Patents Examined by James M McPherson
  • Patent number: 11970988
    Abstract: Systems for efficiently starting an engine of a hybrid electric vehicle are provided. An example of a system comprises a first processor and a second processor. The second processor is configured to determine when to start an internal combustion engine, cause energy to be supplied from an energy storage device to a generator/motor to cause the generator/motor and crankshaft to rotate to at least a hold speed, transmit a first instruction to a first processor when determining that the internal combination engine should be started. The first processor does not supply fuel to at least one cylinder of the internal combustion engine in response to the first instruction. The second processor is configured to transmit a second instruction to the first processor after a variable period of time has elapse after the generator/motor or crankshaft has reached at least the hold speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: BAE Systems Controls Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher C. Jones, Mark R. Stepper
  • Patent number: 11970209
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing real-time feedback to a driver of a vehicle based on real-time datasets is disclosed. The systems and methods include obtaining one or more sets of real-time data associated with a vehicle. Performing one or more operations on the set of real-time data, wherein the one or more operations are based on the set of real-time data. Generating, a feedback alert based on results of the one or more operations and one or more detected real-time behaviors of the vehicle. Providing the feedback alert for presentation at a user interface on-board the vehicle. The real-time data may include contextual data, environmental data, operating data, data for a plurality of drivers, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
    Inventor: Brian Mark Fields
  • Patent number: 11964780
    Abstract: A method of in-flight operational assessment for an electric aircraft comprising detecting by a sensor an electrical parameter of an energy source. The method further includes receiving by a controller the electrical parameter from the sensor and determining a power-production capability of the energy source, using the electrical parameter. The method further includes calculating, by the controller, a projected power-consumption need of the electric aircraft and comparing the determined power-production capability of the energy source to the projected power-consumption need. The method includes generating a power production command datum as a function of the comparison of the power-production capability and the projected power-consumption need.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: BETA AIR, LLC
    Inventor: Herman Wiegman
  • Patent number: 11958498
    Abstract: Systems and methods for trajectory planning for an autonomous vehicle, may include: computing features for each of the plurality of candidate trajectories; computing scores for the features of the candidate trajectories, wherein the scores are based on parameter values associated with their corresponding final trajectories; determining, based on the computed scores, a trajectory of the candidate trajectories to be used as a warm-start trajectory for trajectory optimization and applying the warm-start trajectory to develop a final trajectory for the vehicle; and autonomously operating the autonomous vehicle in accordance with the final trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Miroslav Baric, Jin Ge, Timothee Cazenave
  • Patent number: 11958628
    Abstract: A method for self-assessing components of a cargo handling system configured for autonomous control by a processor is disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes receiving by the processor a sensor database from a plurality of sensing agents in operable communication with the processor; testing by the processor the plurality of sensing agents by comparing the sensor database against a sensor assessment; and performing by the processor a first calibration assessment of the plurality of sensing agents to assess whether a compromised operational status of the cargo handling system has occurred due to a failure of one or more of the plurality of sensing agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: GOODRICH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Zamira A. Daw Perez, Alessandro Pinto, Richa Varma, Olusegun T. Oshin
  • Patent number: 11958545
    Abstract: Provided are a power steering method and a power steering device applied in a vehicle including a power steering assembly. The method includes detecting whether a direction changing wheel of the vehicle is a driving wheel; determining a power assisted gear position of the power steering assembly according to whether the direction changing wheel of the vehicle is the driving wheel; and controlling the power steering assembly to generate a power steering torque according to the power assisted gear position of the power steering assembly. The direction changing wheel of the vehicle is a front wheel or a rear wheel of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SEGWAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jiachun Liu
  • Patent number: 11958543
    Abstract: A motor control system includes an inverter, and a control calculation unit that feedback-controls the inverter. The control calculation unit includes a voltage control calculation unit that calculates a voltage command value indicating a voltage to be applied to the motor from the inverter on the basis of a current deviation between a current command value and an actual current detection value, a torque ripple compensation calculation unit that adds a compensation value for compensating a torque ripple in the motor to a signal value on at least one of an upstream side and a downstream side in a signal flow that passes through the voltage control calculation unit, and a current limit calculation unit that limits the current command value by adaptive control based on an actual angular velocity value indicating an angular velocity at which the motor rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuji Endo, Tokuji Tatewaki, Tomoya Ueda, Masanori Watahiki, Tomonari Mori
  • Patent number: 11951840
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the fields of mechanical and electronic engineering, focusing on energy efficiency on freight transport systems. More specifically, the invention applies to Long Combination Vehicles (LCV), in which the semi-trailer is provided with an auxiliary traction system, such as electric traction with regenerative braking, for example. The invention provides means for controlling the actuation of the auxiliary traction, which provides safe use and enhances economic and environmental savings in freight transport. In one embodiment, the invention provides a system for managing the auxiliary traction on a road implement that provides improved, safer drivability of the set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: FRAS-LE S.A.
    Inventors: Joel Boaretto, Cesar Augusto Cardoso Teixeira de Albuquerque Ferreira, Maicon Molon, Diego Masotti
  • Patent number: 11951833
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising an interface and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive pixel data of an interior of a vehicle. The processor may be configured to process the pixel data arranged as video frames, perform computer vision operations to detect objects in the video frames, extract characteristics about the objects detected, associate movement of a body part to a particular person and generate a control signal in response to the movement of the body part. A device is configured to operate in a locked mode that prevents input when the vehicle is in motion. The control signal is configured to enable the device to receive the input when the device is in the locked mode. The control signal may be generated only when the particular person associated with the movement corresponds to an occupant in the vehicle that is not a driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Ambarella International LP
    Inventor: I-Chieh Wu
  • Patent number: 11955000
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for generating and evaluating street grids comprising: receiving street grid information corresponding to a plurality of locations, wherein the street grid information corresponding to a location is associated with vehicular traffic information; training a pedestrian comfort model using the street grid information and the vehicular traffic information, wherein an output of the pedestrian comfort model is a predicted pedestrian comfort score that is based on traffic congestion from the vehicular traffic information; receiving a plurality of potential street grids; evaluating each potential street grid in the plurality of potential street grids using the trained pedestrian comfort model, wherein the trained pedestrian comfort model generates predicted pedestrian comfort scores for portions of each potential street grid; and generating an augmented map of each potential street grid that presents the predicted pedestrian comfort scores for each portion of each potential street grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Dan Vanderkam, Douwe Osinga, Violet Whitney, Kabir Soorya, Jack Amadeo, Difei Chen, Brian Ho, Okalo Ikhena, Amanda Meurer, Samara Trilling
  • Patent number: 11951878
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes a vehicle body defining a cabin interior, a plurality of seats located within the cabin interior, each seat having an adjustable seat base and an adjustable seat back, a monitoring system for detecting and monitoring a pet within the cabin interior, and a controller processing signals generated by the monitoring system and determining a location of the pet based on the monitored signals, the controller further controlling at least one of the adjustable seat base and adjustable seat back of a seat based on the determined location of the pet so that the seat is configured to accommodate the pet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Hussein H. Berry, Annette Lynn Huebner, Marguerite Lynn Kimball, David Brian Glickman, Gregory Paul Thomas, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Patent number: 11952822
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle including: an image acquisition unit; a cap provided on a body of the vehicle and configured to open and close a replenishing port for replenishing an energy source; a driving unit allowing the cap to be separated or connected from/to the body; and a controller configured to determine an intention of a user to replenish the energy source on the basis of an image acquired by the image acquisition unit, and control the driving unit such that the cap is automatically separated from the body in response to determining that the intention of the user to replenish the energy source exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: JongChan Jun, Dea Ki Cheong, Deok Hwan Seo, Kwon Hyoung Choi, Jinhyung Lee
  • Patent number: 11955012
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for assisting operation of a vehicle using speech recognition and transcription to provide a conversation log graphical user interface (GUI) display that consolidates communications with respect to the vehicle. One method involves receiving a data message from a system onboard the vehicle and generating a graphical representation of the data message within the conversation log GUI display, wherein the graphical representation of the data message includes a selectable element and is displayed on the conversation log GUI display concurrently with a graphical representation of a transcription of an audio communication with respect to the vehicle. The depicted data message and transcription are chronologically positioned with respect to one another in accordance with a timestamp associated with the data message. The conversation log GUI display dynamically updates in response to selection of the selectable element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Gobinathan Baladhandapani, Hariharan Saptharishi, Sivakumar Kanagarajan, Vengada Ganeshwaran, Dineshkumar Atchuthan
  • Patent number: 11951869
    Abstract: The present solution preserves an amount of charge sufficient to reach a nearest or most convenient charger in a battery of a vehicle during a prolonged vehicle disuse. The solution can include a data processing system that can identify an inactive state of a battery and determine that the vehicle should enter an energy reservation mode. The data processing system can identify a vehicle charger and determine, based on a location of the vehicle and the charger, an amount of energy needed for the vehicle to reach the charging unit. The data processing system can determine a power reservation threshold for the first battery and modify, based on the power reservation threshold, a level of energy provided by the first battery to the second battery to maintain at least the first amount of amount of energy in the first battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Nicolas Viglucci, Tae Hoon Park, Tyler Jennings Bennett, Mansi Tandon
  • Patent number: 11947355
    Abstract: A method and system for zone mapping displays a geographic area to a user and receives input from the user identifying a zone of the geographic area. An identification of an agricultural material to be applied in the zone is also received and an application plan is generated in response. The application plan is generated based on features identified in the zone, the agricultural material to be applied, and application requirements and restrictions associated with the agricultural material that are identified by the manufacturer of the material and, in some cases, governmental agencies. The agricultural machine tracks the application of the agricultural material and transmits application information for storage in the zone mapping system for later retrieval in response to requests, such as compliance requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Marko Lamprecht
  • Patent number: 11945466
    Abstract: A detection device includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire a detection result of a plurality of targets present in a traveling direction of a vehicle from an imaging device attached to the vehicle; a calculation unit configured to determine whether the plurality of targets detected with movement of the vehicle are an identical target based on the detection result acquired by the acquisition unit and calculate a coordinate of each of the plurality of targets in chronological order; and a detection unit configured to detect a pitch angle and a roll angle of the imaging device with respect to a horizontal direction based on the coordinate calculated in chronological order by the calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuharu Nagaoka, Takayuki Tsuji, Yuki Sugano
  • Patent number: 11945502
    Abstract: Systems and methods for coordinating steering controls between towing vehicles and towed vehicles provide more cohesive parking experiences during towing events, including bidirectional charging towing events. The towed vehicle may be controlled to provide assistive parking steering maneuvers to assist the towing vehicle when parking during the towing event. The assistive parking steering maneuver may include maneuvering a drive wheel of the towed vehicle either toward or away from a detected curb or detected traffic, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Kenneth Patrick McHugh, Peter Phung, David Brian Glickman, Paul Kenneth Dellock
  • Patent number: 11945334
    Abstract: A method for determining a maximum value for a parameter range of a driving operation parameter of a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle includes a control device, at least one electric traction motor, an electric energy storage device which can be operated in an operating temperature range for operating the traction motor, and at least one temperature sensor for determining a temperature of the energy storage device. The control device determines the maximum value as a function of a current temperature of the energy storage device determined by the temperature sensor in such a manner that, after the approach of a destination known to the control device and/or after a journey over a predetermined distance with the driving operation parameter restricted by the maximum value of the parameter range, a predicted temperature of the energy storage device lies within a charging temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Florian Bock, Michael Grabowski
  • Patent number: 11946754
    Abstract: The present technique relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program which enable a prediction result that contributes toward improving a pick-up ratio to be presented. The information processing apparatus includes: a display control portion configured to divide a business area of a business vehicle into a plurality of areas and cause a display portion to display, as a prediction result, a movement direction and a movement distance of passengers in an attention area being the area of attention among the plurality of areas for which a pick-up demand has been predicted per area. For example, the present technique can be applied to an information processing apparatus or the like for displaying a prediction result of a pick-up demand of a taxi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahito Migita, Katsutoshi Kanamori
  • Patent number: 11940798
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle configured to autonomously pass a cyclist includes an imaging device and processing circuitry configured to receive information from the imaging device. Additionally, the processing circuitry of the autonomous vehicle is configured to identify a cyclist passing situation based on the information received from the imaging device, and plan a path of an autonomous vehicle based on the cyclist passing situation. The autonomous vehicle also includes a positioning system and the processing circuitry is further configured to receive information from the positioning system, determine if the cyclist passing situation is sufficiently identified, and identify the cyclist passing situation based on the information from the imaging device and the positioning system when the cyclist passing situation is not sufficiently identified based on the information received from the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC., The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Michael J. Delp, Ruijia Feng, Shan Bao