Remote Control System Patents (Class 701/2)
  • Patent number: 11210870
    Abstract: A first controller receives a diagnostic recommendation from a cloud server. A second controller, in communication with the first controller over a vehicle bus, responsive to occurrence of a vehicle condition triggering execution of an on-board diagnostic (OBD) monitor, suspends the execution of the OBD monitor while the vehicle is within a region specified by the diagnostic recommendation. Locations in diagnostic result data are correlated to identify clusters of locations that include at least a predetermined number of executions of an on-board diagnostic (OBD) monitor. Responsive to a predicted probability of success of execution of the OBD monitor for one of the clusters of locations computed using the diagnostic result data being below an enablement threshold, a message is sent to a vehicle suspending further executions of the OBD monitor at the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Aed M. Dudar, Fling Tseng
  • Patent number: 11203425
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for an unmanned aerial system inspection system. One of the methods is performed by a UAV and includes obtaining, from a user device, flight operation information describing an inspection of a vertical structure to be performed, the flight operation information including locations of one or more safe locations for vertical inspection. A location of the UAV is determined to correspond to a first safe location for vertical inspection. A first inspection of the structure is performed is performed at the first safe location, the first inspection including activating cameras. A second safe location is traveled to, and a second inspection of the structure is performed. Information associated with the inspection is provided to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Skydio, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Patrick Bauer, Bernard J. Michini, Brett Michael Bethke
  • Patent number: 11206536
    Abstract: A communication apparatus executes authentication via wireless communication with a mobile device and, based on an authentication process, controls execution of a vehicle operation requested by a user. The communication apparatus includes a detection unit configured to detect closure of a door of a vehicle, an authentication processing unit configured to determine, in response to detection of the closure of the door by the detection unit, whether a specific mobile device is inside the vehicle by executing a first authentication process corresponding to a vehicle operation for which a highest security is set, among a plurality of vehicle operations that can be requested by the user, and an execution unit configured to execute, when the authentication processing unit has determined that the specific mobile device is inside the vehicle, a requested vehicle operation requestable from an inside of the vehicle and included in the plurality of vehicle operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeki Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 11206254
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing the operation of unmanned vehicles within policy managed locations and/or areas. In some embodiments, an unmanned vehicle may issue an operator signed request to enter a policy managed area and/or use a certain sensor system within a policy managed area to an unmanned vehicle management system. The unmanned vehicle management system may verify the operator's identity and associated rights with a trusted authority, identify a policy associated with the policy managed area, and enforce the identified policy in connection with generating a response to the request. In this manner, the use of unmanned vehicles and/or associated systems may be managed in accordance with certain policies and/or rules associated with a particular operating location and/or area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Intertrust Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Yutaka Nagao
  • Patent number: 11200810
    Abstract: A computer implemented method of planning a drone flight path to increase safety of dynamic objects the drone is estimated to encounter along the flight path based on a mobility model constructed to predict movement of dynamic objects, comprising receiving sensory data captured over time by one or more sensors monitoring movement of a plurality of dynamic objects in a certain geographical area, analyzing the sensory data to identify one or more mobility patterns of one or more dynamic objects detected in the certain geographical area, updating a mobility model with the mobility pattern(s) and generating a planned flight path based on the mobility model for one or more drones planned to fly in the certain geographical area, the flight path is planned to maintain a predefined safety space between the drone(s) and the dynamic object(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: NEC Corporation Of America
    Inventors: Tsvi Lev, Yaacov Hoch
  • Patent number: 11201371
    Abstract: A battery for a drone, the battery includes a housing having an internal cavity, the housing having a first rail attached to and extending from a bottom of the housing; and a slide extending into a top surface of the housing; the first rail is to engage with a body of the unmanned aerial vehicle at a first location; and the slide is to engage with a second rail extending from the unmanned aerial vehicle at a second location; a power source secured within the housing; a lever extending through the housing and to engage with a control system of the unmanned aerial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Inventor: Johnathan Franklin McCutcheon
  • Patent number: 11200809
    Abstract: A traffic control system is described that comprises a transceiver configured to receive a first signal comprising location data indicating a location of an unmanned vehicle (UV). The traffic control system further comprises a processor configured to determine a location of a second vehicle and determine a course of the second vehicle. The processor is further configured to cause, based on determining the location of the second vehicle and the course of the second vehicle, the transceiver to transmit a second signal to the UV directing the UV to avoid the course of the second vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Ajay Batra, Laveen Vikram Sundararaj, Charan Ebsv
  • Patent number: 11186366
    Abstract: A method for controlling flight includes displaying prompt information in a picture received from an aerial vehicle, dividing the picture into at least two portions based on the prompt information, obtaining a location of a click operation on the picture, and controlling a flight direction of the aerial vehicle based on the location and the prompt information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tao Zhao, Guyue Zhou, Ang Liu, Xiao Hu, Litian Zhang
  • Patent number: 11180153
    Abstract: A parking support device of the present invention, which is configured to move a vehicle in a longitudinal direction and stop the vehicle in a specified space by using a communication terminal to send a control signal to the vehicle, comprises a step detection part which is configured to detect presence/absence of a step in a moving direction of the vehicle, a moving stop part which is configured to stop moving of the vehicle in a case where presence of the step is detected by the step detection part, and a moving restart part which is configured to restart the moving of the vehicle so as to ride over the step in a case where the control signal from the communication terminal is received after the moving of the vehicle is stopped by the moving stop part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Miyahara, Haruki Okazaki
  • Patent number: 11180069
    Abstract: A system and method for automated loading of delivery vehicles using automated guided vehicles is described. In an example implementation, a loading coordination engine may determine a delivery destination of a first item based on item data associated with the first item, assign the first item to a location in a delivery vehicle, and generate a task list including an instruction to an automated guided vehicle to position the first item in the delivery vehicle based on the assigned location in the delivery vehicle. In some instances, the automated guided vehicle may navigate to a loading area to retrieve the first item from the loading area, navigate to a point proximate to the assigned location in the delivery vehicle, and place the first item at the assigned location based on the task list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Staples, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Jarvis, Paolo Gerli Amador, Michael Bhaskaran, Amit Kalra
  • Patent number: 11183073
    Abstract: In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a computer implemented method includes receiving imaging data from an imaging system of an aircraft, and creating a new flight plan or a modified flight plan of the aircraft based on the imaging data. The method can include transmitting the new flight plan or the modified flight plan to a control system of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: American Robotics
    Inventor: Reese Alexander Mozer
  • Patent number: 11184745
    Abstract: A method of transmitting a message and a distributed computer system therefor are disclosed. The message is to be transmitted from a first actor to a second actor, the first actor is hosted by an actor system implemented in the distributed computer system. The method includes generating the message that has payload data and a trigger for triggering verification of whether the second actor has successfully received the message. The method includes sending, the message to the second actor. The method includes in response to determining, in response to the first trigger, that the second actor has not successfully received the message, instructing the first actor that the message is not received by the second actor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: YANDEX EUROPE AG
    Inventor: Denis Nikolaevich Podluzhny
  • Patent number: 11184083
    Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture (e.g., physical storage media) to facilitate maintaining network connectivity of aerial devices during unmanned flight are disclosed. An example method may include providing, to an access point of a radio access network (RAN) during flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on a flight route, channel allocation instructions for connecting the UAV to the radio access network via communication channels. The method may further include detecting an interference event associated with a portion of the flight route of the UAV during the flight. The method may further include adjusting, during the flight, the channel allocation instructions in response to detecting the interference event. The method may further include providing the adjusted channel allocation instructions to an access point of the radio access network during the flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Giuseppe De Rosa, Mario Kosseifi, Ronald Kiefer
  • Patent number: 11181909
    Abstract: A remote vehicle control device includes: a communication unit configured to receive synthetic images which show a surrounding area of a vehicle as seen from virtual viewpoints and each of which is generated on the basis of plural images acquired by plural on-board cameras mounted on the vehicle, respectively; a display unit configured to display the synthetic images; an operation unit configured for controlling the vehicle; a signal generating unit configured to generate control signals for the vehicle, based on operations on the operation unit; and a sensor unit configured to detect impacts. The control signals are transmitted to the vehicle via the communication unit, and when the sensor unit detects an impact, a control signal for stopping is transmitted to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO TEN Limited
    Inventors: Fumiaki Bando, Minoru Maehata, Miki Hitotsuya
  • Patent number: 11181438
    Abstract: A method of performing a selected task in a tank containing an energetic substance uses an inherently safe mobile platform that includes a marker detector, a control unit, a power supply, a propulsion system, and an inherently safe enclosure. The inherently safe enclosure prevents a spark occurring inside the inherently safe enclosure from passing to an exterior of the inherently safe enclosure. All spark-generating components of the mobile platform are positioned inside the inherently safe enclosure. The method includes lowering the mobile platform into the tank, at least partially submerging the mobile platform in the energetic substance, and detecting a marker using the marker detector. No active physical carrier connects the mobile platform to an object exterior of the tank while the mobile platform is in the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: TANKBOTS, INC.
    Inventors: John W. Meyers, Joseph A. Daily, David L. Cheuvront, James Todd Lovelace, Ronald Gillory, David John Cassimatis
  • Patent number: 11176591
    Abstract: An autonomous robot vehicle in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure includes a land vehicle conveyance system, a sensor system configured to capture information including surrounding environment information and/or vehicle subsystem information, a communication system configured to communicate with a remote human operator management system, at least one processor, and a memory storing instructions. The instructions, when executed by the processor(s), cause the autonomous robot land vehicle to, autonomously, determine based on the captured information to request a remote human operator, and communicate a request to the remote human operator management system for a remote human operator to assume control of the land vehicle conveyance system, where the request includes at least a portion of the captured information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: NURO, INC.
    Inventors: David Ferguson, Jiajun Zhu, Yi Shen, Calvin Giroud, Qunyan Pu
  • Patent number: 11176630
    Abstract: Example implementations relate to a method of dynamically updating a transport task of a UAV. The method includes receiving, at a transport-provider computing system, an item provider request for transportation of a plurality of packages from a loading location at a given future time. The method also includes assigning, by the transport-provider computing system, a respective transport task to each of a plurality of UAVs, where the respective transport task comprises an instruction to deploy to the loading location to pick up one or more of the plurality of packages. Further, the method includes identifying, by the transport-provider system, a first package while or after a first UAV picks up the first package. Yet further, the method includes based on the identifying of the first package, providing, by the transport-provider system, a task update to the first UAV to update the respective transport task of the first UAV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC
    Inventors: André Prager, Gaurav Garg, Jonathan Lesser, Theran Cochran
  • Patent number: 11175730
    Abstract: A virtual space configuration system of an artificial reality system can detect a user posture and provide various corresponding customizations of the system's virtual space. The virtual space configuration system can, when a user is in a seated posture, provide for seated virtual space customizations. In various implementations, these customizations can include allowing adjustment of a floor height; setting a flag that can be surfaced to applications to adjust the applications' mechanics for seated users; customizing display of virtual space boundaries when in seated mode to be less intrusive; providing options to detect when a user leaves seated mode and trigger corresponding actions; provide a passthrough workspace area allowing a user to interact with certain real-world objects naturally without having to remove a virtual reality headset; or automatically determining virtual space dimensions for seated users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Samuel Alan Johnson, Shaik Shabnam Nizamudeen Basha, Mahdi Salmani Rahimi, Benjamin Antoine Georges Lefaudeux
  • Patent number: 11176184
    Abstract: A method of retrieving information relating to an entity, the method including, in at least one electronic processing device, performing a search by: determining a respective search template for the entity, the search template being indicative of a sequence of query instructions; performing a sequence of queries in accordance with the sequence of query instructions of the respective search template, each query being a query of a data source performed in accordance with a respective query instruction and being performed at least in part using at least one of: an identity of the respective entity; and, a result of a previous query performed in accordance with a previous query instruction in the sequence of query instructions; determining a result for at least some of the sequence of queries; and, determining information relating to the entity using the results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Encompass Corporation Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Wayne Noel Johnson
  • Patent number: 11170338
    Abstract: Autonomous cellular transceivers for data logging, tracking and managing shipments, the devices having auto-provisioning capability. To auto-provision itself, the cellular device must be associated in a digital record with a particular shipment or object based on physical attachment or proximity—without manual assistance. Subsequent logging, tracking and managing records in a database or databases accessible to one or more users must be updated to reflect that assignment. Auto-provisioning is achieved by associating a cellular identification number of the autonomous cellular device with a shipment or object having a unique shipping identification number or an inventory identification number. Once the identifiers are coupled, the system creates a “shipment profile” of relevant data collected by a sensor or sensors on the cellular device while en route. The system will monitor, log, and report timepoint, waypoint, condition of the goods (as evidenced or extrapolated from sensor data) while in transit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: PB, Inc
    Inventors: Daniel J Daoura, Nicholas R Pearson-Franks
  • Patent number: 11169540
    Abstract: The path of a lead autonomous vehicle moving through “deformable” terrain is shared between the lead autonomous vehicle and the following autonomous vehicles. The lead autonomous vehicle records distances to 3D obstacles and whether to drive through them, and the following autonomous vehicles will classify different “obstacles” that were driven through by the leader and allow the planner to drive through them. In “deformable” terrain, errors in wheel odometry will be recorded by the lead autonomous vehicle and the following autonomous vehicles are informed that similar problems will be encountered. These errors are sensed by discrepancies between odometry and inertial and visual odometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: ROBOTIC RESEARCH, LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy
  • Patent number: 11170631
    Abstract: A vehicle safety system is for preventing child abandonment in a vehicle. The vehicle safety system may include a controller coupled to a flow sensor, a temperature sensor, and a seat sensor. The controller may be configured to detect when the vehicle is in a fueling state based upon the flow sensor, detect occupancy of a child safety seat based upon the seat sensor, and detect when a driver side door is in an open state based upon a driver side door sensor in the vehicle. The controller may be configured to when the driver side door has entered the open state, when the child safety seat is occupied, and when the vehicle does not enter the fueling state within a time period, then cause the vehicle to enter an alert state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Inventor: Cecil Lee Hunter, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11164149
    Abstract: A system that employs aerial drones for inventory management is disclosed. The system includes at least one aerial drone with an optical sensor, an indoor positioning system, and a controller on the aerial drone. The controller is communicatively coupled to the optical sensor and the indoor positioning system. The controller is configured to localize and navigate the aerial drone within a facility based on one or more signals from the indoor positioning system. The controller is further configured to detect identifiers attached to respective inventory items via the optical sensor and to store information associated with the detected identifiers in an onboard memory. The controller may be further configured to transmit the information associated with the detected identifiers to a warehouse management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: CORVUS ROBOTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Spencer Williams, Yue Wu
  • Patent number: 11161500
    Abstract: Systems and methods can improve passenger safety for an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) based on the integration of sensor data captured by the AV's interior and exterior sensors. The AV can determine passenger occupancy data corresponding to where each passenger is detected within the AV by the interior sensors. The AV can determine multiple sets of one or more driving actions that the AV can perform at a future time. The AV can generate crash impact data corresponding to where each passenger is detected from one or more simulated collisions between the AV and one or more objected detected by the exterior sensors when the AV performs one or more sets of driving actions from among the multiple sets. The AV can determine ranked sets of driving actions based on the passenger occupancy data and the crash impact data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Hemant Kavadia, Nishant Sharma, Abhishek Jain
  • Patent number: 11161689
    Abstract: An object processing system is disclosed that includes a plurality of track sections, and a plurality of remotely actuatable carriers for controlled movement along at least portions of the plurality of track sections, each of the actuatable carriers being instructed at any time to move a limited number of track section only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Berkshire Grey, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Wagner, Kevin Ahearn, John Richard Amend, Jr., Benjamin Cohen, Michael Dawson-Haggerty, William Hartman Fort, Christopher Geyer, Jennifer Eileen King, Thomas Koletschka, Michael Cap Koval, Kyle Maroney, Matthew T. Mason, William Chu-Hyon McMahan, Gene Temple Price, Joseph Romano, Daniel Smith, Siddhartha Srinivasa, Prasanna Velagapudi, Thomas Allen
  • Patent number: 11164386
    Abstract: A computing device 2, such as a general-purpose smartphone or general-purpose tablet computing device, comprises one or more inertial sensors and an image sensor. The device 2 produces stereoscopic images of a virtual environment on the display during a virtual reality (VR) session controlled by a user of the computing device. The device conducts visual odometry using at least image data received from the image sensor, and selectively activates and deactivates the visual odometry according to activity of the user during the virtual reality session. When the visual odometry is activated, the device controls the virtual reality session by at least position information from the visual odometry. When the visual odometry is deactivated, the device controls the virtual reality session by at least orientation information from the one or more inertial sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Arm Limited
    Inventors: Roberto Lopez Mendez, Daren Croxford
  • Patent number: 11157735
    Abstract: A method of detecting clouds in an acquired aerial image includes determining a region of a reference aerial image corresponding to a region of an acquired aerial image. For each of a plurality of locations over the region of the acquired aerial image and corresponding to a plurality of locations over the region of the reference aerial image, the mutual information of one or more variables associated with the location in the acquired aerial image and one or more variables associated with the corresponding location in the reference aerial image is calculated. Using the mutual information calculated for each of the plurality of locations over the region of the acquired aerial image, it is determined when the acquired aerial image displays a cloud at the location in the region of the acquired aerial image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: ROSEMOUNT AEROSPACE LIMITED
    Inventor: Scott Batchelor
  • Patent number: 11156573
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and program products of inspecting solar panels using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are disclosed. A UAV can obtain a position of the Sun in a reference frame, a location of a solar panel in the reference frame, and an orientation of the solar panel in the reference frame. The UAV can determine a viewing position of the UAV in the reference frame based on at least one of the position of the Sun, the location of the solar panel, and the orientation of the solar panel. The UAV can maneuver to the viewing position and point a thermal sensor onboard the UAV at the solar panel. The UAV can capture, by the thermal sensor, a thermal image of at least a portion of the solar panel. A server onboard the UAV or connected to the UAV can detect panel failures based on the thermal image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Skydio, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard J. Michini, Fabien Blanc-Paques, Edward Dale Steakley
  • Patent number: 11155250
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: an obstacle recognizing unit; a state recognizing unit; an operation detecting unit; a braking force control unit that performs automated brake control of outputting a braking force by operating a brake device in a case in which a relation between the obstacle recognized and the vehicle satisfies a predetermined condition; and a stopping control unit that causes the braking force control unit to stop the automated brake control in a case in which a driving operation of a predetermined level or more using the operator is detected from a time that is a predetermined time before start of the automated brake control to a time at which the automated brake control starts, wherein the stopping control unit does not perform the stopping of the automated brake control in a case in which the state of the driver is recognized as a predetermined state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masayuki Nakatsuka, Hiroshi Furumi, Yasuaki Gunji
  • Patent number: 11157738
    Abstract: An audio-visual perception system includes an audio perception module and a visual perception module, respectively receiving sounds and images of a subject and converting them into audio and visual signals. At least one of the above two modules is a first perception module having more than one working mode. A processing and control module controls the first perception module to switch a working mode thereof based on the audio or visual signals received from one of the two above modules other than the first perception module. An audio-visual perception apparatus having the audio-visual perception system is also disclosed, which can be used as a robot control unit (RCU) mounted onto a robot, allowing a human-in-the-loop robot operator to visually and audibly monitor the subject in a surrounding of the robot. The RCU can switch between a RCU mode and a cell phone mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: CLOUDMINDS ROBOTICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Bettina Bolla
  • Patent number: 11154006
    Abstract: A robotic lawnmower system comprising a signal generator (240), a boundary cable, at least one guide cable (260) and a robotic lawnmower (100), said signal generator being configured to transmit a control signal through said boundary cable and a guide signal through said at least one guide cable, and wherein said robotic lawnmower comprises a controller (110) and at least one sensor (170), wherein the controller is configured for receiving said control signal through said at least one sensor (170?) and determining a signal level for the control signal; and if the signal level for the control signal is below a threshold value, the controller (110) is configured to receive said guide signal and to synchronize on said guide signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: HUSQVARNA AB
    Inventor: Marcus Liljedahl
  • Patent number: 11158200
    Abstract: A method includes recording, by a first UAV, a current position of the first UAV, comparing, the current position of the first UAV to a current flight plan of the first UAV, and geocasting a first track declaration message. The method may further include receiving, by the first UAV, a second track declaration message generated by a second UAV, detecting a potential collision with the second UAV and executing a collision avoidance maneuver by the first UAV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Robert J. Hall
  • Patent number: 11149407
    Abstract: A method for collision threat filtering is disclosed. The method may include determining trajectory information associated with a plurality of machines. The method may include identifying, based on the trajectory information, one or more potential collisions among the plurality of machines, the one or more potential collisions including a potential collision between a first machine, of the plurality of machines, and a second machine of the plurality of machines. The method may include determining whether to filter the potential collision between the first machine and the second machine. Whether the potential collision is filtered may be determined based on a set of filtering parameters and machine information associated with at least one of the first machine or the second machine. The method may include selectively performing a collision prevention action, associated with the potential collision, based on whether the potential collision is to be filtered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Nolan Graves
  • Patent number: 11150659
    Abstract: The autonomous mobile object includes an imaging unit, a positional information sender to acquire and send positional information to a server, and an operation controller to cause the autonomous mobile object to move autonomously based on an operation command. The server includes storage to receive and store the positional information from the autonomous mobile object, a commander to send the operation command to the autonomous mobile object, and a receiver to receive information relating to an emergency report including a target location. When the receiver receives the information relating to the emergency report, the commander sends an emergency operation command to the autonomous mobile object located in a specific area including the target location. The emergency operation command causes the autonomous mobile object to capture an image of the target location, and the autonomous mobile object sends the image to the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Isao Kanehara, Kazuhiro Umeda, Hideo Hasegawa, Tsuyoshi Okada, Shinjiro Nagasaki
  • Patent number: 11151883
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle is provided. The autonomous vehicle includes a vehicle body, sensors and a processing element. The sensors are deployed on the vehicle body to sense surroundings of the vehicle body. The processing element is coupled to the vehicle body and the sensors. The processing element is configured to receive information from the sensors and to control driving operations of the vehicle body in accordance with the received information. The processing element is also configured to interpret at least a portion of the received information as being indicative of a troublesome incident and to deduce that a need for help to address the troublesome incident exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eric V. Kline, Sarbajit K. Rakshit
  • Patent number: 11150089
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for an unmanned aerial vehicle control point selection system. A first unmanned aerial vehicle can navigate about a geographic area while a second unmanned aerial vehicle can capture images of the first unmanned aerial vehicle. Location information of the first unmanned aerial vehicle can be recorded, and a system can identify the first unmanned aerial vehicle in the captured images. Utilizing the recorded location information, the system can identify landmarks proximate to the first unmanned aerial vehicle identified in the images, and determine location information of the landmarks. The landmarks can be assigned as ground control points for subsequent flight plans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Skydio, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard J. Michini, Brett Michael Bethke, Hui Li
  • Patent number: 11148639
    Abstract: This electrostatic sensor is provided with an upper electrode provided in a lower part of a vehicle, a lower electrode provided in the lower part of the vehicle so as to be positioned below the upper electrode, and a detection unit for detecting whether there has been an operation consisting of the moving in and out of a foot below the vehicle on the basis of capacitance variation in the upper electrode and lower electrode. The detection unit determines that the operation consisting of the moving in and out of a foot has occurred if the time when the peak capacitance of the upper electrode is reached and the time when the peak capacitance of the lower electrode is reached match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takehiko Sugiura
  • Patent number: 11146390
    Abstract: A system for controlling access to encrypted vehicular data employs a hierarchical access control method that allows select encrypted vehicular data stored in a cloud server to be accessed by an authorized user in a hierarchical manner whereby the authorized user is then able to decrypt the select encrypted data and all child data associated with the select encrypted data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Huawei International Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheng Kang Chu, Zhuo Wei, Chengfang Fang
  • Patent number: 11144865
    Abstract: Implementations are directed to receiving delivery order data for delivery of the tangible asset, the delivery order data including a unique identifier associated with a mobile device of a recipient, receiving evidence data from the mobile device of the recipient, providing an order record stored in a distributed ledger system, the order record including at least a portion of the delivery order data, and the evidence data, determining that the tangible asset is to be handed over to the recipient, and in response: collecting delivery evidence data, providing the delivery evidence data for comparison to the evidence data, and receiving a validation result based on the comparison, and selectively indicating that the tangible asset has been handed over to the recipient at least partially based on the validation result, and updating the order record stored in the distributed ledger system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Accenture Global Solutions Limited
    Inventors: Meetika Vij, Hemant Manaharlal Kakkad, Sreyas Subramaniam Sankaranarayanan, Madhuri Uddhavrao Kumbhar, Reena Shinde, Nitin Kumar Gupta
  • Patent number: 11142076
    Abstract: A solar charging control device that controls a charged state of a plurality of vehicles connected to each other so that the vehicles are configured to transmit and receive power via a power network in a vehicle sharing system that uses vehicles each having a solar power generation device mounted therein includes an electronic control device. The electronic control device receives a reservation for use of the vehicle, manages rental and return of the vehicles based on the reservation for use, sets the vehicle of which the amount of charging of the battery satisfies a predetermined condition among the vehicles connected to the power network as a charging target vehicle, and manages power transmission and reception via the power network so that a battery of the charging target vehicle is able to be charged using a generation power of the solar power generation device mounted in another vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koichi Go
  • Patent number: 11144058
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for selectively controlling a powertrain of a vehicle along pre-planned travel routines. In one example, a method comprises receiving a travel request at a controller of a vehicle, determining a travel route and a powertrain calibration in a mutually dependent manner from a plurality of potential travel routes and a plurality of powertrain calibrations, and operating the vehicle according to the powertrain calibration along the travel route. In this way, preferences pertaining to the travel request may be effectively met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Shehan Haputhanthri, Matthew Joseph, Merwyn Cheruvathur
  • Patent number: 11144051
    Abstract: A system for remote viewing and control of self-driving vehicles includes: an execution subsystem for deployment at an execution location containing a self-driving vehicle. The execution subsystem includes: a capture assembly to capture multimedia data depicting the execution location, and a server to receive the multimedia data and transmit the multimedia data for presentation at an operator location remote from the execution location. The server relays operational commands and operational status data between the self-driving vehicle and the operator location. The system includes an operator subsystem for deployment at the operator location, including: a display assembly, and a computing device to: (a) establish a connection with the server; (b) receive the multimedia data from the server and control the display assembly to present the multimedia data; and (c) receive control commands and transmit the control commands to the server for execution by the self-driving vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Clearpath Robotics Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan Christopher Gariepy
  • Patent number: 11138888
    Abstract: A method for ride order dispatching comprises: obtaining a current location of a current vehicle from a computing device associated with the current vehicle; obtaining a current list of available orders nearby based on the current location; feeding the current location, the current list of available orders nearby, and a current time to a trained Markov Decision Process (MDP) model to obtain action information, the action information being repositioning the current vehicle to another current location or completing a current ride order by the current vehicle; and transmitting the generated action information to the computing device to cause the current vehicle to reposition to the another current location, stay at the current location, or accept the current ride order by proceeding to a pick-up location of the current ride order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Beijing DiDi Infinity Technology and Development Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhiwei Qin, Fei Feng
  • Patent number: 11140365
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vehicle imaging system (1). More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a video data transmitter (3) for use with a vehicle (V). The video data transmitter (3) comprises a camera (5) for generating video data (DV). An image processor (15) is configured to process the video data (DV) and a transmitter (14) is provided to transmit the processed video data (DVP) to a video data receiver (2). The image processor (15) is configured to process the video data (DV) in dependence on one or more operating parameter of the vehicle (V). The present disclosure also relates to a video data receiver (2); and to a method of controlling transmission of video data (DV).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: Jeremy Greenwood, Robin Boyd
  • Patent number: 11135898
    Abstract: A remote air conditioning start system includes a terminal of a user, a center server, and a vehicle that includes an air conditioner and is configured to communicate with the center server. The remote air conditioning start system includes first and second transmission units, first and second reception units, a start controller provided in the vehicle and configured to, when the second reception unit receives a start request, start the air conditioner, a determination unit provided in one of the terminal, the center server, and the vehicle and configured to determine necessity of defrosting of a window of the vehicle, and a notification unit provided in the terminal and configured to, when the determination unit determines that defrosting of the window is needed, notify the user that defrosting of the window is needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Tamane, Masato Endo, Kenichi Murata
  • Patent number: 11137753
    Abstract: A system for RF communications with UAVs which includes two distinct frequency bands, one for optional use to support datagrams between a UAV payload and a computer or controller and a second RF communications band dedicated to command and control and navigation datagrams transception between the UAV and a host controller or control network. Embodiments of the system are implemented to cover, with regard to the second RF communications sub-system, a large region suitable for enabling communications with a number of UAVs by creating a skyward projected cell system, and dividing its frequency range into sub-channels, where sub-bands into which the frequency range may be divided may be used in a re-use scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Rhombus Systems Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Erlend Olson
  • Patent number: 11132907
    Abstract: Presented are a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for gathering information. An exemplary apparatus includes at least one processor and a memory storing computer instructions executable by the at least one processor, wherein the memory with the computer instructions and the at least one processor are configured to cause the apparatus to at least receive a flight path from a predetermined location to a location of an emergency. The apparatus is further caused to travel the flight path from the predetermined location to the location of the emergency, capture information at the location of the emergency, and transmit the captured information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Bryx, Inc.
    Inventor: David Thomas
  • Patent number: 11134148
    Abstract: A method is proposed for operating a mobile computing device. A potentially dangerous condition for a user of the mobile computing device is detected according to its position. A responsiveness level of the user (to recognize the potentially dangerous condition) is determined according to one or more operative parameters of the mobile computing device. One or more interactive functionalities of the mobile computing device are controlled in response to the potentially dangerous condition according to the responsiveness level. A computer program and a computer program product for performing the method are also proposed. Moreover, a mobile computing device for implementing the method is proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alessandro Luigi Chiantera, Gianluca Bernardini, Andrea Tortosa, Damiano Bassani, Paolo Ottaviano, Marco Mulas, Elisabetta Rinaldi
  • Patent number: 11133993
    Abstract: Augmented/mixed reality virtual venue pipeline optimization is provided. A method can include acquiring, by a device comprising a processor, information relating to a group of augmented reality applications operating in an area; designating, by the device, an augmented reality application of the group of augmented reality applications as a priority application based on the information relating to the group of augmented reality applications; and granting, by the device, prioritized access to edge network resources in a sub-area comprising at least a portion of the area to the priority application relative to at least one non-priority application of the group of augmented reality applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: John Oetting, Claude Noshpitz
  • Patent number: 11127202
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes a computer-implemented method for creating three-dimensional models includes capturing, at a first location, a two-dimensional first image of a three-dimensional scene, capturing, at a second location, a two-dimensional second image of the three-dimensional scene, measuring a range distance from at least one of the first location and the second location to a closest object in the scene, determining a depth map based on differences between the first image and the second image, determining a three-dimensional point cloud based on the range distance, the depth map, and at least one of the first image and the second image, and providing the three-dimensional point cloud as a three-dimensional model of the three-dimensional scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Inventor: Parthiv Krishna