Land Vehicle Patents (Class 348/118)
  • Patent number: 10549695
    Abstract: A rear-view mirror and modular monitor system and method include an interior mirror that embeds a modular monitor behind see-through mirror glass. In some embodiments, the system includes multiple cameras, some in the vehicle, bus and/or truck, as well as some cameras outside the vehicle, bus and/or truck, advantageously providing the driver an opportunity to view what is happening, for example, in the back rows of the bus and/or cabin, while also using the mirror to look at objects in the bus and/or cabin that are visible using the mirror. The rear-view mirror and modular monitor system is configured to be easily assembled and/or disassembled when necessary for maintenance and/or to replace parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: ROSCO, INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin Englander, Julian Serer, Peter Plate, Gary Balsam
  • Patent number: 10551201
    Abstract: A moving body control method for a moving body includes detecting position information and generating a surrounding map of surroundings of the moving body from map information corresponding to the position information, acquiring sensor information from a sensor and detecting non-map information from the sensor information, determining whether the traveling route can be calculated by adding the non-map information to the surrounding map and applying to the surrounding map first restriction information in which restrictions in setting a traveling route, if the moving body can calculate the traveling route, the first restriction information is applied to the surrounding map to calculate the traveling route, if the moving body cannot calculate the traveling route, second restriction information that relaxes restrictions in setting the traveling route is applied to the first restriction information to calculate the traveling route and the calculated traveling route is outputted to the traveling control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Yunoki, Hideki Endo, Hiroyuki Kubo, Shouta Takagi, Daisuke Mashimo
  • Patent number: 10532736
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle travel control device which simultaneously achieves the behavioral stability of a vehicle and the continuity of travel assistance during vehicle travel assistance. The setting range of controlled variable to an actuator in travel assistance control is limited on the basis of the information having higher priority among road type information and road shape information. Thus, compared to when the setting range of the control variable is determined on the basis of only the road type information or the road shape information, it is possible to suppress excessive limitations on the applicable range/duration time of travel assistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiko Asakura, Hironobu Kiryu, Hitoshi Konishi, Takuyuki Mukai
  • Patent number: 10493917
    Abstract: A vehicular trailer backup assist system is operable to steer a vehicle, with a trailer connected at the rear of the vehicle, during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle and trailer. The system electronically overlays a plurality of zones over displayed video images, with each individual zone of the overlayed plurality of zones being indicative of a respective individual region rearward of the vehicle and trailer. Responsive to a selected zone of travel for the trailer, the control controls steering of the vehicle to steer the vehicle to guide the trailer towards the respective individual region that is encompassed by the selected zone of travel during reversing of the vehicle and trailer. The driver of the vehicle manually adjusts steering of the vehicle to more accurately steer the vehicle towards a target location within the respective individual region that is encompassed by the selected zone of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sebastian Pliefke, Horst D. Diessner, Christian Weber
  • Patent number: 10460467
    Abstract: An object recognition processing apparatus includes: an object fusion processing unit 6 for fusing detection information signals of objects existing around a vehicle, which are detected by a plurality of object detection units to output object fusion signals; a same object fusion result combination candidate selection processing unit for selecting, for a combination of object fusion signals, candidates of the object fusion signals to be combined; a same object fusion result combination determination processing unit for determining whether or not a combination of the selected object fusion signals is a combination of object fusion signals of the same object; and a same object fusion combination integration processing unit for recognizing the objects existing around the vehicle on the basis of a result of the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiro Akiyama
  • Patent number: 10450719
    Abstract: A bulldozer includes a blade disposed in front of a vehicle body. First and second cameras are disposed to the left and right of the vehicle body, respectively. A first optical axis of the first camera faces forward and downward. The first camera overlaps a left crawler belt as seen in a plan view of the bulldozer and is arranged to capture a first image of a gap between a lower edge of the blade and the left crawler belt. A second optical axis of the second camera faces forward and downward. The second camera overlaps a right crawler belt as seen in a plan view of the bulldozer and is arranged to capture a second image of a gap between a lower edge of the blade and the right crawler belt. A display is configured to display the first and second images side-by-side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Tsukamoto, Kazuki Kure, Etsuo Fujita, Sueyoshi Nishimine, Masahiro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10449902
    Abstract: A rear-view mirror and modular monitor system and method include an interior mirror that embeds a modular monitor behind see-through mirror glass. In some embodiments, the system includes multiple cameras, some in the vehicle, bus and/or truck, as well as some cameras outside the vehicle, bus and/or truck, advantageously providing the driver an opportunity to view what is happening, for example, in the back rows of the bus and/or cabin, while also using the mirror to look at objects in the bus and/or cabin that are visible using the mirror. The rear-view mirror and modular monitor system is configured to be easily assembled and/or disassembled when necessary for maintenance and/or to replace parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: ROSCO, INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin Englander, Julian Serer, Peter Plate, Gary Balsam
  • Patent number: 10430970
    Abstract: Systems and method are provided for calibrating a camera system of an autonomous vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes: identifying, by the processor, a planar object from sensor data generated by a sensor of the autonomous vehicle while the autonomous vehicle is operating; identifying, by the processor, a pattern of the planar object; selecting, by the processor, planar points from the pattern of the planar object; and calibrating, by the processor, the camera system, while the autonomous vehicle is operating, based on the planar points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Solomon Bier
  • Patent number: 10422634
    Abstract: An estimating device includes: a movement amount computing section that, on the basis of a position of a predetermined region within an image picked-up at a first time, and a position of a region that corresponds to the predetermined region and is within an image picked-up in a same direction at a second time that is after the first time, computing a movement amount of the predetermined region in a vertical direction; a movement amount integrating section that computes an integrated value of the movement amounts, each time the movement amount is computed; a correcting section that corrects the integrated value of a current point in time on the basis of time series data of the integrated values of the movement amounts within a past predetermined time period; and an estimating section that estimates a pitch angle of the vehicle on the basis of a corrected integrated value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Watanabe, Yusuke Kataoka, Tadashi Sakai, Naoki Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 10417751
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a contrast correcting unit which creates a contrast-corrected image in which contrast of an input image photographed by an in-vehicle camera that is mounted to a vehicle is corrected; a color analyzing unit which creates a color-corrected image in which a color of the input image is corrected; an object detecting unit which detects a first target object included in the input image based on the contrast-corrected image, and which detects a second target object included in the input image based on the color-corrected image; and an object association analyzing unit which recognizes the first target object and the second target object based on a time series association between the first target object and the second target object detected by the object detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideharu Hattori, Yoshifumi Izumi
  • Patent number: 10417469
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a self-describing fiducial includes a communication element that optically communicates navigation-aiding information. The navigation-aiding information may include a position of the self-describing fiducial with respect to one or more coordinate systems and the communication element communicates the navigation-aiding information to one or more navigating objects in the vicinity of the self-describing fiducial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Inventors: Morgan E. Davidson, Randall S. Christensen, Richard C. Robinson
  • Patent number: 10415212
    Abstract: A bulldozer has a protective structure. The protective structure includes a left pillar portion, a right pillar portion, and a beam portion. The left pillar portion is disposed to the left of a cab and extends in the up-down direction. The right pillar portion is disposed to the right of the cab and extends in the up-down direction. The beam portion is disposed above the cab and couples the left pillar portion and the right pillar portion. A first camera is attached to the left pillar portion and is disposed so that a first optical axis faces forward and downward. A second camera is attached to the right pillar portion and is disposed so that a second optical axis faces forward and downward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Tsukamoto, Kazuki Kure, Etsuo Fujita, Sueyoshi Nishimine, Masahiro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10406995
    Abstract: A camera module, which is mounted on an inside of a front windshield of a vehicle and configured to image an external environment of the vehicle, includes multiple lens units on which an optical image of the external environment is incident, individually, and an imaging system to generate an outside image of the external environment by imaging through each of the lens units, individually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuki Furutake, Kazuyoshi Akiba
  • Patent number: 10377409
    Abstract: A manual steering torque input is measured. A manual steering mode of a vehicle is actuated when the manual steering torque input is below a first torque threshold and above a second torque threshold for longer than a time threshold that is based on a vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mohamad Wajih Issam Farhat, Domenic Miccinilli, Jens Christiansen, Nathaniel Abram Rolfes
  • Patent number: 10343591
    Abstract: A method and a device for the automated adaptation of a brightness of at least one light for a vehicle. The method includes a step of determining a position and/or a moving direction of the vehicle relative to a first and/or second national territory; a step of ascertaining data that represent a brightness requirement for the at least one light as a function of the position and/or moving direction of the vehicle; and a step of the automated adaptation of the brightness of at least one light as a function of the ascertained data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Amar Music
  • Patent number: 10343621
    Abstract: Image recording device provided with a fixed part for at least partial inclusion in and/or on the body of a motor vehicle, and a movable part which contains at least one optical element, the optical element comprising at least one optical sensor and/or a lens unit, and an adjustment device provided with a power source, for adjusting the movable part between a first position and a second position, wherein during use in the first position the movable part is wholly or partly included in the body, and in the second position the movable part extends at an angle with respect to the body, such that at least the optical element carried by the movable part extends at least partly outside the body, wherein the movable part pivots from the second position about a, preferably substantially vertical, axis to the first position and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: MCi (Mirror Controls International) Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Stefan Fritz Brouwer, Rudolf Pieter Hoogenboom
  • Patent number: 10338601
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for generating a surroundings map (14) of a surrounding area (7) of a motor vehicle (1) in which an object in the surrounding area (7) is detected by means of a sensor device (9) of the motor vehicle (1), a position value (P) that describes a position of the object is determined on the basis of sensor data of the sensor device (9) by means of a control device (3) of the motor vehicle (1) and the determined position value (P) is transferred into the surroundings map (14), wherein a vector (v?) between the object and a predetermined reference point (11) of the motor vehicle (1) that forms an origin (0?) of a vehicle coordinate system (12) is determined, the determined vector (v?) is transformed from the vehicle coordinate system (12) into a global coordinate system (13) of the surroundings map (14) and the position value (P) in the surroundings map (14) is determined on the basis of the transformed vector (v).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Heimberger, Vsevolod Vovkushevsky
  • Patent number: 10332002
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing trailer information are provided. The method includes detecting a p coupler of the trailer in the image of the rear-facing camera; detecting a position of the coupler in the received image; and determining a distance between the detected position of the coupler of the trailer and a hitch of vehicle. The method may be use to display information about a trailer coupler or guide a vehicle to line up a vehicle hitch to a trailer coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Michael Bliss, Yunfei Zhang, Xiaoming Liu, Yousef Atoum, Joseph Roth
  • Patent number: 10286843
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a monitoring system operable to determine a gaze direction of a driver of the vehicle. At least one vision sensor is disposed at the vehicle and has a field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle, and at least one non-vision sensor is disposed at the vehicle and has a field of sensing exterior of the vehicle. Image data captured by the interior viewing camera, image data captured by the exterior viewing camera and sensor data sensed by the non-vision sensor are provided to a control of the vehicle. A display system includes a video screen operable to display video images for viewing by the driver of the vehicle. The video screen also displays an augmented reality overlay. Responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data and/or sensed sensor data, the vision system determines the augmented reality overlay displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Achim Gieseke, Michael Biemer
  • Patent number: 10266174
    Abstract: A travel control device for a vehicle executes a self-driving control based on traveling environment information on which the vehicle travels and traveling information on the vehicle. In the device, a traveling environment information acquisition unit acquires the traveling environment information. A traveling information detection unit detects the traveling information. An unstable behavior detector detects an unstable behavior in one or both of a rolling direction and a yaw direction of the vehicle. A steering wheel holding state detector detects a state in which a driver holds a steering wheel. The first unstable behavior reducer reduces the detected unstable behavior by correcting a steering angle. A second unstable behavior reducer reduces the detected unstable behavior by selecting a predetermined wheel and applying a braking force to the wheel. A vehicle behavior controller freely operates the unstable behavior reducers according to detection results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiichi Shiraishi, Takayuki Nagase
  • Patent number: 10262213
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed for determining lane information of a roadway segment from vehicle probe data. Probe data is received from vehicle camera sensors at a road segment, wherein the probe data includes lane marking data on the road segment. Lane markings are identified, to the extent present, for the left and right boundaries of the lane of travel as well as the adjacent lane boundaries to the left and right of the lane of travel. The identified lane markings are coded, wherein solid lane lines, dashed lane lines, and unidentified or non-existing lane lines are differentiated. The coded lane markings are compiled in a database. A number of lanes are predicted at the road segment from the database of coded lane markings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Xin Chen, Di Ma, Xiang Ma, Roman Ostrovskiy, Vladimir Zhukov, Xiaotao Zou
  • Patent number: 10255808
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes: receiving, by a computing device, images of adjacent vehicles parked directly adjacent to an open parking space; determining, by the computing device, visual factors and non-visual factors of the adjacent vehicles based on the images; determining, by the computing device, risk scores for each of the adjacent vehicles based on the visual factor and the non-visual factors; determining, by the computing device, a parking position within the open parking space based on the risk scores; and outputting, by the computing device, information regarding the parking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: James E. Bostick, John M. Ganci, Jr., Martin G. Keen, Sarbajit K. Rakshit
  • Patent number: 10235579
    Abstract: A vanishing point correction method may include the steps of: (a) extracting a contour candidate point of an object considered as the forward vehicle from the image taken by the camera; (b) tracking a movement of the contour candidate point over time; (c) determining whether the contour candidate point belongs to the vehicle; (d) setting the contour candidate point to a vehicle contour point of the forward vehicle, when it is determined at the step (c) that the contour candidate point belongs to the vehicle; (e) calculating a variation in width between vehicle contour points at the same height among the vehicle contour points; and (f) calculating a variation of the vanishing point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: PLK Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwang Il Park, Sang Mook Lim, Jin Hyuck Kim
  • Patent number: 10223600
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and a device for recognizing traffic signs by a sensor system for recording the surrounding environment for a vehicle, which includes at least one camera sensor and one radar sensor or LiDAR sensor. Based on the data of the at least one radar sensor or LiDAR sensor, at least one element of the presence of a traffic sign, or the size of a traffic sign, position of a traffic sign, distance and/or orientation of a traffic sign, bridge-like structure, position and/or type of the vehicle ahead, position of lane delimiting structures is obtained and used for traffic sign recognition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH
    Inventors: Marc Fischer, Peter van der Vegte, Ulrich Möller
  • Patent number: 10214206
    Abstract: A parking assist system of a vehicle includes a plurality of sensors disposed at a vehicle and having respective fields of sensing exterior of the vehicle. A vehicle control is operable to determine a target parking space responsive to the processor. The control (i) uses two intersecting lines, with one passing through a start node and one passing through an end node, (ii) uses circles that are tangent to respective ones of the intersecting lines, with each circle having a radius that approximates a minimum turning radius of the vehicle, and (iii) determines possible paths of travel using straight path sections tangent to one or more of the circles and curved path sections that follow a curvature of one or more of the circles. The control selects a target path of travel in accordance with a plurality of objectives for the path of travel of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Ralph Latotzki
  • Patent number: 10215571
    Abstract: A method for localization and mapping, including recording an image at a camera mounted to a vehicle, the vehicle associated with a global system location; identifying a landmark depicted in the image with a landmark identification module of a computing system associated with the vehicle, the identified landmark having a landmark geographic location and a known parameter; extracting a set of landmark parameters from the image with a feature extraction module of the computing system; determining, at the computing system, a relative position between the vehicle and the landmark geographic location based on a comparison between the extracted set of landmark parameters and the known parameter; and updating, at the computing system, the global system location based on the relative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Nauto, Inc.
    Inventors: Vaibhav Ghadiok, Michael Gleeson-May
  • Patent number: 10196023
    Abstract: A vehicle collision detection system that includes: a controller that actuates an occupant restraint device in a case in which a collision between a vehicle and an object has been predicted by a collision prediction section, a collision mode has been determined to be an underride mode by a determination section, the object has been determined to be another vehicle by the determination section, and an acceleration detected by a first acceleration sensor is at or above an underride-mode-actuation determination threshold that is lower than a normal-actuation determination threshold for the occupant restraint device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Fujinami, Yusuke Mase, Hisashi Hagiwara, Jiro Ohachi
  • Patent number: 10185322
    Abstract: A first landmark of a target vehicle is identified. A host vehicle is moved laterally adjacent to the target vehicle such that a second landmark of the host vehicle is a specified longitudinal distance from the first landmark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Frank J. Desjarlais, Ray C. Siciak
  • Patent number: 10182229
    Abstract: A device for monitoring the vehicle environment includes: a first sensor for sensing the vehicle environment, the first sensor featuring a first sensing region; a second sensor for sensing the vehicle environment; and an evaluation unit. The second sensor for sensing the vehicle environment is situated within the first sensing region, and a diagnosis of the second sensor is achieved with the aid of the evaluation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Christian Hoffmann, Michael Schoenherr
  • Patent number: 10152883
    Abstract: A driving support device detects a speed limit by imaging a speed sign indicating the speed limit of a traveling lane. Also, the driving support device continuously acquires attribute information from a car navigation system. The speed limit recognized from a road sign is displayed on a screen mounted in a vehicle. When the speed limit recognized from the road sign is not equal to a speed limit acquired from the car navigation system, a display time of the speed limit is limited. When the attribute information is changed, display of the speed limit is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yusuke Fujimaki
  • Patent number: 10150474
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling a lane change maneuver of an autonomous vehicle. The method includes detecting a feature of a road surface with a sensor and determining, at an electronic processor, a road camber of a target lane based on the feature. The target lane is a traffic lane targeted for a lane change maneuver by the autonomous vehicle. The method further includes determining a lateral compensating force based on the road camber and applying the lateral compensating force, by the electronic processor, during the lane change maneuver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Jeffrey S. Sterniak
  • Patent number: 10145960
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a vehicle system comprising a vehicle communication module is provided. The vehicle communication module is configured to receive first global positioning system (GPS) data indicative of a location of a vehicle and to receive a first signal indicative of the vehicle being in a drive state. The vehicle communication module is further configured to transmit the first GPS data to an occupant communication device (OCD) in response to the first signal to restrict at least a portion of the operation of the OCD and to reduce power consumption of the OCD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Lee Miller, Brian Bennie, David Anthony Hatton, Doron M. Elliott
  • Patent number: 10088676
    Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing traffic safety through augmented reality and shared data are disclosed. An example method includes, identifying a second transportation vehicle that at least partially blocks a first view of a first user associated with a first transportation vehicle; and obtaining second view data from the second transportation vehicle. The second view data is descriptive of a second view of a second user associated with the second transportation vehicle, and the second view includes an additional view that was blocked in the first view by the second transportation vehicle. In some implementations, the method includes presenting the second view on a first display associated with the first transportation vehicle. In other implementations, for example where the first transportation vehicle is a driver-less vehicle, the method includes providing an electronic signal identifying the second view to the first transportation vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: PAYPAL, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Diebold O'Toole, Bryant Genepang Luk, Ananya Das, Jason Ziaja, Shaun Warman
  • Patent number: 9977565
    Abstract: Once embodiment of the invention is directed to a method comprising receiving, at a computing device, image data from a camera, converting, by the computing device, the image data to a YUV color space, filtering, by the computing device, the converted image data based on intensity and a predetermined color to produce a filtered image, and determining, by the computing device, a location of light emitted from a controller from the filtered image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Potts, David Perkinson
  • Patent number: 9963018
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to vehicles and vehicle roof structures for concealing one or more sensors. Vehicle roof structures according to the present disclosure include a roof panel and a window extending at least up to the roof panel. A headliner extends along an interior portion of the roof panel to the window and is at least partially spaced from the roof panel in a direction of an interior of the vehicle to provide a sensor mounting volume therebetween, wherein the window extends along at least a portion of the sensor mounting volume. One or more sensors are positioned behind the window within the sensor mounting volume to provide a signal indicative of a characteristic of an environment of the vehicle detected by the one or more sensors through the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Paxton S. Williams, Jaime N. Moore, Crystal J. Mink
  • Patent number: 9947227
    Abstract: A method and a device are disclosed for warning a driver of a first vehicle when the first vehicle is located in a blind spot of a second vehicle. The method includes recording the surrounding area in front of and alongside the first vehicle using a sensor, classifying objects in the recorded surrounding area, determining a relative position of an object classified as a second vehicle in relation to the first vehicle using the sensor, calculating the area of a blind angle on the basis of the determined relative position of the object in relation to the first vehicle, checking whether the first vehicle is located in the calculated area of the blind angle, and generating a warning signal for the driver of the first vehicle when the first vehicle is located in the calculated area of the blind angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH
    Inventor: Fritz Paul-Emil Dilger
  • Patent number: 9925919
    Abstract: A parking assistance device includes: an obstacle detection unit detecting an obstacle; a target position determination unit determining a target position between a first virtual obstacle, based on a first obstacle, and a second virtual obstacle based on a second obstacle being lined up with the first obstacle in a first direction; and a route determination unit determining a first route from the position of a vehicle to the target position, and that, when while the vehicle travels along the determined first route, the obstacle detection unit has detected a third obstacle positioned between the first and second obstacles and closer to the first obstacle than the second obstacle, enlarges the first virtual obstacle, and determines a second route that avoids the enlarged first virtual obstacle and is set from the position of the vehicle to the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Kiyokawa, Motokatsu Tomozawa
  • Patent number: 9883145
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an onboard camera automatic calibration apparatus includes at least a road surface point selection unit, an amount-of-rotation-around-Z-axis calculation unit and a coordinate rotation correction unit. The road surface point selection unit selects multiple points not less than three on a road surface in a predetermined image among the multiple images obtained by an onboard camera and selects multiple combinations of two points from among the multiple points. The amount-of-rotation-around-Z-axis calculation unit determines, in a camera coordinate system with an optical axis as a Z axis, an amount of rotation around the Z axis such that the road surface is parallel to an X axis, based on the multiple combinations and motion vectors. The coordinate rotation correction unit performs rotation correction around the Z axis for the images obtained by the onboard camera based on the determined amount of rotation around the Z axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA ALPINE AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kiyoyuki Kawai
  • Patent number: 9870653
    Abstract: A system includes a vehicle having a rear bumper and a trailer hitch assembly having a hitch trailer ball; a trailer having a tongue adapted to engage with the hitch trailer ball and a platform configured to carry a load; and a monitoring system having a computer, a sensor operably associated with the computer and configured to measure a weight of the load carried by the trailer, and an alarm operably associated with the computer and configured to notify a user as a predetermined weight threshold is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Inventors: Larron Fritz, Eric Mercado
  • Patent number: 9866819
    Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus is installed in a thing and a distance between the thing and a measuring target varies. The distance measuring apparatus includes a plurality of imaging devices; a first distance acquisition part that acquires a first distance to the measuring target based on respective sets of image data taken by the plurality of imaging devices; a second distance acquisition part that acquires a second distance to the measuring target based on a reflected wave of an electromagnetic wave irradiated onto the measuring target; and a holding member that holds the plurality of imaging devices and the second distance acquisition part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuichi Suzuki, Mitsuru Nakajima, Motoyasu Murai
  • Patent number: 9828223
    Abstract: A fork-lift truck includes a load carrier, a first optical detector, an optical analyzing unit, and a second optical detector. The analyzing unit receives and analyses information from the second optical detector, wherein the first and second optical detector are movable together with the load carrier, and the first optical detector is positioned in relation to the load carrier, such that a first field of view includes at least a part of the load carrier and an extension of the load carrier. The second optical detector is positioned, such that a second field of view includes a predetermined volume above the load carrier The position and orientation of the second detector is calibrated in relation to a predetermined position on the fork-lift truck, in case one or more objects are positioned in the predetermined volume, at least one three-dimensional relative position can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: BT Products AB
    Inventors: Rune Svensson, Magnus Persson, HÃ¥kan Frid
  • Patent number: 9802320
    Abstract: Provided is an excellent robot device capable of preferably detecting difference between dirt and a scratch on a lens of a camera and difference between dirt and a scratch on a hand. A robot device 100 detects a site in which there is the dirt or the scratch using an image of the hand taken by a camera 305 as a reference image. Further, this determines whether the detected dirt or scratch is due to the lens of the camera 305 or the hand by moving the hand. The robot device 100 performs cleaning work assuming that the dirt is detected, and then this detects the difference between the dirt and the scratch depending on whether the dirt is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tsutomu Sawada
  • Patent number: 9799132
    Abstract: A driving support device outputs, to a display means (103), a superimposed image in which a pair of left and right planar predicted trajectory guide marks (405), (406) corresponding to steering of the vehicle are superimposed onto a captured vehicle-rearview image including the tow vehicle connector (402) and the towed-vehicle connector (404). An image superimposing unit (112) superimposes sides (405a), (406a) of the predicted trajectory guide marks (405), (406) that are on the vehicle-width-center side further towards the outer edge relative to the tow vehicle connector (402), and superimposes sides (405b), (406b) of the predicted trajectory guide marks (405), (406) that are on the outer-edge side in the vehicle-width direction as predicted trajectories of the side edges of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Okano, Yashio Kishi
  • Patent number: 9796328
    Abstract: A method and system for correcting misrecognized information of a lane are provided. The method includes extracting lane information of a vehicle information and guard rail information and extracting reference points from each of the lane information and the guard rail information. The reference points are then connected to extract linear lanes and a guard rail and areas and tilts of the lanes and the guard rail are compared to correct the lanes and the guard rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jong Chul Kim, Jeong Jae Yoo, Sung Min Ji, Hyung Jun Lim, Yon Jun Jang
  • Patent number: 9758048
    Abstract: A vehicle power-supplying system that wirelessly supply power to a vehicle includes a power-supplying coil installed at a location at which the vehicle can be stopped, first and second positioning posts whose positional relationship with the power-supplying coil is fixed, a position-identifying means installed in the vehicle and configured to identify a positional relationship of the power-supplying coil with the vehicle by detecting the first and second positioning posts, and a traveling support means configured to support traveling of the vehicle to the power-supplying coil based on the positional relationship with the power-supplying coil identified by the position-identifying means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: IHI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akio Ueda
  • Patent number: 9731568
    Abstract: A method and system provide guided control of a hitching operation between a tow vehicle and a trailer. Dynamic pixel images are collected of the first and second hitch devices using a camera. The position of the second hitch device is determined using the controller. A first graphical overlay to the dynamic pixel images is displayed, with the first graphical overlay, e.g., guidelines, depicting a path of the tow vehicle. A distance between a calibrated position of the first hitch device and the determined position of the second hitch device is calculated and a second graphical overlay is displayed on zoomed-in images when the calculated distance is less than a calibrated distance. The second graphical overlay provides indicia of the positions of the first and second hitch devices. A control action executes when the second graphical overlay indicates substantial overlap or concentric alignment of the indicia of the respective positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Michael A. Wuergler, Robert D. Sims, III, Mohannad Murad, Luis A. Reyes Lopez
  • Patent number: 9725048
    Abstract: A motor vehicle has at least one electronic rearview mirror, particularly an exterior and/or side mirror, that has a display apparatus, particularly a display, for images recorded by an exterior camera that is provided particularly outside the motor vehicle. The operator control element provided for adjusting an image detail from the image, which image detail is to be displayed on the display apparatus, and/or an orientation for the exterior camera is a mirror operator control element, developed for the purpose of adjusting a mirror face of a conventional exterior mirror, and/or a rotary/push control of a man/machine interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Patrick Heinemann
  • Patent number: 9707996
    Abstract: A vehicle drive-control device which executes trajectory control in which steered wheels are controlled so as to make the vehicle travel along a target trajectory. When the possibility exists that the travel direction of the vehicle may be changed by the trajectory control, at least one of an operation position of a steering input unit operated by a driver; a yaw angle of the vehicle; and a lateral position of the vehicle with respect to a lane is changed before a change in the travel direction is made, thereby giving occupants in the vehicle advance notice of the possibility of a change in vehicle travel direction caused by the trajectory control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masao Ueyama, Yoji Kunihiro, Theerawat Limpibunterng, Takahiro Kojo
  • Patent number: 9672433
    Abstract: Arrangements relate to providing multi-directional assistance while maneuvering a vehicle. The vehicle can have an exterior with a first lateral side and a second lateral side. The vehicle can include a side camera provided on one of the first lateral side or the second lateral side. The side camera can be movable between a plurality of facing positions. It can be determined whether a current facing position of the side camera matches a current vehicle movement direction. If it is determined that the current facing position of the side camera does not match the current vehicle movement direction, the facing position of the side camera can be automatically adjusted so that the facing position of the side camera matches the current vehicle movement direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsumi Nagata, Charan Lota
  • Patent number: 9659223
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus captures with a camera a video image showing an area, which surrounds a vehicle and includes a target on a road surface; generates a positioning video image for positioning the vehicle; and displays the generated positioning video image on a display monitor. The driving assistance apparatus also acquires a relative location of the target with respect to the vehicle. Further, based on the relative location of the target, the driving assistance apparatus switches the display mode of the positioning video image displayed on the display monitor between a first display mode (in which the target moves with respect to the vehicle) and a second display mode (in which the vehicle moves with respect to the target).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arata Itou, Muneaki Matsumoto