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The last 4 Project Titan patents for 2023 covered a 'Smart Table System' for autonomous vehicles, a Remote Control for Cars and more

1 cover table in Autonous Vehicle(Click on image to Enlarge)

In May of 2023, Patently Apple posted an IP report titled "Apple Invents a Large In-Vehicle Smart-Table with multiple Degrees of Freedom that could double as a Large Display and more." On December 28, 2023, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a second patent application from Apple relating to this future smart-table system. Three other Project Titan patents that are briefly covered in this report describe a remote control for driving an autonomous vehicle in a health emergency and two patents covering a sliding door system for autonomous vehicles.    

Support Surface System

Apple's patent application covers table systems for use in vehicle interiors that include a tabletop mounted to the vehicle within the vehicle interior and a fixture that may be positioned on the tabletop to secure an object to tabletop.

As an example, the table systems that are described may be of particular applicability to fully autonomous vehicles that do not require a human driver to be positioned near vehicle controls, thus facilitating various alternative passenger cabin configurations. For example, a passenger may be seated at a table during vehicle operation, rather than driving the vehicle. The passenger may utilize the tabletop to support objects, such as an iPhone or MacBook.

The table systems retain objects to the tabletop during a vehicle event. As framed, the term vehicle event refers to a collision, a crash, an evasive maneuver, or other circumstance that causes a sudden abnormal change in acceleration, speed, and/or direction of the vehicle. Detection of a vehicle event refers to detecting that a vehicle event has occurred or detecting that a vehicle event is predicted to occur (e.g., an imminent vehicle event). Retaining the objects to the tabletop prevents the objects from becoming dangerous projectiles within the vehicle during a vehicle event, which could collide with a passenger and result in bodily injury or death.

In some implementations of the table system, at least one of the first portions includes one of a magnet and a plate and the second portion includes the other one of the magnet and the plate, wherein the plate comprises a ferrous material that is magnetically attracted toward the magnet.

In some implementations of the table system, at least one of the first portions of the retention portion includes a first magnet having a first polarity and the second portion includes a second magnet having a second polarity that is opposite the first polarity such that the first magnet and the second magnet are magnetically attracted toward one another.

In some implementations of the table system, the table system further comprises a release portion coupled to the retention portion and arranged to alter the retention portion between the retained state and the unretained state.

In some implementations of the table system, the fixture comprises an elastomer that deforms around the object when the fixture contacts the object.

In some implementations of the table system, the release portion includes a button that extends from the exterior surface and includes the contact patch, with the button movable between a pressed position and a released position to permit selective movement of the fixture along the upper surface.

In Patent FIG. 1 below we see a tabletop #118 that  defines mounting locations spaced from one another. The table system #116 further includes a fixture #122 configured to secure an object #124 to an upper surface #126 of the tabletop. As such, the table system functions as a support surface system, with the tabletop configured as a support surface portion that supports an object which could be a personal computing devices, notepads, stationeries, writing instruments, food, beverages, containers, and utensils. Furthermore, multiple objects may be disposed on the tabletop.

The table system also includes a retention portion #128 having a first portion #130 defined by the tabletop at each of the mounting locations and a second portion #132 defined by the fixture, with the second portion arranged to couple with the first portion at any of the mounting locations. The retention portion alternates between a retained state, in which the first and second portions are coupled such that motion of the fixture is restrained, and an unretained state, in which the first and second portions are decoupled and the fixture is movable with respect to the tabletop. More specifically, the passenger #105 may move the fixture around the tabletop and selectively couple the fixture to the tabletop at any of the multiple mounting locations.

2 Project Titan  Table System patent figs for Autonomous Vehicle

As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B above, the mounting locations are uniformly spaced from one another in a grid along the upper surface of the tabletop. However, in other implementations the mounting locations may be disposed along a side surface and/or a bottom surface of the tabletop.

To review its full details, review patent application 20230415628. Other Project Titan related patents published in the last two weeks of December include the following:

20230417096: Systems With Closures

Patent Application Overview: A system may have a closure such as a door or window with an electrically controlled actuator. Sensor circuitry may gather user input. The sensor circuitry may include a force sensor, touch sensor, proximity sensor, and/or other sensors. Based on input from the sensor circuitry, a door may slide relative to a system body or may otherwise move relative to the body. The sensor may receive user input such as force input from a user's fingers. This allows the movement of the door to track user body part motions (e.g., body part gestures such as hand motions, finger and/or thumb motions, etc.). To open and close the door, a user may press against door edge sensors mounted to edges of the door. The door may then be moved in response to continued finger pressure as the user's hand moves with the door. Door motion may also be controlled by button press input, proximity sensor readings, capacitive touch sensor input and/or other input.

11851926 - Panel with pivoting and translational motion

Granted Patent Overview: The patent covers windows that are supported by a track assembly, and are configured to translate along the track assembly between the closed position and the open position. To allow complex movement of the window during movement between the closed position and the open position, the track assembly can be pivoted by a pivot assembly, which also causes the window to pivot. This complex motion allows an outer surface of the window to be positioned flush relative to surrounding surfaces of the vehicle body when the window is in the closed position.

11858459 - Authorized Remote Control 

Granted Patent Overview: Some embodiments provide a vehicle navigation system which can navigate a vehicle through an environment based on driving commands received from a remote control system based on manual operator interaction with an interface of the remote control system. Remote driving control can be engaged based on determination, via processing vehicle sensor data, of a health emergency associated with one or more occupants of the vehicle, and the remote control system can generate remote driving commands which cause the vehicle to be navigated to a particular location without requiring the occupant associated with the health emergency to manually navigate the vehicle. The remote control system can monitor the occupant via communicated vehicle sensor data and can control remote control devices included in the vehicle to provide external indication that the vehicle is being navigated according to remote driving control.

3 Apple patent figs  Project Titan - Authorized Remote Control for Autonomous Vechiles

10.52FX - Granted Patent Bar

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