Patents by Inventor Wesly Mason Rice

Wesly Mason Rice 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: 20240010168
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a sensor cleaning system that cleans one or more sensors of an autonomous vehicle. Each sensor can have one or more corresponding sensor cleaning units that are configured to clean such sensor using a fluid (e.g., a gas or a liquid). Thus, the sensor cleaning system can include both a gas cleaning system and a liquid cleaning system. According to one aspect, the sensor cleaning system can provide individualized cleaning of the autonomous vehicle sensors. According to another aspect, a liquid cleaning system can be pressurized or otherwise powered by the gas cleaning system or other gas system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Wesly Mason Rice, Nikolaus Wittenstein, Zhizhuo Jin, Paul Kevin Smith, Sean Joseph Kennelly, Peter Brueckner, David Patrick Rice
  • Patent number: 11801808
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a sensor cleaning system that cleans one or more sensors of an autonomous vehicle. Each sensor can have one or more corresponding sensor cleaning units that are configured to clean such sensor using a fluid (e.g., a gas or a liquid). Thus, the sensor cleaning system can include both a gas cleaning system and a liquid cleaning system. According to one aspect, the sensor cleaning system can provide individualized cleaning of the autonomous vehicle sensors. According to another aspect, a liquid cleaning system can be pressurized or otherwise powered by the gas cleaning system or other gas system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Wesly Mason Rice, Nikolaus Wittenstein, Zhizhuo Jin, Paul Kevin Smith, Sean Joseph Kennelly, Peter Brueckner, David Patrick Rice
  • Patent number: 11743564
    Abstract: A near-range camera assembly for a vehicle is provided. The near-range camera assembly includes a LIDAR mount couplable to a vehicle. The LIDAR mount includes a first surface and a second surface that opposes the first surface. The near-range camera assembly includes a LIDAR unit removably coupled to the first surface LIDAR mount. The near-range camera assembly further includes a camera and a camera housing for the camera. The camera housing is removably coupled to the second surface LIDAR mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Adam Kanitz, Wesly Mason Rice, Chad Jonathan Staller, Robert Kip Terhune, Andrew Joseph Chellman
  • Patent number: 11518346
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for cleaning a sensor are provided. A sensor can include a housing. The housing can include a curved lens. The sensor can further include an inlet configured to receive a pressurized fluid. The sensor can further include a rotatable fluid distributor positioned within the housing. The rotatable fluid distributor can be configured to receive the pressurized fluid from the inlet. The sensor can further include a plurality of nozzles positioned around an exterior of the housing. Each of the plurality of nozzles can be configured to direct a flow of the pressurized fluid onto at least a portion of the curved lens. When the pressurized fluid is provided to the inlet, the rotatable fluid distributor can be configured to receive the pressurized fluid from the inlet and distribute the pressurized fluid to only a subset of the plurality of nozzles at any time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Wesly Mason Rice, Owen Watt, Douglass Zhong, Robert Kip Terhune, Andrew Joseph Chellman, Aaron Gregory Burton
  • Publication number: 20220281420
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a sensor cleaning system that cleans one or more sensors of an autonomous vehicle. Each sensor can have one or more corresponding sensor cleaning units that are configured to clean such sensor using a fluid (e.g., a gas or a liquid). Thus, the sensor cleaning system can include both a gas cleaning system and a liquid cleaning system. According to one aspect, the sensor cleaning system can provide individualized cleaning of the autonomous vehicle sensors. According to another aspect, a liquid cleaning system can be pressurized or otherwise powered by the gas cleaning system or other gas system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Wesly Mason Rice, Nikolaus Wittenstein, Zhizhuo Jin, Paul Kevin Smith, Sean Joseph Kennelly, Peter Brueckner, David Patrick Rice
  • Publication number: 20220132004
    Abstract: A near-range camera assembly for a vehicle is provided. The near-range camera assembly includes a LIDAR mount couplable to a vehicle. The LIDAR mount includes a first surface and a second surface that opposes the first surface. The near-range camera assembly includes a LIDAR unit removably coupled to the first surface LIDAR mount. The near-range camera assembly further includes a camera and a camera housing for the camera. The camera housing is removably coupled to the second surface LIDAR mount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Daniel Adam Kanitz, Wesly Mason Rice, Chad Jonathan Staller, Robert Kip Terhune, Andrew Joseph Chellman
  • Publication number: 20210323509
    Abstract: Nozzles and systems for cleaning sensors of a vehicle are provided. An adjustable nozzle can include an inlet configured to receive a pressurized fluid, an adjustable oscillator coupled with the inlet, and an outlet coupled with the adjustable oscillator. The adjustable oscillator can be configured to receive the pressurized fluid from the inlet and generate an oscillating fluid, and can include a first oscillation wall comprising a first adjustable chamber modifier wall and a second oscillation wall comprising a second adjustable chamber modifier wall. The first adjustable chamber modifier wall and the second adjustable chamber modifier wall can define an adjustable mixing chamber configured to generate the oscillating fluid having one or more properties that are adjustable by the first adjustable chamber modifier wall or the second adjustable chamber modifier wall. The outlet can be configured to receive the oscillating fluid and eject the oscillating fluid from the adjustable nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventor: Wesly Mason Rice
  • Publication number: 20210309186
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for cleaning a sensor are provided. A sensor can include a housing. The housing can include a curved lens. The sensor can further include an inlet configured to receive a pressurized fluid. The sensor can further include a rotatable fluid distributor positioned within the housing. The rotatable fluid distributor can be configured to receive the pressurized fluid from the inlet. The sensor can further include a plurality of nozzles positioned around an exterior of the housing. Each of the plurality of nozzles can be configured to direct a flow of the pressurized fluid onto at least a portion of the curved lens. When the pressurized fluid is provided to the inlet, the rotatable fluid distributor can be configured to receive the pressurized fluid from the inlet and distribute the pressurized fluid to only a subset of the plurality of nozzles at any time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Wesly Mason Rice, Owen Watt, Douglass Zhong, Robert Kip Terhune, Andrew Joseph Chellman, Aaron Gregory Burton
  • Publication number: 20210309187
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for cleaning a sensor are provided. A sensor can include a housing, a rotatable disc, a plurality of nozzles, an inlet configured to receive a pressurized fluid, and one or more distribution channels configured to direct the pressurized fluid from the inlet to the rotatable disc. The housing can include a curved lens and a channel circumferentially positioned around a base of the housing. The rotatable disc can be positioned within the channel and configured to rotate around at least a portion of the housing within the channel. The plurality of nozzles can be positioned on the rotatable disc. The rotatable disc can direct the pressurized fluid onto at least a portion of the curved lens via the plurality of nozzles, thereby causing the rotatable disc to rotate around at least the portion of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Wesly Mason Rice, Owen Watt, Douglass Zhong, Robert Kip Terhune, Andrew Joseph Chellman, Aaron Gregory Burton
  • Patent number: 11046288
    Abstract: Nozzles and systems for cleaning sensors of a vehicle are provided. An adjustable nozzle can include an inlet configured to receive a pressurized fluid, an adjustable oscillator coupled with the inlet, and an outlet coupled with the adjustable oscillator. The adjustable oscillator can be configured to receive the pressurized fluid from the inlet and generate an oscillating fluid, and can include a first oscillation wall comprising a first adjustable chamber modifier wall and a second oscillation wall comprising a second adjustable chamber modifier wall. The first adjustable chamber modifier wall and the second adjustable chamber modifier wall can define an adjustable mixing chamber configured to generate the oscillating fluid having one or more properties that are adjustable by the first adjustable chamber modifier wall or the second adjustable chamber modifier wall. The outlet can be configured to receive the oscillating fluid and eject the oscillating fluid from the adjustable nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventor: Wesly Mason Rice
  • Patent number: 10857980
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a sensor cleaning system that cleans one or more sensors of an autonomous vehicle. Each sensor can have one or more corresponding sensor cleaning units that are configured to clean such sensor using a fluid (e.g., a gas or a liquid). Thus, the sensor cleaning system can include both a gas cleaning system and a liquid cleaning system. According to one aspect, the sensor cleaning system can provide individualized cleaning of the autonomous vehicle sensors. According to another aspect, a liquid cleaning system can be pressurized or otherwise powered by the gas cleaning system or other gas system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Wesly Mason Rice, Nikolaus Wittenstein, Zhizhuo Jin, Paul Kevin Smith, Sean Joseph Kennelly, Peter Brueckner, David Patrick Rice
  • Patent number: 10723325
    Abstract: Systems and methods for cleaning sensors of a vehicle using a spray pattern are provided. A sensor cleaning system can include a fluid source that supplies a fluid and a nozzle configured to provide a spray of the fluid to a sensor of an autonomous vehicle to remove debris from the sensor. The sensor cleaning system can further include a controller comprising one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media that collectively store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to perform operations. The operations can include obtaining sensor data from the sensor, determining a spray pattern based at least in part on the sensor data; and controlling a flow of the fluid from the fluid source to the nozzle based at least in part on the spray pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventor: Wesly Mason Rice
  • Publication number: 20200139940
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a sensor cleaning system that cleans one or more sensors of an autonomous vehicle. Each sensor can have one or more corresponding sensor cleaning units that are configured to clean such sensor using a fluid (e.g., a gas or a liquid). Thus, the sensor cleaning system can include both a gas cleaning system and a liquid cleaning system. According to one aspect, the sensor cleaning system can provide individualized cleaning of the autonomous vehicle sensors. According to another aspect, a liquid cleaning system can be pressurized or otherwise powered by the gas cleaning system or other gas system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Wesly Mason Rice, Nikolaus Wittenstein, Zhizhuo Jin, Paul Kevin Smith, Sean Joseph Kennelly, Peter Brueckner, David Patrick Rice
  • Patent number: 10518754
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a sensor cleaning system that cleans one or more sensors of an autonomous vehicle. Each sensor can have one or more corresponding sensor cleaning units that are configured to clean such sensor using a fluid (e.g., a gas or a liquid). Thus, the sensor cleaning system can include both a gas cleaning system and a liquid cleaning system. According to one aspect, the sensor cleaning system can provide individualized cleaning of the autonomous vehicle sensors. According to another aspect, a liquid cleaning system can be pressurized or otherwise powered by the gas cleaning system or other gas system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Wesly Mason Rice, Nikolaus Wittenstein, Zhizhuo Jin, Paul Kevin Smith, Sean Joseph Kennelly, Peter Brueckner, David Patrick Rice
  • Publication number: 20190135240
    Abstract: Nozzles and systems for cleaning sensors of a vehicle are provided. An adjustable nozzle can include an inlet configured to receive a pressurized fluid, an adjustable oscillator coupled with the inlet, and an outlet coupled with the adjustable oscillator. The adjustable oscillator can be configured to receive the pressurized fluid from the inlet and generate an oscillating fluid, and can include a first oscillation wall comprising a first adjustable chamber modifier wall and a second oscillation wall comprising a second adjustable chamber modifier wall. The first adjustable chamber modifier wall and the second adjustable chamber modifier wall can define an adjustable mixing chamber configured to generate the oscillating fluid having one or more properties that are adjustable by the first adjustable chamber modifier wall or the second adjustable chamber modifier wall. The outlet can be configured to receive the oscillating fluid and eject the oscillating fluid from the adjustable nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventor: Wesly Mason Rice
  • Publication number: 20190135239
    Abstract: Systems and methods for cleaning sensors of a vehicle using a spray pattern are provided. A sensor cleaning system can include a fluid source that supplies a fluid and a nozzle configured to provide a spray of the fluid to a sensor of an autonomous vehicle to remove debris from the sensor. The sensor cleaning system can further include a controller comprising one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media that collectively store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to perform operations. The operations can include obtaining sensor data from the sensor, determining a spray pattern based at least in part on the sensor data; and controlling a flow of the fluid from the fluid source to the nozzle based at least in part on the spray pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventor: Wesly Mason Rice
  • Patent number: 10220817
    Abstract: A device for cleaning a sensor can include a support structure and a platform assembly. The platform assembly can include a platform structure that includes a set of channels and a raised lip structure that is provided around at least a portion of the perimeter of the platform structure. The raised lip structure includes a set of cavities that is connected to the set of channels and a set of openings to enable air to move from the set of cavities to outside the raised lip structure in a direction towards a center of the platform structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Wesly Mason Rice
  • Patent number: 10189450
    Abstract: A device for cleaning a sensor can include a first valve, a second valve, a set of fluid nozzles, and a housing structure. The housing structure includes a first channel to enable fluid to move from the first valve to the set of fluid nozzles, a cavity, a second channel to enable air to move from the second valve to the cavity, and a slit opening to enable air to move from the cavity to outside the housing structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Wesly Mason Rice
  • Publication number: 20190009752
    Abstract: Systems and methods for cleaning one or more sensors on an autonomous vehicle according to a sensor cleaning system are provided. A method can include obtaining, by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices, data indicative of a sensor condition for the autonomous vehicle. The method can further include determining, by the computing system, a sensor cleaning sequence for one or more sensor cleaning units of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the data indicative of the sensor condition. The one or more sensor cleaning units can be configured to respectively clean one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle. The method can further include controlling, by the computing system, the one or more sensor cleaning units to sequentially clean the one or more sensors based at least in part on the sensor cleaning sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Wesly Mason Rice, Nikolaus Wittenstein
  • Patent number: 10173646
    Abstract: Systems and methods for cleaning one or more sensors on an autonomous vehicle according to a sensor cleaning system are provided. A method can include obtaining, by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices, data indicative of a sensor condition for the autonomous vehicle. The method can further include determining, by the computing system, a sensor cleaning sequence for one or more sensor cleaning units of the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the data indicative of the sensor condition. The one or more sensor cleaning units can be configured to respectively clean one or more sensors of the autonomous vehicle. The method can further include controlling, by the computing system, the one or more sensor cleaning units to sequentially clean the one or more sensors based at least in part on the sensor cleaning sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesly Mason Rice, Nikolaus Wittenstein