort. One or more sensors of the vehicle can measure passenger data and/or load data of the vehicle. The passenger data and/or load data of the vehicle can be used by the vehicle to determine how to navigate within the surrounding environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Scott D. Pendleton, Maurilio Di Cicco
  • Patent number: 11733054
    Abstract: Among other things, techniques are described for implementing occlusion representations over road features. In general, one innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include: obtaining area information of at least one area of interest for a vehicle, identifying occlusion data associated with the at least one area of interest, determining occlusion information associated with the at least one area of interest based on the area information and the occlusion data, providing the occlusion information for planning a route for the vehicle, and operating the vehicle in accordance with the planned route. The occlusion data includes data associated with the occlusion information, and the occlusion information has a smaller data size than the occlusion data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Motional AD LLC
    Inventors: Yifan Yang, Scott D. Pendleton, Giancarlo Baldan
  • Patent number: 11714413
    Abstract: Among other things, planning a motion of a machine having moving capabilities is based on strategic guidelines derived from various basic principles, such as laws, ethics, preferences, driving experiences, and road environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Motional AD LLC
    Inventors: Andrea Censi, Emilio Frazzoli, Hsun-Hsien Chang, Kostyantyn Slutskyy, Scott D. Pendleton
  • Publication number: 20230192090
    Abstract: Among other things, techniques are described for determining precedence order at a multiway stop. In embodiments, identifications are assigned to tracks, and young tracks are compared to stale tracks. A young track matches a stale track based on one or more factors. An identification of the young track is reassigned to an identification of the stale track, wherein the young track is determined to match the stale track based on the one or more factors. An earliest time of appearance of agents is determined based on identifications and in view of perception obscured areas. A precedence order for navigating through the intersection is determined based on local rules, the identifications, and the earliest time of appearance of agents, and the vehicle proceeds through the multiway stop intersection in accordance with the precedence order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Scott D. Pendleton, Xiaojun Sun, Shu-Kai Lin, Puneet Singhal, Yu Pan, Lubing Zhou, Laith Sahawneh, Guchan Ozbilgin, Giancarlo Baldan
  • Publication number: 20230159026
    Abstract: Provided are methods for predicting motion of hypothetical agents, which can include receiving sensor data, generating a segmentation mask indicative of at least one occluded area, generating at least one hypothetical agent trajectory, determining at least one agent generation point, determining whether a threshold distance from the at least one agent generation point to the vehicle is satisfied, generating at least one agent, planning a path of the vehicle and controlling the vehicle according to the planned path. Systems and computer program products are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Inventors: Yu Pan, You Hong Eng, Scott D. Pendleton, James Guo Ming Fu
  • Publication number: 20230093601
    Abstract: Embodiments for operational envelope detection (OED) with situational assessment are disclosed. Embodiments herein relate to an operational envelope detector that is configured to receive, as inputs, information related to sensors of the system and information related to operational design domain (ODD) requirements. The OED then compares the information related to sensors of the system to the information related to the ODD requirements, and identifies whether the system is operating within its ODD or whether a remedial action is appropriate to adjust the ODD requirements based on the current sensor information. Other embodiments are described and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Scott D. Pendleton, Yu Pan, You Hong Eng, James Guo Ming Fu
  • Publication number: 20230091987
    Abstract: Embodiments for operational envelope detection (OED) with situational assessment are disclosed. Embodiments herein relate to an operational envelope detector that is configured to receive, as inputs, information related to sensors of the system and information related to operational design domain (ODD) requirements. The OED then compares the information related to sensors of the system to the information related to the ODD requirements, and identifies whether the system is operating within its ODD or whether a remedial action is appropriate to adjust the ODD requirements based on the current sensor information. Other embodiments are described and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Scott D. Pendleton, Zhiliang Chen, You Hong Eng, James Guo Ming Fu
  • Publication number: 20230081111
    Abstract: Embodiments for operational envelope detection (OED) with situational assessment are disclosed. Embodiments herein relate to an operational envelope detector that is configured to receive, as inputs, information related to sensors of the system and information related to operational design domain (ODD) requirements. The OED then compares the information related to sensors of the system to the information related to the ODD requirements, and identifies whether the system is operating within its ODD or whether a remedial action is appropriate to adjust the ODD requirements based on the current sensor information. Other embodiments are described and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: You Hong Eng, James Guo Ming Fu, Scott D. Pendleton, Yu Pan
  • Publication number: 20230077863
    Abstract: Provided are methods for search algorithms and safety verification for compliant domain volumes. The present techniques include identifying a parameterized scenario space and objective function. A boundary between compliant scenarios and non-compliant scenarios for metrics in the parameterized scenario space is determined. A total boundary of a domain volume corresponding to the parameterized scenario space is identified based on the boundaries between the compliant scenarios and non-compliant scenarios for each metric in the parameterized scenario space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Scott D. Pendleton, Aleksandar Petrov Petrov, Carter Tung Yung Fang, Minh Khang Pham, James Guo Ming Fu, You Hong Eng
  • Publication number: 20230078779
    Abstract: Embodiments for operational envelope detection (OED) with situational assessment are disclosed. Embodiments herein relate to an operational envelope detector that is configured to receive, as inputs, information related to sensors of the system and information related to operational design domain (ODD) requirements. The OED then compares the information related to sensors of the system to the information related to the ODD requirements, and identifies whether the system is operating within its ODD or whether a remedial action is appropriate to adjust the ODD requirements based on the current sensor information. Other embodiments are described and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: You Hong Eng, James Guo Ming Fu, Scott D. Pendleton, Yu Pan
  • Patent number: 11529955
    Abstract: Among other things, we describe techniques for traffic light estimation using range sensors. A planning circuit of a vehicle traveling on a first drivable region that forms an intersection with a second drivable region receives information sensed by a range sensor of the vehicle. The information represents a movement state of an object through the intersection. A traffic signal at the intersection controls movement of objects through the intersection. The planning circuit determines a state of the traffic signal at the intersection based, in part, on the received information. A control circuit controls an operation of the vehicle based, in part, on the state of the traffic signal at the intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Motional AD LLC
    Inventors: Scott D. Pendleton, Aravindkumar Vijayalingam
  • Publication number: 20220283586
    Abstract: Techniques for operation of a vehicle using machine learning with motion planning include storing, using one or more processors of a vehicle located within an environment, a plurality of constraints for operating the vehicle within the environment. One or more sensors of the vehicle receive sensor data describing the environment. The one or more processors extract a feature vector from the stored plurality of constraints and the received sensor data. The feature vector includes a first feature describing an object located within the environment. A machine learning circuit of the vehicle is used to generate a first motion segment based on the feature vector. A number of violations of the stored plurality of constraints is below a threshold. The one or more processors operate the vehicle in accordance with the generated first motion segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Sourabh Vora, Oscar Olof Beijbom, Shih-Yuan Liu, Tichakorn Wongpiromsarn, Daniele De Francesco, Scott D. Pendleton