Patents by Inventor Urs Niesen

Urs Niesen 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: 20180335525
    Abstract: Techniques provided herein are directed toward using a camera, such as a forward-facing camera, to identify non-line-of-sight (NLoS) satellites in a satellite positioning system. In particular, successive images captured by the camera of the vehicle can be used to create a three-dimensional (3-D) skyline model of one or more objects that may be obstructing the view of a satellite (from the perspective of the vehicle). Accordingly, this allows for the determination of NLoS satellites and exclusion of data from the NLoS satellites in the determination of the location of the vehicle. Techniques may further include providing the determined location of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Urs Niesen, Arvind Ramanandan
  • Patent number: 10132933
    Abstract: A method for aligning visual-inertial odometry (VIO) and satellite positioning system (SPS) reference frames includes obtaining a plurality of range-rate measurements of a mobile platform from an SPS. The range-rate measurements are with respect to a global reference frame of the SPS. The method also includes obtaining a plurality of VIO velocity measurements of the mobile platform from a VIO system. The VIO velocity measurements are with respect to a local reference frame of the VIO system. At least one orientation parameter is then determined to align the local reference frame with the global reference frame based on the range-rate measurements and the VIO velocity measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Venkatesan Nallampatti Ekambaram, Jubin Jose, Urs Niesen, Xinzhou Wu, Lionel Jacques Garin
  • Publication number: 20180196609
    Abstract: Various embodiments may include methods, devices, and non-transitory processor-readable media for performing data stream encoding by identifying a first data chunk and calculating a first hash value for the first data chunk. A device may determine whether the calculated first hash value is located within a hash table. If so, then the computing device may encode the first data chunk as the first hash value, but if the hash value is not stored in the hash table, a new entry for the hash value may be added to the hash table. A second data chunk may be identified and a hash value calculated. The device compares the second hash value to a next value stored in the hash table. If the second hash value matches the next hash value, the device encodes the second data chunk as a flag indicating that a predicted pattern of data chunks is being followed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventor: Urs Niesen
  • Publication number: 20180188381
    Abstract: Techniques provided herein are directed toward reducing inaccuracies in a fused GNSS/VIO output by comparing GNSS/VIO position candidates with an estimated position based on VIO propagation or other motion detection. If, for a given GNSS epoch, none of the position candidates are within a threshold distance of the estimated position, the estimated position is used as the determined position for the epoch. In some embodiments, least some of the GNSS measurements used in determining the position candidates may be removed for subsequent outlier rejection and position estimation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Lei Zhang, Jubin Jose, Urs Niesen
  • Publication number: 20180188383
    Abstract: Techniques provided herein are directed toward virtually extending an updated set of output positions of a mobile device determined by a VIO by combining a current set of VIO output positions with one or more previous sets of VIO output positions in such a way that ensure all outputs positions among the various combined sets of output positions are consistent. The combined sets can be used for accurate position determination of the mobile device. Moreover, the position determination further may be based on GNSS measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Urs Niesen, Jubin Jose, Lei Zhang
  • Publication number: 20180188382
    Abstract: Techniques provided herein are directed toward selecting GNSS measurements to greatly improve the position accuracy while keeping the complexity bounded. Specifically, only subset of available GNSS measurements in a window of time is selected for outlier rejection and estimation algorithms, where GNSS measurements are selected such that corresponding measurement locations are spaced with at least a minimum distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Jubin Jose, Lei Zhang, Urs Niesen
  • Patent number: 9992108
    Abstract: In general, a capability for forwarding packets based on path encoding is presented. The capability for forwarding a packet based on path encoding may be configured to enable forwarding of a packet along a network path by determining a path encoding label for the network path, associating the path encoding label for the network path with the packet, and forwarding the packet along the network path based on the path encoding label associated with the packet. The network path for a packet may include an ordered sequence of node output interfaces of an ordered sequence of nodes. The path encoding label for the network path includes an ordered sequence of node interface labels corresponding to the ordered sequence of node output interfaces of the nodes of the network path. The nodes of the network path forward the packet along the network path based on the path encoding label.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventors: Adiseshu Hari, Urs Niesen, Gordon Wilfong
  • Patent number: 9984035
    Abstract: System, methods, and apparatus are described that facilitate transmission/reception of data over a multi-line parallel bus. In an example, the apparatus selects from a sequential series of data bits a plurality of data bits for transmission over a plurality of parallel bus lines. For each bus line of the plurality of parallel bus lines, the apparatus compares a state of a current data bit selected for transmission on a current bus line during a current clock cycle with one or more conditions related to the current bus line or at least one bus line adjacent to the current bus line, wherein the one or more conditions includes a state of two data bits respectively transmitted on two bus lines adjacent to the current bus line during a previous clock cycle, and determines whether to transmit the current data bit on the current bus line based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Shrinivas Kudekar, Urs Niesen
  • Publication number: 20180074205
    Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to position sensors, and more particularly to outlier detection using spatial displacement data. An apparatus for use in position sensing may include a displacement sensor, a positioning signal receiver having a receiver clock, a memory, and a processor coupled to the displacement sensor, the positioning signal receiver, and the memory. The processor and memory may be configured to calculate a change in a receiver clock bias of the receiver clock based on range measurements and spatial-based displacement data, propagate a first range measurement based, at least in part, on the spatial-based displacement data and the change in the receiver clock bias, and determine an outlier range measurement based, at least in part, on the propagated first range measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Urs Niesen, Lionel Jacques Garin, Jubin Jose
  • Publication number: 20180074211
    Abstract: Determining a position of a device using a signal received from a reference emitter includes: receiving the signal; determining a state of a first filter, the state of the first filter including a first carrier phase ambiguity estimate that includes a floating value; determining a state of a second filter, the state of the second filter including a second carrier phase ambiguity estimate that includes a fixed value; determining whether the state of the second filter is consistent with one other filter state or measurement; maintaining the state of the second filter in response to the device determining that the state of the second filter is consistent with the other filter state; changing the state of the second filter to the state of the first filter in response to the device determining that the state of the second filter is not consistent with the other filter state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Urs NIESEN, Lionel Jacques GARIN, Jubin JOSE
  • Publication number: 20180074212
    Abstract: Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for processing satellite positioning system (SPS) signals for performing positioning operations. In particular, devices, systems disclosed herein are directed to determining estimates of undifferenced ambiguity values of a plurality of received SPS signals; and solving for a time based, at least in part, on the estimates of undifferenced ambiguity values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Urs Niesen, Lionel Jacques Garin, Jubin Jose
  • Publication number: 20180074206
    Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to position sensors, and more particularly to repair of carrier-phase cycle slips using displacement data. An apparatus for use in position sensing may include a displacement sensor, a positioning signal receiver, a memory, and a processor coupled to the displacement sensor, the positioning signal receiver, and the memory. The processor and memory may be configured to processor and memory are configured to detect a loss of lock of a first carrier tracking loop associated with the first set of carrier-phase measurements, wherein the first carrier tracking loop is associated with a first integer ambiguity, estimate, based on the displacement data, an ambiguity increment to the first integer ambiguity subsequent to the detected loss of lock, and resolve a second integer ambiguity associated with the second set of positioning signals based on the first integer ambiguity and the estimated ambiguity increment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Urs Niesen, Lionel Jacques Garin, Jubin Jose
  • Publication number: 20180067214
    Abstract: An example of a method of determining a position of a device includes: receiving, with a receiver of the device, a signal from a reference emitter; obtaining a code phase measurement of the signal; obtaining a carrier phase measurement of the signal; calculating an intermediate quantity that is a function of the code phase measurement and the carrier phase measurement; calculating a carrier phase smoothed estimate of a code phase of the signal based, at least in part, on a robust aggregation of the intermediate quantity; and determining the position of the device based, at least in part, on the carrier phase smoothed estimate of the code phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Urs NIESEN, Lionel Jacques GARIN, Jubin JOSE
  • Publication number: 20180007511
    Abstract: A range between a first wireless device and a second wireless device is estimated using a first mechanism based on messages transmitted over a first communication channel. The first communication channel is associated with a first radio access technology capability of the wireless devices. One or more metrics indicative of an accuracy of the range estimates provided by the first mechanism are obtained. A second mechanism to estimate a range between the first wireless device and the second wireless device may be implemented in favor of the first mechanism when the metric fails to satisfy a criterion. The second mechanism is based on unicast messages transmitted over a second communication channel. The second communication channel is associated with a second radio access technology capability of the wireless devices and may be the same as, or different from, the first communication channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Venkatesan NALLAMPATTI EKAMBARAM, Urs NIESEN, Jubin JOSE, Xinzhou WU
  • Patent number: 9801019
    Abstract: A range between a first wireless device and a second wireless device is estimated using a first mechanism based on messages transmitted over a first communication channel. The first communication channel is associated with a first radio access technology capability of the wireless devices. One or more metrics indicative of an accuracy of the range estimates provided by the first mechanism are obtained. A second mechanism to estimate a range between the first wireless device and the second wireless device may be implemented in favor of the first mechanism when the metric fails to satisfy a criterion. The second mechanism is based on unicast messages transmitted over a second communication channel. The second communication channel is associated with a second radio access technology capability of the wireless devices and may be the same as, or different from, the first communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Venkatesan Nallampatti Ekambaram, Urs Niesen, Jubin Jose, Xinzhou Wu
  • Publication number: 20170227656
    Abstract: A method of determining a trajectory of a mobile platform includes obtaining a satellite positioning system (SPS) measurement from one or more SPS signals acquired by an SPS receiver of the mobile platform. The method also includes obtaining a visual-inertial odometry (VIO) measurement of the mobile platform from a VIO system of the mobile platform. A first position estimate of the mobile platform is determined based, at least in part, on the SPS measurement and the VIO measurement. The method then includes adjusting the first position estimate to generate a smoothed position estimate based, in part, on a smoothing parameter that controls a smoothness of the trajectory. The trajectory of the mobile platform is then determined, at least in part, using the smoothed position estimate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Urs NIESEN, Venkatesan NALLAMPATTI EKAMBARAM, Lionel Jacques GARIN, Jubin JOSE, Xinzhou WU
  • Publication number: 20170219717
    Abstract: A method for aligning visual-inertial odometry (VIO) and satellite positioning system (SPS) reference frames includes obtaining a plurality of range-rate measurements of a mobile platform from an SPS. The range-rate measurements are with respect to a global reference frame of the SPS. The method also includes obtaining a plurality of VIO velocity measurements of the mobile platform from a VIO system. The VIO velocity measurements are with respect to a local reference frame of the VIO system. At least one orientation parameter is then determined to align the local reference frame with the global reference frame based on the range-rate measurements and the VIO velocity measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Venkatesan NALLAMPATTI EKAMBARAM, Jubin JOSE, Urs NIESEN, Xinzhou WU, Lionel Jacques GARIN
  • Publication number: 20170219716
    Abstract: A method of determining a position of a mobile platform includes obtaining a plurality of pseudorange measurements from multiple time epochs of a satellite navigation system (SPS) and obtaining a plurality of visual-inertial odometry (VIO) velocity measurements from a VIO system. Each time epoch of the SPS includes at least one pseudorange measurement corresponding to a first satellite and at least one pseudorange measurement corresponding to a second satellite. The method also includes combining the plurality of pseudorange measurements with the plurality of VIO velocity measurements to identify one or more outlier pseudorange measurements in the plurality of pseudorange measurements. The one or more outlier pseudorange measurements are then discarded from the plurality of pseudorange measurements to generate a remaining plurality of pseudorange measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Urs NIESEN, Venkatesan NALLAMPATTI EKAMBARAM, Lionel Jacques GARIN, Jubin JOSE, Xinzhou WU
  • Publication number: 20170163375
    Abstract: System, methods, and apparatus are described that facilitate transmission/reception of data over a multi-line parallel bus. In an example, the apparatus transmits data bits over a parallel bus includes determining from a prior bus state, a plurality of free wires in the bus for a current bus state, where each free wire satisfies a crosstalk-avoidance constraint in the current bus state for all values of a bit transmitted on the free wire. The apparatus may encode a plurality of data bits using a crosstalk avoidance encoder to obtain a CAC-encoded word, compute an error detection or correction code for the CAC-encoded word, assign bits of the error detection or correction code to the plurality of free wires for transmission during the current bus state, and assign the CAC-encoded word to unassigned wires of the bus for transmission during the current bus state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Urs Niesen, Shrinivas Kudekar
  • Patent number: 9654251
    Abstract: System, methods, and apparatus are described that facilitate transmission/reception of data over a multi-line parallel bus. In an example, the apparatus transmits data bits over a parallel bus includes determining from a prior bus state, a plurality of free wires in the bus for a current bus state, where each free wire satisfies a crosstalk-avoidance constraint in the current bus state for all values of a bit transmitted on the free wire. The apparatus may encode a plurality of data bits using a crosstalk avoidance encoder to obtain a CAC-encoded word, compute an error detection or correction code for the CAC-encoded word, assign bits of the error detection or correction code to the plurality of free wires for transmission during the current bus state, and assign the CAC-encoded word to unassigned wires of the bus for transmission during the current bus state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Urs Niesen, Shrinivas Kudekar