Patents Examined by Christine Behncke
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Patent number: 8467922Abstract: A control device of an inverted pendulum type vehicle comprising: a drive unit driving a vehicle movable on a floor surface in all directions comprising a first direction and a second direction, the first direction being orthogonal to the second direction; a base body comprising a payload supporting part receiving a load of the drive unit and a passenger; and a control unit controlling the drive unit so that an inverted pendulum control is performed with respect to a vehicle system center-of-gravity point, wherein the inverted pendulum type vehicle comprises a periodic moving unit being comprised in the base body and receiving a predetermined periodic movement by the passenger, and a periodic detector detecting a period of the periodic moving unit; and the control unit controls the drive unit according to the period of the periodic moving unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2010Date of Patent: June 18, 2013Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventor: Toru Takenaka
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Patent number: 8467904Abstract: A control system and method generate joint variables for motion or posing of a target system in response to observations of a source system. Constraints and balance control may be provided for more accurate representation of the motion or posing as replicated by the target system.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2006Date of Patent: June 18, 2013Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventor: Behzad Dariush
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Patent number: 8463438Abstract: A control system for a mobile robot (10) is provided to effectively cover a given area by operating in a plurality of modes, including an obstacle following mode (51) and a random bounce mode (49). In other embodiments, spot coverage, such as spiraling (45), or other modes are also used to increase effectiveness. In addition, a behavior based architecture is used to implement the control system, and various escape behaviors are used to ensure full coverage.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2009Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Joseph L. Jones, Philip R. Mass
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Patent number: 8463437Abstract: A robot that is capable of traveling while moving an object such that the object and the robot itself will not step out of a predetermined area is provided. If a traveling requirement that the robot and the object remain within a pathway area is not met, then an action scheme of the robot is corrected so as to meet the traveling requirement. Then, the robot travels while moving the object according to the corrected action scheme, thus enabling the robot to travel while moving the object such that both the object and the robot do not step out of the pathway area.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2008Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventor: Nobuyuki Ohno
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Patent number: 8463436Abstract: Provided is an apparatus, method, and medium for allowing a mobile robot to simultaneously perform a cleaning process and a map-creating process. The apparatus includes a feature-map-creating unit creating a feature map for recognizing the position of a mobile robot; a path-map-creating unit creating a path map including a plurality of cells, each having information about whether an obstacle exists and path information, on the basis of information on the pose of the mobile robot that is obtained from the feature map; and a motion-control unit moving the mobile robot on the basis of the information about whether the obstacle exists and the path information.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2008Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Woo-yeon Jeong, Su-Jin Lee, Hyeon Myeong, Seok-Won Bang
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Patent number: 8463471Abstract: A driving force controlling apparatus for a vehicle including an electric generator and a motor for driving a wheel other than a driving wheel, with electric power from the electric generator, includes a requested electric power computing means that computes requested electric power required for operation of the motor. Target output of the electric generator is set based on the requested electric power and maximum output that the electric generator can output stably. The driving force controlling apparatus for a vehicle including the motor for driving a wheel other than a driving wheel driven by an engine, with electric power from the electric generator, enables the electric generator to stably output electric power.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2008Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso CorporationInventors: Koji Murakami, Hiroshi Sato, Sachio Toyora, Makoto Taniguchi, Masakazu Tago
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Patent number: 8417395Abstract: The present invention relates to a missile or aircraft with a hierarchical, modular, closed-loop flow control system and more particularly to aircraft or missile with a flow control system for enhanced aerodynamic control, maneuverability and stabilization. The present invention further relates to a method of operating the flow control system. Various embodiments of the flow control system of the present invention involve different elements including flow sensors, active flow control device or activatable flow effectors and logic devices with closed loop control architecture. The sensors of these various embodiments are used to estimate or determine flow conditions on the various surfaces of a missile or aircraft.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2003Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Orbitol Research Inc.Inventors: Troy Prince, Richard Kolacinski, Mehul Patel
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Patent number: 8412429Abstract: A vehicle 1 has a torque coupling 8, which is located in a driving power transmission system for transmitting the torque of an engine 2 to front and rear wheels 13f, 13r. The torque coupling 8 changes the torque distribution by adjusting the frictional engaging force of an electromagnetic clutch 16. The vehicle 1 also has a 4WD ECU 21 (CPU), which controls the operation of the torque coupling 8 based on the driving state. The 4WD ECU 21 (CPU) estimates a transfer case oil temperature Tptu. When the transfer case oil temperature Tptu is higher than or equal to a first predetermined transfer case oil temperature KTptu1, the 4WD ECU 21 executes overheat prevention control.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2009Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: JTEKT CorporationInventors: Masaki Mita, Ryohei Shigeta, Tomoaki Kato
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Patent number: 8401778Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and a method for displaying an accumulative fuel economic driving area of a vehicle. A system according to an embodiment includes a vehicle information unit that collects vehicle information and a controller that calculates a fuel economic driving area by using the vehicle information, and calculates an accumulative fuel economic driving area by accumulating respective lighting times of respective zones of the fuel economic driving area and calculating respective accumulation ratios of the respective zones. The system provides the driver with information for fuel economic driving.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2009Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventor: Young Jin Lee
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Patent number: 8396592Abstract: A control system for a mobile robot (10) is provided to effectively cover a given area by operating in a plurality of modes, including an obstacle following mode (51) and a random bounce mode (49). In other embodiments, spot coverage, such as spiraling (45), or other modes are also used to increase effectiveness. In addition, a behavior based architecture is used to implement the control system, and various escape behaviors are used to ensure full coverage.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2007Date of Patent: March 12, 2013Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Joseph L. Jones, Philip R. Mass
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Patent number: 8386176Abstract: A system and the like capable of reporting a position of a vehicle to outside at an appropriate frequency, while saving communication cost is provided. According to a vehicle position transmission system 10 of the present invention, after an IGN switch 101 of a vehicle 1 is switched from ON to OFF, the vehicle position transmission system 10 is transited from an operating state to a stand-by state. Then, in the case where a transition requirement of the vehicle position transmission system 10 to a sleeping state is satisfied, a wireless communication equipment 14 transmits a position signal to a vehicle management center 2, and thereafter a vehicle position transmission system 10 is transited to the sleeping state.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2009Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventor: Nobuaki Asahara
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Patent number: 8380373Abstract: A system and method for controlling the movement of plural trains over a rail network, where the rail network is divided into at least one control area with a dispatcher assigned to manage the movement of trains in a control area by predicting the occurrence of events along the network based on the movement plan and prompting the dispatcher to provide information or take specified actions relating to the predicted events.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2008Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Paul M. Julich, Mitchell Scott Wills, Joanne Maceo, Joseph Wesley Philp, Brian Smith, Christopher P. Roney
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Patent number: 8369989Abstract: A robot with an automatic charging function, comprising: a body, an arm mechanism rotatably connected to the body, a head mechanism and a driver rotatably connected to the arm mechanism; wherein a receiving space is formed in the body for receiving the arm mechanism; the head mechanism comprises two conduction terminals for receiving power from power outlets of a charging station; when power of the robot is lower than a preset level, the driver is configured to drive the arm mechanism to rotate out of the receiving space of the body, simultaneously, the driver is configured to drive the head mechanism to rotate relatively to the arm mechanism till the two conduction terminals of the head mechanism are electronically connected to the power outlets of the charge station, thereby receiving power from the charge station.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2009Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kim-Yeung Sip
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Patent number: 8359138Abstract: A method and system for assisting the steering of steered wheels of a vehicle, in which a phase lead is applied between a steering wheel and a steering rack element to reduce response time of the vehicle to an action performed by the driver on the steering wheel.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2005Date of Patent: January 22, 2013Assignee: Renault S.A.S.Inventors: Olivier Fauqueux, Jannick Auvinet
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Patent number: 8355855Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for controlling an integrated drive train. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method for controlling a gas turbine drive train includes measuring speed associated with the drive train, controlling fuel flow to a gas turbine based at least in part on a speed command and the measured speed, controlling one or more guide vanes associated with a torque converter based at least in part on the speed command and an expected power output of the torque converter, and selectively coordinating respective torque contributions from the torque converter and the gas turbine.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2010Date of Patent: January 15, 2013Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Karl Dean Minto, Justin Aaron Allen
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Patent number: 8352182Abstract: A map data processor includes: a road map database storing a road map data having a link data with setting information of the link and road network information with connection information between links; a communication element obtaining a new link data with connection object setting information of a connection object link and coordinate information of one end of the new link from an external device; and a controller. The controller extracts a link data of a link in a predetermined geographical area with a center of the one end of the new link. The controller determines that the new link is connected to an extracted link when the connection object setting information matches the setting information of the extracted link data. The controller registers the new link data and connection information between the new link and the connection object link in the road map data.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2009Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Osamu Kanematsu, Takeshi Shikimachi
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Patent number: 8340878Abstract: When an upshift is performed while a traveling condition of a vehicle corresponds to a driving condition or a downshift is performed while the traveling condition of the vehicle corresponds to a coasting condition, a second target slip amount is set as a target slip amount for a period extending from the start of gear ratio variation following issuance of a gear position change start command to completion of the gear ratio change, and when a downshift is performed in the driving condition or an upshift is performed in the coasting condition, a first target slip amount is set as the target slip amount for a period extending from issuance of the shift command to completion of the shift.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2009Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: Jatco LtdInventors: Tomoko Oue, Morimasa Yamawaki, Kouichi Sawano
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Patent number: 8340908Abstract: A tracking device may be used to detect a position or movement of an object. The tracking device may include a housing that supports an emitter. The emitter may transmit a first signal. A measurement device within the housing may measure rotational movement of an object. Circuitry may receive a second signal in response to the first signal. The circuitry may reset an angle value to a predetermined value based on the second signal. The angle value may be determined by a measurement of the rotational movement of the object.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2008Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventors: Wolfgang Hess, Tobias Münch, Hans-Jürgen Nitzpon
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Patent number: 8306684Abstract: An autonomous moving apparatus arranged to travel autonomously in a surrounding environment preferably includes: a distance measuring sensor arranged to output detection waves, detect a distance between the apparatus and an object which has reflected the detection wave based on a reflection state of the detection wave, and acquire information about the distance between the apparatus and the object which exists in the surroundings of the apparatus; an inclination sensor arranged to detect an inclination of the distance measuring sensor; and a control unit arranged to estimate the self-position in the surrounding environment and generate the global map of the surrounding environment based on the distance information. When the distance measuring sensor is determined to be inclined based on a detection result of the inclination sensor, the control unit stops estimating the self-position based on the distance information and stops generating the global map based on the distance information.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2009Date of Patent: November 6, 2012Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.Inventor: Tsuyoshi Nakano
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Patent number: 8255112Abstract: Remotely performed maintenance of a transportation unit such as an aircraft is disclosed, wherein the maintenance is performed utilizing a networked environment. In one implementation, a first network, located within the mobile transportation unit, is accessed from a second network, located externally to the mobile transportation unit. Having remotely assessed the first network, communication with one or more assets of the mobile transportation unit, which are connected to the first network, is possible. Maintenance operations are then performed by exchanging data and commands with the assets of the mobile transportation unit.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2006Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Keith D. Conzachi, James Farricker, Todd W. Gould, Garry Herzberg, Travis S. Reid, George F. Wilber