Apple Inc.

Other

Uatc, LLC

Randol W Aikin

Malcolm J Northcott

Matthew Emanuel Last

Daniel E Potter

Thaddeus Stefanov-Wagner

Brian M Neil

Eyal Cohen

Kenneth James Jensen

Mark Calleija

Filip Ilievski

Stephen Paul Zadesky

Donald Joseph Novotney

John J Baker

Christy Fernandez Cull

Kshitiz Garg

YoungWoo Seo

Kathryn C Zhou

A retroreflector system including an outer body panel coupled to a vehicle, wherein the outer body panel is configured to allow a radar signal originating from an external radar device to pass through the outer body panel. The retroreflector system also includes a plurality of retroreflectors embedded in the vehicle, where the plurality of retroreflectors is configured to reflect the signal to the external signal source as a reflected signal, and where the plurality of retroreflectors is configured to have a peak reflectivity for a radar wavelength range or a light detection and ranging (lidar) wavelength range.

Retroreflectors

A motion control system is coupled to a first mass and a second mass and is configured to regulate motion of the first mass with respect to the second mass. The motion control system is configured to increase a contact area between the second mass and a surface on which the second mass rests by increasing a displacement of the motion control system from a neutral position in a direction toward the first mass.

Motion control system

Vehicles according to at least some embodiments of the disclosure include a sensor, and a computing device comprising at least one hardware processing unit. The computing device is programmed to perform operations comprising capturing an image with the sensor, identifying an object in the image, and in response to an accuracy of the identification meeting a first criterion, pre-loading a braking system of the autonomous vehicle. In some aspects, the computing device may predict that an object not currently within a path of the vehicle has a probability of entering the path of the vehicle that meets a second criterion. When the probability of entering the path meets the second criterion, some of the disclosed embodiments may pre-load the braking system.

Brake preload system for autonomous vehicles

Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems and methods for surface monitoring. In one implementation, a target surface ahead of a vehicle is illuminated with light emitted from at least one light source. Image data of the target surface is captured from returns collected by at least one imager. At least one surface property of the target surface is measured using the image data. A set of friction metrics is generated from the at least one surface property. An estimated coefficient of friction for the target surface is determined from the set of friction metrics.

Systems and methods for surface monitoring

Some embodiments provide a fully-actuated suspension system which can provide adjustable displacement of a sprung mass from a neutral suspension position over an unsprung mass. The system includes a variable pressure air spring which can adjust the neutral suspension position and execute low-frequency displacements and a hydraulically-driven piston which can execute high-frequency displacements. The system can communicate information to a driver, via haptic feedback provided via actuator displacements, which can augment the driver's situational awareness. The system can provide augmented vehicle braking via displacing the unsprung mass of the vehicle towards the surface upon which the vehicle rests to increase the normal force and contact area of the unsprung mass on the surface, unload torsion of the wheel induced by applied braking pressure to the wheel, etc. The system can compensate for vehicle oscillations at frequencies below the primary ride frequency, thereby mitigating the risk of occupant motion sickness.

Fully-actuated suspension system

A vehicle configured to be autonomously navigated in a peloton along a roadway, wherein the peloton comprises at least the vehicle at least one additional vehicle, is configured to determine a position of the vehicle in the peloton which reduces differences in relative driving ranges among the vehicles included in the peloton. The vehicles can dynamically adjust peloton positions while navigating to reduce driving range differences among the vehicles. The vehicle can include a power management system which enables the vehicle to be electrically coupled to a battery included in another vehicle in the peloton, so that driving range differences between the vehicles can be reduced via load sharing via the electrical connection. The vehicle can include a power connector arm which extends a power connector to couple with an interface of another vehicle.

Power connector assembly

A passive safety system includes a seat support structure, a seat that is connected to the seat support structure, a motion control device operable to control motion of the seat relative to the seat support structure, a sensor that provides an output signal, and a controller. The output signal is indicative of an imminent collision. The controller causes the motion control device to move the seat relative to the seat support structure in response to the output signal.

Passive safety system for occupant deceleration

Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems and methods for obtaining real-time road friction coefficient estimations. In one embodiment, a regression function is learned using a training data set which correlates input data measurements arriving from onboard system sensors and coefficient estimations arriving from an extension system. In another embodiment, the learned regression function can be retrieved to obtain real-time road friction coefficient estimations while the system is in motion.

System and method for road friction coefficient estimation

A seating system for a vehicle is disclosed. The seating system includes a support surface having a surface contour formed by first springs having fixed stiffness values, a frame, and second springs having adjustable stiffness values coupling the support surface and the frame. The first springs and the second springs together control motion of the support surface in relation to motion of the frame.

Motion control seating system

Peloton

A dynamic seating system includes one or more vehicle sensors that output information describing one or more operating characteristics of a vehicle; a calculation unit configured to determine a feedback level based on a degree of deviation of the one or more operating characteristics of the vehicle from a predetermined state; and a seating assembly configured to actuate based on the feedback level.

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Randol W Aikin