Patents by Inventor Wan-Yen Lo
Wan-Yen Lo 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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Publication number: 20200033877Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing supplemental identification abilities to an autonomous vehicle system. The sensor unit of the vehicle may be configured to receive data indicating an environment of the vehicle, while the control system may be configured to operate the vehicle. The vehicle may also include a processing unit configured to analyze the data indicating the environment to determine at least one object having a detection confidence below a threshold. Based on the at least one object having a detection confidence below a threshold, the processor may communicate at least a subset of the data indicating the environment for further processing. The vehicle is also configured to receive an indication of an object confirmation of the subset of the data. Based on the object confirmation of the subset of the data, the processor may alter the control of the vehicle by the control system.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2019Publication date: January 30, 2020Inventors: David Ian Ferguson, Wan-Yen Lo, Nathaniel Fairfield
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Patent number: 10474159Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing supplemental identification abilities to an autonomous vehicle system. The sensor unit of the vehicle may be configured to receive data indicating an environment of the vehicle, while the control system may be configured to operate the vehicle. The vehicle may also include a processing unit configured to analyze the data indicating the environment to determine at least one object having a detection confidence below a threshold. Based on the at least one object having a detection confidence below a threshold, the processor may communicate at least a subset of the data indicating the environment for further processing. The vehicle is also configured to receive an indication of an object confirmation of the subset of the data. Based on the object confirmation of the subset of the data, the processor may alter the control of the vehicle by the control system.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2018Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: David Ian Ferguson, Wan-Yen Lo, Nathaniel Fairfield
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Publication number: 20190318207Abstract: In some implementations, an image classification system of an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle is capable of improving multi-object classification by reducing repeated incorrect classification of objects that are considered rarely occurring objects. The system can include a common instance classifier that is trained to identify and recognize general objects (e.g., commonly occurring objects and rarely occurring objects) as belonging to specified object categories, and a rare instance classifier that is trained to compute one or more rarity scores representing likelihoods that an input image is correctly classified by the common instance classifier. The output of the rare instance classifier can be used to adjust the classification output of the common instance classifier such that the likelihood of input images being incorrectly classified is reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2019Publication date: October 17, 2019Inventors: Wan-Yen Lo, Abhijit Ogale, Yang Gao
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Patent number: 10401859Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to detecting and responding to stop signs. An object detected in a vehicle's environment having location coordinates may be identified as a stop sign and, it may be determined whether the location coordinates of the identified stop sign correspond to a location of a stop sign in detailed map information. Then, whether the identified stop sign applies to the vehicle may be determined based on the detailed map information or on a number of factors. Then, if the identified stop sign is determined to apply to the vehicle, responses of the vehicle to the stop sign may be determined, and, the vehicle may be controlled based on the determined responses.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2018Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Inventors: David Harrison Silver, David Ian Franklin Ferguson, Abhijit S. Ogale, Wan-Yen Lo
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Patent number: 10346724Abstract: In some implementations, an image classification system of an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle is capable of improving multi-object classification by reducing repeated incorrect classification of objects that are considered rarely occurring objects. The system can include a common instance classifier that is trained to identify and recognize general objects (e.g., commonly occurring objects and rarely occurring objects) as belonging to specified object categories, and a rare instance classifier that is trained to compute one or more rarity scores representing likelihoods that an input image is correctly classified by the common instance classifier. The output of the rare instance classifier can be used to adjust the classification output of the common instance classifier such that the likelihood of input images being incorrectly classified is reduced.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2017Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Wan-Yen Lo, Abhijit Ogale, Yang Gao
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Publication number: 20190101928Abstract: A computing device of a first vehicle may receive a first image and a second image of a second vehicle having flashing light signals. The computing device may determine, in the first image and the second image, an image region that bounds the second vehicle such that the image region substantially encompasses the second vehicle. The computing device may determine a polar grid that partitions the image region in the first image and the second image into polar bins, and identify portions of image data exhibiting a change in color and a change in brightness between the first image and the second image. The computing device may determine a type of the flashing light signals and a type of the second vehicle; and accordingly provide instructions to control the first vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2018Publication date: April 4, 2019Inventors: Wan-Yen Lo, David Ian Franklin Ferguson, Abhijit Ogale
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Patent number: 10198641Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for determining a location of an object within an environment. An example method may include determining a three-dimensional (3D) location of a plurality of reference points in an environment, receiving a two-dimensional (2D) image of a portion of the environment that contains an object, selecting certain reference points from the plurality of reference points that form a polygon when projected into the 2D image that contains at least a portion of the object, determining an intersection point of a ray directed toward the object and a 3D polygon formed by the selected reference points, and based on the intersection point of the ray directed toward the object and the 3D polygon formed by the selected reference points, determining a 3D location of the object in the environment.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2016Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Wan-Yen Lo, David I. Ferguson
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Publication number: 20190004532Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing supplemental identification abilities to an autonomous vehicle system. The sensor unit of the vehicle may be configured to receive data indicating an environment of the vehicle, while the control system may be configured to operate the vehicle. The vehicle may also include a processing unit configured to analyze the data indicating the environment to determine at least one object having a detection confidence below a threshold. Based on the at least one object having a detection confidence below a threshold, the processor may communicate at least a subset of the data indicating the environment for further processing. The vehicle is also configured to receive an indication of an object confirmation of the subset of the data. Based on the object confirmation of the subset of the data, the processor may alter the control of the vehicle by the control system.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2018Publication date: January 3, 2019Inventors: David Ian Ferguson, Wan-Yen Lo, Nathaniel Fairfield
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Patent number: 10168712Abstract: A computing device of a first vehicle may receive a first image and a second image of a second vehicle having flashing light signals. The computing device may determine, in the first image and the second image, an image region that bounds the second vehicle such that the image region substantially encompasses the second vehicle. The computing device may determine a polar grid that partitions the image region in the first image and the second image into polar bins, and identify portions of image data exhibiting a change in color and a change in brightness between the first image and the second image. The computing device may determine a type of the flashing light signals and a type of the second vehicle; and accordingly provide instructions to control the first vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2017Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Wan-Yen Lo, David Ian Franklin Ferguson, Abhijit Ogale
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Publication number: 20180373963Abstract: In some implementations, an image classification system of an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle is capable of improving multi-object classification by reducing repeated incorrect classification of objects that are considered rarely occurring objects. The system can include a common instance classifier that is trained to identify and recognize general objects (e.g., commonly occurring objects and rarely occurring objects) as belonging to specified object categories, and a rare instance classifier that is trained to compute one or more rarity scores representing likelihoods that an input image is correctly classified by the common instance classifier. The output of the rare instance classifier can be used to adjust the classification output of the common instance classifier such that the likelihood of input images being incorrectly classified is reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2017Publication date: December 27, 2018Inventors: Wan-Yen Lo, Abhijit Ogale, Yang Gao
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Publication number: 20180345958Abstract: In some implementations, an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle is capable of using a collision prediction system to determine a confidence that any objects detected within a vicinity of the vehicle are on a trajectory that will collide with the vehicle. Laser obstacle points derived from recent sensor readings of one or more sensors of a vehicle are initially obtained. The laser obstacle points are projected into a pose coordinate system to generate an occupancy grid of a vicinity of the vehicle. A confidence that any objects represented by the laser obstacle points are on a trajectory that will collide with the vehicle is determined by applying a particle filter to the occupancy grid.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2017Publication date: December 6, 2018Inventors: Wan-Yen Lo, Abhijit Ogale, David Ferguson
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Patent number: 10095236Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing supplemental identification abilities to an autonomous vehicle system. The sensor unit of the vehicle may be configured to receive data indicating an environment of the vehicle, while the control system may be configured to operate the vehicle. The vehicle may also include a processing unit configured to analyze the data indicating the environment to determine at least one object having a detection confidence below a threshold. Based on the at least one object having a detection confidence below a threshold, the processor may communicate at least a subset of the data indicating the environment for further processing. The vehicle is also configured to receive an indication of an object confirmation of the subset of the data. Based on the object confirmation of the subset of the data, the processor may alter the control of the vehicle by the control system.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2017Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: David Franklin Ferguson, Wan-Yen Lo, Nathaniel Fairfield
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Patent number: 10013773Abstract: A neural network system for identifying positions of objects in an input image can include an object detector neural network, a memory interface subsystem, and an external memory. The object detector neural network is configured to, at each time step of multiple successive time steps, (i) receive a first neural network input that represents the input image and a second neural network input that identifies a first set of positions of the input image that have each been classified as showing a respective object of the set of objects, and (ii) process the first and second inputs to generate a set of output scores that each represents a respective likelihood that an object that is not one of the objects shown at any of the positions in the first set of positions is shown at a respective position of the input image that corresponds to the output score.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2016Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Abhijit Ogale, Alexander Krizhevsky, Wan-Yen Lo
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Patent number: 9939815Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to detecting and responding to stop signs. An object detected in a vehicle's environment having location coordinates may be identified as a stop sign and, it may be determined whether the location coordinates of the identified stop sign correspond to a location of a stop sign in detailed map information. Then, whether the identified stop sign applies to the vehicle may be determined based on the detailed map information or on a number of factors. Then, if the identified stop sign is determined to apply to the vehicle, responses of the vehicle to the stop sign may be determined, and, the vehicle may be controlled based on the determined responses.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2017Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: David Harrison Silver, David Ian Franklin Ferguson, Abhijit S. Ogale, Wan-Yen Lo
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Patent number: 9864378Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing supplemental identification abilities to an autonomous vehicle system. The sensor unit of the vehicle may be configured to receive data indicating an environment of the vehicle, while the control system may be configured to operate the vehicle. The vehicle may also include a processing unit configured to analyze the data indicating the environment to determine at least one object having a detection confidence below a threshold. Based on the at least one object having a detection confidence below a threshold, the processor may communicate at least a subset of the data indicating the environment for further processing. The vehicle is also configured to receive an indication of an object confirmation of the subset of the data. Based on the object confirmation of the subset of the data, the processor may alter the control of the vehicle by the control system.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2017Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: David Ian Franklin Ferguson, Wan-Yen Lo, Nathaniel Fairfield
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Patent number: 9766628Abstract: A computing device of a first vehicle may receive a first image and a second image of a second vehicle having flashing light signals. The computing device may determine, in the first image and the second image, an image region that bounds the second vehicle such that the image region substantially encompasses the second vehicle. The computing device may determine a polar grid that partitions the image region in the first image and the second image into polar bins, and identify portions of image data exhibiting a change in color and a change in brightness between the first image and the second image. The computing device may determine a type of the flashing light signals and a type of the second vehicle; and accordingly provide instructions to control the first vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2014Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Wan-Yen Lo, David Ian Franklin Ferguson, Abhijit Ogale
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Patent number: 9767370Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to identifying construction objects. As an example, an image captured by a camera associated with a vehicle as the vehicle is driven along a roadway may be received. This image may be converted into a first channel corresponding to an average brightness contribution from red, blue and green channels of the image. The image may also be converted into a second channel corresponding to a contribution of a color from the red and the green channels of the image. A template may then be used to identify a region of the image corresponding to a potential construction object from the first channel and the second channel.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2016Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Wan-Yen Lo, David Ian Franklin Ferguson
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Patent number: 9727795Abstract: Methods and systems for real-time road flare detection using templates and appropriate color spaces are described. A computing device of a vehicle may be configured to receive an image of an environment of the vehicle. The computing device may be configured to identify a given pixels in the plurality of pixels having one or more of: (i) a red color value greater than a green color value, and (ii) the red color value greater than a blue color value. Further, the computing device may be configured to make a comparison between one or more characteristics of a shape of an object represented by the given pixels in the image and corresponding one or more characteristics of a predetermined shape of a road flare; and determine a likelihood that the object represents the road flare.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2016Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Wan-Yen Lo, David Ian Franklin Ferguson, Abhijit Ogale
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Patent number: 9709985Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to detecting and responding to stop signs. An object detected in a vehicle's environment having location coordinates may be identified as a stop sign and, it may be determined whether the location coordinates of the identified stop sign correspond to a location of a stop sign in detailed map information. Then, whether the identified stop sign applies to the vehicle may be determined based on the detailed map information or on a number of factors. Then, if the identified stop sign is determined to apply to the vehicle, responses of the vehicle to the stop sign may be determined, and, the vehicle may be controlled based on the determined responses.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2016Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: David Harrison Silver, David Ian Franklin Ferguson, Abhijit S. Ogale, Wan-Yen Lo
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Patent number: 9679206Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing supplemental identification abilities to an autonomous vehicle system. The sensor unit of the vehicle may be configured to receive data indicating an environment of the vehicle, while the control system may be configured to operate the vehicle. The vehicle may also include a processing unit configured to analyze the data indicating the environment to determine at least one object having a detection confidence below a threshold. Based on the at least one object having a detection confidence below a threshold, the processor may communicate at least a subset of the data indicating the environment for further processing. The vehicle is also configured to receive an indication of an object confirmation of the subset of the data. Based on the object confirmation of the subset of the data, the processor may alter the control of the vehicle by the control system.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2016Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: David Ian Franklin Ferguson, Wan-Yen Lo, Nathaniel Fairfield