How Autonomous Cars Process Sensor Data for Driving
Intel's 2020 patent describes a system for autonomous vehicles that cleans and standardizes data from various sensors before using it to perceive the environment and make driving decisions.
Original patent title: “Autonomous vehicle system”
Intel's 2020 patent describes a system for autonomous vehicles that cleans and standardizes data from various sensors before using it to perceive the environment and make driving decisions. Owned by Intel with 31 claims and 72 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2040.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent details an apparatus, likely a computer system within an autonomous vehicle, designed to handle the raw information gathered by the car's sensors, like cameras and lidar. The system first receives this 'sensor data' through an interface. Then, its 'processing circuitry' (the car's computer brain) applies an 'abstraction process' to this data. This process involves cleaning up the data by normalizing its values, correcting distortions through warping, or removing noise via filtering. The goal is to create 'abstracted scene data' that is reliable and consistent. This cleaned-up data is then used in the 'perception phase' of the car's control system, helping it understand what's around it, like other cars, pedestrians, and road signs, to make safe driving decisions.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover the specific hardware components of the sensors themselves.
- Does not cover the final decision-making or actuation (steering, braking) of the autonomous vehicle, only the data processing leading up to it.
- Does not cover systems that do not abstractabstractA short summary at the front of the patent describing the invention. Not legally binding.Read more → sensor data before the perception phase.
- Does not cover methods of abstracting sensor data that do not involve normalization, warping, or filtering.
- Does not cover sensor data from non-autonomous vehicles.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in creating a standardized 'sensor abstraction process' that can handle data from different types of sensors (like cameras and lidar) and even multiple sensors of the same type. This abstraction layer ensures that the perception system receives consistent, high-quality data, regardless of the original sensor's quirks or environmental conditions.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Autonomous vehicle sensor data processing systems
Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS)
Self-driving car perception modules
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent is significant because it addresses a fundamental challenge in autonomous driving: making sense of diverse and potentially noisy data from multiple sensors. Standardizing and cleaning this data is crucial for reliable perception, which underpins the safety and functionality of self-driving cars. It represents Intel's effort to provide foundational technology for the burgeoning autonomous vehicle industry.
Filed
March 27, 2020
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Intel, the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is a major player in providing computing hardware and platforms for autonomous vehicles. Companies developing autonomous driving software and integrated systems, including major automakers and specialized tech firms, would likely build upon or licenselicensePermission from the patent owner to make, use, or sell the invention — usually in exchange for payment. Doesn't transfer ownership.Read more → such foundational sensor processing technologies.
Market impact
This patent, filed by Intel, contributes to the development of standardized architectures for autonomous vehicle perception systems. It aims to provide a robust framework for sensor data fusion and processing, which is essential for the widespread adoption and commercialization of self-driving technology across the automotive industry.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent details an apparatus, likely a computer system within an autonomous vehicle, designed to handle the raw information gathered by the car's sensors, like cameras and lidar. The system first receives this 'sensor data' through an interface. Then, its 'processing circuitry' (the car's computer brain) applies an 'abstraction process' to this data. This process involves cleaning up the data by normalizing its values, correcting distortions through warping, or removing noise via filtering. The goal is to create 'abstracted scene data' that is reliable and consistent. This cleaned-up data is then used in the 'perception phase' of the car's control system, helping it understand what's around it, like other cars, pedestrians, and road signs, to make safe driving decisions.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in creating a standardized 'sensor abstraction process' that can handle data from different types of sensors (like cameras and lidar) and even multiple sensors of the same type. This abstraction layer ensures that the perception system receives consistent, high-quality data, regardless of the original sensor's quirks or environmental conditions.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover the specific hardware components of the sensors themselves.
- Does not cover the final decision-making or actuation (steering, braking) of the autonomous vehicle, only the data processing leading up to it.
- Does not cover systems that do not abstract sensor data before the perception phase.
- Does not cover methods of abstracting sensor data that do not involve normalization, warping, or filtering.
- Does not cover sensor data from non-autonomous vehicles.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
37/40
Highly cited
Claim breadth
20/20
Very broad protection
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$311K – $995K
Midpoint $622K · 13.8 yr remaining · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
31 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Kutty, J. S. S., Kavulya, S. P., Moustafa, H., Agrawal, P., Robb, P. A., Beek, P. J. V., Chen, L., Zage, D. J., Iyer, D., Jaber, S., Hazrati, M. K., Ota, J. M., Eltabakh, M., Wouhaybi, R. H., Moustafa, I. S., Salvi, D. D., Martinez-Canales, M. L., Aerrabotu, N., Kaschub, C. E., & Adenwala, F. S. How Autonomous Cars Process Sensor Data for Driving (U.S. Patent No. 20,220,161,815). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20220161815/autonomous-vehicle-system
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Autonomous Cars Process Sensor Data for Driving cover?
Intel's 2020 patent describes a system for autonomous vehicles that cleans and standardizes data from various sensors before using it to perceive the environment and make driving decisions.
Who owns patent US 20220161815?
This patent is owned by Intel.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on March 27, 2040, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 20220161815 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 72 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent is significant because it addresses a fundamental challenge in autonomous driving: making sense of diverse and potentially noisy data from multiple sensors. Standardizing and cleaning this data is crucial for reliable perception, which underpins the safety and functionality of self-driving cars. It represents Intel's effort to provide foundational technology for the burgeoning autonomous vehicle industry.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover the specific hardware components of the sensors themselves.
Patent monitoring