Automatic Route Guidance Vehicle Patents (Class 701/23)
  • Patent number: 11551278
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing transportation or delivery services using a fleet of mixed vehicles. A computer-implemented method of providing services using a fleet of mixed vehicles includes receiving at a server a request for a service, determining parameters for the service, selecting by the server a vehicle from a fleet of mixed vehicles to perform at least a portion of the service based on the determined parameters, and transmitting a message to the selected vehicle to perform the at least a portion of the service. The fleet of mixed vehicles includes at least two of: a semi-autonomous vehicle, a fully-autonomous vehicle, a vehicle remotely operated by a human, or a human driven vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: NURO, INC.
    Inventors: David Ferguson, Jiajun Zhu, Cosimo Leipold, Pichayut Jirapinyo
  • Patent number: 11551414
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a computing system of a vehicle generates perception data based on sensor data captured by one or more sensors of the vehicle. The perception data includes one or more representations of physical objects in an environment associated with the vehicle. The computing system further determines simulated perception data that includes one or more representations of virtual objects within the environment and generates modified perception data based on the perception data and the simulated perception data. The modified perception data includes at least one of the one or more representations of physical objects and the one or more representations of virtual objects. The computing system further determines a path of travel for the vehicle based on the modified perception data, which includes the one or more representations of the virtual objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Woven Planet North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Erik Behar, Jasper Fionn Friedrichs, Shaojing Li, Snow Li, Thien Tran Vo, Jared Gregory Wood
  • Patent number: 11548508
    Abstract: A driving assist method is performed by a controller that performs a lane change assist based on a generated target route. A determination is made as to whether or not the lane change has been executed. Next, it determines whether or not the lane change is in a direction toward a preset location due to a driver's operation when the lane change has been executed. Then, a determination is made as to whether or not a position index value from the host vehicle to the preset location is equal to or less than a first threshold value when the lane change is in a direction toward the preset location due to the driver's operation. The lane change assist in a direction away from the preset location is restricted when the position index value is equal to or less than the first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yohei Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 11548441
    Abstract: An out-of-vehicle notification device includes a traveling state detecting unit configured to detect a traveling state of the host vehicle, a first output unit configured to output a sound to an outside of the host vehicle, and a notification control unit configured to cause the first output unit to output a traveling notification sound indicating that the host vehicle is traveling when the host vehicle is traveling and to output a vehicle stoppage notification sound indicating that the host vehicle is stopped when the host vehicle is stopped. The traveling notification sound is a continuous sound continuously output. The vehicle stoppage notification sound is an intermittent sound intermittently output or a repetitive sound of which an intensity is repeatedly changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junichi Morimura, Seiji Arakawa
  • Patent number: 11550317
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling to enable an autonomous system in a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a sensor, an input device configured to receive an input from a driver of the vehicle, an output device configured to output a notification in the vehicle, and a control circuit configured to be electrically connected with the sensor, the input device, and the output device. The control circuit is configured to activate an autonomous control in response to an input of the driver to the input device, detect a critical situation of the vehicle using the sensor, output a notification to transfer a control authority using the output device in response to the detected critical situation, and automatically reactivate the autonomous control when the critical situation is solved after temporarily releasing the autonomous control, when the critical situation corresponds to a critical situation of a specified type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dong Hwi Lee, Su Jung Yoo, Jin Su Jeong, Jae Young Jeon
  • Patent number: 11548534
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a permission unit configured to permit a remote operation performed by a remote operation device provided outside the vehicle; a transmission unit configured to transmit surrounding information of the vehicle; a reception unit configured to receive a remote operation signal input by an operator outside the vehicle via the remote operation device; a traveling control unit configured to control the vehicle to travel based on the remote operation signal; a drive data acquisition unit configured to acquire drive data input by a driver in the vehicle; and a handover determination unit configured to determine, while the remote operation is permitted by the permission unit, that handover of a driving operation of the vehicle to the remote operation is allowed when a difference between the drive data acquired by the drive data acquisition unit and the remote operation signal is within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yosuke Nozaki, Tatsuya Matsunami, Takashi Hayashi, Tomoya Makino, Yohei Tanigawa
  • Patent number: 11545029
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method comprises: determining, by a computer system of a first vehicle, that a traffic standstill criterion is met, the traffic standstill criterion including that the first vehicle is stationary in traffic and that a second vehicle immediately in front of the first vehicle is also stationary; receiving, by the computer system, a camera output relating to a driver of the first vehicle, the camera output generated by a camera positioned in a passenger cabin of the first vehicle; assigning, by the computer system, a distraction level for the driver based on the camera output, the distraction level selected from among multiple distraction levels; determining, by the computer system, that a criterion for a drive-off event is met; and selecting, by the computer system and based on the distraction level assigned for the driver, a first alert level from among multiple alert levels regarding the drive-off event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Atieva, Inc.
    Inventors: Eliseo Miranda, Shrief M. Salama
  • Patent number: 11542686
    Abstract: A system for controlling the lateral traverse position of a front three-point hitch mounted side-shifting implement and a rear three-point hitch mounted side-shifting implement on a mobile machinery such as an agricultural tractor with an controllable automated steering device, while simultaneously controlling the position of the tractor relative to the positions of each of the two side-shifting implements. The system uses a controller to control the positions of the side-shifting-implements using information received from a position monitoring system communication with roving receivers mounted on the side-shifting-implements. The controller also controls the position of the mobile machinery using local relationship sensors mounted on the side-shifting-implement's position and on the mobile machinery's position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Inventor: Peter Joseph Mollick
  • Patent number: 11545034
    Abstract: Methods, computer programs, apparatuses, a transportation vehicle, and a traffic entity for updating an environmental model at a transportation vehicle. The method for a transportation vehicle and for updating an environmental model of the transportation vehicle includes obtaining an environmental model of the transportation vehicle, the environmental model having static and dynamic objects in the environment of the transportation vehicle along at least a part of the trajectory of the transportation vehicle; assigning information related to correctness probabilities at least to dynamic objects of the environmental model; determining at least one dynamic object for which the information related to the correctness probability indicates a correctness probability below a threshold; and transmitting a broadcast message to the environment to request further information on the at least one dynamic object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Inventors: Andreas Pfadler, Guillaume Jornod
  • Patent number: 11536830
    Abstract: A vehicle radar system (3) which, for each one of a plurality of radar cycles, is arranged to, provide a measured azimuth angle (?m) and radial velocity (vdm) for a first plurality of detections (9, 20). For each one of the plurality of radar cycles, the radar system (3) is arranged to select one of these detections for each one of two velocity components (vx, vy) in a set of components (vx, vy, ax, ay; a) to be determined; select one detection from a second plurality of detections (9, 20) for each one of at least one corresponding acceleration component (ax, ay; a); calculate the components (vx, vy, ax, ay; a) for the selected detections; determine a calculated radial velocity (vdc) for each one of at least a part of the other detections in the first plurality of detections (9, 20) using the calculated components (vx, vy, ax, ay; a); determine an error between each calculated and measured radial velocity (vdc, vdm); and determine the number of inliers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Arriver Software AB
    Inventors: Martin Hofmann, Habib Ur Rehman Paracha
  • Patent number: 11535143
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide for enabling an autonomous vehicle to provide road assistance to a vehicle. The autonomous vehicle can analyze sensor data about the vehicle captured by one or more of its sensors as it navigates a route. Based on the analysis of the sensor data, the autonomous vehicle can determine that the vehicle needs maintenance. The autonomous vehicle can proactively send a request, based on the determination, to initiate a towing mechanism to tow the vehicle. Based on receiving an acceptance of the request from the vehicle, the autonomous vehicle can activate the towing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC.
    Inventor: Govindarajan Krishnamurthi
  • Patent number: 11535243
    Abstract: A remote parking system includes: a terminal configured to transmit a ranging signal; plural reception units provided with a reception surface to receive the ranging signal and configured to detect an arrival direction of the ranging signal with respect to the reception surface; and a control device configured to acquire a distance from the terminal to a vehicle based on the arrival direction of the ranging signal and a reference posture of each of the reception units and to move the vehicle toward a parking position based on an operation input to the terminal in a case where the control device determines that the acquired distance from the terminal to the vehicle is equal to or less than a prescribed threshold. The control device is configured to cause the terminal to display an intensity of the ranging signal received by at least one of the reception units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gaku Shimamoto, Junpei Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11535273
    Abstract: A vehicle control interface connects a vehicle platform including a first computer that performs travel control of a vehicle and an autonomous driving platform including a second computer that performs autonomous driving control of the vehicle. The vehicle control interface includes a control unit configured to execute: acquiring, from the second computer, a first control command including a plurality of commands for the vehicle platform; removing, from the first control command, a command that does not correspond to a predetermined kind of command by filtering the plurality of commands included in the first control command; converting the first control command, after filtering the plurality of commands, into a second control command for the first computer; and transmitting the second control command to the first computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Eisuke Ando
  • Patent number: 11537128
    Abstract: The technology relates to detecting and responding to processions. For instance, sensor data identifying two or more objects in an environment of a vehicle may be received. The two or more objects may be determined to be disobeying a predetermined rule in a same way. Based on the determination that the two or more objects are disobeying a predetermined rule, that the two or more objects are involved in a procession may be determined. The vehicle may then be controlled autonomously in order to respond to the procession based on the determination that the two or more objects are involved in a procession.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: David Harrison Silver, Qichi Yang
  • Patent number: 11537811
    Abstract: Systems and methods for enhanced object detection for autonomous vehicles based on field of view. An example method includes obtaining an image from an image sensor of one or more image sensors positioned about a vehicle. A field of view for the image is determined, with the field of view being associated with a vanishing line. A crop portion corresponding to the field of view is generated from the image, with a remaining portion of the image being downsampled. Information associated with detected objects depicted in the image is outputted based on a convolutional neural network, with detecting objects being based on performing a forward pass through the convolutional neural network of the crop portion and the remaining portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Anting Shen, Romi Phadte, Gayatri Joshi
  • Patent number: 11535245
    Abstract: Systems for collision avoidance for a vehicle. One or more inputs are used to determine an impending collision. Once determined, corrective actions are taken to reduce the severity of the collision. The corrective actions can avoid the collision and/or reduce the damage caused by the collision. The systems and methods can be performed at the vehicle based on data available to a control unit in the vehicle. The systems and methods can also be performed at a system level that controls one or more vehicles and/or objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Brian Dale Laughlin, John William Glatfelter, Jeff Alan Heisserman
  • Patent number: 11535255
    Abstract: Systems and methods for vehicle-based weather detection are disclosed herein. The systems and methods can include selecting one or more vehicles from a plurality of vehicles based on one or more network membership parameters. One or more data acquisition networks can be formed using the one or more selected vehicles. Sensor data can be received from the one or more data acquisition networks. One or more weather conditions can be predicted using the sensor data. One or more environmental elements can be updated based on the predicted weather conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Aghyad Saleh, Jason Schell, Neil Dutta
  • Patent number: 11529863
    Abstract: An automatic guided vehicles (AGV) can include: motors, wheels, motor controllers, and batteries coupled to an elongated frame. The two wheels can be mounted on opposite sides of the elongated frame. The wheels can be coupled to motors which can be controlled by motor controllers. The motors and motor controllers can be attached to the frame and a connector flange can be mounted on a center portion of the AGV frame. Linkages are used to couple a plurality of AGVs together. In a two AGV embodiment, the AGVs can be mounted to a front portion and a rear portion on a centerline of a platform. In a four AGV embodiment, front width, rear width, left length, and right length linkages can form a parallelogram with AGVs couple to each of the four corners of the parallelogram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Arrival Limited
    Inventor: Alexander Kozlenok
  • Patent number: 11532167
    Abstract: A vehicle can traverse an environment along a first region and detect an obstacle impeding progress of the vehicle. The vehicle can determine a second region that is adjacent to the first region and associated with a direction of travel opposite the first region. The vehicle can use a state machine to determine an action (e.g., an oncoming action) to utilize the second region to overtake the obstacle. By comparing a cost to a cost threshold and/or to a cost associated with another action (e.g., a “stay in lane” action), the vehicle, using the state machine, can determine a target trajectory that traverses through the second region and can traverse the environment based on the target trajectory to avoid, for example, the obstacle in the environment while maintaining a safe distance from the obstacle and/or other entities in the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Max Gier, William Anthony Silva
  • Patent number: 11529975
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for controlling an automated guided vehicle. An embodiment of the method comprises: receiving a fault message comprising travel state information for indicating the travel state of a faulty automated guided vehicle and position information of a fault point where a fault occurs (201); determining a fault region, and sending an instruction for indicating prohibition of passing in the fault region to a non-faulty automated guided vehicle (202); determining a target automated guided vehicle from the automated guided vehicles currently not executing a task, and sending a task execution instruction to the target automated guided vehicle (203); and in response to determining that the faulted automated guided vehicle is transferred to a maintenance region, sending an instruction for indicating cancel of the prohibition of passing in the fault region to the non-faulty automated guided vehicle that is executing a task (204).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignees: Beijing Jingdong Shangke Information Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing Jingdong Century Trading Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Liang Li
  • Patent number: 11531338
    Abstract: An automatic control mode system for heavy machinery and a method for controlling heavy machinery for an automatic control mode is disclosed. The method may include: monitoring one or more conditions of one or more systems of the heavy machinery for the automatic control mode; determining whether at least one of the one or more conditions is met; and disabling the automatic control mode if at least one of the one or more conditions are met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy M. O'Donnell, Kyle D. Hendricks, Robert J. McGee, John L. Marsolek, Sangameshwar Sonth
  • Patent number: 11531348
    Abstract: Described herein are methods of detecting and labeling features within an image of an environment. Methods may include: receiving sensor data from an image sensor, where the sensor data is representative of a first image including an aerial view of a geographic region; detecting, using a perception module, at least one vehicle within the image of the geographic region; identifying an area around the at least one vehicle as a road segment in response to detecting the at least one vehicle; based on the identification of the area around the vehicle as a road segment, identifying features within the area as road features based on a context of the area; generating a map update for the road features of the road segment; and causing a map database to be updated with the road features of the road segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
    Inventor: Anirudh Viswanathan
  • Patent number: 11529735
    Abstract: Inspection robots with a multi-function piston connecting a drive module to a central chassis and systems thereof are disclosed. An example inspection robot may include a center chassis coupled to a payload coupled to at least two inspection sensors. The inspection robot may further include a drive module coupled to the center chassis, the drive module having a drive wheel to engage an inspection surface and a drive piston mechanically interposed between the center chassis and the drive module. The example may further include wherein the drive piston in a first position couples the drive module to the center chassis at a minimum distance between and the drive piston in a second position couples the drive module to the center chassis at a maximum distance between. The example may further include wherein the drive module is independently rotatable relative to the center chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: GECKO ROBOTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Edward A. Bryner, Kevin Y. Low, Joshua D. Moore, Dillon R. Jourde, Mark Cho, Francesco H. Trogu, Domenic P. Rodriguez, Edwin H. Cho
  • Patent number: 11524706
    Abstract: An override conciliating portion executes processing to conciliate an override request during an execution of automated driving control (i.e., override conciliation processing). In the override conciliation processing, it is determined whether or not there is the override request (step S20). If the determination result of the step S20 is positive, it is determined whether or not a second automated driving mode is selected as an operation mode (step S21). If the determination result of the step S21 is negative, acceptance processing of the override request is executed (step S22). If the determination result of the step S21 is positive, invalidation processing of the override request is executed (step S23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoji Kunihiro, Takahiro Kojo, Shun Mizoo, Takahiro Yokota, Shunsuke Tanimori, Hisaya Akatsuka, Masaki Shiota, Hirotaka Tokoro
  • Patent number: 11524647
    Abstract: A computer comprises a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to, upon detecting an airbag deployment in a vehicle, determine an airbag inflation state based on vehicle sensor data, to adjust a calibration parameter of a vehicle radar sensor based on the determined airbag inflation state, to operate the vehicle radar sensor based on the adjusted calibration parameter, and to update an output characteristic of the radar sensor for operating the vehicle based on the determined airbag inflation state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Michael Herman, Brian Quinn Kettlewell
  • Patent number: 11518415
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a selective disengagement mechanism that allows a vehicle passenger, e.g., driver, to pre-emptively prepare to override autonomous control of a vehicle. A selective disengagement switch may be actuated by the driver. An autonomous control system of the vehicle, unaware of the selective disengagement switch operation, may at some point erroneously command the vehicle to move. Because the driver has actuated the selective disengagement switch, upon receipt of the erroneous command to move the vehicle, the autonomous control system may be overridden. The driver need not react to a safety-critical event or scenario.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventor: Jonathan Roy Voigt
  • Patent number: 11520347
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, systems and methods described in the disclosure combine mapped features with point cloud features to improve object detection precision of an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV). The map features and the point cloud features can be extracted from a perception area of the ADV within a particular angle view at each driving cycle based on a position of the ADV. The map features and the point cloud features can be concatenated and provided to a neutral network for object detections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: BAIDU USA LLC
    Inventors: Liangliang Zhang, Hongyi Sun, Li Zhuang, Jiangtao Hu, Dong Li, Jiaming Tao
  • Patent number: 11518409
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present application disclose a safety control method and a safety control system based on environmental risk assessment for an intelligent connected vehicle. The method includes: when a vehicle is in an automatic driving mode, acquiring environmental parameter information of the vehicle in a current driving environment; determining a target driving control parameter which meets a preset safe driving condition under the current environmental parameter; and managing a current automatic driving level of the vehicle by using the target driving control parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Tsinghua University
    Inventors: Hong Wang, Wenhao Yu, Ziwen Duan, Jun Li
  • Patent number: 11521259
    Abstract: A server apparatus as a management apparatus in a system includes a controller configured to execute acquiring commodity-or-the-like purchase information of a user in a first mobile store from a store device of the first mobile store, selecting a commodity or a service predicted to be purchased next by the user based on commodities or services in the acquired commodity-or-the-like purchase information, and transmitting information regarding the user to a store device of a second mobile store dealing in the selected commodity or service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichiro Fujii, Hiroe Fukui, Takashi Goto, Tatsuya Shigekiyo, Kuniaki Jinnai, Naoto Sasagawa
  • Patent number: 11520333
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating robotic equipment in a controlled zone are presented. The system comprises one or more self-driving material-transport vehicles having at least one sensor, non-transitory computer-readable media, and a processor in communication with the at least one sensor and media. The media stores computer instructions that configure the processor to move the vehicle towards the controlled zone in a normal mode of operation, capture environmental data associated with the controlled zone using the at least one sensor, determine environmental-change data based on comparing the captured environmental data with known-good environmental data, and operating the vehicle in a safe mode of operation based on the environmental-change data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Clearpath Robotics Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Drexler, Ryan Christopher Gariepy
  • Patent number: 11518407
    Abstract: Method and device for optimized autonomous driving, wherein a trajectory for the actuation of the vehicle is determined. A profile of the trajectory is defined by a bending line of a bending band. The bending line is preferably determined by the finite element method, in particular according to the principle of virtual shifting, and achieves an optimization goal and satisfies a boundary condition. The boundary condition is defined in accordance with a profile of a roadway for the vehicle. The optimization goal is defined by a desired driving property of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Inventors: Georg Tardy-Tuch, Florian Strecker, Michael Glatz
  • Patent number: 11518370
    Abstract: A parking assistance apparatus obtains a target travelling route including a forward section and a backward section and lets a vehicle move along the target travelling route such that the vehicle reaches a target parking position. The parking assistance apparatus execute a collision avoidance processing when an obstacle which is closer than a threshold distance is detected while the vehicle moves along the target travelling route. The distance between the vehicle and a specific region is kept to be larger than a clearance distance while the vehicle moves along the backward section such that the obstacle for the collision avoidance processing which cannot be detected while the vehicle moves along the forward section will not be found while the vehicle moves along the backward section. The specific region is determined on the basis of a detection region of a sensor device for detecting the obstacle and the threshold distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yu Hiei, Daiki Maruki
  • Patent number: 11513527
    Abstract: A vehicle control device is a vehicle control device mounted in a vehicle and includes an information provider configured to transmit information on a route from a parking position to a boarding position of the vehicle to a terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junpei Noguchi, Yasushi Shoda, Yuki Hara, Ryoma Taguchi, Yuta Takada
  • Patent number: 11514597
    Abstract: The disclosure presents novel methods to conduct aerial surveying, inspection and measurements with higher accuracy in a fast and easy way, comprising: (1) flying a drone with an accelerometer, gyro, and camera sensors over a target object; (2) capturing a first aerial image at a first position; (3) capturing a second aerial image at a second position, wherein the second position has a horizontal and vertical displacement from the first position; (4) calculating the displacements between the first and second location using a sensor fusion estimation algorithm from the position sensors' data; (5) solving for the pixel depth information of the aerial images by using a single-camera stereophotogrammetry algorithm with the relative altitude and horizontal distance; (6) deriving the ground sample distance (GSD) of each pixel from the calculated depth information; (7) using the image pixel GSD values to compute any geometric properties of the target objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Inventor: James Jianming Shen
  • Patent number: 11511749
    Abstract: To provide stopping assistance, the disclosure relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle, in which a stopping point for the motor vehicle is determined using a sensor device of the motor vehicle. In the method, the motor vehicle determines a need to stop at the stopping point and initiates stopping of the motor vehicle at the stopping point when the need is present. If the need is absent, a control device of the motor vehicle performs a movement of the motor vehicle or issues a message characterizing the absence of the need to a driver of the motor vehicle. The disclosure further relates to a motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Philipp Kretschmann, Saskia Kain
  • Patent number: 11514790
    Abstract: Collaborative perception is based on recognition that a fleet of AVs and stationary infrastructure objects equipped with sensors may be configured to communicate with one another in sharing their sensor data, thus benefiting from collaborative perception, rather than being limited to their individual perception. Three specific scenarios of collaborative perception are disclosed. The first scenario relates to two AVs in the vicinity of one another exchanging complexity scores indicative of their respective environments. The second scenario relates to an AV detecting that it has a blind spot and seeking other AVs or infrastructure objects to provide information indicative of the environment in the blind spot. The third scenario relates to providing infrastructure objects equipped with sensors in appropriate locations so that, when an AV is in the vicinity of such objects, the AV may receive information from their sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Nestor Grace, Diego Plascencia-Vega, Dogan Gidon, Mohamed Mostafa Elshenawy
  • Patent number: 11505214
    Abstract: A driving operation handover system includes a memory and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to: acquire a first characteristic value of preset setting characteristics during travel of a vehicle equipped with a manual operation unit that an occupant operates; acquire a second characteristic value of the preset setting characteristics during travel of a virtual vehicle that simulates the vehicle, which a remote operator operates using a remote operation unit; calculate a difference value between the first characteristic value and the second characteristic value; in a case in which the difference value is lower than a setting threshold value, notify the occupant and the remote operator that operation of the vehicle can be handed over; and after notification, switch operation of the vehicle from one of the remote operator or the occupant to another of the remote operator or the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yosuke Tokuda, Masahiro Nishio, Shuichiro Takahashi, Haruka Yano, Taichi Amakasu
  • Patent number: 11506755
    Abstract: A recording medium records a program that causes a computer to execute processing of: obtaining pieces of three-dimensional point data observed a mobile body; calculating a feature amount according to a distance between a position of the mobile body and each of three-dimensional points indicated by the pieces of three-dimensional point data; and specifying a reference point that corresponds to the position of the mobile body from among reference points in a mobile space of the mobile body which are registered in a database that registers a combinations each of the respective reference points and the feature amounts according to the distance between the position of the respective reference points and each of three-dimensional points indicated by a pieces of three-dimensional point data observed from the position of the respective reference points, based on the calculated feature amount and the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Sosuke Yamao
  • Patent number: 11507089
    Abstract: The vehicle includes an operation switch for manually operating the operation state of the accessories. The vehicle control system includes a first controller that performs an evacuation traveling in response to a decrease in the driver's consciousness level, and a second controller that controls an operation state of the accessories based on a request from the first controller or operation information of the operation switch. The first controller is configured to transmit, to the second controller, a specific operation rejection request for performing a specific operation rejection process of rejecting the control of the accessories based on the specific operation of the operation switch in response to a decrease in the driver's consciousness level. The second controller is configured to perform the specific operation rejection process when the specific operation rejection request is received from the first controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Ueda
  • Patent number: 11506510
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for identifying a confidence level of an autonomous driving system in an autonomous driving vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Zhiji Automotive Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Weilong Wang, Tao Liu, Jinpeng He
  • Patent number: 11501643
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling an autonomous vehicle to reduce idle data usage and vehicle downtime are provided. In one example embodiment, a computing system can obtain data associated with autonomous vehicle(s) that are online with a service entity. The computing system can obtain data indicative of the geographic area with an imbalance in a number of vehicles associated with the geographic area. The computing system can determine a first autonomous vehicle for re-positioning with respect to the geographic area based at least in part on the data associated with the one or more autonomous vehicles and the data indicative of the geographic. The computing system can communicating data indicative of a first re-positioning assignment associated with the first autonomous vehicle. In some implementations, the computing system can generate vehicle service incentive to entice a vehicle provider to re-position its autonomous vehicles with respect to the geographic area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent Justin Goldman, Leigh Gray Hagestad, Rei Chiang
  • Patent number: 11494685
    Abstract: At least one device is configured to perform a predetermined process associated with a vehicle using data; and send, to a server system, the data used by the predetermined process as learning data. The server system is configured to obtain the learning data sent from the at least one device, and perform a learning process on at least a factor defining the predetermined process using the obtained learning data to generate update data for updating at least the factor defining the predetermined process. The server system is configured to send the update data to the at least one device. The at least one device is further configured to update at least the factor defining the predetermined process based on the update data sent from the server system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kuwajima
  • Patent number: 11492000
    Abstract: An autonomous driving system configured to perform an autonomous driving of a vehicle includes a trigger input request unit configured to perform a trigger input request for requesting a driver of the vehicle to perform a trigger input for causing the vehicle to pass through a target point if the autonomously driving vehicle approaches the target point set in advance and positioned on a traveling route of the vehicle, a trigger input detection unit configured to detect the driver's trigger input, and a vehicle control unit configured to cause the vehicle to pass through the target point if the trigger input is detected, and causes the vehicle to decelerate and stop without passing through the target point if the trigger input is not detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sho Otaki, Yasuo Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 11491985
    Abstract: A process for sensor sharing for an autonomous lane change is provided. The process includes, within a dynamic controller of a host vehicle, monitoring sensors of the host vehicle, establishing communication between the host vehicle and a confederate vehicle on a same roadway as the host vehicle, monitoring sensors of the confederate vehicle, within the dynamic controller of the host vehicle, utilizing data from the sensors of the host vehicle and data from the sensors of the confederate vehicle to initiate a lane change maneuver for the host vehicle, and executing the lane change maneuver for the host vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Naserian, Curtis L. Hay, Sayyed Rouhollah Jafari Tafti, Allan K. Lewis
  • Patent number: 11487282
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling to enable an autonomous system in a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a sensor, an input device configured to receive an input from a driver of the vehicle, an output device configured to output a notification in the vehicle, and a control circuit configured to be electrically connected with the sensor, the input device, and the output device. The control circuit is configured to activate an autonomous control in response to an input of the driver to the input device, detect a critical situation of the vehicle using the sensor, output a notification to transfer a control authority using the output device in response to the detected critical situation, and automatically reactivate the autonomous control when the critical situation is solved after temporarily releasing the autonomous control, when the critical situation corresponds to a critical situation of a specified type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dong Hwi Lee, Su Jung Yoo, Jin Su Jeong, Jae Young Jeon
  • Patent number: 11488073
    Abstract: An example method for assisting autonomous vehicle (AV) riders reach their destination after drop-off can include navigating the AV to a drop-off location associated with a user in the AV, receiving sensor data from sensors associated with the AV, determining, based on the sensor data, an orientation of the user in the AV and a location of the AV relative to a final destination of the user, generating a recommendation for how to exit the AV at the drop-off location based on the orientation of the user in the AV and the location of the AV relative to the final destination of the user, and providing the recommendation via a display, a speaker, a light-emitting device, and/or a client device, the recommendation including a visual indication of an exit direction or an AV door to use to exit the AV, audio instructions for exiting the AV, and/or visual exit instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Jessica Leary, Theresa Foy, Soleil Phan, Tal Benisty, Stephanie Engle
  • Patent number: 11485386
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a control unit. The control unit is configured to execute: outputting, when detecting or estimating travel inability of an own vehicle, information regarding a request for receiving an article provided from another vehicle to avoid the travel inability. The control unit performs, when determining that a request vehicle outputs the information regarding the request, a prescribed process for providing an article corresponding to the request to the request vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nozomi Kaneko, Hiromichi Dogishi, Masaki Shitara, Keiji Yamashita, Naoki Yamamuro, Shunsuke Tanimori, Ryoichi Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 11487290
    Abstract: Embodiments herein are directed to a wheelchair system that includes a wheelchair. The wheelchair includes a coupling mechanism, a processing device, and a non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium in communication with the processing device. The non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium includes one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to determine the location of an accessory, position the wheelchair with respect to the accessory, and couple the wheelchair to the accessory via the coupling mechanism. The positioning of the wheelchair is independent from a user physically controlling the positioning of the wheelchair with respect to the accessory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Katsumi Nagata
  • Patent number: 11479265
    Abstract: Embodiments disclose a system and method to generate smooth steering commands for an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV). According to one embodiment, a system determines a planning steering command based on a driving trajectory of an ADV. The system receives a current steering feedback from a sensor of the ADV for a current planning cycle. The system generates one or more smooth steering commands based on the planning steering command and the current steering feedback over one or more planning cycles. The system controls the ADV based on the one or more smooth steering commands so a change in steering applied to the ADV for any planning cycle is within a predetermined steering change threshold for the ADV. That way, the system applies incremental changes for the steering of the ADV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: BAIDU USA LLC
    Inventor: Fan Zhu
  • Patent number: 11472439
    Abstract: A vehicle control system executes automated driving control that controls automated driving of a vehicle based on driving environment information indicating a driving environment for the vehicle. When a part of functions of the vehicle is failed during the automated driving, the vehicle control system executes emergency stop control that stops the vehicle. In the emergency stop control, the vehicle control system: acquires failure status information being information on the failed part of functions; determines, based on the failure status information and the driving environment information, a target stop position at which even the vehicle with the failed part of functions is able to arrive and stop by the automated driving; and executes the automated driving control such that the vehicle travels toward the target stop position to stop at the target stop position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayuki Iwamoto, Masahiro Harada, Ayako Shimizu, Akihide Tachibana