Patents Examined by Garrett Evans
  • Patent number: 9126652
    Abstract: A steering damper control apparatus includes a steering damper configured to generate a damping force which acts on a steering device, a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure of a front wheel suspension, a steering angle sensor configured to detect a steering angle of the steering device, and a damping force adjuster configured to adjust the damping force of the steering damper with one of a first command value which is a damping force command value according to a change rate of the pressure, and a second command value which is a damping force command value according to a steering angular speed, based on each detection result of the pressure sensor and steering angle sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Matsuo, Nobuo Hara, Tatsuya Nagata
  • Patent number: 9127954
    Abstract: A navigation system includes a navigation apparatus, a data center, a communication-defective region acquisition device, a communication-defective region search device, and a target region specify device. The data center performs transmits an update data of a target region to the navigation apparatus. The communication-defective region acquisition device acquires information of a communication-defective region. The communication-defective region search device searches for a part of the communication-defective region as a target communication-defective region, which includes a route scheduled to go through. The target region specify device specifies the target region based on the target communication-defective region. The data center includes an update data transmission device that transmits the update data of the target region to the navigation apparatus before the navigation apparatus enters the target communication-defective region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinji Kutomi
  • Patent number: 9121939
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for calibrating a crane for crane geometry. A Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver antenna is disposed on a point along a boom assembly of the crane, the crane configured to pivot about a pivot point. A working arm of the crane is rotated about the pivot point to at least three different positions. Three locations are determined in a geo-referenced coordinate system of the at least three different positions. A location of the pivot point is determined based on the three locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventors: John F. Cameron, Jean-Charles Delplace, Nicholas C. Talbot, Kevin Legendre
  • Patent number: 9120469
    Abstract: An electronic control unit determines driving force that is generated on wheels and has an identical absolute value and opposite directions to each other in order to suppress pitch behavior and/or heave behavior occurring on a vehicle body in association with travelling of a vehicle. Then, the unit controls the drive of in-wheel motors through an inverter based on the driving force. On the other hand, electronic control unit changes the damping forces of shock absorbers constituting suspension mechanisms in response to the pitch behavior and/or the heave behavior occurring on the vehicle body. In this way, by controlling one of the pitch behavior and the heave behavior that may occur in combination, enhancing of the occurrence of the other one that is not intended can be prevented effectively, and the occurrence of intended behavior on the vehicle body can be controlled independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Etsuo Katsuyama
  • Patent number: 9116072
    Abstract: In a method for checking vehicle tires, wheel sensor signals of at least one wheel of the vehicle are recorded over a time period, and a comparative value is determined to indicate a travel distance of the wheel. A reference travel distance covered by the vehicle in the time period is determined independently of the wheel sensor signals, and an individual ratio value of the wheel is formed from the wheel travel distance and the reference travel distance. The behavior of the ratio value over time is determined, and a determination is made concerning changes to the tire of the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH
    Inventors: Sven Gorczyca, Rainer Risse, Axel Stender
  • Patent number: 9098996
    Abstract: A method for combining static runway information with runway status information for a selected runway is described. The method includes retrieving, with a processing device, static runway information for the selected runway from at least one database, retrieving, with the processing device, runway status information for the selected runway from at least one source of dynamic runway status information, generating, through a program executing on the processing device, a depiction of the selected runway on at least one display device, and generating for display proximate the runway depiction, through the execution of the program, a plurality of contextual symbology associated with the runway, the symbology based on the retrieved static runway information and the retrieved dynamic runway status information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Nima Barraci, Thorsten Wiesemann, Anja Soell
  • Patent number: 9090232
    Abstract: An ECU calculates the thermal margins of the in-wheel motors, on the basis of the thermal capacities of the in-wheel motors, the allowable limit temperatures, and the motor temperatures. Next, the ECU distributes the total requested torque between the requested torques for each wheel using the percentages of the thermal margins. The ECU controls the operation of an inverter such that the in-wheel motors generate the requested torques for the wheels. Thus, the four in-wheel motors generate uniform amounts of heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichi Onoda, Kei Takakuwa, Hideki Fukudome, Satoshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9068855
    Abstract: A watercraft attitude control system using GPS and other motion inputs in order to predictively control thrust, steering and hull characteristics in ways that will prevent and minimize porpoising motion of a watercraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Enovation Controls, LLC
    Inventor: Kennon Guglielmo
  • Patent number: 9061684
    Abstract: It is provided a control device of a hybrid vehicle including an engine and an electric motor as a drive power source for running, a clutch connecting/disconnecting a power transmission path between the engine and the electric motor, and an automatic transmission coupled to the electric motor in a power transmittable manner to transmit power from the drive power source for running toward drive wheels, the hybrid vehicle being configured to perform engine running using at least the engine as the drive power source for running with the clutch engaged and motor running using only the electric motor as the drive power source for running with the clutch released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masato Yoshikawa, Naoki Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 9050951
    Abstract: Provided herein is a unit and method to assist the driver with brake operation and to lessen the operation burden. This vehicle deceleration control unit is provided with an engine brake that decelerates the vehicle by putting the vehicle in a state in which the power source is driven from the driven side, and when the driver holds brake operation, the deceleration caused by the engine brake is increased at a first rate. Then, once a predetermined time has elapsed after increasing the deceleration at the rise-up rate, the deceleration is increased from the deceleration at that time further at a second rate that is less than the Rise-up rate. Further, when the driver is increasing or decreasing the brake operation, i.e., does not hold the brake operation, the deceleration due to the engine brake is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Suzuki, Kazuma Oura
  • Patent number: 9026331
    Abstract: A system, computer-implemented method, and computer program product are provided for a monotonic coupling assembly engagement. A coupling assembly actuation force output is increased to a coupling assembly associated with a rotary power source and a piece of driven equipment. A determination is made whether a power source process variable associated with the rotary power source drops below a pause threshold. A current coupling assembly actuation force output is maintained to the coupling assembly in response to a determination that the power source process variable drops below the pause threshold. A determination is made whether the power source process variable rises above a resume threshold. The coupling assembly actuation force output is increased to the coupling assembly in response to a determination that the power source process variable rises above the resume threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: WPT Power Corporation
    Inventors: Bryan D. Schaffner, John G. Boland
  • Patent number: 9014896
    Abstract: A vehicle control system, a server and a vehicle control device which improve energy efficiency of a vehicle based on the information of other vehicles is provided. The system includes a first energy information acquiring mechanism that acquires energy information indicating the energy efficiency of the vehicle including at least accelerator pedal opening information, an identification mechanism that identifies the vehicle of good energy efficiency among a plurality of vehicles based on the energy information, and a drive system control mechanism that controls the drive system of the own vehicle based on the accelerator pedal opening of the other vehicle that has been identified as energy efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Arita
  • Patent number: 8983688
    Abstract: The general field of the invention is that of devices for display and control of setpoints for automatic piloting for aircraft, configured to display the setpoints of speed, heading, climb slope and altitude. The various setpoints are displayed in the form of a graphical representation comprising: wheels graduated in speed and in altitude indicating the aircraft setpoint values; a circular heading rose, graduated and centered on a first symbol representing the aircraft, the heading setpoint being indicated by a second symbol representing the heading to be followed by the aircraft and disposed around the perimeter of the heading rose; and a vertical sectional view comprising a graduated semicircle centered on a third symbol representing the aircraft, the slope setpoint being indicated by a fourth symbol representing the slope to be followed by the aircraft and disposed around the perimeter of the semicircle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Xavier Servantie, Yannick Le Roux
  • Patent number: 8942890
    Abstract: A torque detecting device and an electric power steering system are provided. A torque sensor includes a first rotor that is fixed to an input shaft and that has a predetermined shaft angle multiplier, and a second rotor that is fixed to an output shaft and that has a shaft angle multiplier different from that of the first rotor. In first to fourth output coils arranged on a stator that is arranged around outer peripheries of the first and second rotors, electric signals having different phases are generated on the basis of a variation of a gap between the stator and the first and second rotors. A twist angle of a torsion bar is calculated on the basis of the electric signals, and a torque that acts between the input shaft and the output shaft is calculated on the basis of the twist angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Noritake Ura
  • Patent number: 8938335
    Abstract: In a control unit for a vehicle steering system, which controls an electric motor that is used to change a steering angle on the basis of a target route for a vehicle, a turning angle of a steered wheel with respect to a central axis of a shock absorber is set as a steered element angle, and the steered element angle is used in control over the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Watanabe, Atsushi Ishihara, Hiroshi Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 8935031
    Abstract: A construction vehicle control apparatus is provided including: a motor generator control unit (160) which, when regenerative electrical power generated by a motor (7) during regenerative braking surpasses acceptable charging electrical power of a capacitor (3), drives a motor generator (5) using the surplus electrical power; an engine controller (2) which detects the rotating speed of an engine (1); a motor control unit (180) which, if the rotating speed of the engine becomes larger than a second set value while the motor generator is being driven by the surplus electrical power, reduces regenerative torque generated by the motor; and a brake control unit (190) which, if the rotating speed of the engine becomes larger than the second set value while the motor generator is being driven by the surplus electrical power, increases regenerative torque generated by a hydraulic brake (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Moriki, Satoru Kaneko, Takashi Ikimi, Noritaka Ito
  • Patent number: 8924086
    Abstract: An airbag is mounted in a vehicle seating system having both the airbag and a pivoting armrest on the same side of the occupant seating position. The armrest pivots between a vertical stored position and a horizontal armrest position. The deployment of the airbag is controlled by deployment logic including: sensing the position of the pivoting armrest to determine the vertical position or the horizontal position; sensing vehicle conditions indicative of a need to deploy the airbag mounted on the seat back; and not deploying the airbag mounted on the seat back if the armrest is in the vertical stored position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Scott D. Thomas
  • Patent number: 8924098
    Abstract: Dozers outfitted with manual or electric valves can be retrofitted with a control system for automatically controlling the elevation and orientation of the blade. No modification of the existing hydraulic drive system or existing hydraulic control system is needed. An arm is operably coupled to the existing joystick, whose translation controls the elevation and orientation of the blade. The arm is driven by an electrical motor assembly. Measurement units mounted on the dozer body or blade provide measurements corresponding to the elevation or orientation of the blade. A computational system receives the measurements, compares them to target reference values, and generates control signals. Drivers convert the control signals to electrical drive signals. In response to the electrical drive signals, the electrical motor assembly translates the arm, which, in turn, translates the joystick. If necessary, an operator can override the automatic control system by manually operating the joystick.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexey Vladislavovich Zhdanov, Alexey Andreevich Kosarev, Arseny Alexeevich Chugunkin, Ivan Giovanni di Federico, Pavel Stanislavovich Yanchelik, Stanislav Georgievich Saul, Anton Sergeevich Tumanov
  • Patent number: 8918262
    Abstract: A pressure control device of a vehicle, including a pressure controller of a fluid pressure brake system for brake slip-dependent control, including a relay valve having a supply port supplied by a supply pressure, a venting port connected to a pressure sink, a control port and at least two working ports, in which a working port is assigned to at least one brake cylinder and the other working port is assigned to at least one brake cylinder of another wheel, in which each working port of the relay valve is connected to a 2/2-way valve controlled by a control unit and assigned to a respective vehicle side and establishes a connection between the relevant working port and the assigned brake cylinder or blocks the connection, depending on control unit actuation, and in which the control port of the relay valve is connectable to a brake control pressure formed in accordance with the braking input, to a supply pressure of a pressure reservoir or to a pressure sink by a valve system formed by one 3/2-way or two 2/2-
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Friedbert Roether, Adnan Mustapha, Gerhard Wieder, Dirk Brenner
  • Patent number: 8898005
    Abstract: An on-board apparatus includes: a map data storage unit in which map data that include altitude information are stored; a subject vehicle position detection unit that detects a subject vehicle position; and a calculation target geographical point setting unit that sets a calculation target geographical point based upon the subject vehicle position, wherein a road grade at the calculation target geographical point is calculated based upon altitudes of a plurality of geographical points that include at least a geographical point present ahead of the calculation target geographical point and a geographical point present behind the calculation target geographical point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Mizuno, Keisuke Mutou