Patents by Inventor Vadim Furman
Vadim Furman 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).
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Patent number: 11951975Abstract: The technology relates to identifying sensor occlusions due to the limits of the ranges of a vehicle's sensors and using this information to maneuver the vehicle. As an example, the vehicle is maneuvered along a route that includes traveling on a first roadway and crossing over a lane of a second roadway. A trajectory is identified from the lane that will cross with the route during the crossing at a first point. A second point beyond a range of the vehicle's sensors is selected. The second point corresponds to a hypothetical vehicle moving towards the route along the lane. A distance between the first point and the second point is determined. An amount of time that it would take the hypothetical vehicle to travel the distance is determined and compared to a threshold amount of time. The vehicle is maneuvered based on the comparison to complete the crossing.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2022Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Brandon Douglas Luders, Vadim Furman, Nathaniel Fairfield
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Publication number: 20230415732Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a first vehicle autonomously are disclosed. For instance, one or more processors may plan to maneuver the first vehicle to complete an action and predict that a second vehicle will take a particular responsive action. The first vehicle is then maneuvered towards completing the action in a way that would allow the first vehicle to cancel completing the action without causing a collision between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and in order to indicate to the second vehicle or a driver of the second vehicle that the first vehicle is attempting to complete the action. Thereafter, when the first vehicle is determined to be able to take the action, the action is completed by controlling the first vehicle autonomously according to whether the second vehicle begins to take the particular responsive action.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2023Publication date: December 28, 2023Inventors: Nathaniel Fairfield, Vadim Furman
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Patent number: 11831868Abstract: A vehicle may receive one or more images of an environment of the vehicle. The vehicle may also receive a map of the environment. The vehicle may also match at least one feature in the one or more images with corresponding one or more features in the map. The vehicle may also identify a given area in the one or more images that corresponds to a a portion of the map that is within a threshold distance to the one or more features. The vehicle may also compress the one or more images to include a lower amount of details in areas of the one or more images other than the given area. The vehicle may also provide the compressed images to a remote system, and responsively receive operation instructions from the remote system.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2022Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Vadim Furman, Andrew Hughes Chatham, Abhijit Ogale, Dmitri Dolgov
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Patent number: 11780431Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a first vehicle autonomously are disclosed. For instance, one or more processors may plan to maneuver the first vehicle to complete an action and predict that a second vehicle will take a particular responsive action. The first vehicle is then maneuvered towards completing the action in a way that would allow the first vehicle to cancel completing the action without causing a collision between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and in order to indicate to the second vehicle or a driver of the second vehicle that the first vehicle is attempting to complete the action. Thereafter, when the first vehicle is determined to be able to take the action, the action is completed by controlling the first vehicle autonomously according to whether the second vehicle begins to take the particular responsive action.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2022Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Nathaniel Fairfield, Vadim Furman
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Patent number: 11762392Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to controlling a first vehicle in an autonomous driving mode. While doing so, a second vehicle may be identified. Geometry for a future trajectory of the first vehicle may be identified, and an initial allowable discomfort value may be identified. Determining a speed profile for the geometry that meets the value may be attempted by determining a discomfort value for the speed profile based on a set of factors relating to at least discomfort of a passenger of the first vehicle and discomfort of a passenger of the second vehicle. When a speed profile that meets the value cannot be determined, the value may be adjusted until a speed profile that meets the value is determined. The speed profile that meets an adjusted value is used to control the first vehicle in the autonomous driving mode.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2020Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Jens-Steffen Ralf Gutmann, Tobias Kunz, Vadim Furman
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Publication number: 20230244228Abstract: Example systems and methods enable an autonomous vehicle to request assistance from a remote operator in certain predetermined situations. One example method includes determining a representation of an environment of an autonomous vehicle based on sensor data of the environment. Based on the representation, the method may also include identifying a situation from a predetermined set of situations for which the autonomous vehicle will request remote assistance. The method may further include sending a request for assistance to a remote assistor, the request including the representation of the environment and the identified situation. The method may additionally include receiving a response from the remote assistor indicating an autonomous operation. The method may also include causing the autonomous vehicle to perform the autonomous operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2023Publication date: August 3, 2023Inventors: Nathaniel Fairfield, Joshua Seth Herbach, Vadim Furman
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Patent number: 11650584Abstract: Example systems and methods enable an autonomous vehicle to request assistance from a remote operator in certain predetermined situations. One example method includes determining a representation of an environment of an autonomous vehicle based on sensor data of the environment. Based on the representation, the method may also include identifying a situation from a predetermined set of situations for which the autonomous vehicle will request remote assistance. The method may further include sending a request for assistance to a remote assistor, the request including the representation of the environment and the identified situation. The method may additionally include receiving a response from the remote assistor indicating an autonomous operation. The method may also include causing the autonomous vehicle to perform the autonomous operation.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2021Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Nathaniel Fairfield, Joshua Selh Herbach, Vadim Furman
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Patent number: 11608060Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to identifying and adjusting speed plans for controlling a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode. In one example, an initial speed plan for controlling speed of the vehicle for a first predetermined period of time corresponding to an amount of time along a route of the vehicle is identified. Data identifying an object and characteristics of that object is received from a perception system of the vehicle. A trajectory for the object that will intersect with the route at an intersection point at particular point in time is predicted using the data. A set of constraints is generated based on at least the trajectory. The speed plan is adjusted in order to satisfy the set of constraints for a second predetermined period of time corresponding to the amount of time. The vehicle is maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode according to the adjusted speed plan.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2020Date of Patent: March 21, 2023Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Jens-Steffen Ralf Gutmann, Vadim Furman, Tobias Kunz
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Publication number: 20220375232Abstract: A vehicle may receive one or more images of an environment of the vehicle. The vehicle may also receive a map of the environment. The vehicle may also match at least one feature in the one or more images with corresponding one or more features in the map. The vehicle may also identify a given area in the one or more images that corresponds to a a portion of the map that is within a threshold distance to the one or more features. The vehicle may also compress the one or more images to include a lower amount of details in areas of the one or more images other than the given area. The vehicle may also provide the compressed images to a remote system, and responsively receive operation instructions from the remote system.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2022Publication date: November 24, 2022Inventors: Vadim Furman, Andrew Hughes Chatham, Abhijit Ogale, Dmitri Dolgov
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Patent number: 11443525Abstract: A vehicle may receive one or more images of an environment of the vehicle. The vehicle may also receive a map of the environment. The vehicle may also match at least one feature in the one or more images with corresponding one or more features in the map. The vehicle may also identify a given area in the one or more images that corresponds to a portion of the map that is within a threshold distance to the one or more features. The vehicle may also compress the one or more images to include a lower amount of details in areas of the one or more images other than the given area. The vehicle may also provide the compressed images to a remote system, and responsively receive operation instructions from the remote system.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2020Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Vadim Furman, Andrew Hughes Chatham, Abhijit Ogale, Dmitri Dolgov
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Publication number: 20220266821Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a first vehicle autonomously are disclosed. For instance, one or more processors may plan to maneuver the first vehicle to complete an action and predict that a second vehicle will take a particular responsive action. The first vehicle is then maneuvered towards completing the action in a way that would allow the first vehicle to cancel completing the action without causing a collision between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and in order to indicate to the second vehicle or a driver of the second vehicle that the first vehicle is attempting to complete the action. Thereafter, when the first vehicle is determined to be able to take the action, the action is completed by controlling the first vehicle autonomously according to whether the second vehicle begins to take the particular responsive action.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2022Publication date: August 25, 2022Inventors: Nathaniel Fairfield, Vadim Furman
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Patent number: 11364902Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a first vehicle autonomously are disclosed. For instance, one or more processors may plan to maneuver the first vehicle to complete an action and predict that a second vehicle will take a particular responsive action. The first vehicle is then maneuvered towards completing the action in a way that would allow the first vehicle to cancel completing the action without causing a collision between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and in order to indicate to the second vehicle or a driver of the second vehicle that the first vehicle is attempting to complete the action. Thereafter, when the first vehicle is determined to be able to take the action, the action is completed by controlling the first vehicle autonomously according to whether the second vehicle begins to take the particular responsive action.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2020Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Nathaniel Fairfield, Vadim Furman
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Patent number: 11345335Abstract: The technology relates to identifying sensor occlusions due to the limits of the ranges of a vehicle's sensors and using this information to maneuver the vehicle. As an example, the vehicle is maneuvered along a route that includes traveling on a first roadway and crossing over a lane of a second roadway. A trajectory is identified from the lane that will cross with the route during the crossing at a first point. A second point beyond a range of the vehicle's sensors is selected. The second point corresponds to a hypothetical vehicle moving towards the route along the lane. A distance between the first point and the second point is determined. An amount of time that it would take the hypothetical vehicle to travel the distance is determined and compared to a threshold amount of time. The vehicle is maneuvered based on the comparison to complete the crossing.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Brandon Douglas Luders, Vadim Furman, Nathaniel Fairfield
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Publication number: 20210278837Abstract: Example systems and methods enable an autonomous vehicle to request assistance from a remote operator in certain predetermined situations. One example method includes determining a representation of an environment of an autonomous vehicle based on sensor data of the environment. Based on the representation, the method may also include identifying a situation from a predetermined set of situations for which the autonomous vehicle will request remote assistance. The method may further include sending a request for assistance to a remote assistor, the request including the representation of the environment and the identified situation. The method may additionally include receiving a response from the remote assistor indicating an autonomous operation. The method may also include causing the autonomous vehicle to perform the autonomous operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2021Publication date: September 9, 2021Inventors: Nathaniel Fairfield, Joshua Selh Herbach, Vadim Furman
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Patent number: 11067988Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for implementing an interactive autonomous vehicle agent. One of the methods includes receiving a request to generate an experience tuple for a vehicle in a particular driving context. A predicted environment observation representing a predicted environment of the autonomous vehicle after the candidate action is taken by the autonomous vehicle in an initial environment is generated, including providing an initial environment observation and the candidate action as input to a vehicle behavior model neural network trained to generate predicted environment observations. An immediate quality value is generated from a context-specific quality model that generates immediate quality values that are specific to the particular driving context.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2019Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Aleksandra Faust, Matthieu Devin, Yu-hsin Joyce Chen, Franklin Morley, Vadim Furman, Carlos Alberto Fuertes Pascual
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Patent number: 11016482Abstract: Example systems and methods enable an autonomous vehicle to request assistance from a remote operator in certain predetermined situations. One example method includes determining a representation of an environment of an autonomous vehicle based on sensor data of the environment. Based on the representation, the method may also include identifying a situation from a predetermined set of situations for which the autonomous vehicle will request remote assistance. The method may further include sending a request for assistance to a remote assistor, the request including the representation of the environment and the identified situation. The method may additionally include receiving a response from the remote assistor indicating an autonomous operation. The method may also include causing the autonomous vehicle to perform the autonomous operation.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2019Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Nathaniel Fairfield, Joshua Seth Herbach, Vadim Furman
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Publication number: 20210001840Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to testing predictions of an autonomous vehicle relating to another vehicle or object in a roadway. For instance, one or more processors may plan to maneuver the autonomous vehicle to complete an action and predict that the other vehicle will take a responsive action. The autonomous vehicle is then maneuvered towards completing the action in a way that would allow the autonomous vehicle to cancel completing the action without causing a collision between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and in order to indicate to the second vehicle or a driver of the second vehicle that the first vehicle is attempting to complete the action. Thereafter, when the first vehicle is determined to be able to take the action, the action is completed by controlling the first vehicle autonomously using the determination of whether the second vehicle begins to take the particular responsive action.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2020Publication date: January 7, 2021Inventors: Nathaniel Fairfield, Vadim Furman
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Patent number: 10766486Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to testing predictions of an autonomous vehicle relating to another vehicle or object in a roadway. For instance, one or more processors may plan to maneuver the autonomous vehicle to complete an action and predict that the other vehicle will take a responsive action. The autonomous vehicle is then maneuvered towards completing the action in a way that would allow the autonomous vehicle to cancel completing the action without causing a collision between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and in order to indicate to the second vehicle or a driver of the second vehicle that the first vehicle is attempting to complete the action. Thereafter, when the first vehicle is determined to be able to take the action, the action is completed by controlling the first vehicle autonomously using the determination of whether the second vehicle begins to take the particular responsive action.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2018Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Nathaniel Fairfield, Vadim Furman
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Publication number: 20200272161Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to controlling a first vehicle in an autonomous driving mode. While doing so, a second vehicle may be identified. Geometry for a future trajectory of the first vehicle may be identified, and an initial allowable discomfort value may be identified. Determining a speed profile for the geometry that meets the value may be attempted by determining a discomfort value for the speed profile based on a set of factors relating to at least discomfort of a passenger of the first vehicle and discomfort of a passenger of the second vehicle. When a speed profile that meets the value cannot be determined, the value may be adjusted until a speed profile that meets the value is determined. The speed profile that meets an adjusted value is used to control the first vehicle in the autonomous driving mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2020Publication date: August 27, 2020Inventors: Jens-Steffen Ralf Gutmann, Tobias Kunz, Vadim Furman
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Patent number: 10705526Abstract: The technology relates to identifying sensor occlusions due to the limits of the ranges of a vehicle's sensors and using this information to maneuver the vehicle. As an example, the vehicle is maneuvered along a route that includes traveling on a first roadway and crossing over a lane of a second roadway. A trajectory is identified from the lane that will cross with the route during the crossing at a first point. A second point beyond a range of the vehicle's sensors is selected. The second point corresponds to a hypothetical vehicle moving towards the route along the lane. A distance between the first point and the second point is determined. An amount of time that it would take the hypothetical vehicle to travel the distance is determined and compared to a threshold amount of time. The vehicle is maneuvered based on the comparison to complete the crossing.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2018Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Brandon Douglas Luders, Vadim Furman, Nathaniel Fairfield