Of Relative Distance From An Obstacle Patents (Class 340/435)
  • Patent number: 11231719
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a position recognition part that recognizes a position of a vehicle, a trajectory generating part that generates a trajectory which includes a plurality of future target positions to be reached by the vehicle, the plurality of future target positions being consecutively aligned in time series, and a travel controller that derives a target speed when the vehicle is caused to travel along the trajectory on the basis of a distance between the plurality of target positions included in the trajectory and that corrects the target speed on the basis of a first deviation between the position of the vehicle recognized by the position recognition part and a first target position corresponding to a recognition time at which the recognition of the position of the vehicle has been performed among the plurality of target positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Oniwa, Mineyuki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11222529
    Abstract: A traveling assisting method for an ambulance vehicle includes the first to third steps. The first step is the step of causing a server to acquire an expected arrival time at which an ambulance vehicle arrives at a traffic intersection that is located on an expected traveling route of the ambulance vehicle. The second step is the step of causing the server to acquire an expected arrival time at which a vehicle arrives at the traffic intersection, when the vehicle is located in surroundings of the expected traveling route. The third step is the step of causing the server to transmit a restraint instruction to the vehicle to travel toward the traffic intersection and to restrain entry of a vehicle other than the ambulance vehicle into the traffic intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Kurokawa, Takenori Shimizu, Junya Watanabe, Jun Goto, Koji Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 11220209
    Abstract: A vehicle, such as an articulated bus, includes a lighting system with a light emitting surface. The lighting system being configured for displaying a first lighting configuration and a second lighting configuration. The first lighting configuration and the second lighting configuration are displayed by different proportions of the light emitting surface. The vehicle further receives a monitoring device with a position monitoring module configured for monitoring the position of a road user with respect to the vehicle. The lighting system being further configured for switching from the first lighting configuration to the second lighting configuration depending on the position of the road user with respect to the vehicle. A corresponding monitoring process is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: ALPHA EC INDUSTRIES 2018 S.A.R.L.
    Inventor: Jørgen Hallundbæk
  • Patent number: 11216672
    Abstract: A method for detecting a relevant region in the surroundings of an ego vehicle, in which a situation exists which is relevant to the driving and/or safety of the ego vehicle, from measurement data of a sensor which observes at least a portion of the surroundings, the measurement data being discretized into pixels or voxels and/or are suitably represented in some other way, the existence of the relevant situation being dependent on the presence of at least one characteristic object in the surroundings, and the resolution of the pixels, voxels and/or the other representation being insufficient for directly detecting the characteristic object, the measurement data being analyzed for the presence of a grouping of objects which contains the characteristic object, the resolution of the pixels, voxels and/or the other representation being sufficient for detecting the grouping. A region in which the grouping is detected is classified as a relevant region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Holger Janssen
  • Patent number: 11214258
    Abstract: A yield amount of a vehicle is given notice of more accurately before two vehicles pass each other. In a driving assistance system, a yield amount calculation unit calculates a yield amount of a first vehicle on the basis of the width of the first vehicle, the width of a second vehicle, the current position of the first vehicle in the width direction detected by a first position detection unit, the passing position predicted by a passing position prediction unit, the road width at the passing position specified by a road width specification unit. The notification unit gives notice of the yield amount of the first vehicle at least in the first vehicle on the basis of the calculation result from the yield amount calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiromichi Yasunori
  • Patent number: 11217042
    Abstract: A vehicle monitoring apparatus includes: a first communicator that receives specifying information for specifying a target vehicle from a server; and an acquirer that acquires driving information from the target vehicle, the driving information being information regarding driving of the target vehicle specified by the specifying information received by the first communicator. The first communicator transmits the driving information acquired by the acquirer to the server. For example, the acquirer may acquire the driving information obtained from the target vehicle through communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Takeshi Kishikawa, Tomoyuki Haga, Yuishi Torisaki, Takamitsu Sasaki, Hideki Matsushima
  • Patent number: 11210941
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to improving detection of lane changes for an ego vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes, in response to detecting a surrounding vehicle from sensor data acquired about the surrounding environment by the ego vehicle, estimating a relative position of the surrounding vehicle in relation to the ego vehicle. The method includes determining a context of the surrounding vehicle in relation to a present roadway on which the ego vehicle is traveling. The method includes selectively grouping the surrounding vehicle into a change group according to the context. The change group including one or more vehicles for assessing movements of the ego vehicle. The method includes analyzing relative movements of vehicles in the change group to generate an indicator of whether the ego vehicle has performed a lane change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: John-Michael McNew
  • Patent number: 11208085
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an automotive braking control apparatus and method. The automotive braking control apparatus includes: a weather condition determiner determining weather conditions on the basis of image information received from a camera; a collision determiner determining possibility of a collision with a forward object on the basis of the image information received from the camera and object sensing information received from a radar; and an automotive braking controller controlling emergency braking of a vehicle when it is determined that there is possibility of a collision with the forward object, in which the collision determiner changes weight for the image information and weight for the object sensing information on the basis of the weather conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Mando Corporation
    Inventor: Doo Kyum Kim
  • Patent number: 11209831
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to identify an area of interest from a plurality of areas on a map, to determine that a detected sound is received in a vehicle audio sensor upon determining that a source of the sound is within the area of interest and not another area in the plurality of areas, and to operate the vehicle based at least in part on the detected sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Shreyasha Paudel, Jinesh Jain, Gaurav Pandey
  • Patent number: 11209830
    Abstract: Detecting potential safety issues is provided. An image is received from an imaging device located on a vehicle. The image is analyzed to identify an object. The object identified in the image is compared with images of objects stored in a database to determine a potential safety issue associated with the object. A set of protective roadway barriers is identified in an area of the vehicle and the object. An adjustment to operation of the vehicle is calculated based on the potential safety issue and the set of protective roadway barriers. The operation of the vehicle is adjusted based on the calculated adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sarbajit K. Rakshit, James E. Bostick, John M. Ganci, Jr., Martin G. Keen
  • Patent number: 11204266
    Abstract: A sensor module includes: a base member; at least one of a single or a plurality of sensors and vibrators arranged on the base member; and a protective member constituted of at least one flat surface or a curved surface, provided so as to cover the at least one of the sensors and the vibrators. A part or whole of the protective member is formed of a strengthened glass and the strengthened glass is a chemically strengthened glass or a physically strengthened glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: AGC INC.
    Inventors: Shusaku Akiba, Masao Ozeki, Satoshi Takeda, Satoshi Kanasugi, Satoshi Ogami
  • Patent number: 11198434
    Abstract: A lane centering system for use in a vehicle driving in a lane on a road includes a camera and a controller. Based on processing by a processor of image data captured by the camera, the controller determines position of a left lane delimiter on the road on a left side of the vehicle and position of a right lane delimiter on the road on a right side of the vehicle. The controller is operable to determine a target path for the vehicle based on processing of image data captured by the camera. The determined target path maintains the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle centered between the left lane delimiter and the right lane delimiter. The lane centering system may be enabled responsive to the vehicle speed exceeding a threshold speed, and may be disabled during a braking event of a collision mitigation system of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Van Dan Elzen, Ka Chai Cheok, Micho Radovnikovich
  • Patent number: 11198390
    Abstract: A method for preventing the collision of a vehicle with an overhead obstacle, comprising mounting at least one sensor on a vehicle that includes a vehicle control system, wherein the sensor is in electrical communication with a processor located within and powered by the vehicle; determining a reference height, which is the height above ground level at which the at least one sensor is mounted on the vehicle; inputting the reference height into the processor; determining the height of the tallest portion of the vehicle above ground level; inputting the height of the tallest portion of the vehicle above ground level into the processor; using the sensor to measure the overhead distance between the lowest portion of an obstacle and the at least one sensor; using the processor to determine a measured height of the overhead obstacle, which is the reference height added to the distance between the overhead obstacle and the sensor; and communicating an alarm to an operator of the vehicle if the measured height of the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Inventors: Frank Nugent, Brian Nugent
  • Patent number: 11194008
    Abstract: Methods and systems provide for technology to identify a trigger event. In response to the trigger event, the technology executes a triangulation process that includes a transmission and reception of triangulation signals between the plurality of ECUs to identify current positions of the plurality of ECUs. A first current position among the current positions is associated with a first ECU among the plurality of ECUs. The technology conducts an identification that the first current position is different from a first recorded position of the first ECU. In response to the identification that the first current position is different from the first recorded position, the technology identifies an adjustment factor based on the first current position. The technology calibrates one or more of the plurality of ECUs based on the adjustment factor to adjust control of at least one system of a plurality of systems of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Ryan M. Wiesenberg, Brian J. Pinkelman
  • Patent number: 11181928
    Abstract: A method for operating a transportation vehicle wherein an electronic computing device of the transportation vehicle is coupled with a mobile electronic terminal device located outside of the transportation vehicle, and the electronic computing device receives a follow signal provided by the mobile electronic terminal device, which characterizes a follow request to the transportation vehicle, receives at least one piece of object information from an environment sensor system, moves the transportation vehicle as a function of the follow signal and as a function of the at least one piece of object information, transmits the at least one piece of object information to the mobile electronic terminal device, receives allocation information provided by the mobile electronic terminal device, and moves the transportation vehicle as a function of the allocation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Inventor: Steffen Görg
  • Patent number: 11180072
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle lamp system which is used along with a future path calculation section for calculating the future path of a host vehicle and an others-determination section for determining the presence or absence of other traffic in the future path. The vehicle lamp system comprises: a stop lamp; a territory lamp which projects light onto the ground so as to display a territory area T including the future path; and a lamp control section which, when the others-determination section determines that other traffic has entered the future path, turns on the stop lamp and the territory lamp at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaaki Nakabayashi, Jun Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 11176744
    Abstract: Improved techniques for re-localizing Internet-of-Things (IOT) devices are disclosed herein. Sensor data digitally representing one or more condition(s) monitored by an IOT device is received. In response, a sensor readings map is accessed, where this map is associated with the IOT device. The map also digitally represents the IOT device's environment and includes data representative of a location of the IOT device within the environment. The map also includes data representative of the conditions monitored by the IOT device. Additionally, the map is updated by attaching the sensor data to the map. In some cases, a coverage map can also be computed. Both the sensors readings map and the coverage map can be automatically updated in response to the TOT device being re-localized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Bleyer, Yuri Pekelny, Raymond Kirk Price
  • Patent number: 11173883
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement for detecting an object in a surrounding of a trailer when towed by a vehicle, the sensor arrangement including: at least one sensor mountable at a rear side of the vehicle with a field of view underneath the trailer and configured to capture a detection signal from the object; and a control unit configured to receive a sensor signal from the at least one sensor, wherein the sensor signal is indicative of the object and the control unit is configured to confirm a presence of the object behind or at a side of the trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FUER NUTZFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Huba Nemeth, Levente Balogh, Viktor Tihanyi, Laszlo Danos
  • Patent number: 11170645
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein to automatically detect objects and other debris located in the road. The lateral movement of a vehicle is monitored to detect lane changes. When a lane change is detected, information about the lane change including geographic coordinates of the lane change are collected. The information collected from various vehicles is correlated to identify possible locations of debris and other objects in the road. The identified locations may be provided to other vehicles for use in one or more navigation or collision detection systems or provided to one or more authorities who may use the information to address the identified objects or debris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: University of South Florida
    Inventors: Mohsen Kamrani, Sisinnio Concas, Achilleas Kourtellis
  • Patent number: 11167756
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a navigation system for a host vehicle. The system may include a processing device programmed to receive, from a camera, a plurality of images representative of an environment of the host vehicle; analyze the plurality of images to identify at least one pedestrian in the environment of the host vehicle; cause at least one adjustment of a navigational system of the host vehicle to signal to the pedestrian a navigational intent of the host vehicle; analyze the plurality of images to detect a potential reaction of the pedestrian to the at least one adjustment of the navigational system of the host vehicle; determine a navigational action for the host vehicle based on a detected potential reaction of the pedestrian; and cause at least one adjustment of a navigational actuator of the host vehicle in response to the determined navigational action for the host vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: MOBILEYE VISION TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
    Inventors: Shai Shalev-Shwartz, Amnon Shashua, Shaked Shammah
  • Patent number: 11170466
    Abstract: Determining three-dimensional structure in a road environment using a system mountable in a host vehicle including a camera connectible to a processor. Multiple image frames are captured in the field of view of the camera. In the image frames, a line is selected below which the road is imaged. The line separates between upper images essentially excluding images of the road and lower images essentially including images of the road. One or more of the lower images is warped, according to a road homography to produce at least one warped lower image. The three-dimensional structure may be provided from motion of a matching feature within the upper images or from motion of a matching feature within at least one of the lower images and at least one warped lower image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Harel Livyatan, Oded Berberian, Barak Cohen, Gideon Stein
  • Patent number: 11161519
    Abstract: A method and system for impaired driving detection, monitoring and accident prevention with driving habits. An impairment test method is provided with an impairment test determining in real-time whether a driver of vehicle is impaired (e.g., has used drugs, alcohol, is distracted, talking, texting, eating, etc. or is drowsy, etc.). The impairment test determines plural assigned probability impairment values over a pre-determined time interval to compare a frequency of received plural event signals from a passenger compartment of the vehicle and from an environment detected outside the vehicle and external to the vehicle for one or more of the plural driver performance actions completed by a driver of a vehicle to those previously stored in a unique driver profile for the driver to determine with a statistical probability whether the driver operating the vehicle may be impaired based on the unique behavior patterns for the driver of the vehicle stored in the unique driver profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: FUTURE TECHNOLOGY PARTNERS, LLC
    Inventors: Brian K. Phillips, Geoffrey A. Wilson, Brian K. Phillips, II
  • Patent number: 11160088
    Abstract: Provided are a data transmission method and device and a storage medium. The method includes: determining a first time domain resource for transmitting data according to first preset information, where the first preset information includes at least one of: indication information from a base station, a sensing result for a channel and a measurement result for interference; and transmitting the data by using the determined first time domain resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Xi'an Zhongxing New Software Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xincai Li, Yajun Zhao, Ling Yang, Hanging Xu
  • Patent number: 11148595
    Abstract: An image output device outputs a periphery image of a vehicle to a display; acquires a capture image of the periphery; acquires detection information of the periphery; determines an accuracy factor of detection of each object; calculates a position of the object in the capture image; determines whether objects overlap with each other in the capture image; and sets an image transmission region to at least a part of a region displaying a first object disposed on a near side among the objects determined to overlap with each other in the capture image, generates the periphery image for visually confirming a second object disposed on a far side of the first object, and changes a transmittance defined in the image transmission region higher as the accuracy factor of the detection of the second object is higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kondo, Yusuke Akamine, Yasuyuki Miyake
  • Patent number: 11151806
    Abstract: Apparatus, device, methods and system relating to a vehicular telemetry environment for the real time generation and transformation of raw telematics big data into analytical telematics big data that includes raw telematics big data and supplemental data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Geotab Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Charles Cawse, Yi Zhao, Daniel Michael Dodgson
  • Patent number: 11145215
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for detecting movement of a portable electronic device; receiving video data, for a first object, captured by a video capture device during the movement; and utilizing the video data, presenting a video by a display device of the portable electronic device that is viewable to a user for directing an attention of the user in connection with the first object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Sitting Man, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Paul Morris
  • Patent number: 11145063
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an edge detector and a sidewall information calculator. The edge detector detects outlines extending from lower left toward upper right with respect to objects located on left side of a vehicle, and detects outlines extending from lower right toward upper left with respect to objects located on right side of the vehicle, on the basis of a luminance value of an image out of a pair of images captured by a stereo camera. The sidewall information calculator recognizes, on the basis of three-dimensional positional information of the objects having the outlines detected by the edge detector, whichever of the objects having the outlines detected by the edge detector is located at a predetermined height or greater from a road surface and has a predetermined length or greater in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, as a sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Taku Umegatani
  • Patent number: 11145041
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: a setting unit configured to set an area, as a first area, in which at least one delimiting line for delimiting a parking space is detected in a first image of plural images continuously captured while moving; and a prediction unit configured to predict, based on the first area, a second area in which the at least one delimiting line is to be detected in at least one second image of the plural images, the at least one second image being captured later in time than the first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO TEN Limited
    Inventors: Yasutaka Okada, Hiroaki Sano, Tetsuo Yamamoto, Atsushi Yoshihara, Jun Kanetake, Ryo Yoshimura, Tomoki Shidori
  • Patent number: 11142196
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward a lane detection method. The method includes: acquiring road information for a section of a road upon which a subject vehicle is traveling, determining whether an adjacent vehicle is traveling in vicinity of the subject vehicle, defining, in response to determining the presence of the adjacent vehicle, a vehicle trajectory based on movement of the adjacent vehicle and the road information, detecting one or more lane markings along the road upon which the subject vehicle is traveling, defining a lane marking trajectory in response to detecting the one or more lane markings, calculating a lane accuracy for each estimated lane trajectory that includes the vehicle trajectory, the lane marking trajectory, or a combination thereof, and selecting a drive lane from among the estimated lane trajectories based on the lane accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignees: DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Minglei Huang
  • Patent number: 11135883
    Abstract: A vehicular backup assist system includes an ultrasonic sensor disposed at a trailer hitch that is configured to be attached at a rear portion of the vehicle. A control includes a processor for processing sensor data captured by the ultrasonic sensor. The control, with the trailer hitch attached at the vehicle, and during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle, and responsive to processing of sensor data captured by the ultrasonic sensor, detects presence of an object rearward of the vehicle and in the vicinity of the trailer hitch. Responsive to detecting presence of the object, the control alerts a driver of the vehicle of the detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Harold E. Joseph, Jyothi P. Gali
  • Patent number: 11136046
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system and method of alarm for a vehicle. The present disclosure describes a alarm system for a vehicle for allowing a driver to practice a defensive drive in a weather environment which is hard to recognize the situation around the vehicle. An embodiment provides a alarm system for a vehicle including a camera operable to be disposed at the vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle, where the camera configured to capture image data, an image processor operable to process image data captured from the camera; a plurality of sensors disposed at the vehicle for sensing at least one of a front, side, or rear so as to capture sensing data, an alarm device for alerting a driver when detecting an object located in blind spot of the rear of the vehicle, and controller including at least one of processor configured to process at least one of (i) processing result of the captured image data and (ii) sensing data captured by the plurality of sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Mando Corporation
    Inventor: Dong Myeong Kim
  • Patent number: 11127301
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to adapting operation of an assistance system in a subject vehicle according to a presence of a trailer. In one embodiment, a method includes, in response to determining that the trailer causes an occlusion to perception of at least one sensor about a surrounding environment of the subject vehicle, modifying system parameters associated with the assistance system according to the occlusion to adapt how the assistance system operates while the occlusion is present. The method includes controlling the assistance system as a function of the system parameters to improve assistance provided to an occupant of the subject vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ting-Yu Lai, Ryo Takaki, Bo Sun
  • Patent number: 11124183
    Abstract: A method for manoeuvring a motor vehicle is disclosed. In the method, a trajectory for manoeuvring the motor vehicle is determined. During the manoeuvring of the motor vehicle along the trajectory, a notification distance, which describes a distance to a turning point of the trajectory, and a collision distance, which describes a distance to an object in a surrounding of the motor vehicle, are determined. Based on the notification distance and the collision distance, a distance to go until the actuation of a brake system of the motor vehicle is determined. Based on changes in the time curve of the notification distance, a corrected notification distance is determined in an ongoing manner. Based on changes in the time curve of the collision distance, a corrected collision distance is determined in an ongoing manner. The distance to go is determined based on the corrected notification distance and the corrected collision distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Stefanie Sattler, Steffen Luecker, Malte Joos, Jean-Francois Bariant, Frank Blinkie
  • Patent number: 11126859
    Abstract: Provided is a robot system including a robot, a distance image sensor that temporally continuously acquires, from above an operating space of the robot, distance image information around the operating space, and an image processing device that processes the acquired distance image information, the image processing device defining, around the operating space, a monitoring area that includes a boundary for enabling entrance into the operating space from the outside, including a storing unit that stores reference distance image information, and detecting, based on the distance image information acquired by the distance image sensor and the reference distance image information stored in the storing unit, whether a stationary object present in the monitoring area is blocking the boundary in a visual field of the distance image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuuki Takahashi, Atsushi Watanabe, Minoru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11119192
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems are provided for detecting overhead obstructions along a path segment. One exemplary method includes receiving three-dimensional data collected by a depth sensing device traveling along a path segment, wherein the three-dimensional data comprises point cloud data positioned above a ground plane of the path segment. The method further includes identifying data points of the point cloud data positioned within a corridor positioned above the ground plane. The method further includes projecting the identified data points onto a plane. The method further includes detecting the overhead obstruction based on a concentration of point cloud data positioned within a plurality of cells of the plane. The method further includes storing the detected overhead obstruction above the path segment within a map database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Fangning He, David Doria, Xin Chen
  • Patent number: 11117517
    Abstract: A vehicle control system for moving a vehicle to a target location is disclosed. According to examples of the disclosure, a camera captures one or more images of a known object corresponding to the target location. An on-board computer having stored thereon information about the known object can process the one or more images to determine vehicle location with respect to the known object. The system can use the vehicle's determined location and a feedback controller to move the vehicle to the target location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Faraday&Future Inc.
    Inventors: Aziz Umit Batur, Oliver Max Jeromin, Paul Alan Theodosis, Michael Venegas
  • Patent number: 11112788
    Abstract: The present disclosure, in one aspect, provides a method for monitoring a vehicle environment. The method may include determining environmental data of a vehicle with an environmental sensor system, transmitting the environmental data to a mobile unit, determining a local position of the mobile unit with respect to the vehicle, and selecting a subset of the environmental data based on the local position of the mobile unit and depicting the subset of the environmental data on the mobile unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Michael Burkhart, Thomas Rösch
  • Patent number: 11109634
    Abstract: Presented are intelligent electronic footwear with controller automated features, methods for making/using such footwear, and control systems for executing automated features of intelligent electronic footwear. An intelligent electronic shoe (IES) includes an upper that attaches to a user's foot, and a sole structure that is attached to the upper and supports thereon the user's foot. An alert system, which is mounted to the sole structure and/or upper, generates predetermined outputs in response to electronic command signals. The IES system also includes a wireless communications device that wirelessly communicates with a remote computing node, and a footwear controller that communicates with the wireless communications device and alert system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Andon, Jamian R. Cobbett, Vikram Malhotra, Hien Tommy Pham
  • Patent number: 11113550
    Abstract: A method for reminding a driver of a motor vehicle to start at a light signal device, includes the following steps: detecting a light signal of a light signal device by evaluating an image data set; detecting the stationary state of the motor vehicle according to the motor vehicle operating parameters; producing a stop signal when the detected light signal is a stop light signal and when the motor vehicle is stationary; in the presence of the stop signal, generating a start signal when a switch to a drive light signal is detected by evaluating an additional image data set, and transferring the start signal via an interface to an output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Joeran Zeisler
  • Patent number: 11104269
    Abstract: A vehicle computing system may implement techniques to dynamically modify warning signals from a vehicle to ensure that an object (e.g., dynamic object) is notified of the vehicle operation. A vehicle computing system may emit a first warning signal including an audio and/or visual signal and may detect an object reaction to the first warning signal. Based on a determination that the object reaction does not substantially alter the ability for the vehicle to overcome the object, the vehicle computing system may modify a frequency, volume, luminosity, color, shape, motion, etc. of the first warning signal to emit a second warning signal. The vehicle computing system may continually modify warning signals until the object reacts according to an expected reaction or becomes irrelevant to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Mark Karol
  • Patent number: 11100729
    Abstract: Event-related information is acquired, and a judgment is made as to whether a particular event is detected. When a particular event is detected, direction information indicating a first direction is acquired, and first recognition result information is acquired as to a result of a recognition process as to an object located outside a vehicle. Furthermore, a judgment is made as to whether the first recognition result information includes a result of object recognition in the first direction and as to whether existence of a specific object in the first direction is detected. In a case where it is judged that the first recognition result information indicates that object recognition in the first direction is performed and existence of a specific object in the first direction is not detected, process completion information indicating that the vehicle has performed the recognition process in the first direction is generated and output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Masayoshi Tojima, Shunsuke Kuhara
  • Patent number: 11100805
    Abstract: A computer is programmed to determine a target area to project, along a planned travel path of a vehicle, a symbol based on detecting a target object. The computer is further programmed to actuate a light source to project the symbol moving within the target area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Venkatesh Krishnan, Paul Kenneth Dellock
  • Patent number: 11099571
    Abstract: Autonomous vehicle takeover based on restricted areas includes receiving position data of a vehicle, the position data indicating a position of a vehicle traveling in an area, correlating the received position data to a map including mapped areas designated as non-roadway areas, where the correlating determines that the vehicle is traveling in a designated non-roadway area, checking one or more restrictions placed on vehicular travel in the non-roadway area in which the vehicle is traveling and, based on the one or more restrictions, performing processing to undertake action(s), the action(s) including controlling function(s) of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sarbajit K. Rakshit, James E. Bostick, John M. Ganci, Jr., Martin G. Keen
  • Patent number: 11100338
    Abstract: A data recording device includes at least one sensor configured to detect a surrounding environment of a moving object as detection data, a buffer configured to store the detection data in association with a time point, a tracking unit configured to perform tracking of an object being present around the moving object based on the detection data stored in the buffer, a determination unit configured to determine whether or not the object is lost during the tracking of the object performed by the tracking unit, a period determination unit configured to determine a period during which the object is determined to be lost by the determination unit as a recording period in response to a fact that a predetermined recording condition is satisfied, and a recording unit configured to record the detection data corresponding to the recording period onto a recording medium among the detection data stored in the buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Hayashi, Yasuhiro Takagi, Nobuhide Kamata, Ryo Igarashi
  • Patent number: 11092688
    Abstract: This document describes spatial and temporal processing of ultrasonic-sensor detections for mapping in vehicle-parking-assist functions. Specifically, spatial intersections, which are determined from a pair of neighboring ultrasonic sensors having ultrasonic detections at substantially the same time, can address latency issues associated with temporal intersections and can be determined without the vehicle moving. Temporal intersections can address situations when one sensor of the pair of neighboring ultrasonic sensors has an ultrasonic detection while the other sensor does not. Using both the spatial and temporal intersections provides high accuracy for angular information, which enables enhanced mapping and efficient performance of vehicle-parking-assist functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Aptiv Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Qian Wang, Kevin J. Hawes
  • Patent number: 11091162
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for determining inter-vehicle distance during adaptive cruise control. Moreover, the method is directed to the integration of multiple sensing modalities to accurately determine inter-vehicle distance at close ranges. This approach exploits standard, vehicle-based sensors and processing circuitry to improve the selection of sensing modalities during inter-vehicle distance determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Trenton B. Lindholm
  • Patent number: 11094196
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a rear cross traffic alert includes: a parking form determiner that determines a parking form of a vehicle using at least one of sensing information or parking space information; a reference angle setter that sets a reference angle for controlling a rear cross traffic alert in accordance with the parking form; and a traffic alert controller that controls generation/non-generation of a traffic alert using a result of comparison between an incidence angle, which is formed by a movement path of another vehicle detected inside a rear cross traffic alert area of the vehicle and a longitudinal reference line of the vehicle, and the reference angle if a rear cross traffic alert start condition of the vehicle is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Mando Corporation
    Inventors: Jae Suk Kim, Tae Bong Noh
  • Patent number: 11091153
    Abstract: An ECU performs collision avoidance control for an avoiding collision with an object based on at least one of first information, which is a detection result of the object based on a reflected wave corresponding to a transmission wave, and second information, which is a detection result of the object based on a captured image of an area in front of a vehicle captured by an image capturing means. When the state changes from a state where the object is detected by the first information and the second information to a state where the object is detected only by the first information, the ECU determines whether or not the object is located in a near area predetermined as an area in front of the vehicle in which the second information is not be able be acquired. When it is determined that the object is located in the near area, the ECU maintains an activation condition of the collision avoidance control to that in the state where the object is detected by the first information and the second information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryo Takaki
  • Patent number: 11091159
    Abstract: A control ECU (10) executes left-side preliminary control for preventing an occupant from performing an operation of opening a left door when an object is predicted to reach a left virtual line segment (LVL) based on a position of the object. The control ECU executes right-side preliminary control for preventing the occupant from performing an operation of opening a right door when the object is predicted to reach a right virtual line segment (RVL) based on the position of the object. Further, the control ECU executes both-side preliminary control for preventing the occupant from performing an operation of opening both of the left door and the right door when the object is predicted to reach a central virtual line segment (CVL).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriyuki Saito, Takuya Kaminade, Iwao Izumikawa
  • Patent number: 11086333
    Abstract: A sensor apparatus for an autonomously operated commercial vehicle to allow panoramic capture of surroundings of the commercial vehicle, including: radar units mountable in front corner areas of the vehicle; downwardly directed cameras having a fisheye objective, mountable on front upper corner areas of the vehicle; at least one rearwardly directed sensor mounted on a section of the vehicle to allow rearward image capture; and an evaluation module to evaluate image data from the radar units, the downwardly directed cameras and the at least one rearwardly directed sensor to achieve the panoramic capture of the surroundings of the vehicle; in which the radar units and the at least one rearwardly directed sensor capture all points in a surrounding area of the vehicle, and wherein the downwardly directed cameras capture all points in the surrounding area of the vehicle. Also described are a related commercial vehicle, method and computer readable medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FUER NUTZFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Levente Balogh, Huba Nemeth, Csaba Horvath, Viktor Tihanyi