Patents Examined by Edward J. Pipala
  • Patent number: 10606263
    Abstract: A handover notification arrangement is configured to provide a handover notification in a driver environment of a vehicle having autonomous driving capabilities. The handover notification arrangement includes a road information arrangement configured to acquire road information representative of an upcoming road section at which the autonomous driving is likely to become at least partially disabled. The handover notification arrangement further includes a processing unit configured to calculate an estimated time available for autonomous driving and configured to calculate an uncertainty estimate of the estimated time available for autonomous driving. The handover notification arrangement is configured to cause the output unit to provide the handover notification such that the handover notification is provided earlier in cases of high uncertainty estimates than in cases of low uncertainty estimates. The present disclosure also describes a vehicle and a method of providing a handover notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter Harda, Per Jessen, Joakim Christoffersson
  • Patent number: 10607489
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing probabilities of collisions between humans and automated machines operating within a workplace are disclosed. An apparatus includes a collision probability determiner to determine a first probability of collision between an automated machine and a wearable safety vest. The apparatus further includes a safety manager to determine whether the first probability of collision exceeds a probability of collision threshold. The apparatus further includes a control signal generator to generate a first control signal in response to the safety manager determining that the first probability of collision exceeds the probability of collision threshold. The first control signal is to be transmitted to the automated machine to adjust an operation of the automated machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Roland N. Freeman, Mark James Boyer, David Wayne Nelson, Robert John Rencher, Brandon Edward Wickline
  • Patent number: 10604153
    Abstract: A driving assist ECU calculates a speed deviation ?V which is a magnitude of a deviation between a target speed Vset and a speed limit Vlim in a situation in which the target speed Vset and the speed limit Vlim are different from each other. When the speed deviation ?V is equal to or smaller than a threshold A, the driving assist ECU sets an accept prohibition flag to “1”. When the speed deviation ?V is higher than the threshold A, the driving assist ECU sets the accept prohibition flag to “0”. When the accept prohibition flag is “1”, the driving assist ECU regards/treats a long-push operation of an operating unit not as an accept operation, but as an acceleration operation or a coast operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Inoguchi, Keiji Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10580224
    Abstract: A management system (1) includes: a battery information gathering unit (2) that gathers battery information (31), which is information relating to use histories of individual secondary batteries (10); a battery information database (3) that stores the battery information (31) gathered by the battery information gathering unit (2); and an order reception information gathering unit (4) that gathers order reception information (82), which is information relating to component replacement of a secondary battery. The battery information (31) of the secondary battery (10) specified in the order reception information (82) is extracted from the battery information (31) stored in the battery information database (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuhide Kurimoto
  • Patent number: 10527423
    Abstract: A system and a method for autonomous localization of a ground, surface or aerial vehicle with respect to a surface of a complex shape is disclosed. Localization is used by way of an optical flow method. Sensed optical (electro-optical, infrared, thermal) images are augmented by depth data, i.e., distance from the distance sensor to points on the sensed surface object. A modification of the optical flow method is applied to sequence of frames obtained in such a way to compute displacement of the vehicle with respect to the surface object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: LUFTRONIX, INC.
    Inventors: Roman Pavlyuk, Volodymyr Kozak, Klaus Sonnenleiter, Denise Spell
  • Patent number: 10514271
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a mapping application that provides a first map browsing mode for displaying a map that emphasizes a first set of features in a map region. The mapping application also provides a second map browsing mode for displaying a map that de-emphasizes the first set of features while emphasizing a second set of transit-related features in the map region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Justin O'Beirne, Eleanor Cady Wachsman, Nathaniel V. Kelso, Aaron A. Reiner, Christopher D. Moore, David Hodge, Ian Leighton
  • Patent number: 10488216
    Abstract: A method for operating a motor-driven sports device, in which a maximum speed of the sports device is at least intermittently restricted as a function of a position of the sports device. A device for operating a motor-driven sports device is described, the device including a position-ascertainment unit which is set up for ascertaining the position of the sports device; a speed-ascertainment unit which is set up for ascertaining an actual speed of the sports device; an allocation unit which is set up for allocating a permitted maximum speed to the position of the sports device; a comparison unit which is set up for comparing a permitted maximum speed to an actual speed; and a restriction unit which is set up for restricting a maximum speed of the sports device if the actual speed exceeds the permitted maximum speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Simon Weissenmayer, Joerg Haffelder, Timo Koenig
  • Patent number: 10464552
    Abstract: A method to control a road vehicle with an electronically controlled self-locking differential when driving along a curve; the control method includes the steps of: determining an actual attitude angle of the road vehicle; determining a desired attitude angle; and changing the locking of the self-locking differential based on the difference between the actual attitude angle and the desired attitude angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Ferrari S.p.A.
    Inventors: Stefano Varisco, Fabrizio Vasta
  • Patent number: 10457162
    Abstract: A vehicular occupant determination apparatus includes a load detection portion, an occupant determination portion, an acceleration detection portion, a transition prohibition portion, a drive state detection portion, and a prohibition release portion. The load detection portion detects a load of a left part or a right part. The occupant determination portion determines occupant types, and maintains or transits a determination result. The transition prohibition portion sets a transition prohibition state when the acceleration is equal to or greater than a predetermined acceleration threshold. The prohibition release portion sets a prohibition release state when (i) the acceleration is equal to or greater than the acceleration threshold, and (ii) the prohibition release portion detects that the vehicle is in stop based on a detection value detected by the drive state detection portion, the transition prohibition state being released during the prohibition release state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD
    Inventors: Toshio Hosokawa, Yusuke Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 10444750
    Abstract: A ride-share server communicates with both a primary-connected device and a secondary-connected device over a wide-area network. The ride-share server is programmed to receive a request from the secondary-connected device to apply a setting change to a vehicle, and responsive to verifying the secondary-connected device is authorized to command the vehicle, send a second request to the primary-connected device to direct the primary-connected device to command the vehicle to implement the setting change. A secondary-connected device is in communication with a ride-share server over a wide-area network and programmed to send a request to the ride-share server to change a vehicle setting. A primary-connected device is in communication with a computing platform via a device link interface over a local-area connection and with the ride-share server over the wide-area network, and is programmed to request the computing platform to change the setting responsive to validation from the ride-share server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Omar Makke, Jeffrey Yeung, Oleg Yurievitch Gusikhin
  • Patent number: 10435015
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a driving scenario is determined for a next route segment or route for an autonomous vehicle. In response, a lookup operation is performed in a scenario/delay mapping table to locate a mapping entry that matches the determined driving scenario. The scenario/delay mapping table includes a number of mapping entries. Each mapping entry maps a particular driving scenario to a system delay that has been calculated for that particular driving scenario. Thereafter, the autonomous vehicle is controlled and driven in view of the system delay corresponding to the driving scenario at the point in time, including issuing control commands according to timing compensating the system delay under the circumstances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: BAIDU USA LLC
    Inventors: Qi Kong, Fan Zhu, Guang Yang, Jingao Wang
  • Patent number: 10438388
    Abstract: A control method of a server is provided. Location information is extracted from photographed data. The photographed data is linked to a course of travel having a pre-stored street image, by applying a predetermined standard based on the extracted location information. The photographed data is provided together with the linked course of travel having the pre-stored street image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Woo-Yong Chang, Seung-dong Yu, Se-jun Park, Min-jeong Moon
  • Patent number: 10415986
    Abstract: A vehicle may include: at least one power source; a plurality of wheels; a motor configured to drive at least one of the plurality of wheels with energy stored in the power source; and at least one processor configured to: break a received route into a plurality of segments; and calculate a route energy consumption rate correction factor (RECF) of a current segment as a function of the following received values: a RECF of a previous segment, an observed energy consumption rate, and an estimated energy consumption rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jason Meyer, Sangeetha Sangameswaran
  • Patent number: 10406971
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and a method associated with the device. With respect to the device, it is a wearable garment for the hand, wrist, and/or forearm with an embedded array of lights; one or more micro processing units; one or more touch or pressure activated switches, buttons, or toggles; one or more motion sensing mechanisms; and one or more wireless transmission components which is capable of receiving and transmitting information to a mobile computing device. A wireless transmission device is also disclosed which is attached or embedded in a vehicle connected to the turn signaling system. The mobile computing device such as a smartphone or GPS unit tracks the wearer's location and route and transmits a signal to the wearable garment when a turn approaches causing haptic feedback vibration to the wearer and activation of the embedded lights on the appropriate side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher Troy De Baca, Dario Tucciarelli
  • Patent number: 10392105
    Abstract: A method of assisting in rotor speed control in a rotorcraft can include measuring a rotor speed with a sensor; detecting a droop in the rotor speed beyond a lower droop limit; and commanding a decrease in collective in response to the rotor speed drooping beyond the lower droop limit. A system of assisting in rotor speed control in a rotorcraft, the system can include: a computer having a control law, the control law operable to generate a decrease collective command to an actuator in response to a rotor speed decreasing below a lower droop limit; wherein the lower droop limit is below a normal lower rotor speed range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Schaeffer, Jignesh Patel, Eric O'Neill
  • Patent number: 10384668
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a traction battery, an engine, and a controller configured to inhibit requests to start the engine in response to both the vehicle being within a first radius about a previously-identified frequent destination and an available battery energy being greater than twice a total battery energy expended during a prior trip to the destination from a second radius about the destination, the second radius being smaller than the first radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Hilliard, Jordan Mazaira, Angel Fernando Porras
  • Patent number: 10370031
    Abstract: Provided are an assistant system and assistant method for a backward driving of a vehicle, wherein the assistant system includes an input unit configured to receive a backward driving assistant command, a position tracking unit configured to track real-time positions of the vehicle, an obstacle sensing unit configured to generate an obstacle sensing signal, a steering device manipulation unit configured to adjust a steering angle of a steering device of the vehicle, a primary backward path generation unit configured to generate a primary backward path, a secondary backward path generation unit configured to generate a secondary backward path for the vehicle to drive backward, and a control unit configured to match the real-time positions of the vehicle to the secondary backward path, and at the time of a backward driving, to control the steering device manipulation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeong Ku Kim
  • Patent number: 10365753
    Abstract: A hands-free opener for a power liftgate provides a proximity sensor that fits into an operating position behind the vehicle license plate or in the license plate area. A driven shield located behind the sensor shapes the electric field from the sensor to achieve directional detection extending outward from the front side of the sensor. A proximate ground plane at a preselected spacing from the back side of the ground plane reduces interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: VAIS TECHNOLOGY LTD.
    Inventor: Vladimir Azarko
  • Patent number: 10363909
    Abstract: Various examples of a controller, method and system for monitoring a tractor-trailer vehicle train are disclosed. In one example a tractor controller is manually-initiated or a user-initiated tractor controller and includes an electrical control port for receiving an electrical sync signal and an electrical start signal, and a communications port for receiving data. A processing unit of the tractor controller includes control logic and is in communication with the electrical control port. The control logic is capable of receiving a data signal at the communications port which includes a time value and a unique identification which corresponds to the towed vehicle in response to the electrical start signal. At a predetermined response time, the tractor controller determines the position of the towed vehicle in the tractor-trailer vehicle train based on the data received from the towed vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: John V. Ripley, Majed M. Hamdan
  • Patent number: 10310516
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for rotating a floating platform. An example method includes determining a desired position of a floating platform in a yaw axis. The floating platform is fixed by an anchor leg to an underwater attachment point. The method includes receiving, from a position sensor, information indicative of an actual position of the floating platform in the yaw axis. The method also includes rotating the floating platform in a desired direction about the yaw axis based on the desired position and the actual position. Optionally, the floating platform may include a yaw member and an environmental sensor. In such scenarios, the method may include receiving information about a prevailing wind direction or water current direction. The method may include causing the actuator to adjust the yaw member based on at least one of: the prevailing wind condition or the prevailing water current direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Makani Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Charles Joseph Nordstrom, Ruth Heffernan Marsh