Patents Issued in July 2, 2020
  • Publication number: 20200207333
    Abstract: A vehicle for autonomously parking in a desired parking location selected via a remote device. The vehicle includes a first camera, a vehicle control system, and a first electronic processor. The first electronic processor is configured to receive a first image from the first camera, determine a plurality of features in the first image, and receive, from the remote device, a second image and the desired parking location in the second image. The first electronic processor is also configured to determine a plurality of features in the second image, match the determined features in the second image to determined features in the first image, and determine a location of the vehicle relative to the desired parking location. The first electronic processor is further configured to determine a route to the desired parking location from a current location of the vehicle and autonomously maneuver the vehicle to the desired parking location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: James Stephen Miller, Sergio Andrés Amaya Correa
  • Publication number: 20200207334
    Abstract: A system, method, infrastructure, and vehicle for supporting automated valet parking are provided. The automated valet parking method may include: establishing, by a vehicle, a communication with an infrastructure facility; receiving, by the vehicle, a target position and a guide route from the infrastructure facility after the communication is established; performing, by the vehicle, an autonomous driving based on the guide route; and parking, by the vehicle, at the target position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicants: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Dae Gil CHO
  • Publication number: 20200207335
    Abstract: An automated valet parking method and an apparatus thereof are provided. The method includes transmitting a target position and a guide route from a parking infrastructure to a vehicle, performing autonomous driving toward the target position along the guide route; performing autonomous parking at the target position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicants: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tae Dong OH
  • Publication number: 20200207336
    Abstract: An autonomous valet parking method includes: activating an automated valet parking procedure; determining, by a parking infrastructure, a plurality of guide route candidates leading from a pickup zone to a target position; determining, by the parking infrastructure, weighting factors for the plurality of guide route candidates; selecting, by the parking infrastructure, one guide route candidates among the plurality of guide route candidates as a guide route to the target position; transmitting the target position and the guide route to the vehicle; performing, by the vehicle, autonomous driving to the target position along the guide route; performing, by the vehicle, autonomous parking at the target position, and finishing the automated valet parking procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicants: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tae Dong OH
  • Publication number: 20200207337
    Abstract: An apparatus for automated valet parking includes a transceiver and a processor. The transceiver is configured to receive vehicle information from a vehicle and transmit a target position and a guide route to the vehicle. The processor is configured to determine a parking policy based on the vehicle information received and parking lot information stored and to determine the target position and the guide route based on the determined parking policy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventor: Min Su Kim
  • Publication number: 20200207338
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system, method, infrastructure, and vehicle for performing automated valet parking. The present disclosure enables an unmanned vehicle to autonomously move to and park at an empty parking space by communicating with a parking infrastructure. The present disclosure enables an unmanned vehicle to autonomously move from a parking space to a pickup zone by communicating with a parking infrastructure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventor: Hoon Kyung Cho
  • Publication number: 20200207339
    Abstract: Various technologies described herein pertain to labeling sensor data generated by autonomous vehicles. A computing device identifies candidate path plans for an object in a driving environment of an autonomous vehicle based upon sensor data generated by sensor systems of the autonomous vehicle. The sensor data is indicative of positions of the object in the driving environment at sequential timesteps in a time period. Each candidate path plan is indicative of a possible maneuver being executed by the object during the time period. The computing device generates a weighted directed graph based upon the candidate path plans. The computing device determines a shortest path through the weighted directed graph. The computing device assigns a maneuver label to the sensor data based upon the shortest path, wherein the maneuver label is indicative of a maneuver that the object executes during the time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Cody Neil, Samuel Abrahams, Batyr Nurbekov, Rahul Gupta
  • Publication number: 20200207340
    Abstract: To shorten a time required to predict collision with other vehicles, a collision prediction device includes: a detection unit configured to detect each of a front, a rear, and a side of other vehicles located around a vehicle from a captured image of one frame in which surroundings of the vehicle are imaged; and a determination unit configured to determine a likelihood of collision with the other vehicles based on a detection result of the detection unit. The determination unit determines that the likelihood of collision with the other vehicle of which only the front or only the rear is detected is high in the other vehicles of which one or more of the front, the rear, and the side are detected by the detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: Murakami Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi HAYAMI
  • Publication number: 20200207341
    Abstract: A driving assistance system performs a driver-initiative normal driving assistance mode as a driving assistance for a vehicle. The system includes a reaction force characteristics change unit configured to change reaction force characteristics of the operation device, if it is determined that the operation amount of the driver is not included in the appropriate operation amount range in the normal driving assistance mode, an explicit risk determination unit configured to determine whether or not an explicit risk is present based on the external environment of the vehicle, and a driving assistance switching unit configured to switch a driving assistance for the vehicle from the normal driving assistance mode to a system-initiative risk avoidance assistance mode, if it is determined by the explicit risk determination unit that the explicit risk is present in the normal driving assistance mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Inoue, Shintaro Inoue, Shusaku Sugamoto, Shuhei Manabe
  • Publication number: 20200207342
    Abstract: A lane tracking method is proposed for use by an autonomous vehicle running on a lane. A future location of the autonomous vehicle that corresponds to a future time point is estimated based on a current location and a measurement result of an inertial measurement unit of the autonomous vehicle. The future location of the autonomous vehicle, and a reference lane line data and a reference past location that correspond to a reference past time point are used to estimate a future lane line data that corresponds to the future time point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: Automotive Research & Testing Center
    Inventors: Jin-Yan HSU, Chien-Hung YU, Kun-Lung KU, Tong-Kai JHANG, Hung-Pang LIN
  • Publication number: 20200207343
    Abstract: In an aspect, a vehicle apparatus of a vehicle obtains, based on sensor data from one or more vehicle sensors communicatively coupled to the vehicle, intra-lane position data relative to the vehicle, the intra-lane position data indicating at least one lateral distance between at least one side of a primary vehicle and at least one lane reference point. The vehicle apparatus transmits the intra-lane position data to one or more neighboring entities. In another aspect, a vehicle management device obtains intra-lane position data that indicates at least one lateral distance between at least one side of at least one observed vehicle of a plurality of neighboring vehicles and at least one lane reference point, and instructs at least one vehicle of the plurality of neighboring vehicles to perform one or more actions based on the intra-lane position data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Dan VASSILOVSKI, Hong CHENG, Shailesh PATIL, Richard Reid HOVEY, Arjun BHARADWAJ, Sudhir Kumar BAGHEL, Jose Edson VARGAS
  • Publication number: 20200207344
    Abstract: After stop control and before start control, if a situation monitoring unit does not detect predetermined change of a peripheral situation or a host vehicle situation, a travel control unit performs the start control at the normal control amount, and if the situation monitoring unit detects the predetermined change of the peripheral situation or the host vehicle situation, the travel control unit performs the start control at the control amount that is suppressed compared with the normal control amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Atsushi ISHIOKA, Kanta TSUJI
  • Publication number: 20200207345
    Abstract: In start control, a travel control unit makes a first acceleration in a first control state set by a control state setting unit, lower than a second acceleration in a second control state set by the control state setting unit. A burden on a vehicle occupant in the second control state is larger than that in the first control state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Atsushi ISHIOKA, Kanta TSUJI
  • Publication number: 20200207346
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a controller that performs following control of following the preceding vehicle based on the peripheral information. The controller controls traveling of a self-vehicle by setting one of a first state which requires driving preparation by a driver and a second state which does not require the driving preparation by the driver, controls the self-vehicle by setting the first state if a behavior amount of the preceding vehicle exceeds a threshold; and controls the vehicle by setting the second state if the behavior amount of the preceding vehicle does not exceed the threshold, and changes the threshold based on the peripheral information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Kanta TSUJI, Atsushi ISHIOKA
  • Publication number: 20200207347
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus is provided with: a recognizer configured to recognize a surrounding situation of a host vehicle; a controller programmed to perform a deceleration control when a deceleration target is recognized by the recognizer; and a detector configured to detect a slip of the host vehicle. The controller sets a first controlled variable, which is a controlled variable associated with the deceleration control when the slip of the host vehicle is detected without execution of the deceleration control, so as to suppress an extent of deceleration of the host vehicle, in comparison with a second controlled variable, which is the controlled variable when the slip of the host vehicle is not detected without execution of the deceleration control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shogo Ito, Masahiko Adachi, Kohei Tochigi, Yuta Ikezawa
  • Publication number: 20200207348
    Abstract: In a driving control apparatus for a vehicle having an ACC function for performing constant speed cruise according to a target speed when there is no preceding other vehicle in a vehicle's driving lane and performing following cruise by maintaining a predetermined inter-vehicle distance when there is a preceding other vehicle, an LKA function for maintaining cruise in the vehicle's driving lane by following control to a target path, an override function for stopping the ACC function and the LKA function by a driver's operation intervention, and a function for notifying the driver of stopping the LKA function and the ACC function and operation takeover and performing fallback control of the LKA function and the ACC function at the time of system limit of the LKA function, override threshold values serving as a determination criterion of the operation intervention for stopping the LKA function and the ACC function at the time of system limit of the LKA function are configured to be altered to a value greater th
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Sato
  • Publication number: 20200207349
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a recognizer configured to recognize a surrounding situation of a vehicle; a driving control unit configured to control steering and a speed of the vehicle based on a recognition result of the recognizer irrespective of an operation by an occupant; and a communication unit configured to communicate with an external device. When the communication unit receives a pickup request for requesting the vehicle to move from a parking area and causing the occupant to get into the vehicle in a stopping area, the driving control unit causes the vehicle to move from the parking area to the stopping area and changes a condition for the vehicle to leave the stopping area based on the surrounding situation recognized by the recognizer near the stopping area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Mimura, Yasushi Shoda, Junpei Noguchi, Yuki Hara, Hiroshi Yamanaka, Ryoma Taguchi, Yuta Takada, Chie Sugihara, Yuki Motegi, Tsubasa Shibauchi
  • Publication number: 20200207350
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes: a recognizer that recognizes a surrounding environment of a vehicle; a driving controller that performs speed control and steering control of the vehicle regardless of an operation of an occupant on the basis of a recognition result obtained by the recognizer; and a wiper controller that controls a wiper attached to a window of the vehicle, wherein the wiper controller changes a degree of operation of the wiper according to a boarding position and a degree of approach when the vehicle moves to the boarding position at which an occupant boards the vehicle after the vehicle starts traveling under the control of the driving controller or when the vehicle starts traveling to move away from the boarding position under the control of the driving controller after the occupant alights from the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Junpei Noguchi, Yasushi Shoda, Yuki Hara, Ryoma Taguchi, Yuta Takada
  • Publication number: 20200207351
    Abstract: The present application provides a method and an apparatus for testing a ramp driving performance, and a storage medium, where the method includes: controlling, according to a preset traveling track, an automatic driving vehicle to perform a stopping operation when the automatic driving vehicle is traveling on a ramp to a reference position; obtaining relative position information between an actual stopping position of the automatic driving vehicle and a reference object disposed at the reference position; and determining, according to the relative position information, whether the automatic driving vehicle is accurately stopped on the ramp. In the technical solution, the driving performance of the automatic driving vehicle in a special scenario such as ramp stopping can be accurately detected, thereby ensuring a driving safety of the automatic driving vehicle in the ramp stopping scenario.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventor: Nan WU
  • Publication number: 20200207352
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a sensor, a transfer case and a controller. The sensor detects a yaw rate of a vehicle. The transfer case distributes a drive force from a motive power source to front wheels and rear wheels. The controller determines a road surface friction coefficient to be low upon detecting an absolute value of the yaw rate during forward travel of the vehicle to be equal to or greater than a prescribed value other than zero, determines the road surface friction coefficient to be high upon detecting the absolute value is less than prescribed value, and controls a distribution amount of the transfer case based on a determination result of the road surface friction coefficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Katsuyoshi OGAWA, Atsuhiro MORI
  • Publication number: 20200207353
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle automatically implements an intention aware lane change with a safety guaranteed lane biased strategy. To make a lane change, the autonomous vehicle first navigates within the current lane to near the edge of the current lane, to a position offset by a bias. By navigating to the edge of the lane, the autonomous vehicle provides a physical and virtual notification, in addition to a turn signal, that it is the intention of the vehicle to change into the lane adjacent to the edge of the lane in which the vehicle has navigated to. After performing a safety check and waiting for a minimum period of time during which vehicles in the adjacent lane can be assumed to have been warned or been put on notice of the lane change, the autonomous vehicle navigates into the adjacent lane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicants: Chongqing Jinkang New Energy Vehicle, Ltd., SF Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Jhenghao Chen, Chen Bao, Fan Wang, Yifan Tang
  • Publication number: 20200207354
    Abstract: A lane change assist control unit refers to characteristics of a remaining distance with respect to a host vehicle speed, with a lane travel speed of a second lane (main line) adjacent to a first lane (merging lane) as a parameter, and determines whether to continue or cancel a lane change assist control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Atsushi ISHIOKA, Kanta TSUJI
  • Publication number: 20200207355
    Abstract: In the case that merging into a main line is impossible, if a vehicle stop position exists outside of a road more ahead of a vanishing point of a merging lane, a vehicle stop control unit, which causes a host vehicle to stop at an appropriate vehicle stop position, causes the host vehicle to stop outside of the road, and if the vehicle stop position does not exist outside of the road, the vehicle stop control unit causes the host vehicle to stop within the merging lane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Atsushi ISHIOKA, Kanta TSUJI
  • Publication number: 20200207356
    Abstract: Systems, devices, products, apparatuses, and/or methods for identifying a speed bump for an autonomous vehicle on a roadway by determining at least one beginning location in the one or more subsets of the plurality of subsets associated with a greatest positive change or a greatest negative change in the one or more parameters and at least one ending location in the one or more subsets of the plurality of subsets associated with the other of the greatest positive change or the greatest negative change in the one or more parameters, and identifying at least one bump or depression in the roadway based on the at least one beginning location and the at least one ending location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Shivali Anil Chandra, Sean David Vig
  • Publication number: 20200207357
    Abstract: A system for modifying vehicle behavior based on data from a dynamically updated roadway coefficient of friction database. The system includes a roadway coefficient of friction database and an electronic computing device. The electronic computing device includes a first electronic processor that is configured to receive a current coefficient of friction and a location of a vehicle and depending on a criterion, replace, in the roadway coefficient of friction database, a previous coefficient of friction with the current coefficient of friction. The first electronic processor is also configured to receive a request for a coefficient of friction associated with a location and transmit the coefficient of friction associated with the location. Additionally, the system includes a plurality of vehicles each including a second electronic processor. Each second electronic processor is configured to perform a preventative measure based on the coefficient of friction received from the electronic computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Troy McCormick, Anthony Farrell, Hirak Chanda, Ankit Shah, Sivaraja Velusamy
  • Publication number: 20200207358
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for contextual driver monitoring. In one implementation, one or more first inputs are received. The one or more first inputs are processed to identify a first object in relation to a vehicle. One or more second inputs are received. The one or more second inputs are processed to determine, based on one or more previously determined states of attentiveness associated with the driver of the vehicle in relation to one or more objects associated with the first object, a state of attentiveness of a driver of the vehicle with respect to the first object. One or more actions are initiated based on the state of attentiveness of a driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Itay Katz, Tamir Anavi, Erez Steinberg
  • Publication number: 20200207359
    Abstract: A smart driving management system and a method are disclosed. The management system includes a central control unit, a detection module, a voice reminding module, and a reply receiving module. The management method includes: A. providing a management system communicating with an automotive electronic diagnosis unit of a vehicle to receive driving information of the vehicle detected by the automotive electronic diagnosis unit; B. the management system setting a standard value for the driving information and sending out a voice message when detecting that data of the driving information does not meet the standard value; C. the management system receiving a voice reply content and detecting whether data of new driving information meets the standard value according to the voice reply content; D. the management system generating a detection result based on the new driving information and determining that the detection result is normal driving or dangerous driving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: CHING-CHOU TANG, CHIEN-LIANG HSIEH, KUN-YU LI, JHIH-DENG HONG
  • Publication number: 20200207360
    Abstract: Methods, devices and systems enable controlling an autonomous vehicle by identifying vehicles that are within a threshold distance of the autonomous vehicle, determining an autonomous capability metric of each of the identified vehicles, and adjusting a driving parameter of the autonomous vehicle based on the determined autonomous capability metric of each of the identified vehicles. Adjusting a driving parameter may include adjusting one or more of a minimum separation distance, a minimum following distance, a speed parameter, or an acceleration rate parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: John Anthony Dougherty, Jordan Scott Burklund, Kristen Wagner Cerase, Stephen Marc Chaves, Ross Eric Kessler, Paul Daniel Martin, Daniel Warren Mellinger, III, Michael Joshua Shomin
  • Publication number: 20200207361
    Abstract: An arithmetic model generation system includes a sensor information acquisition unit, a tire force calculator, and an arithmetic model update unit. The sensor information acquisition unit acquires acceleration of a tire. The tire force calculator includes an arithmetic model for calculating tire force F based on the acceleration, and calculates the tire force F by inputting the acceleration acquired by the sensor information acquisition unit. The arithmetic model update unit compares tire axial force measured by the tire and the tire force F calculated by the tire force calculator, and updates the arithmetic model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventor: Naohiro ISHIGAMI
  • Publication number: 20200207362
    Abstract: A failure detection device that detects a failure in a plurality of external sensors onboard a vehicle, the failure detection device comprises: an overlapping region storage unit that stores an overlapping region of detection areas of the external sensors; an environment performance storage unit that stores an environment-dependent performance of sensing of the external sensors; an environment information acquisition unit that acquires environment information about the vehicle; a recognition result comparison unit that compares recognition results of an object in the overlapping region from the external sensors; a failure likelihood computation unit that computes a failure likelihood of each external sensor based on a comparison result of the recognition results, the environment information, and the environment-dependent performance; and a failure determination unit that determines a failure in each external sensor based on the failure likelihood of each of the external sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Takehisa NISHIDA, Mariko OKUDE, Kazuo MUTO
  • Publication number: 20200207363
    Abstract: System and methods for a vehicle for determining driver distraction and adapting the operation of driving assistance systems. One example system includes a subsystem for sensing driver interaction with electrical devices located within a passenger compartment of the vehicle, a first sensor configured to sense conditions outside of the vehicle, a second sensor configured to sense conditions outside of the vehicle, and an electronic controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventor: Anup S. Deshpande
  • Publication number: 20200207364
    Abstract: A method for operating a drive train of a transportation vehicle wherein the drive train is switched between a first operating state, in which a two-wheel drive of the drive train is activated, and a second operating state, in which a four-wheel drive of the drive train is activated. The drive train is switched by an electronic computing device from one of the operating states to the other operating state. During the driving of the transportation vehicle, a demand time is determined by the electronic computing device not later than which the switching from the one operating state to the other operating state must be completed, the demand time lying in the future with respect to the determination of the demand time. The switching from the one operating state to the other operating state is commenced at a starting time in advance of the demand time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventor: Dietmar SCHMITZ
  • Publication number: 20200207365
    Abstract: A vehicle control device is equipped with a travel control unit which, in the case that a user-requested driving force exceeds a system-required driving force in a state in which a user is not in contact with an operating element, performs a travel control on the basis of a limited driving force obtained by applying a limit to the user-requested driving force, whereas in the case that the user-requested driving force exceeds the system-required driving force in a state in which the user is in contact with the operating element, performs the travel control on the basis of the user-requested driving force without applying the limit to the user-requested driving force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Kanta TSUJI, Atsushi ISHIOKA, Daiki NISHIDA, Akira SHIOGAI, Atsuki IWAMITSU, Daisuke NAKANISHI, Koichi FUJIMAKI
  • Publication number: 20200207366
    Abstract: The present subject matter relates to a method and system maintaining driver alertness while driving mode of a vehicle is changed from manual to autonomous driving mode. The system includes a monitoring module to detect a transition from a manual drive mode to an autonomous drive mode. Based on this, a driver monitoring module gets activated. The driver monitoring module once activated, monitors the driver alertness during the autonomous drive mode. The system further includes an interactive module, which is connected to the monitoring module that gets activated in case alertness level of the driver falls below a first threshold value. The first threshold value may be determined based on multiple attributes. Further, the interactive training program is deactivated if the alertness of the driver is equal or greater than a second threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Anuj Kapuria, Ritukar Vijay
  • Publication number: 20200207367
    Abstract: A disclosed vehicle guidance system includes a transceiver receiving information indicative of operating conditions of other vehicles along a roadway and a controller within a primary vehicle. The controller utilizes the received information indicative of operating conditions to determine a recommended vehicle path along the roadway responsive to the operation of the other vehicles, the position of the primary vehicle and a scenario selected based on both the information of operation of other vehicles and the position of the primary vehicle received by the controller. A communication device communicates the recommended vehicle path to the operator of the primary vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Ganesh Adireddy, Javier Adolfo Alcazar Olan, Dominik Froehlich, Ibro Muharemovic
  • Publication number: 20200207368
    Abstract: A target path generation device is provided with a controller for generating the target path for an autonomous vehicle. The controller performs a method that includes acquiring travel path boundaries of a road in a host vehicle surroundings; determining a presence or absence of an occupant; generating a first target path with regards to the travel path boundaries upon determining that the occupant is present; generating a second target path with regards to the travel path boundaries upon determining no occupant is present; and imparting a difference in the target path between the first target path and the second target path when traveling on a curved road.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventor: Yoshitaka TAKAGI
  • Publication number: 20200207369
    Abstract: Systems, devices, products, apparatuses, and/or methods for generating a driving path for an autonomous vehicle on a roadway by determining one or more prior probability distributions of one or more motion paths for one or more objects that have previously moved in a geographic location and/or for controlling travel of an autonomous vehicle on a roadway by predicting movement of a detected object according to one or more prior probability distributions of one or more motion paths for one or more objects that have previously moved in a geographic location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Hersh Mehta, Eric Blaine Werner, Albert John Biglan, Galen Clark Haynes
  • Publication number: 20200207370
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for generating control signals to assist occupants in a vehicle, wherein a context of the vehicle is determined, a rule of a rule-based data system is selected depending on the determined context, wherein the rule-based data system comprises a plurality of rules, wherein each rule has a condition part and a result part, wherein the condition part comprises conditions for the context of the vehicle, a confidence value associated with the selected rule is determined, wherein the confidence value indicates the probability with which the result of the rule corresponds with the preference of the user, a result of the selected rule is generated, a control signal is generated and output depending on the generated rule result, wherein the control signal automates a vehicle function with a degree of automation, wherein the degree of automation depends on the confidence value of the selected rule. The disclosure likewise relates to a device for executing this method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jens Schneider, Peter Schlicht
  • Publication number: 20200207371
    Abstract: Methods, devices and systems enable controlling an autonomous vehicle by identifying vehicles that are within a threshold distance of the autonomous vehicle, determining an autonomous capability metric of each of the identified vehicles, and adjusting a driving parameter of the autonomous vehicle based on the determined autonomous capability metric of each of the identified vehicles. Embodiments may further include determining, based on the determined ACMs, whether one or more identified vehicles would provide an operational advantage to the autonomous vehicle in a cooperative driving engagement, and initiating a cooperative driving engagement with the one or more identified vehicles in response to determining that the one or more identified vehicles would provide an operational advantage to the autonomous vehicle in a cooperative driving engagement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: John Anthony DOUGHERTY, Jordan Scott BURKLUND, Kristen Wagner CERASE, Stephen Marc CHAVES, Ross Eric KESSLER, Paul Daniel MARTIN, Daniel Warren MELLINGER, III, Michael Joshua SHOMIN
  • Publication number: 20200207372
    Abstract: A drive-assisted vehicle control device includes a controller that controls travel of a host vehicle. During travel on a curved route, the controller establishes a threshold value established as a boundary value for suppressing acceleration of the host vehicle. The threshold value is lower when another vehicle is present on an outside-peripheral-side curved route adjacent to a host-vehicle travel lane than when another vehicle is not present on the outside-peripheral-side curved route. The controller determines whether a lateral acceleration is greater than the threshold value during travel on a curved route. The controller permits accelerating travel on the curved route upon determining that the lateral acceleration is less than or equal to the threshold value, but suppresses accelerating travel on the curved route when upon determining that the lateral acceleration is greater than the threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Yuta AKAMATSU, Masahiro KOBAYASHI, Yasuhisa TAIRA, Osamu FUKATA
  • Publication number: 20200207373
    Abstract: An automatic driving proposal device or an automatic driving proposal method is used for a vehicle that selects either a state of an automatic driving or a state of a manual driving by an occupant. The automatic driving proposal device or the automatic driving proposal method performs a driving change request to the occupant in the state of the automatic driving, determines whether the automatic driving is possible in the state of the manual driving, calculates a calculation value corresponding to a distance or a prediction time or calculates a change index, and proposes the automatic driving to the occupant on a necessary condition of determining that the automatic driving is possible and also determining that the calculation value is higher than a threshold value or determining that the change index is lower than a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Nozomi KITAGAWA, Sei IGUCHI, Norio YAMAMOTO, Kiyotaka TAGUCHI, Yuji OTA, Kazuyoshi ISAJI
  • Publication number: 20200207374
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a controller for a driverless vehicle, and a driverless vehicle. The controller includes a security micro control unit and a processor module. The processor module is coupled to the security micro control unit. The security micro control unit is configured to monitor a running state of the processor module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventor: Yuanfeng LI
  • Publication number: 20200207375
    Abstract: Systems, devices, products, apparatuses, and/or methods for generating a driving path for an autonomous vehicle on a roadway by determining one or more prior probability distributions of one or more motion paths for one or more objects that have previously moved in a geographic location and/or for controlling travel of an autonomous vehicle on a roadway by predicting movement of a detected object according to one or more prior probability distributions of one or more motion paths for one or more objects that have previously moved in a geographic location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Hersh Mehta, Eric Blaine Werner, Albert John Biglan, Galen Clark Haynes
  • Publication number: 20200207376
    Abstract: An electrically-powered vehicle assembly for moving on partially electrified railway tracks, the vehicle assembly comprising: i. an electrically powered traction system; ii. a storage and autonomous electric power supply system comprising i. an accumulator unit comprising one or more electricity accumulators, and ii. a super capacitor unit comprising one or more super-capacitive assemblies; iii. a power supply device for supplying external power when available to the traction and the storage and supply system, and iv.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventor: Frank Matthias SCHUHHOLZ
  • Publication number: 20200207377
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for converting a diesel-electric, or diesel hydraulic rail vehicle to an all-electric rail vehicle capable of moving on partially electrified railway tracks, comprising providing the vehicle a storage and autonomous supply electric power system comprising an electric traction unit, if not present in the vehicle prior to the conversion, or if the existing electric traction unit is to be replaced; an accumulator unit comprising one or more electricity accumulators, and a super capacitor unit comprising one or more super-capacitive assemblies; a power supply device for supplying external power when available to the traction and the storage and supply system, and a control and distribution system for distributing electric power between the traction system, the power supply device and the electric power storage and autonomous supply system according to the traction operation and availability of external power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: FMS ADVISERS B.V.
    Inventors: Frank Matthias SCHUHHOLZ, Willibald MAIER
  • Publication number: 20200207378
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a hybrid propulsion system. The system includes a computer programmed to obtain altitude and terrain information associated with a predetermined route for the hybrid propulsion system comprising a first energy source and a second energy source. The computer is also programmed to determine a power requirement and a torque requirement associated with the altitude and the terrain along the the predetermined route of the hybrid propulsion system, generate a trip plan to control at least one of a plurality of performance parameters and enable a stable low temperature combustion conditions in the hybrid propulsion system, as the hybrid propulsion system travels along the predetermined route. The computer is further programmed to preferentially select at least one of: the first energy source and the second energy source based on the trip plan to deliver at least one of: the power requirement and the torque requirement of the hybrid propulsion system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas M. LAVERTU, Omowoleola C. Akinyemi
  • Publication number: 20200207379
    Abstract: A sealing system for an openable panel on a vehicle includes a channel member disposed on the openable panel and extending along a longitudinal axis and a seal member fastened to the channel member. The channel member includes two side portions extending parallel to each other and a recess defined between the two side portions. A plurality of depressions are defined in the side portions and extend along the longitudinal axis and into the recess. The seal member includes a proximal portion disposed within the recess and a distal portion extending away from the channel member. The proximal portion of the seal member has grooves defined on opposing sides thereof. The plurality of depressions on each side portion of the channel are received in a respective groove on the seal member to fasten the seal member to the channel member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventor: Martin Nicole
  • Publication number: 20200207380
    Abstract: A friction wedge with improved bond characteristics may include a friction wedge body and a friction wedge liner. The friction wedge body may include a pattern formed by a ridge or elevation disposed on a connecting face of the friction wedge body. The friction wedge liner may include a complementary pattern formed by a channel disposed on a bonding surface of the friction wedge liner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventor: Jerry R. Smerecky
  • Publication number: 20200207381
    Abstract: A bogie for a rail vehicle, such as a locomotive, includes a frame, two wheelsets and at least one drive unit. The drive unit is mounted to the frame and to the wheelset. A motor is at least partially supported by the frame while a gearbox to which it is flexibly connected has a main gear mounted on the one wheelset as well as a pinion for driving the main gear. The gearbox is connected to the frame by a reaction rod placed away from the wheel-axle on which the gearbox is mounted. The reaction rod, which defines an axis, is aligned so that its axis extends substantially through a center of the bogie when projected in a longitudinal-vertical plane bisecting the bogie.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Werner Cepak, Andreas Bauer, Federic B. Carl, Primoz Nemc
  • Publication number: 20200207382
    Abstract: A backing ring assembly for a railcar axle is provided. According to various aspects, the backing ring assembly may include a main body and a ring. The main body may include an inner surface configured to abut a fillet of a railcar axle and a receiving element on an inboard radial face of the main body. The ring may be engaged in the receiving element and may be configured to protrude over a cylindrical surface of a shoulder on the railcar axle. The ring may include an generally flat inner face, with or without a recess, and an outer face comprising a generally flat portion engaged in the receiving element and a radially extending flange not engaged in the receiving element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventor: Daniel T. Conway, JR.