Patents by Inventor Sean Shanshi Chen

Sean Shanshi Chen 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: 11922341
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling autonomous vehicles are provided. Assisted autonomy tasks facilitated by operators for a plurality of autonomous vehicles can be tracked in order to generate operator attributes for each of a plurality of operators. The attributes for an operator can be based on tracking one or more respective assisted autonomy tasks facilitated by the operator. The operator attributes can be used to facilitate enhanced remote operations for autonomous vehicles. For example, request parameters can be obtained in response to a request for remote assistance associated with an autonomous vehicle. An operator can be selected to assist with autonomy tasks for the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the operator attributes for the operator and the request parameters associated with the request. Remote assistance for the first autonomous vehicle can be initiated, facilitated by the first operator in response to the request for remote assistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean Shanshi Chen, Samann Ghorbanian-Matloob, Brent Justin Goldman, Michael Guanran Huang
  • Patent number: 11884293
    Abstract: Disclosed are autonomous vehicles that may autonomously navigate at least a portion of a route defined by a service request allocator. The autonomous vehicle may, at a certain portion of the route, request remote assistance. In response to the request, an operator may provide input to a console that indicates control positions for one or more vehicle controls such as steering position, brake position, and/or accelerator position. A command is sent to the autonomous vehicle indicating how the vehicle should proceed along the route. When the vehicle reaches a location where remote assistance is no longer required, the autonomous vehicle is released from manual control and may then continue executing the route under autonomous control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Arvind Srinivasan, Samann Ghorbanian-Matloob, Sean Shanshi Chen, Eli Schleifer, Shelley Bower, Patrick Willett
  • Patent number: 11704998
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to using anomaly data detected in traffic data to efficiently initiate remote assistance sessions. In particular, a computing system can receive, from a computing device associated with a human-driven vehicle, travel data for the human-driven vehicle. The computer system can identify a navigation anomaly associated with the human-driven vehicle based on the travel data. The computer system can generate, based on the identified navigation anomaly, an anomaly entry for storage in an anomaly database, the anomaly entry comprising geofence data describing a geographic area associated with the navigation anomaly. The computer system can determine, based on location data received from an autonomous vehicle and the geofence data, that the autonomous vehicle is entering the geographic area associated with the navigation anomaly. The computer system can initiate a remote assistance session with the autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Guanran Huang, Samann Ghorbanian-Matloob, Sean Shanshi Chen
  • Publication number: 20230082760
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling autonomous vehicles are provided. Assisted autonomy tasks facilitated by operators for a plurality of autonomous vehicles can be tracked in order to generate operator attributes for each of a plurality of operators. The attributes for an operator can be based on tracking one or more respective assisted autonomy tasks facilitated by the operator. The operator attributes can be used to facilitate enhanced remote operations for autonomous vehicles. For example, request parameters can be obtained in response to a request for remote assistance associated with an autonomous vehicle. An operator can be selected to assist with autonomy tasks for the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the operator attributes for the operator and the request parameters associated with the request. Remote assistance for the first autonomous vehicle can be initiated, facilitated by the first operator in response to the request for remote assistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Sean Shanshi Chen, Samann Ghorbanian-Matloob, Brent Justin Goldman, Michael Guanran Huang
  • Patent number: 11526816
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling autonomous vehicles are provided. Assisted autonomy tasks facilitated by operators for a plurality of autonomous vehicles can be tracked in order to generate operator attributes for each of a plurality of operators. The attributes for an operator can be based on tracking one or more respective assisted autonomy tasks facilitated by the operator. The operator attributes can be used to facilitate enhanced remote operations for autonomous vehicles. For example, request parameters can be obtained in response to a request for remote assistance associated with an autonomous vehicle. An operator can be selected to assist with autonomy tasks for the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the operator attributes for the operator and the request parameters associated with the request. Remote assistance for the first autonomous vehicle can be initiated, facilitated by the first operator in response to the request for remote assistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean Shanshi Chen, Samann Ghorbanian-Matloob, Brent Justin Goldman, Michael Guanran Huang
  • Patent number: 11507090
    Abstract: Systems and methods for vehicle motion control with interactive object annotation are provided. A method can include obtaining data indicative of a plurality of objects within a surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle. For example, the plurality of objects can include at least at one problem object encountered by the autonomous vehicle while navigating a planned route. The method can include determining a group of objects of the plurality of objects. For example, the group of objects can include the problem object and one or more other objects in proximity to the problem object. The method can include determining a classification update to be applied to the group of objects. The method can include applying the classification update to the group of objects. The method can include providing data indicative of the classification update for the group of objects to the autonomous vehicle for use in motion planning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean Shanshi Chen, Samann Ghorbanian-Matloob
  • Patent number: 11314246
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system for generating customized command toolboxes for remote operators in a service system that includes autonomous vehicles. The system receives a request for remote assistance from an autonomous vehicle. The system determines, from a local storage location, vehicle data associated with the autonomous vehicle. The system selects a subset of remote assistance actions from a predetermined set of remote assistance actions. The system displays, in a remote assistance user interface, one or more user interface elements indicative of the subset of remote assistance actions. The system determines one or more remote assistance actions from the subset of remote assistance actions based at least in part on a user input associated with the one or more user interface elements. The system transmits one or more control signals associated with the one or more remote assistance actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Samann Ghorbanian-Matloob, Sean Shanshi Chen, Patrick Greaney Willett
  • Publication number: 20210312798
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to using anomaly data detected in traffic data to efficiently initiate remote assistance sessions. In particular, a computing system can receive, from a computing device associated with a human-driven vehicle, travel data for the human-driven vehicle. The computer system can identify a navigation anomaly associated with the human-driven vehicle based on the travel data. The computer system can generate, based on the identified navigation anomaly, an anomaly entry for storage in an anomaly database, the anomaly entry comprising geofence data describing a geographic area associated with the navigation anomaly. The computer system can determine, based on location data received from an autonomous vehicle and the geofence data, that the autonomous vehicle is entering the geographic area associated with the navigation anomaly. The computer system can initiate a remote assistance session with the autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Michael Guanran Huang, Samann Ghorbanian-Matloob, Sean Shanshi Chen
  • Publication number: 20210191398
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to autonomous vehicle service assignment simulation using simulated remote operators. In particular, a computing system comprising one or more computing devices can obtain sensor data associated with an interior of an autonomous vehicle. The computing system can determine using the sensor data that the interior of the autonomous vehicle contains one or more passengers. In response to determining that the interior of the autonomous vehicle contains one or more passengers, the computing system can analyze the sensor data to determine whether the one or more passengers are violating one or more passenger policies. In response to determining that the one or more passengers are violating one or more passenger policies, the computing system can automatically initiate a remote assistance session with a remote operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Sean Shanshi Chen, Samann Ghorbanian-Matloob, Michael Guanran Huang, Robert Eperjesi, Benjamin Ryan Ulrich
  • Publication number: 20210182454
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to autonomous vehicle service assignment simulations using simulated remote operators. In particular, a computing system comprising one or more computing devices can obtain data associated with a simulated autonomous vehicle to use within a simulation environment based at least in part on a service assignment. The computing system can generate one or more simulated remote assistance operators. The computing system can initiate a simulation of a service assignment using the data associated with the simulated autonomous vehicle to perform the service assignment within the simulation environment. The computing system can provide one or more simulated events from the one or more simulated remote assistance operators to the simulated autonomous vehicle. The computing system can determine whether the simulated autonomous vehicle has successfully completed the service assignment based at least in part on the current state of the simulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Michael Smaili, Sean Shanshi Chen, Samann Ghorbanian-Matloob, Vladimir Zaytsev, Mark Yen
  • Publication number: 20210048814
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system for generating customized command toolboxes for remote operators in a service system that includes autonomous vehicles. The system receives a request for remote assistance from an autonomous vehicle. The system determines, from a local storage location, vehicle data associated with the autonomous vehicle. The system selects a subset of remote assistance actions from a predetermined set of remote assistance actions. The system displays, in a remote assistance user interface, one or more user interface elements indicative of the subset of remote assistance actions. The system determines one or more remote assistance actions from the subset of remote assistance actions based at least in part on a user input associated with the one or more user interface elements. The system transmits one or more control signals associated with the one or more remote assistance actions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Samann Ghorbanian-Matloob, Sean Shanshi Chen, Patrick Greaney Willett
  • Publication number: 20200401135
    Abstract: Systems and methods for vehicle motion control with interactive object annotation are provided. A method can include obtaining data indicative of a plurality of objects within a surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle. For example, the plurality of objects can include at least at one problem object encountered by the autonomous vehicle while navigating a planned route. The method can include determining a group of objects of the plurality of objects. For example, the group of objects can include the problem object and one or more other objects in proximity to the problem object. The method can include determining a classification update to be applied to the group of objects. The method can include applying the classification update to the group of objects. The method can include providing data indicative of the classification update for the group of objects to the autonomous vehicle for use in motion planning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Sean Shanshi Chen, Samann Ghorbanian-Matloob
  • Publication number: 20200272949
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling autonomous vehicles are provided. Assisted autonomy tasks facilitated by operators for a plurality of autonomous vehicles can be tracked in order to generate operator attributes for each of a plurality of operators. The attributes for an operator can be based on tracking one or more respective assisted autonomy tasks facilitated by the operator. The operator attributes can be used to facilitate enhanced remote operations for autonomous vehicles. For example, request parameters can be obtained in response to a request for remote assistance associated with an autonomous vehicle. An operator can be selected to assist with autonomy tasks for the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the operator attributes for the operator and the request parameters associated with the request. Remote assistance for the first autonomous vehicle can be initiated, facilitated by the first operator in response to the request for remote assistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Sean Shanshi Chen, Samann Ghorbanian-Matloob, Brent Justin Goldman, Michael Guanran Huang
  • Publication number: 20200239023
    Abstract: Disclosed are autonomous vehicles that may autonomously navigate at least a portion of a route defined by a service request allocator. The autonomous vehicle may, at a certain portion of the route, request remote assistance. In response to the request, an operator may provide input to a console that indicates control positions for one or more vehicle controls such as steering position, brake position, and/or accelerator position. A command is sent to the autonomous vehicle indicating how the vehicle should proceed along the route. When the vehicle reaches a location where remote assistance is no longer required, the autonomous vehicle is released from manual control and may then continue executing the route under autonomous control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Arvind Srinivasan, Samann Ghorbanian-Matloob, Sean Shanshi Chen, Eli Schleifer, Shelley Bower, Patrick Willett