Recent Patents in Signal Processing (July 2014) - Lidar based environment perception and modeling

For our July 2014 issue, we cover recent patents granted in the area of Lidar based environment perception and modeling. The section below covers patents granted recently for Lidar related signal processing methods focusing on road traffic safety, robotics, radio service availability assessment or image based positioning.

Number: 8,755,998
Title: Method for reducing the risk of a collision between a vehicle and a first external object
Inventors: M. Braennstroem, A. Backhouse, L. Hammarstrand and C. Applehult
Issued: June 17, 2014
Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (Gothenburg, SE)

Number: 8,755,997
Title: Laser ranging process for road and obstacle detection in navigating an autonomous vehicle
Inventors: K. W. Au and J. Schewe
Issued: June 17, 2014
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc. (Morristown, NJ)

Number: 8,755,982
Title: Distance controller with automatic stop function
Inventors: J. Heckel, T. Leineweber and S. Knoll
PCT Pub. Date: February 12, 2009
Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH (Stuttgart, DE)

Number: 8,755,660
Title: Method and apparatus for compensating for and using mode-profile distortions caused by bending optical fibers
Inventors: J.D. Minelly
Issued: June 17, 2014
Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Bethesda, MD)

Number: 8,755,606
Title: Systems and methods for efficient feature extraction accuracy using imperfect extractors
Inventors: J.H. Yates, M. Rahmes, M. McGonagle and T.B. Faulkner
Issued: June 17, 2014
Assignee: Harris Corporation (Melbourne, FL)

Number: 8,755,566
Title: Methods for assessing line of sight radio service availability and reception characteristics
Inventors: E.J. McLaughlin, A. Pate, R.J. Spanbauer and M. Gaudino
Issued: June 17, 2014
Assignee: CSC Holdings, LLC (Bethpage, NY)

Number: 8,754,805
Title: Method and apparatus for image-based positioning
Inventors: S.B. Wang, H. Teng, O.P. Soubra, B.M. Scherzinger, P.G. France, J.M. Janky, G.C. Best
Issued: June 17, 2014
Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Sunnyvale, CA)

Number: 8,754,781
Title: Control method for a road toll system
Inventors: A. Leopold and O. Nagy
Issued: June 17, 2014
Assignee: Kapsch TrafficCom AG (AT)

Number: 8,754,760
Title: Methods and apparatuses for informing an occupant of a vehicle of surroundings of the vehicle
Inventors: T.H. Wallace
Issued: June 17, 2014
Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc. (Nashua, NH)

Number:  8,751,156
Title:  Method of operating a navigation system using images
Inventors:  A.M. Musabji, J. Borak, J.D. Lynch, N. Alwar and J.D. Shutter
Issued: June 10, 2014
Assignee: HERE North America LLC (Chicago, IL)

If you have an interesting patent to share when we next feature patents related to Lidar measurement processing, or if you are especially interested in a signal processing research field that you would want to be highlighted in this section, please send email to Csaba Benedek (benedek.csaba AT sztaki DOT mta DOT hu).