Vehicle Speed Control (e.g., Cruise Control) Patents (Class 701/93)
  • Patent number: 12377854
    Abstract: A driving mode control method, apparatus, device, program and storage medium, which relates to the technical field of electronic control, and is for a control platform, the method includes: acquiring a location information sent by a target vehicle, wherein the location information comprises a target location; determining a status data of at least one sample vehicle pre-stored by the control platform based on the target location, wherein the sample vehicle is a vehicle which has travelled through the target location; determining a target driving mode based on the status data of the sample vehicle, and sending the target driving mode to the target vehicle, such that the target vehicle travels in the target driving mode. This disclosure enables the target vehicle to travel in the target driving mode. The driver needs not to manually switch the driving mode, and the accuracy and convenience of controlling the drive mode are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: GREAT WALL MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Di Wu, Xuejing Yang, Song Han, Han Liu, Jun Zhang
  • Patent number: 12377852
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a vehicle in a mode to free the vehicle from being stuck in sand are presented. In one example, a speed of an electric machine is adjusted to determine when wheel jitter occurs. The electric machine speed may be maintained at a speed where wheel jitter occurs while the vehicle is stuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Zubair Feroz, Bang Cao, Joseph Jay Torres, Peter James Barrette, Jonathan Sullivan
  • Patent number: 12365412
    Abstract: A battery compartment, a battery compartment assembly and an electric scooter are provided. The battery compartment is used for an electric scooter, and includes a compartment body and a limiting flange. The electric scooter includes a frame with an opening, and the opening runs through the frame in an up-down direction. The compartment body is configured to penetrate through the opening, and the limiting flange is arranged to an outer side wall of the compartment body and configured to abut against the frame to prevent the compartment body from falling out of the opening downwards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: NINEBOT (CHANGZHOU) TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zefang Qi, Hui Su
  • Patent number: 12365339
    Abstract: A target acceleration/deceleration output unit includes an acceleration/deceleration output unit which outputs an acceleration/deceleration including a deceleration, on the basis of the vehicle-to-vehicle distance from a host vehicle to a preceding vehicle and the relative speed of the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle, and a canceling unit which cancels a deceleration that causes jerking from the deceleration output from the acceleration/deceleration output unit, wherein the acceleration output from the acceleration/deceleration output unit, and the deceleration obtained by the canceling unit are output as a target acceleration/deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventors: Wasantha Oshita, Masaichi Takahashi, Shinichiro Fukazawa
  • Patent number: 12351169
    Abstract: An adaptive cruise control system and an adaptive cruise control method supporting traffic light recognition are provided. The adaptive cruise control system in the present disclosure includes: a wireless receiver adaptive with a wireless transmitter of each traffic light on a current lane and configured to receive first traffic light state information about the traffic light on the current lane sent by the wireless transmitter; and a main controller being in communication with the wireless receiver and configured to obtain the first traffic light state information received from the wireless receiver, and perform a stop control or adaptive cruise control based on the first traffic light state information. By implementing the adaptive cruise control method, an adaptive cruise control for avoiding a driver from violation of traffic light is further realized based on the state information of the traffic lights, so that a safety of driving can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: GREAT WALL MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Junjie Chang, Yuanyuan Zhang, Pu Li, Longbao Zhen, Kai Zhang
  • Patent number: 12354474
    Abstract: A method for operating a driver assistance system for a vehicle includes capturing a video feed of an external environment of the vehicle and transmitting the video feed to an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) of the vehicle. Subsequently, a designated speed limit for the vehicle at a current location of the vehicle is determined. The method further includes extracting context information of the external environment from the video feed and comparing the context information to the designated speed limit to create a contextual speed limit. A user is notified of the vehicle of the contextual speed limit. The context information designates a specific environment that the vehicle is located in based upon one or more of: first warning information that informs the user of unsafe driving conditions, first guidance information that provides directional information to the user, and objects located in the specific environment of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Valeo Schalter Und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Heitzmann, Alexandre Garnault, Skander Hannachi
  • Patent number: 12337913
    Abstract: A driving control apparatus includes: a generating part that generates, with a predetermined control period, a vehicle model; and a calculating part that calculates, as an optimal steering angle, a steering angle that minimizes or maximizes an output value of an evaluation function including an estimated lateral deviation, an estimated azimuth deviation, a steering angle, and a change amount of the steering angle from the immediately preceding control period, calculated based on the vehicle model. The calculating part causes the coefficient of the term corresponding to the change amount after an initial period has passed from when the vehicle started to be smaller than the weighting coefficient of the term corresponding to the change amount up to when the predetermined initial period has passed from when the vehicle started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventor: Motoya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 12340692
    Abstract: A vehicle control system for energy efficient driving includes a processing circuitry configured to cause the vehicle control system to: determine that the vehicle is approaching a stop point; determine if the vehicle needs to stop at the stop point; determine the presence of at least a first other vehicle within a predefined distance behind the vehicle; and determine the intended route of the at least first other vehicle for determining if the vehicle is going to prepare at least a first energy saving action or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: NINGBO GEELY AUTOMOBILE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jonathan Johansson, Pardis Shariatzadeh
  • Patent number: 12313778
    Abstract: A vehicle window with an integrated sensor module, includes a pane main body having a cutout, a sensor module designed as a prefabricated assembly with a module housing, which forms a hollow space, in which at least one sensor is accommodated, wherein the module housing forming the hollow space is inserted into the cutout and is fastened on the pane main body, wherein, together, an outer surface of the module housing and an outer surface of the pane main body form an outer surface of the vehicle window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: FREEGLASS GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Sebastian Schmidt, Laurent Friocourt, Uwe Weissenberger, Luc-Henry Blanche
  • Patent number: 12311931
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for vehicle speed planning based on timing of traffic lights. In an exemplary embodiment, a disclosed system includes one or more sensors of a vehicle; a transceiver; and a processor. The one or more sensors are configured to obtain vehicle sensor data pertaining to operation of the vehicle. The transceiver is configured to obtain traffic light data with respect to a plurality of traffic lights along a path or roadway on which the vehicle is travelling. The processor is coupled to the one or more sensors and to the transceiver, and is configured to at least facilitate: determining a desired control of movement of the vehicle based on the vehicle sensor data, the traffic light data, and one or more optimization criteria pertaining to the vehicle; and taking a vehicle action based on the desired control of movement of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Yuan Zhang
  • Patent number: 12296835
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a vehicle predictive control method that includes determining a driving prediction horizon in front of a vehicle, dividing the driving prediction horizon into a plurality of steps, at least some of the steps corresponding to a sloped section being integrated into one step according to slopes, and applying a driving prediction model based on a relationship between states of vehicle speed, traction force, and braking force for each step and collectively computing the driving prediction model over the entire prediction horizon to calculate a control value for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Min Soo Woo
  • Patent number: 12291212
    Abstract: In a driving force control device, a driving force is controlled based on an override driving force characteristic specifying a target acceleration according to a vehicle speed, an accelerator pedal position, and a traveling resistance to a vehicle, a longitudinal acceleration at a fully closed accelerator pedal position is higher in an override driving force characteristic than in a manual-driving-mode driving force characteristic, and a graph representing a relation between the accelerator pedal position and the longitudinal acceleration in the override driving force characteristic and a graph representing a relation between the accelerator pedal position and the longitudinal acceleration in the manual-driving-mode driving force characteristic intersect at a specific accelerator pedal position different from a fully closed position and a fully opened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Dobashi, Yasushi Dohnoue, Satoshi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 12286109
    Abstract: Methods, systems, devices and apparatuses for a driveforce speed control system for a vehicle. The driveforce speed control system includes a sensor configured to detect a speed limit, and an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the sensor. The ECU is configured to calculate a road load and a mass condition, determine a speed limit based on the sensor, and activate a speed control based on the road load, the mass condition, and the speed limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Thomas S. Hawley
  • Patent number: 12280663
    Abstract: The proposed invention relates to methods for controlling energy consumption by a motor vehicle and can be used in transportation industry. The technical problem to be solved by the claimed invention is to provide a method, a device and a system that do not possess the drawbacks of the prior art and thus make it possible to generate an accurate energy-efficient track for a motor vehicle that allows to reduce energy consumption by the motor vehicle on the specific portion of the route. The objective of the claimed invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art and thus to reduce energy consumption by the motor vehicle on the specific portion of the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Inventor: Boris Valerevich Pankov
  • Patent number: 12275400
    Abstract: Disclosed in the present application are a method for generating a speed control model, a vehicle control method and an apparatus. The vehicle control method comprises: acquiring the current geographic location of a target vehicle and a target speed control feature corresponding to the current geographic location, the target speed control feature being a feature that affects the speed of the vehicle; inputting the current geographic location and the target speed control feature corresponding to the current geographic location into a speed control model to obtain the current target speed of the target vehicle, the speed control model being generated by training starting coordinates and ending coordinates of each preset lane segment in the map data, the target speed control feature and a speed control label in the preset lane segment; and controlling the target vehicle to drive according to the current target speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Momenta (Suzhou) Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 12246713
    Abstract: A cruise control algorithm including receiving a set speed and a minimum speed, generating a first control signal indicative of a first engine torque request, controlling a vehicle to maintain the set speed in response to the first engine torque request, detecting a vehicle pitch, detecting the vehicle speed, generating a second control signal indicative of the first engine torque request in response to the vehicle pitch being greater than zero degrees and the vehicle speed being greater than the minimum speed, controlling the vehicle to maintain a first engine torque in response to the first engine torque request, generating a third control signal indicative of a second engine torque request in response to the vehicle pitch being greater than zero degrees and the vehicle speed being less than the minimum speed, and controlling the vehicle to maintain the minimum speed in response to the third engine torque request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Decebal Catalin Barbu
  • Patent number: 12215987
    Abstract: A map data output device includes: a map storage that stores map data that represents lane network information; a position determination portion that determines a current position of a vehicle; a read processing portion that reads the map data of an area established based on the current position; a control map generation portion that generates control map data obtained by adding information to the map; and an output portion that outputs the control map data to a vehicle control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroki Ukai, Masahiro Goto, Shuichi Morimoto, Akira Iijima, Chika Tsumori
  • Patent number: 12214832
    Abstract: An ADS performs processing including setting an initial value of a wheel steer angle command when an autonomous state has been set to an autonomous mode, obtaining a limitation of a rate, setting a wheel steer angle limitation as the wheel steer angle command when magnitude of the initial value is larger than the wheel steer angle limitation, and transmitting the wheel steer angle command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuma Suzuki, Yuji Watari, Eisuke Ando
  • Patent number: 12187288
    Abstract: Techniques for determining behavior profiles and unique identities for objects observed in an environment surrounding an autonomous vehicle are described. The behavior profiles may be generated and associated with unique identifiers that are stored and used by a fleet of vehicles for planning and navigating in traffic environments. The behavior profiles may be used to control operation of the vehicle and increase safety of the vehicle by identifying potentially risky or erratic objects and navigating through the environment accordingly. The behavior profiles may be stored at a central database and propagated across a fleet to increase observations used to build profiles and thereby increase profile confidence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventor: Taylor Andrew Arnicar
  • Patent number: 12172669
    Abstract: A system comprises a computer including a processor and a memory. The memory includes instructions such that the processor is programmed to: receive sensor data representing a perceived driving environment, select a reinforcement learning agent from a plurality of reinforcement learning agents based on a challenge score calculated using the sensor data and a desired driving style, and generate, via the selected reinforcement learning agent, a driving action based on the sensor data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Alireza Esna Ashari Esfahani, Sayyed Rouhollah Jafari Tafti, Marcus James Huber
  • Patent number: 12162502
    Abstract: System and techniques for test verification of a control system (e.g., a vehicle safety system) with a vehicle operation safety model (VOSM) such as Responsibility Sensitive Safety (RSS) are described. In an example, using test scenarios to measure performance of VOSM includes: defining safety condition parameters of a VOSM for use in a test scenario configured to test performance of a safety system; generating a test scenario, using the safety condition parameters, the test scenario generated as a steady state test, a dynamic test, or a stress test; executing the test scenario with a test simulator, to produce test results for the safety system; measuring real-time kinematics of the safety system, during execution of the test scenario, based on compliance with the safety condition parameters; and producing a parameter rating for performance of the safety system with the VOSM, based on the test results and the measured real-time kinematics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Qianying Zhu, Lidan Zhang, Xiangbin Wu, Xinxin Zhang, Fei Li
  • Patent number: 12162490
    Abstract: A method for controlling an acceleration rate of a vehicle includes monitoring a first current speed and a first acceleration rate of the vehicle based on the vehicle moving from a standstill. The method also includes setting an initial target acceleration rate to an adjusted target acceleration rate based on the first acceleration rate satisfying a first acceleration adjustment condition and the first current speed satisfying a second acceleration adjustment condition. The method further includes monitoring a second acceleration rate and a second current acceleration rate of the vehicle based on setting the initial target acceleration rate to the adjusted target acceleration rate. The method still further includes setting the adjusted target acceleration rate to the initial target acceleration rate based on the second acceleration rate satisfying a first target acceleration condition or the second current speed satisfying a second target acceleration condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Yiting Liu, Hirofumi Yamamoto, Chen Bao
  • Patent number: 12162487
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a vehicle velocity control method. The method includes: determining, by an onboard sensor, drivable distances in different directions in front of a current vehicle, and obtaining, at least based on types of targets in the different directions, an area of a drivable space in front of the current vehicle; determining, based on the area of the drivable space and a current vehicle velocity, a result of a safety degree in a current driving scenario; and controlling the vehicle velocity of the current vehicle based on the result of the safety degree. The disclosure further relates to a vehicle control device, a computer storage medium, and a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: NIO TECHNOLOGY (ANHUI) CO., LTD
    Inventor: Sichen Sun
  • Patent number: 12139139
    Abstract: An embodiment vehicle includes a sensor configured to measure a current acceleration of the vehicle and a controller configured to derive a target acceleration value based on a surrounding environment of the vehicle, derive a first acceleration value based on an acceleration performance of the vehicle, determine a second acceleration value based on a predetermined limit value and the first acceleration value, determine a final target acceleration value based on the target acceleration value and the second acceleration value, and cause the current acceleration of the vehicle to be changed based on the final target acceleration value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kyung-Joo Bang
  • Patent number: 12128895
    Abstract: An autonomous driving device includes an execution network configured to determine a target speed of a driving vehicle according to state information history including a plurality of state information for road environment. The plurality of state information are generated at a plurality of times. The execution network includes a spatial attention network configured to receive the state information history and to generate feature data reflecting spatial importance based on the state information history; and a temporal attention network configured to determine the target speed of the driving vehicle by applying temporal importance to an output of the spatial attention network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignees: SK hynix Inc., Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Hyunki Seong, Chanyoung Jung, Seungwook Lee, David Hyunchul Shim
  • Patent number: 12115965
    Abstract: A heavy-duty vehicle includes a chassis, a wheel supporting the chassis, a drive system, a service brake, a drive system controller, and a service brake controller. The drive system includes a motor associated with the wheel. The motor is configured to propel the wheel and to apply a dynamic brake torque to the wheel. The service brake is associated with the wheel and configured to apply a service brake torque to the wheel. The drive system controller controls operation of the motor. The drive system controller selectively modulates the dynamic brake torque to the wheel based on traction conditions. The service brake controller controls operation of the service brake. The service brake controller may selectively modulate the service brake torque to the wheel based on the traction conditions. Modulation of the dynamic brake torque may be disabled during modulation of the service brake torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Komatsu America Corp.
    Inventors: Nick Sturm, Yong Deng, Kory Leesman, Joshua Rohman, John Osborne
  • Patent number: 12114601
    Abstract: A method of controlling a mobile agricultural machine that includes detecting a target value setting input identifying a target metric value for a quality metric representing a performance characteristic of the mobile agricultural machine and having an inverse relationship to machine speed, receiving machine data indicative of operating parameters on the mobile agricultural machine, generating, based on the machine data, a current metric value for the quality metric, determining a target machine speed based on the current metric value relative to the target metric value, and outputting a control instruction that controls the mobile agricultural machine based on the target machine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Matthew D. Hansen
  • Patent number: 12103386
    Abstract: In a vehicle speed limiter in which an electronic control unit that controls a drive force of an engine based on at least an accelerator opening controls a drive force of a vehicle so that a vehicle speed does not exceed a speed limit, the electronic control unit is configured to allow the vehicle speed to be equal to or higher than the limit vehicle speed and control the drive force generated by the engine based on the accelerator opening when the accelerator opening becomes a value equal to or larger than a increase reference value larger than a decrease reference value after the accelerator opening has decreased to a value equal to or smaller than the decrease reference value within a predetermined time from a time point when the vehicle speed limitation is released during the vehicle speed limitation being executed by the speed limiting control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshihide Nakane
  • Patent number: 12097859
    Abstract: A speed of a target vehicle in a target lane of operation is determined relative to a host vehicle in a host lane of operation. A virtual boundary is determined around the target vehicle based on the speed of the target vehicle. A position in the target lane and outside the virtual boundary is selected based on a) a first cost function for a deviation of a speed of the host vehicle from a requested speed, and b) a second cost function for a frequency of lane changes. Upon determining to move the host vehicle from the host lane to the target lane, the host vehicle is operated to the position in the target lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yousaf Rahman, Mrdjan J. Jankovic
  • Patent number: 12090975
    Abstract: When another pump is actuated while a pump is de-actuated, a pressure adjustment valve is brought into a valve-opened state after a shut-off valve is actuated in a valve-opening direction and the another pump is actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Asahi Watanabe, Toshiya Oosawa, Daisuke Nezu
  • Patent number: 12084030
    Abstract: The present invention obtains a controller and a control method capable of appropriately executing adaptive cruise control for a straddle-type vehicle while securing a driver's comfort. In the controller and the control method according to the present invention, when braking forces are generated on wheels of the straddle-type vehicle during adaptive cruise control, in which the straddle-type vehicle is made to travel according to a distance from the straddle-type vehicle to a preceding vehicle, motion of the straddle-type vehicle, and the driver's instruction, at a braking start time point at which the braking force starts being generated on each of the wheels, braking force distribution between the front and rear wheels is brought into an initial state where the braking force generated on the rear wheel is larger than the braking force generated on the front wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Yuki Oshida
  • Patent number: 12077047
    Abstract: A control device controls vehicle functions and has a largely fixed moveable object that can be actively operated by a person for the purpose of control. The object floats over a controlled magnetic field. A sensor is detects a displacement of the object by a person from its neutral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: MERCEDES-BENZ GROUP AG
    Inventors: Alexander Hanuschkin, Florian Etter
  • Patent number: 12071130
    Abstract: A method of providing automated control of vehicle speed in a driver assist mode may include receiving an operator selection of the driver assist mode and a target speed, monitoring vehicle speed, and generating a propulsive torque request and a braking torque request based on a difference between the target speed and the vehicle speed. The method may further include, responsive to vehicle speed being in a selected range from zero to about three miles per hour, initiating a low speed correction to automatically provide a variable modification to the propulsive torque request or the braking torque request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Edward Brewer, Brandon Cameron, Brian Grewe
  • Patent number: 12066836
    Abstract: The technology relates to determining general weather conditions affecting the roadway around a vehicle, and how such conditions may impact driving and route planning for the vehicle when operating in an autonomous mode. For instance, the on-board sensor system may detect whether the road is generally icy as opposed to a small ice patch on a specific portion of the road surface. The system may also evaluate specific driving actions taken by the vehicle and/or other nearby vehicles. Based on such information, the vehicle's control system is able to use the resultant information to select an appropriate braking level or braking strategy. As a result, the system can detect and respond to different levels of adverse weather conditions. The on-board computer system may share road condition information with nearby vehicles and with remote assistance, so that it may be employed with broader fleet planning operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: David Harrison Silver, Jens-Steffen Ralf Gutmann, Michael James
  • Patent number: 12066844
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a materials handling vehicle comprising: monitoring, by a processor, vehicle acceleration in a direction of travel of the vehicle during a manual operation by an operator of the vehicle when the vehicle is traveling in a first vehicle orientation; collecting and storing, by the processor, data related to the monitored vehicle acceleration; receiving, by the processor, a request to implement a semi-automated driving operation; calculating, by the processor, a maximum vehicle acceleration based on acceleration data comprising the stored data, wherein the data related to the monitored vehicle acceleration used in calculating the maximum vehicle acceleration comprises only the vehicle acceleration data in the direction of travel of the vehicle collected when the vehicle is traveling in the first vehicle orientation. Based at least in part on the maximum vehicle acceleration, controlling, by the processor, implementation of the semi-automated driving operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Andreas Simon, Sebastian Theos, Johannes Nachtigal
  • Patent number: 12054146
    Abstract: A longitudinal driver assistance system is provided in a motor vehicle. A first detection system identifies a first event which, starting from an actual speed, leads to the specification of an increased target speed at a predefined location-dependent first moment in time, and for identifying a subsequent second event which, starting from the increased target speed, leads to the specification of a target speed that is reduced in relation thereto at a predefined location-dependent second moment in time. A second detection system identifies, in an anticipatory manner, a predefined deceleration potential starting from the increased target speed to the reduced target speed. A functional unit reduces the acceleration to the increased target speed if, otherwise, the subsequent deceleration to the reduced target speed with the predefined deceleration potential cannot be completed at the location-dependent moment in time of the second event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas Lechner, Miguel Loenne, Sebastien Mathieu
  • Patent number: 12051248
    Abstract: There is provided a collision avoidance method of a moving body collision avoidance device including acquiring a driving image of the moving body, recognizing an object in the acquired driving image using a neural network model, calculating a relative distance between the moving body and the object based on the recognized object, calculating a required collision time between the object and the moving body based on the calculated relative distance, and controlling an operation of the moving body based on the calculated required collision time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: THINKWARE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Suk Pil Ko, Young Yong Kim
  • Patent number: 12043384
    Abstract: The invention relates to drones for a combat game, preferably a drone (1) and at least one opponent drone (2), said drones comprising radio control means, signal transmitters, receivers, and cameras. The invention further relates to a system for a combat game, the system comprising a drone (1) comprising a weapon (3), and at least one opponent drone (2) comprising an opponent weapon (4), wherein the drones are equipped with radio control means, signal transmitters, signal receivers and cameras.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Inventors: György Kovács, György Kovács, Jr., Kinga Kovács
  • Patent number: 12046050
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to accurately distinguishing a traffic light from other illuminated objects in the traffic scene and detecting states using hierarchical modeling. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting, using a machine learning (ML) model, two-dimensional (2D) coordinates of illuminated objects identified from a monocular image of a traffic scene for control adaptation by a control model. The method also includes assigning, using the ML model, computed probabilities to the illuminated objects for categories within a hierarchical ontology of environmental lights associated with the traffic scene, wherein one of the probabilities indicates existence of a traffic light instead of a brake light in the traffic scene. The method also includes executing a task by the control model for a vehicle according to the 2D coordinates and the computed probabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Kun-Hsin Chen, Kuan-Hui Lee, Chao Fang, Charles Christopher Ochoa
  • Patent number: 12030493
    Abstract: An automatic cruise control system for controlling at least a powertrain of a vehicle, the cruise control system being configured to automatically control a vehicle speed to a target speed determined based on a set speed and on information relating to a road topography along an expected travelling route of the vehicle. The automatic cruise control system is configured to: while automatically controlling the vehicle speed to the target speed, receive an indication that a slippery road condition applies or is expected to apply, in response to receiving said indication, activate a predefined slippery road condition driving mode in which predetermined restrictions apply, said restrictions relating to at least one of the vehicle speed, an allowable vehicle acceleration, and a gear selection of the powertrain, control at least the powertrain in accordance with the slippery road condition driving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventor: Anders Eriksson
  • Patent number: 12024207
    Abstract: While an autonomous mode is activated, a vehicle is operated based on operating parameters for the autonomous mode. The operating parameters include at least one of a vehicle speed or a following distance. Upon detecting a user input to control vehicle operation, vehicle operation is transitioned to a nonautonomous mode, and a count of a number of received user inputs to control vehicle operation is incremented. Upon determining that the count of received of user inputs to control vehicle operation is greater than a threshold, the operating parameters for the autonomous mode are updated. Then, upon determining to transition from the nonautonomous mode to the autonomous mode, the vehicle is operated based on the updated operating parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Luke Niewiadomski, Austin Moore, Gangarjun Veeramurthy
  • Patent number: 12012103
    Abstract: A vehicle control method executed by a processor for controlling a subject vehicle includes: acquiring, from a sensor for detecting a state of surroundings of the subject vehicle, detection data of another vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane adjacent to a travel lane in which the subject vehicle is traveling, and setting, on the adjacent lane, a target point for the subject vehicle to change a lane from the travel lane to the adjacent lane based on a position relationship between the subject vehicle and the other vehicle, specifying the other vehicle that is located behind the target point as a rear vehicle, and starting blinking of the direction indicator of the subject vehicle when a rear end of the subject vehicle is located ahead of the front end of the rear vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Ito, Katsuhiko Degawa, Takahiro Nojiri, Tatsuya Shino, Shuhei Emoto, Shuko Ishimaru, Toshihiro Asai
  • Patent number: 12013465
    Abstract: An object-tracking method using a LiDAR sensor may include forming a first inclination using GPS altitude points of a vehicle driving region, detecting a driving lane using LiDAR points of a vehicle and determining a second inclination using the detected driving lane, rotating the GPS altitude points using the first inclination and the second inclination, obtaining a third inclination using a target point and a neighboring point, among the LiDAR points, the neighboring point belonging to a previous layer adjacent to a current layer to which the target point belongs, obtaining a fourth inclination using points that match the LiDAR points, among the rotated GPS altitude points, and determining the target point to be a ground point when the absolute value of the difference between the third inclination and the fourth inclination is less than a threshold inclination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Soo Kyung Ryu, Yoon Ho Jang
  • Patent number: 11964676
    Abstract: A control command is provided to a vehicle control module that identifies one or more vehicle actions to be performed by the vehicle control module to control a position of an autonomous vehicle (AV) with respect to an external environment. Whether one or more conditions pertaining to the position of the AV with respect to the external environment are satisfied is determined. Responsive to determining that the one or more conditions pertaining to the position of the AV with respect to the external environment are satisfied, a first instruction is provide to the vehicle control module that permits the vehicle control module to deviate from the one or more vehicle actions identified in the control command and to perform an energy saving action with respect to the AV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: David Smith, Christopher Bowen
  • Patent number: 11964656
    Abstract: A travel control device assists automatic traveling of a vehicle by controlling a target vehicle speed, which is a target value of an actual vehicle speed, when making the vehicle travel to a target point. The travel control device includes a setting unit for executing a setting process for setting the course of the target vehicle speed until the vehicle reaches the target point, based on the actual vehicle speed and the target point. If a request to change the vehicle speed occurs during execution of the automatic traveling and the actual vehicle speed is changed based on the request, the setting unit executes a resetting process for resetting the course of the target vehicle speed, based on the actual vehicle speed when the request is canceled and a remaining distance from a position of the vehicle when the request is canceled to the target point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takuya Yasui
  • Patent number: 11961402
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method, computer system, and computer program product for using mobile devices for anomaly detection in a vehicle. The present invention may include a computer receives sensor data from at least one mobile device associated with the vehicle, where the mobile device having one or more sensors. The computer analyzes data from the one or more sensors to identify an anomaly associated with the vehicle. The computer identifies a message associated with the anomaly. The computer determines an urgency value of the message based on the anomaly. The computer transfers the message with the urgency value to the vehicle and causes the vehicle to notify the message using a vehicle notification device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Pradeep Venkata Sudindra Pusuluri, Sri Harsha Varada, Venkata Vara Prasad Karri, Nagaraju Ampavalli
  • Patent number: 11945454
    Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamically limiting the road speed of a vehicle are provided herein. The method includes limiting the speed of the vehicle to a predetermined first speed under normal operating conditions. The method further includes selectively engaging an override condition for an activation interval responsive to an operator generated input. The override condition may be limited to a determined number of times in an activation assessment interval. During an activation interval of the override condition, the vehicle can exceed the predetermined first speed by a specified offset that defines a second speed greater than the first speed. The activation interval may be a period of time or a distance. The override condition is not available when the number of activations in the activation assessment interval exceeds a threshold value. The activation assessment interval may be defined by a period of time, a distance, an event or action, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: PACCAR Inc
    Inventor: Leslie Lee Darrah, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11946948
    Abstract: An automotive system providing method for detecting a road in an abnormal state based on a measured value of an acceleration sensor mounted on a vehicle includes an acceleration sensor measuring a value of gravity acceleration acting on a vehicle; a position measuring sensor measuring a position of the vehicle; a memory in which the measured value of the gravity acceleration and the position of the vehicle at a time point at which the gravity acceleration is measured are stored; and a controller electrically connected to the acceleration sensor, the position measuring sensor and the memory and configured for determining a road corresponding to the position where the value of the gravity acceleration is measured as being in an abnormal condition when the controller concludes that a difference value between the value of the gravity acceleration measured during operation of the vehicle and a reference acceleration value added to the value of the gravity acceleration to correct the value of the gravity accelerati
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Minwoo Lee, Kyowoong Choo
  • Patent number: 11938934
    Abstract: A cruise control system for a motor vehicle. The system includes a setpoint value generator for generating a setpoint value determining the vehicle speed, and an actuating device that controls the speed of the vehicle to a setpoint speed through intervention into the drive and/or braking system. The system automatically adapts the setpoint speed to a predicted roadway curvature. The setpoint value generator includes at least two modules working independently from one another, including a base module for generating a base setpoint value and a curve module for generating a curve setpoint value that represents a maximum speed at which a curve having a given curvature may be negotiated without exceeding a predefined limiting value for the lateral acceleration of the vehicle, and includes a fusion module that forms a final setpoint value for the actuating device from the base setpoint value and the curve setpoint value through minimum selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Axel Gruender, Simon Holeczek, Marco Desiderio
  • Patent number: 11932259
    Abstract: A vehicle control device has a processor that is configured to determine the level of active operation by the driver, to determine the relationship between the speed of the vehicle and a predetermined reference speed, and to generate a first driving plan whereby a first deceleration is used to decelerate the vehicle without activating the brake light, when it has been determined that the level of active operation by the driver is lower than the predetermined reference level and the speed of the vehicle is faster than the reference speed, and to generate a second driving plan whereby a second deceleration that is greater than the first deceleration is used to decelerate the vehicle when it has been determined that the level of active operation by the driver is lower than the predetermined reference level and the speed of the vehicle is equal to or below the reference speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jumpei Kiriki, Taiyo Uejima