Remote Control System Patents (Class 701/2)
  • Patent number: 11352019
    Abstract: An electronic control device for a vehicle according to the present invention includes an action prediction unit that predicts the action of an object around the vehicle on the basis of external information acquired from external information detection units that detect external information of the vehicle, and a determination unit for a detection unit that determines whether an abnormality has occurred in the external information detection unit by comparing external information acquired from the external information detection unit at the time corresponding to a prediction result of the action prediction unit to the prediction result of the action prediction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Horiguchi, Hideyuki Sakamoto, Teppei Hirotsu
  • Patent number: 11353873
    Abstract: One or more autonomous street sweeper vehicles can perform a variety of sweeping functions, such as sweeping, vacuuming, blowing, and scraping. Each autonomous street sweeper vehicle can be designed to follow routes and can comprise an autonomous vehicle that includes a drive by wire kit, a database storing the routes, a detection mechanism, and a control system that controls the vehicle to follow the routes while maintaining serviceable distances to the curb. In a convoy of multiple autonomous street sweeper vehicles, the vehicles in the convoy can communicate with each other, and each of the autonomous street sweeper vehicles can perform a different function. In some examples, a speed of the vehicle and/or settings of the cleaning equipment can be adjusted, for example, based on road hazards or amount of debris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: ROBOTIC RESEARCH OPCO, LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy
  • Patent number: 11354394
    Abstract: Various embodiments are generally directed to identity verification using autonomous vehicles. A security policy may be used to determine when identity verification using autonomous vehicles is required. The autonomous vehicle may be deployed to a location to verify the identity of the user based on one or more of images, audio data, biometric data, and wireless data connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Capital One Services, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Mossoba, Abdelkader M'Hamed Benkreira, Joshua Edwards
  • Patent number: 11355020
    Abstract: Systems and methods for package pickup and delivery include, in an air traffic control system configured to manage Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flight in a geographic region, communicating to one or more UAVs over one or more wireless networks, wherein the one or more UAVs are configured to constrain flight based on coverage of the one or more wireless networks; receiving a delivery request from a company specifying a pickup location, a package, and a delivery location; selecting a UAV of the one or more UAVs for the delivery requests; and directing the UAV to pick up the package at the pickup location and to deliver the package to the delivery location, wherein the air traffic control system provides a flight plan to the UAV based on the delivery request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Metal Raptor, LLC
    Inventor: Lee Priest
  • Patent number: 11353890
    Abstract: Aspects relate to methods and systems for reversionary flight control for an electrical vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. An exemplary system includes a pilot control, a sensor configured to sense and transmit analog control data associated with a pilot interaction with the pilot control, a pilot interface module configured to receive the analog control data, convert the analog control data to digital control data, and transmit digital control, an actuator, and a flight controller. The flight controller may be configured to receive the digital control data, determine a primary command datum as a function of the digital control data, transmit the primary command datum to the actuator, determine that the digital control signal is non-functional, receive the analog control data, determine a reversionary command datum as a function of the analog control data, and transmit the reversionary command datum to the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: BETA AIR, LLC
    Inventors: Joshua E. Auerbach, Andrew Giroux, Chris Townsend, Timothy Gerard Richter
  • Patent number: 11348381
    Abstract: A mobile identification transmitter for an access arrangement of a vehicle, said access arrangement being supplied by a vehicle battery, comprises an identification-transmitter-side receiving device for receiving a vehicle-side request signal. Furthermore, it comprises an identification-transmitter-side transmitting device for emitting a response signal in response to the reception of the vehicle-side request signal. Finally, the mobile identification transmitter has an identification-transmitter-side control device for identifying and/or estimating the state of charge of the vehicle battery, for comparing the identified and/or estimated state of charge with a predetermined threshold value, and for identifying an emergency state of the access arrangement if the identified and/or estimated state of charge falls below the predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Inventors: Ulrich Emmerling, Annette Hebling, Christine Igl, Georg Käufl
  • Patent number: 11347222
    Abstract: A system for controlling a marine vessel has a sonar depth finder which displays a chart, stored in memory, for a body of water. The chart includes an underwater feature contour that defines a boundary of an underwater feature. The sonar depth finder includes a processor to create or update the topographical chart based on sonar data from a sonar transducer assembly. The sonar data includes information on the underwater feature. The processor can display and store the topographical chart. The user may select from the underwater feature contours on the depth finder display. The depth finder can generate a route for the marine vessel that includes a path along the selected underwater feature contours. A vessel control device, in communication with the depth finder, may receive transmissions, from the depth finder, which include the generated route. The vessel control device can automatically direct the marine vessel along the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Outdoors Inc.
    Inventors: Per Pelin, Paul D. Salmon
  • Patent number: 11338878
    Abstract: A method for recharging an electrical energy storage device of all or some of a plurality connected to the chain. All the vehicles connected to the chain being referred to as the stock. Each vehicle includes an electronic circuit connected to the energy storage device. An electric current flowing between the electronic circuits of at least two consecutive vehicles among the vehicles in the stock recharges the energy storage device or devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: BIROTA
    Inventors: Eric Carreel, Arnaud Le Rodallec, Pierre Sauvageot, Thibault Retiere, Pierre Barrochin, Victor Gaillot, Thomas Molines
  • Patent number: 11334065
    Abstract: A system, method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to perform a search and rescue mission according to a Layered Search and Rescue (LSAR) methodology using a plurality of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) communicatively connected to a remote server. The LSAR methodology can involve receiving data corresponding to a center of an area corresponding to an adverse/disaster event potentially having survivors at unknown locations; dividing the area into a set of numbered box-shaped layers within the area; calculating a thickness of the box-shaped layers based on a total number of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles; exclusively assigning one or more of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to each box-shaped layer; and controlling the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to perform the search and rescue mission by selectively switching one or more of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles between a searcher mode and a rescuer mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Prince Sultan University
    Inventors: Anis Koubaa, Ebtehal Turki Alotaibi, Shahad Saleh Alqefari
  • Patent number: 11334076
    Abstract: A system for controlling at least two unmanned aerial vehicles in a flight formation, wherein each aerial vehicle has a flight control unit for controlling the flight path of the aerial vehicle and a camera that may be rotated by an orientation means about one axis, wherein in the system there is provided a flight formation control unit for the wireless communication with the aerial vehicles. The flight formation control unit is configured to control the flight control units and the orientation means during a recording of a moving object that will be filmed so that a spatial arrangement of the aerial vehicles in relation to the object and the orientation of the optical axis of each camera in relation to the object and/or in relation to the orientation(s) of the optical axis/axes of the other camera(s) is substantially maintained and optionally adjusted substantially in real time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: ARS ELECTRONICA LINZ GMBH & CO KG
    Inventor: Horst Hortner
  • Patent number: 11328592
    Abstract: Systems and methods for roadway obstruction detection are disclosed herein. One embodiment receives information pertaining to a potential roadway obstruction; determines that additional information regarding the potential roadway obstruction is needed to identify the potential roadway obstruction; selects one or more vehicles from a plurality of vehicles based, at least in part, on their proximity to the potential roadway obstruction and their sensor capabilities; and determines that the potential roadway obstruction is a specific type of roadway obstruction based, at least in part, on additional information regarding the potential roadway obstruction received from at least one of the selected one or more vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Aghyad Saleh, Jason Schell, Neil Dutta
  • Patent number: 11327480
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes: a driving operation device provided in a vehicle and configured to accept a driving operation by a user; an operation terminal configured to be carried by the user and including an input/output unit configured to accept an input by the user and to output a signal; and a control device configured to control traveling of the vehicle based on a signal from the driving operation device and to execute remote parking processing to move the vehicle to a parking position based on a signal from the operation terminal. When the control device detects the driving operation based on a signal from the driving operation device during the remote parking processing, the control device executes suspension processing to stop the vehicle and to make the input/output unit notify that the driving operation device has been operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junpei Noguchi, Masahiro Kowada, Miki Tsujino
  • Patent number: 11327495
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes: a terminal including an input/output unit and configured to be carried by a user; and a control device configured to perform wireless communication with the terminal and to execute autonomous parking processing to move a vehicle to a parking position and to park the vehicle at the parking position, wherein the control device includes a vehicle position identifying unit configured to detect a position of the vehicle, and an action plan unit configured to set a reference position where the user is deemed to hold the terminal outside the vehicle without moving and to compute a traveling route of the vehicle from an alighting position where the user alights from the vehicle to the parking position such that a condition that a distance from the reference position to the vehicle does not exceed a prescribed value is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junpei Noguchi, Katsuyasu Yamane, Miki Tsujino, Masahiro Kowada
  • Patent number: 11330413
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for operating a transmitting device of a motor vehicle, in which method the transmitting device is operated in a private mode or in a transmitting mode. In the transmitting mode, the transmitting device transmits vehicle data to a computing device external to the vehicle. In the private mode, transmission of the vehicle data is stopped. A switchover from the transmitting mode into the private mode occurs as soon as a successful authentication of a specified user action has been captured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Konstantin Willmann, Tobias Mielke
  • Patent number: 11318859
    Abstract: A reconfigurable system capable of autonomously exchanging material from unmanned vehicles of various types and sizes. The system comprises an environmental enclosure, a landing area, a universal mechanical system to load and unload material from the unmanned vehicle, and a central processor that manages the aforementioned tasks. The landing area may comprise a one or more visible or non-visible markers/emitters capable of generating composite images to assist in landing the unmanned vehicle upon the reconfigurable, autonomous system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Asylon, Inc.
    Inventors: Damon C. Henry, Adam I. Mohamed, Brent McLaughlin, David Dones
  • Patent number: 11318968
    Abstract: An automated speed control system for a locomotive having a tractive effort mechanism for moving the locomotive along a track and a braking mechanism for reducing the locomotive's speed along the track. The system including a locomotive controller that includes a memory to store computer-executable instructions, and a processor in communication with the memory to execute the instructions to retrieve one or more track grade maps each indicative of a grade of at least a portion of the track along which the locomotive is travelling, retrieve train makeup, obtain a maximum distance to a specified stopping point of the locomotive along the track, and dynamically calculate a speed limit for movement of the locomotive along the track, according to the retrieved track grade map, retrieved train makeup data, and obtained maximum distance to the specified stopping point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Cattron North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeremy Jovenall
  • Patent number: 11323886
    Abstract: An integrated decision making and communication system includes a memory to store a list of resources necessary to execute a mission; a transceiver to send and receive data between communicatively linked devices; and a processor to identify a set of available resources capable of executing the mission based on the data received from the devices; compare the list of resources necessary to execute the mission from the memory with the set of available resources; and identify a combination of the devices to execute the mission based on the comparison of the list of resources necessary to execute the mission and the set of available resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Elizabeth S. Bentley, Fatemeh Afghah
  • Patent number: 11320815
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a remote control method, apparatus, device and computer readable storage medium, the method including: receiving, by a cloud server, a control instruction transmitted from a third-party device, the control instruction comprising a vehicle identification and operation information; and transmitting the control instruction to an unmanned vehicle corresponding to the vehicle identification according to the vehicle identification, enabling the unmanned vehicle to act on the operation information. By establishing a communication connection between the third-party device, the unmanned vehicle and the cloud server, remote maneuvering of the unmanned vehicle can be implemented, a flexibility in controlling the unmanned vehicle improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: APOLLO INTELLIGENT DRIVING TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shi Hu
  • Patent number: 11314248
    Abstract: Many different types of systems are utilized or tasks are performed in a marine environment. The present invention provides various configurations of unmanned vehicles, or drones, that can be operated and/or controlled for such systems or tasks. One or more unmanned vehicles can be integrated with a dedicated marine electronic device of a marine vessel for autonomous control and operation. Additionally or alternatively, the unmanned vehicle can be manually remote operated during use in the marine environment. Such unmanned vehicles can be utilized in many different marine environment systems or tasks, including, for example, navigation, sonar, radar, search and rescue, video streaming, alert functionality, among many others. However, as contemplated by the present invention, the marine environment provides many unique challenges that may be accounted for with operation and control of an unmanned vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: NAVICO HOLDING AS
    Inventors: Mark N. Harnett, Paul Butterworth, Thomas E. H. Isaacson, Jake Hawkins
  • Patent number: 11314246
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system for generating customized command toolboxes for remote operators in a service system that includes autonomous vehicles. The system receives a request for remote assistance from an autonomous vehicle. The system determines, from a local storage location, vehicle data associated with the autonomous vehicle. The system selects a subset of remote assistance actions from a predetermined set of remote assistance actions. The system displays, in a remote assistance user interface, one or more user interface elements indicative of the subset of remote assistance actions. The system determines one or more remote assistance actions from the subset of remote assistance actions based at least in part on a user input associated with the one or more user interface elements. The system transmits one or more control signals associated with the one or more remote assistance actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Samann Ghorbanian-Matloob, Sean Shanshi Chen, Patrick Greaney Willett
  • Patent number: 11316834
    Abstract: A machine and process for remotely controlling a vessel. The system may include a land-based computing system configured to communicate control signals via a communications system that communicates the control signals to the vessel and a controller network on the vessel configured to control at least certain functions of the vessel. The controller network may further be configured to receive the control signals from the land-based computing system. The controller may include a switch including an input port and multiple output ports. A remote control computing device may be configured to control the vessel via at least one other computing device. A one-way Ethernet cable may be communicatively coupled between one of the output ports of the switch and the remote control computing device. The control signals may be received by the switch being communicated to the remote control computing device via the one-way Ethernet cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: C-Innovation, LLC
    Inventor: Kjell Erik Larsen
  • Patent number: 11314249
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate generally to autonomous vehicles and associated mechanical, electrical and electronic hardware, computer software and systems, and wired and wireless network communications to provide an autonomous vehicle fleet as a service. More specifically, systems, devices, and methods are configured to initiate modification of trajectories to influence navigation of autonomous vehicles. In particular, a method may include receiving a teleoperation message via a communication link from an autonomous vehicle, detecting data from the teleoperation message specifying an event associated with the autonomous vehicle, identifying one or more courses of action to perform responsive to detecting the data specifying the event, and generating visualization data to present information associated with the event to a display of a teleoperator computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Jesse Sol Levinson, Ashutosh Gajanan Rege, Rachad Youssef Gamara, Gabriel Thurston Sibley, Timothy David Kentley-Klay, Gary Linscott
  • Patent number: 11308735
    Abstract: Worksite data from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is received and an indication of the worksite data is generated. A quality of the received worksite data is calculated based on quality data within the received worksite data. Control signals are generated and provided to the UAV based on the calculated quality of the received worksite data. Additional worksite data corresponding to a modified surface of a worksite area is received from a plurality of mobile machines at the worksite area. A worksite error is calculated for the modified surface of the worksite area. Control signals are generated and provided to a UAV based on the calculated worksite error for the modified surface of the worksite area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Tammo Wagner, Noel W. Anderson, Charles J. Schleusner, Sebastian Blank
  • Patent number: 11308815
    Abstract: A base module may be used to receive and house one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) via one or more cavities. The base module receives commands from a manager device and identifies a flight plan that allows a UAV to execute the received commands. The base module transfers the flight plan to the UAV and frees the UAV. Once the UAV returns, the base module once again receives it. The base module then receives sensor data from the UAV from one or more sensors onboard the UAV, and optionally receives additional information describing its flight and identifying success or failure of the flight plan. The base module transmits the sensor data and optionally the additional information to a storage medium locally or remotely accessible by the manager device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: ImageKeeper LLC
    Inventors: Jerry Speasl, Mike Patterson, Marc Roberts
  • Patent number: 11307587
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for operating an autonomous vehicle. To operate the autonomous vehicle, a plurality of lane segments that are in an environment of the autonomous vehicle is determined and a first object and a second object in the environment are detected. A first position for the first object is determined in relation to the plurality of lane segments, and particular lane segments that are occluded by the first object are determined using the first position. According to the occluded lane segments, a reaction time is determined for the second object and a driving instruction for the autonomous vehicle is determined according to the reaction time. The autonomous vehicle is then operated based on the driving instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Jared Stephen Russell, Jens-Steffen Ralf Gutmann
  • Patent number: 11305757
    Abstract: A method performs autonomous travel control of a subject vehicle to a target stop position on the basis of a remote operation command from a remote operation device. The subject vehicle has an autonomous travel control function and an automatic locking/unlocking function for a vehicle door. The autonomous travel control is executed under a precondition that a locking/unlocking device for the door is unlocked. The method includes prohibiting the automatic locking/unlocking function from locking the door while the vehicle is executing autonomous travel control; detecting a distance between the vehicle and the remote operation device when the vehicle stops at the target stop; setting a temporal interval from when the vehicle stops until the locking/unlocking device for the door is locked using the automatic locking/unlocking function to a temporal interval in accordance with the distance; and locking the door using the automatic locking/unlocking function when the temporal interval has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Hayakawa, Yasuhiro Sakurai, Yasuhiro Suzuki, Junichi Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 11305732
    Abstract: A method of operating an access system for a vehicle, the method comprising: 5 scanning for a first communication signal from a first communications device using a first communication channel; and initiating a vehicle access process in dependence on detecting the first communication signal from the first communications device; wherein the vehicle access process comprises: comparing a received signal strength indication, RSSI, of the received first communication signal to a predetermined 10 threshold signal strength value; sending a challenge signal for a second communications device using a second communication channel in the event that the RSSI of the received first communication signal exceeds the threshold signal strength value; and controlling the vehicle access system in dependence on a response signal received from the second communications device, the response signal having been 15 sent in response to the challenge signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: Howard Siswick, Mohammed Khan
  • Patent number: 11300978
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product is provided for transporting an unmanned vehicle to a destination location. The method includes determining a ground vehicle from a plurality of ground vehicles based on a location of the ground vehicle, the destination location, and a location of the unmanned vehicle, controlling the unmanned vehicle to the location of the ground vehicle, controlling at least one attachment mechanism to attach the unmanned vehicle to the ground vehicle, in response to the ground vehicle traveling to a second location, controlling the at least one attachment mechanism to detach the unmanned vehicle from the ground vehicle, and controlling the unmanned vehicle to the destination location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
    Inventor: Constantinos Samaras
  • Patent number: 11302098
    Abstract: A system for supporting timely, informed decision making with respect to commencing and terminating offshore construction operations within a predetermined zone using a situational awareness tool not compromised by weather, poor-visibility, or a simple protected species observer (PSO) conundrum of not being able to see all things at all times, and for identification of marine mammalian species present at an offshore construction site that is sensor and platform agnostic comprises a plurality of sensors, a predetermined subset of the plurality of sensors operational without requiring daylight, the sensors operative to deliver data from which targets are determined and from which their position information can be derived; a data communicator operative to allow provide real-time data to a data viewer; a data processor operatively in communication with the plurality of sensors and the data communicator; and a display operatively in communication with the data communicator and operative to display a representation
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Oceaneering International, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric H Galerne, Miles Roden, Nat Spencer
  • Patent number: 11300959
    Abstract: A processor-implemented method and system for determining a predictive occupancy grid map (OGM) for an autonomous vehicle are disclosed. The method includes: receiving a set of OGMs including a current predicted OGM and one or more future predicted OGMs, the current OGM associated with a current timestamp and each future predicted OGM associated with a future timestamp; generating a weight map associated with the current timestamp based on one or more kinodynamic parameters of the vehicle at the current time stamp, and one or more weight map associated with a future timestamp; generating a set of filtered predicted OGMs by filtering the current predicted OGM with the weight map associated the current timestamp and filtering each respective future predicted OGM associated with a future timestamp with the weight map associated with the respective future timestamp; and sending a single predicted OGM to a trajectory generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Peyman Yadmellat, Mohsen Rohani
  • Patent number: 11300675
    Abstract: A method and devices are disclosed for producing a differential RTT vector (RTV) that is based upon the relative change in an airborne measuring station velocity relative to the target wireless device based upon RTT measurements, the RTT measurements being taken at known time intervals to a ground based target station, and the velocity and heading of the airborne measuring station. In one embodiment, the target device is an access point or station conforming to the IEEE 802.11 standard and the airborne measuring station 110 may also be a device that conforms to the IEEE 802.11 standard. The disclosed method enables the quick determination of the location of a target station to an accuracy of, for example, in the order of one half degree of bearing within, for example, a period in the order of 5 seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: SR Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Passler
  • Patent number: 11299126
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a portable device configured to store information on an electronic lock of a vehicle and an in-vehicle controller configured to communicate with the portable device, the in-vehicle controller being installed in the vehicle. The in-vehicle controller is configured to generate a permission command to permit the specific operation to be performed when the in-vehicle controller determines that the operation requested to be performed on the vehicle is a specific operation that needs permission from the authorized user, in-vehicle controller when the in-vehicle controller determines that the portable device is within a predetermined range around the vehicle, and when the in-vehicle controller determines that near field communication between the portable device and the communication terminal based on a first telecommunications standard is established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masashi Komeya
  • Patent number: 11294176
    Abstract: A display device includes a light projector configured to project light including an image, an optical mechanism provided on a path of the light and capable of adjusting a distance from a predetermined position to a position where the light is formed as a virtual image, a concave mirror configured to reflect light passing through the optical mechanism toward a reflector, a first actuator configured to adjust the distance in the optical mechanism, and a controller configured to control the light projector and the first actuator. The controller causes the first actuator to change the distance and causes the light projector to project light including an opening image, at a time of an operation start of the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masafumi Higashiyama, Takuya Kimura, Shinji Kawakami, Tatsuya Iwasa, Yuji Kuwashima
  • Patent number: 11287835
    Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigation systems include a UAV charging pad positioned at a storage facility, a plurality of fiducial markers positioned at the storage facility, and a UAV. Each fiducial marker is associated with a fiducial dataset storing a position of the fiducial marker, and each fiducial dataset is stored in a fiducial map. The UAV has a navigation system that includes a camera, a fiducial navigation sub-system, a non-fiducial navigation sub-system, and logic that when executed causes the UAV to image a first fiducial marker with the camera, to transition from a non-fiducial navigation mode to a fiducial navigation mode, to access from the fiducial map the fiducial dataset storing the position of the first fiducial marker, and to navigate based upon the fiducial dataset storing the position of the first fiducial marker, into alignment with and land on the UAV charging pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: WING Aviation LLC
    Inventors: Damien Jourdan, Brandon Jones, Richard Roberts
  • Patent number: 11287813
    Abstract: A vehicle control system, comprising a remote operator selection server, a vehicle control device, and a remote operation terminal. The vehicle control device is configured to transmit a manual operation information to the remote operator selection server. The remote operator selection server is configured to acquire the manual operation information transmitted from the vehicle control device, to compute a difference between the manual operation information and a remote operation information for each of the plurality of remote operators, to select a remote operator for whom the difference satisfies a predetermined criterion as a remote operator to remotely operate the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Tatsumoto, Tsukasa Nakanishi, Yuta Morikawa, Yuki Ito, Naoki Yamamuro
  • Patent number: 11290176
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for commercial satellite operations with secure enclave for payload operations are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed method comprises generating, by a secure enclave of a host satellite operation center (SOC), hosted commands according to service specifications for at least one hosted user. The method further comprises generating, by a SOC operation portion of the host SOC, host commands according to service specifications for a host user. Also, the method comprises transmitting, by the host SOC, the host commands and the hosted commands to a vehicle. In addition, the method comprises reconfiguring a host/hosted payload on the vehicle according to the host commands and the hosted commands. Additionally, the method comprises generating, by the host/hosted payload, host telemetry and hosted telemetry. Also, the method comprises transmitting, by the vehicle, the host telemetry and the hosted telemetry to the host SOC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Winig, Yi-Feng James Chen
  • Patent number: 11288903
    Abstract: A vehicle processing device authenticates that an authorized user has requested an action by the vehicle and generates an authentication acknowledgement message. At least two security devices being present within the cabin of, or close to, the vehicle during a predetermined period following an authentication trigger event that occurs while the user performs a predetermined sequence of authentication activities (i.e., button presses, operating the vehicle or a part of it, etc.) provides a basis for the authentication acknowledgement message. Typically, information unique to each security device has been associated with the vehicle at a service provider's server. The authentication acknowledgement may include an activation code that results from processing the information, unique to each security device, received from the security devices and other random information, such as date.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: M2MD TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Charles M. Link, II
  • Patent number: 11279346
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to determining whether a vehicle should continue through an intersection. For example, the one or more of the vehicle's computers may identify a time when the traffic signal light will turn from yellow to red. The one or more computers may also estimate a location of a vehicle at the time when the traffic signal light will turn from yellow to red. A starting point of the intersection may be identified. Based on whether the estimated location of the vehicle is at least a threshold distance past the starting point at the time when the traffic signal light will turn from yellow to red, the computers can determine whether the vehicle should continue through the intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Jens-Steffen Ralf Gutmann, Andreas Wendel, Nathaniel Fairfield, Dmitri A. Dolgov, Donald Jason Burnette
  • Patent number: 11281200
    Abstract: Drones (e.g., unmanned aerial vehicles, or “UAVs”) equipped with cameras and sensors may be configured to travel throughout the field environment of a process plant to monitor process plant conditions. Onboard computing devices associated with the drones control the movement of the drones through the field environment of the process plant. The onboard computing devices interface with the cameras and other sensors and communicate with user interface devices, controllers, servers and/or databases via a network. The onboard computing devices may receive drone commands from user interface devices and/or servers, or may access drone commands stored in one or more databases. The onboard computing devices may transmit data captured by the cameras and/or other sensors to UI devices, controllers, servers, etc. Accordingly, the user interface devices may display data (including live video feeds) captured by the drone cameras and/or drone sensors to an operator in a human machine interface application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert G. Halgren, III, Claudio Fayad, Gary K. Law, Mark J. Nixon
  • Patent number: 11279372
    Abstract: A system for controlling a vehicle having an autonomous mode and a semi-autonomous mode includes one or more processors and a memory in communication with the one or more processors. The memory stores a command generating module and a transmission module. The command generating module causes the one or more processors to generate, in response to an input, at least one control signal for controlling the vehicle by an envelope control system. The envelope control system utilizes a common control scheme for both the semi-autonomous mode and the autonomous mode, wherein the input is a driver input when the vehicle is in the semi-autonomous mode and the input is a pseudo-driver input when the vehicle is in the autonomous mode. The transmission module causes the one or more processors to transmit the at least one control signal to a vehicle motion controller, wherein the vehicle motion controller controls the movement of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Carrie Bobier-Tiu, Avinash Balachandran, Sarah Koehler
  • Patent number: 11281758
    Abstract: An electronic device includes an audio capture device operable to receive audio input, a fingerprint sensor operable to receive fingerprint data, and one or more processors, operable with the audio capture device and the fingerprint sensor. The fingerprint sensor can authenticate a person as an authorized user of an electronic device while device commands are being received in the form of audio input to allow for secure voice interactions without requiring a trigger phrase. The fingerprint sensor can be used in combination with the receipt of voice input to perform two-factor authentication. The fingerprint sensor and audio capture device can be used in combination to enroll, or update enrollment, of a user interacting with a voice assistant as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: John Gorsica, Thomas Merrell, Kathryn Thomas, James Wylder
  • Patent number: 11284233
    Abstract: A vehicle communication system includes a mobile server unit configured to be operably deployed onboard a first vehicle of a vehicle system. The mobile server unit includes an antenna, a transceiver, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the transceiver to establish a wireless onboard private long term evolution (LTE) network with plural mobile client units that are located on other vehicles of the vehicle system, for wireless communications between the vehicles of the vehicle system, while the vehicle system is moving. The mobile server unit may be configured to establish the private LTE network in coordination with other mobile server units that are onboard other vehicles in the vehicle system, such that a selected one of the mobile server units is designated as a master server unit for overall control of the private LTE network, and the other mobile server units are designated as subordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Bradshaw Kraeling, Tyler Listoe, Guillaume Mantelet, Earle Edie, Andrew McKay
  • Patent number: 11273891
    Abstract: A task such as inspection is performed at a subsea location by positioning a functional unit such as an unmanned underwater vehicle to perform the task. When positioned to perform the task, the unit is then in a shadow region where wireless control signals from a subsea control transmitter are obscured by a subsea obstacle. Consequently, control signals are transmitted wirelessly through water from the control transmitter to an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) positioned outside the shadow region and are relayed from the AUV to the unit to control the unit to perform the task. The unit can be tethered to the AUV or can communicate with the AUV wirelessly. The AUV can move itself to improve wireless communication with the subsea control transmitter and optionally also with the unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Subsea 7 Limited
    Inventors: Wayne Sherry, Mostafa Hendawy, William Main
  • Patent number: 11275390
    Abstract: A control system is disclosed. The control system comprises a controlling terminal and a controlled device; the controlling terminal comprises a height measuring device and a processing unit; the height measuring device is configured to measure and obtain a height information of the controlling terminal, and send the height information to the processing unit; the processing unit is configured to receive the height information and generate an operation command; the controlled device is configured to receive the operation command and perform a corresponding motion according to the operation command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Inventors: Weifeng Zheng, Yangchun Wang, Yanqing Yang, Baoyi Zhang
  • Patent number: 11273903
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a flight control system is configured to receive one or more pilot inputs intended to effect a particular control outcome for the aircraft, receive one or more current flight parameters of the aircraft, determine whether or not the aircraft is near or in a stall, and if it is determined that the aircraft is near or in a stall, automatically control the aircraft's flight control surfaces in an oscillatory manner that increases the sensitivity of the flight control surfaces and achieves the pilot's intended control outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Ahmed Hassan, Haithem Taha
  • Patent number: 11275371
    Abstract: Many different types of systems are utilized or tasks are performed in a marine environment. The present invention provides various configurations of unmanned vehicles, or drones, that can be operated and/or controlled for such systems or tasks. One or more unmanned vehicles can be integrated with a dedicated marine electronic device of a marine vessel for autonomous control and operation. Additionally or alternatively, the unmanned vehicle can be manually remote operated during use in the marine environment. Such unmanned vehicles can be utilized in many different marine environment systems or tasks, including, for example, navigation, sonar, radar, search and rescue, video streaming, alert functionality, among many others. However, as contemplated by the present invention, the marine environment provides many unique challenges that may be accounted for with operation and control of an unmanned vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: NAVICO HOLDING AS
    Inventors: Mark N. Harnett, Paul Butterworth, Thomas E.H. Isaacson, Jake Hawkins
  • Patent number: 11267465
    Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to, in a host vehicle, determine a threat number for a first target vehicle based on data received from the first target vehicle indicating at least one of a position, speed, or route history of the first target vehicle, identify a second target vehicle based on data collected with one or more host vehicle sensors when the threat number of the first target vehicle exceeds a threshold, determine that the first target vehicle and the second target vehicle are not a same vehicle, and, then, upon determining that the first target vehicle and the second target vehicle are not the same vehicle and that at least one of (a) a barrier is detected between the host vehicle and the first target vehicle or (b) that a threat number of the second target vehicle exceeds a second threshold, suppress a collision avoidance action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Aaron L. Mills, Rebecca Lynne Seiler, Alex Maurice Miller, Gopichandra Surnilla, Alekhya Ratnala, Hao Zhang
  • Patent number: 11270533
    Abstract: A system includes a transceiver and an access module. The transceiver is implemented at a vehicle: receives a first RF signal from a portable access device via multiple antennas; transmits a second RF signal from the vehicle to the portable access device; and receives a third RF signal from the portable access device. The third RF signal indicates an AOD of the first RF signal or a second AOA of the second RF signal as received at the portable access device. The access module: estimates a first AOA of the first RF signal; determines a resultant AOA based on the first AOA and the AOD or the second AOA; determines a location of the portable access device relative to the vehicle based on the resultant AOA; and permits access to the vehicle or control of a portion of the vehicle based on the location of the portable access device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osman Ahmed, Raymond Michael Stitt, Kyle Golsch
  • Patent number: 11267153
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present disclosure relate generally to facilitate performing a task on a surface such as woodworking or printing. More specifically, in some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to mapping the surface of the material and determining the precise location of a tool in reference to the surface of a material. Some embodiments relate to obtaining and relating a design with the map of the material or displaying the current position of the tool on a display device. In some embodiments, the present disclosure facilitates adjusting, moving or auto-correcting the tool along a predetermined path such as, e.g., a cutting or drawing path. In some embodiments, the reference location may correspond to a design or plan obtained from obtained via an online design store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: SHAPER TOOLS, INC.
    Inventors: Alec Rothmyer Rivers, Ilan Ellison Moyer
  • Patent number: 11269328
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of causing a mobile robot to enter a moving walkway, the method including setting a movement path including a moving walkway, recognizing, by the mobile robot, to enter the moving walkway included in the movement path, adjusting at least one of a speed of the mobile robot and a speed of a step belt of the moving walkway via communication between the mobile robot and the moving walkway, and moving the mobile robot onto the step belt of the moving walkway based on the adjusted speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Nakyeong Kim, Sungmin Moon, Sanghak Lee, Jeongkyo Seo