公开(公告)号：US08948969B2

公开(公告)日：2015-02-03

申请号：US14475405

申请日：2014-09-02

Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC

Inventor： Davor Hrovat ,  Dimitar Petrov Filev ,  Jianbo Lu

IPC: B60G17/016 ,  B60G23/00 ,  B60G17/0195 ,  B60W10/06 ,  B60W10/22 ,  B60W30/192

CPC classification number: B60G17/0195 ,  B60G17/0164 ,  B60G2300/60 ,  B60G2800/014 ,  B60W10/06 ,  B60W10/22 ,  B60W30/143 ,  B60W30/192 ,  B60W2550/14 ,  B60W2550/141 ,  B60W2550/142 ,  Y02T10/52

Abstract: A method is described comprising modulating vehicle speed about a target speed by operating a vehicle with an engine at high output and then operating the vehicle with the engine off, and adjusting operation of a suspension system based on the vehicle operation with the engine at high output and the engine off to control vehicle pitch during the modulating of vehicle speed about the target speed.

Abstract translation: 描述了一种方法，其包括通过以高输出运行具有发动机的车辆来调节车辆速度关于目标速度，然后在发动机关闭的情况下操作车辆，并且基于车辆操作来调整具有高输出功率的发动机的悬架系统的操作 并且在关于目标速度的车速调节期间关闭发动机以控制车辆俯仰。

公开(公告)号：US11752631B2

公开(公告)日：2023-09-12

申请号：US17171066

申请日：2021-02-09

Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC

Inventor： Smruti Panigrahi ,  Pavithra Madhavan ,  Justin Miller ,  Timothy Feldkamp ,  Sanghyun Hong ,  Kevin Hwang ,  Kurt Lundeen ,  Jianbo Lu

IPC: B25J9/16 ,  B25J9/08 ,  B60S5/04 ,  B25J13/08 ,  B25J11/00 ,  B25J13/00

CPC classification number: B25J9/1679 ,  B25J9/08 ,  B25J9/1664 ,  B25J9/1697 ,  B25J11/0085 ,  B25J13/006 ,  B25J13/088 ,  B60S5/04

Abstract: Systems and methods for fleet inspection and maintenance using a robot are provided. The robot may detect a maintenance issue of a vehicle of a fleet of vehicles via one or more sensors, generate a navigation route to a position proximal to the maintenance issue of the vehicle, traverse along the navigation route to the position, and execute a maintenance to rectify the maintenance issue of the vehicle. The robot may include a mobile base removably coupled to a modular platform for performing a maintenance task.

公开(公告)号：US11724641B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-15

申请号：US17159043

申请日：2021-01-26

Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC

Inventor： Timothy Mark Feldkamp ,  Jianbo Lu ,  Adam Wint ,  Kurt Michael Lundeen ,  Justin Miller ,  Smruti Panigrahi ,  Sanghyun Hong ,  Pavithra Madhavan ,  Kevin Hwang

IPC: B60Q1/24 ,  B60W50/14 ,  B60W40/08 ,  G06Q10/0833

CPC classification number: B60Q1/247 ,  B60W40/08 ,  B60W50/14 ,  B60Q2400/40 ,  B60Q2400/50 ,  B60W2050/143 ,  B60W2420/42 ,  B60W2420/52 ,  B60W2420/54 ,  G06Q10/0833

Abstract: Systems and methods for administering a hazard condition warning during a package delivery operation are provided. The system includes one or more sensors, e.g., radar sensors or cameras, configured to detect a hazard condition in a vicinity of a delivery vehicle and to generate data indicative of the hazard condition. The system further includes an operator sensor configured to detect a location of an operator relative to the delivery vehicle and one or more indicators, e.g., lights, a mobile application installed on a mobile phone, or an HMI of the vehicle, configured to generate an alert corresponding to the hazard condition. A processor of the system may determine whether the hazard condition is present based on the data indicative of the hazard condition, and cause, based on a presence of the hazard condition and the detected location of the operator, the one or more indicators to generate the alert.

公开(公告)号：US20230058639A1

公开(公告)日：2023-02-23

申请号：US17407458

申请日：2021-08-20

Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC

Inventor： Justin Miller ,  Pavithra Madhavan ,  Sanghyun Hong ,  Jianbo Lu

IPC: G06Q10/08 ,  G06Q50/30 ,  G05D1/02

Abstract: This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for generating a last mile travel route for a delivery robot. In an example embodiment, an individual captures an image of a frontage of a property. The image may include a package drop-off spot where a package can be dropped off by the delivery robot. The individual may also insert labels and/or illustrations into the image for conveying information such as object descriptors (front door, drop-of spot etc.), traversable areas (driveway, walkway, etc.), and non-traversable areas (lawn, flower bed, etc.). The image is converted by a computer into a travel map that the delivery robot can use to identify a travel, route through the frontage area of the property. The travel map may be provided in various forms such as a semantic map of the frontage area or a bird's eye view rendering of the frontage area.

公开(公告)号：US20220364876A1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-17

申请号：US17320137

申请日：2021-05-13

Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC

Inventor： Justin Miller ,  Pavithra Madhavan ,  Sanghyun Hong ,  Jianbo Lu

IPC: G01C21/36 ,  G06Q10/08 ,  G05D1/02 ,  G06K7/14

Abstract: This disclosure is generally directed to generating travel route information that is interpretable by a delivery robot for traversing a last mile of a delivery. In an example embodiment, an individual captures a video clip while moving along a travel route that is preferred by the individual for use by the delivery robot. The video clip is converted into a digital route map that the delivery robot uses to reach a package drop-off location on the property. In another example embodiment, an individual captures an image of a portion of the property and appends oral instructions to reach the package drop-off location. The image and the oral instructions are converted into a digital route map for use by the delivery robot. In yet another example embodiment, markers affixed to a surface of a traversable area on the property are used by the delivery robot to reach the package drop-off location.

公开(公告)号：US20220363273A1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-17

申请号：US17320134

申请日：2021-05-13

Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC

Inventor： Sanghyun Hong ,  Jianbo Lu

IPC: B60W50/00 ,  G05D1/02 ,  B66F9/06 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G05B13/04 ,  G05B11/36

Abstract: Scenario discriminative hybrid motion control for robots and methods of use are disclosed herein. A method may include determining a number of objects in a space, determining when a goal is within the space, and selectively switching between a plurality of control schemes based on the number of objects in the space and whether the goal is within the space. The plurality of control schemes including a model predictive control scheme, a simplified model predictive control scheme, and a proportional-integral-derivative scheme. Selectively switching between the plurality of control schemes reduces power consumption of an automated system compared to when the automated system utilizes only the model predictive control scheme.

公开(公告)号：US20220234604A1

公开(公告)日：2022-07-28

申请号：US17159043

申请日：2021-01-26

Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC

Inventor： Timothy Mark Feldkamp ,  Jianbo Lu ,  Adam Wint ,  Kurt Michael Lundeen ,  Justin Miller ,  Smruti Panigrahi ,  Sanghyun Hong ,  Pavithra Madhavan ,  Kevin Hwang

IPC: B60W50/14 ,  G06Q10/08

Abstract: Systems and methods for administering a hazard condition warning during a package delivery operation are provided. The system may include one or more sensors, e.g., radar sensors, ultrasonic sensors, or cameras, configured to detect a hazard condition in a vicinity of a delivery vehicle and to generate data indicative of the hazard condition. The system further includes an operator sensor configured to detect a location of an operator of the delivery vehicle relative to the delivery vehicle, and one or more indicators, e.g., lights, a mobile application installed on a mobile phone, or an HMI of the vehicle, configured to generate an alert corresponding to the hazard condition. A processor of the system may determine whether the hazard condition is present based on the data indicative of the hazard condition from the one or more sensors, and cause, based on a presence of the hazard condition and the detected location of the operator relative to the delivery vehicle, the one or more indicators to generate the alert.

公开(公告)号：US20220113745A1

公开(公告)日：2022-04-14

申请号：US17066943

申请日：2020-10-09

Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC

Inventor： Smruti Panigrahi ,  Justin Miller, JR. ,  Timothy Mark Feldkamp ,  Jianbo Lu

IPC: G05D1/12 ,  G06T7/11 ,  G06T7/136 ,  G06K9/00 ,  G05D1/02 ,  G05D1/00 ,  B60Q1/02 ,  G01C21/20

Abstract: A nighttime delivery system is configured to provide delivery of packages during night hours, in low or no-light conditions using a multi-mode autonomous and remotely controllable delivery robot. The system involves the use of a baseline lighting system onboard the robot chassis, with variable light intensity from single flash and floodlighting, to thermal imaging using infrared cameras. The lighting system changes according to various environmental factors, and may utilize multi-mode lighting techniques to capture single-shot images with a flash light source to aid in the robot's perception when the vehicle is unable to navigate using infrared (IR) images.

公开(公告)号：US20220111859A1

公开(公告)日：2022-04-14

申请号：US17068151

申请日：2020-10-12

Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC

Inventor： Jianbo Lu ,  Timothy Mark Feldkamp ,  Sanghyun Hong ,  Ling Zhu ,  Mitch McConnell

IPC: B60W60/00 ,  G01C21/36 ,  B60W30/095 ,  G08G1/16 ,  G01C21/34 ,  G06N3/04 ,  G06N3/08 ,  G06K9/00

Abstract: A system comprises a computer including a processor and a memory. The memory storing instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to determine a perception zone of interest, via a trained perception model, based on at least one of a vehicle parameter or planning data, wherein the vehicle parameter comprises at least one of a vehicle direction or a vehicle speed and the planning data comprises a route and trajectory to be traversed by the vehicle; determine a vehicle route and trajectory based on a subset of sensor data, wherein the subset of sensor data corresponds to the perception zone of interest; and operate the vehicle to traverse the vehicle route and trajectory.

公开(公告)号：US11099580B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-24

申请号：US16267239

申请日：2019-02-04

Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC

Inventor： Jianbo Lu ,  Justin Miller ,  Sanghyun Hong

IPC: G05D1/02 ,  G06Q10/06 ,  G05D1/00 ,  G06Q10/08

Abstract: This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for using an autonomous vehicle to provide navigation assistance to a delivery robot. In one exemplary implementation, the delivery robot is transported by the autonomous vehicle to a delivery destination such as a residence or a workplace. The delivery robot disembarks at the delivery destination for delivering a package to a recipient at the residence or workplace. A computer system in the autonomous vehicle communicates with a navigation assistance system of the autonomous vehicle to obtain information pertaining to a terrain between the autonomous vehicle and a package drop-off spot at the residence or workplace, and uses the information to generate a route map of the terrain. The autonomous vehicle may transmit the route map and/or navigation instructions derived from the route map, to the delivery robot to assist the delivery robot navigate around obstacles and reach the package drop-off spot.