Patents by Inventor Zac Vawter

Zac Vawter 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: 20250229712
    Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to deploying warning devices by an autonomous vehicle. In one example, a system includes one or more processors and memory including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations include obtaining data indicating that a vehicle stop maneuver is to be implemented for an autonomous vehicle. The operations further include determining whether one or more warning devices should be dispensed from the autonomous vehicle during the vehicle stop maneuver based in part on the obtained data. The operations further include, in response to determining one or more warning devices should be dispensed from the autonomous vehicle, determining a dispensing maneuver for the one or more warning devices, and providing one or more command signals to one or more vehicle systems to perform the dispensing maneuver for the one or more warning devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2025
    Publication date: July 17, 2025
    Inventors: Zac Vawter, Alden James Woodrow
  • Patent number: 12214724
    Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to deploying warning devices by an autonomous vehicle. In one example, a system includes one or more processors and memory including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations include obtaining data indicating that a vehicle stop maneuver is to be implemented for an autonomous vehicle. The operations further include determining whether one or more warning devices should be dispensed from the autonomous vehicle during the vehicle stop maneuver based in part on the obtained data. The operations further include, in response to determining one or more warning devices should be dispensed from the autonomous vehicle, determining a dispensing maneuver for the one or more warning devices, and providing one or more command signals to one or more vehicle systems to perform the dispensing maneuver for the one or more warning devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: AURORA OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Zac Vawter, Alden James Woodrow
  • Patent number: 11702076
    Abstract: A sensor assembly can include a housing that includes a view pane and a mounting feature configured to replace a trailer light of a cargo trailer of a semi-trailer truck. The sensor assembly can also include a lighting element mounted within the housing to selectively generate light, and a sensor mounted within the housing and having a field of view through the view pane. The sensor assembly can also include a communication interface configured to transmit sensor data from the sensor to a control system of the self-driving tractor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Shaw Wood, Nancy Yung-Hui Sun, Zac Vawter
  • Publication number: 20220317690
    Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to deploying warning devices by an autonomous vehicle. In one example, a system includes one or more processors and memory including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations include obtaining data indicating that a vehicle stop maneuver is to be implemented for an autonomous vehicle. The operations further include determining whether one or more warning devices should be dispensed from the autonomous vehicle during the vehicle stop maneuver based in part on the obtained data. The operations further include, in response to determining one or more warning devices should be dispensed from the autonomous vehicle, determining a dispensing maneuver for the one or more warning devices, and providing one or more command signals to one or more vehicle systems to perform the dispensing maneuver for the one or more warning devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Zac Vawter, Alden James Woodrow
  • Patent number: 11366476
    Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to deploying warning devices by an autonomous vehicle. In one example, a system includes one or more processors and memory including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations include obtaining data indicating that a vehicle stop maneuver is to be implemented for an autonomous vehicle. The operations further include determining whether one or more warning devices should be dispensed from the autonomous vehicle during the vehicle stop maneuver based in part on the obtained data. The operations further include, in response to determining one or more warning devices should be dispensed from the autonomous vehicle, determining a dispensing maneuver for the one or more warning devices, and providing one or more command signals to one or more vehicle systems to perform the dispensing maneuver for the one or more warning devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Zac Vawter, Alden James Woodrow
  • Publication number: 20210323554
    Abstract: A sensor assembly can include a housing that includes a view pane and a mounting feature configured to replace a trailer light of a cargo trailer of a semi-trailer truck. The sensor assembly can also include a lighting element mounted within the housing to selectively generate light, and a sensor mounted within the housing and having a field of view through the view pane. The sensor assembly can also include a communication interface configured to transmit sensor data from the sensor to a control system of the self-driving tractor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Matthew Shaw Wood, Nancy Yung-Hui Sun, Zac Vawter
  • Patent number: 11052913
    Abstract: A sensor assembly can include a housing that includes a view pane and a mounting feature configured to replace a trailer light of a cargo trailer of a semi-trailer truck. The sensor assembly can also include a lighting element mounted within the housing to selectively generate light, and a sensor mounted within the housing and having a field of view through the view pane. The sensor assembly can also include a communication interface configured to transmit sensor data from the sensor to a control system of the self-driving tractor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Shaw Wood, Nancy Yung-Hui Sun, Zac Vawter
  • Patent number: 10768628
    Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to object detection at various ranges for autonomous vehicles. In one example, a system includes a camera providing a first field of view; a machine-learned model that has been trained to generate object detection range estimates based at least in part on labeled training data representing image data having a second field of view different from the first field of view; and a computing system including one or more processors; and memory including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations include obtaining image data from the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: R. Lance Martin, Zac Vawter, Andrei Pokrovsky
  • Publication number: 20190220026
    Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to deploying warning devices by an autonomous vehicle. In one example, a system includes one or more processors and memory including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations include obtaining data indicating that a vehicle stop maneuver is to be implemented for an autonomous vehicle. The operations further include determining whether one or more warning devices should be dispensed from the autonomous vehicle during the vehicle stop maneuver based in part on the obtained data. The operations further include, in response to determining one or more warning devices should be dispensed from the autonomous vehicle, determining a dispensing maneuver for the one or more warning devices, and providing one or more command signals to one or more vehicle systems to perform the dispensing maneuver for the one or more warning devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Zac Vawter, Alden James Woodrow
  • Publication number: 20190179327
    Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to object detection at various ranges for autonomous vehicles. In one example, a system includes a camera providing a first field of view; a machine-learned model that has been trained to generate object detection range estimates based at least in part on labeled training data representing image data having a second field of view different from the first field of view; and a computing system including one or more processors; and memory including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations include obtaining image data from the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: R. Lance Martin, Zac Vawter, Andrei Pokrovsky