Patents Examined by John Q. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9241442
    Abstract: A autonomous and remote control all purpose machine (ARCAPM) having different interchangeable modules that are structured and arranged to perform different tasks is disclosed. A machine includes: a body; a plurality of bays in the body, wherein each bay is configured to receive a respective module; and a power source carried by the body. A respective power connector is in each one of the bays that is configured to provide an electrically conductive path between the power source and a device in a module arranged in one of the bays. The machine includes a propulsion system structured and arranged to move the body over the ground. The machine also includes a control system structured and arranged to control autonomous movement of the machine based on at least one of: proximity sensors, metal detectors, and GPS data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Inventor: Daniel A. Diazdelcastillo
  • Patent number: 9245451
    Abstract: An air traffic control system, for use by a controller controlling multiple aircraft, comprising a processor, an input device and a display device, further comprising: trajectory prediction means for calculating a trajectory for each aircraft, for inputting aircraft detected position data, and for recalculating the trajectories based on said position data, and conflict detection means for detecting, based on the trajectories, future circumstances under which pairs of aircraft violate predetermined proximity tests, and for causing a display on the display device indicating said circumstances, further comprising means for inputting instruction data corresponding to instructions issued by the controller to an aircraft, and in which the proximity indication means is arranged to use a first proximity test and a second, more restrictive, proximity test; and in which the system is arranged to display a symbol representing pairs of aircraft which violate the second test in a first display mode, and those which violat
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: NATS (EN ROUTE) PLC
    Inventors: Alison Laura Udal Roberts, Stephen James Pember
  • Patent number: 9242633
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling a work machine during operation in a repeated work cycle including controlling transfer of power to and from an energy storage arrangement in the work machine according to a predetermined control strategy, which is adapted for the characteristics of the work cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Volvo Construction Equipment AB
    Inventors: Daniel Forslöw, Reno Filla
  • Patent number: 9245450
    Abstract: A present novel and non-trivial system, apparatus, and method for generating runway visual aids on an aircraft display unit. Visual aids could comprise of runway indicators corresponding to minimum and maximum rollout and touchdown points, each of which may be determined in real-time by applying input factors to one or more configurable landing profiles. Data representative of visual aids may be provided by one or more sources including runway data sources and real-time input factors. An image generating processor generates an image data set representative of a three-dimensional perspective view of a scene outside the aircraft, wherein the image data set is determined as a function of terrain data, runway data, and visual aid data. The image data set may be provided to a Head-Down Display unit, a Head-Up Display unit, or both, whereby an image contains a runway depicted with at least one visual aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Y. Chiew, David A. Frank, Travis S. VanDerKamp
  • Patent number: 9242573
    Abstract: A method for controlling an air supply of a fuel cell vehicle is provided. In particular, an air supply of a fuel cell vehicle is controlled by calculating an available power which is currently being used by a vehicle; calculating a motoring request power from a driving motor, based on the calculated available power and power required by the driving motor; calculating stack request power required in the fuel cell based on a required charging request power and the calculated motoring request power, depending on a state of charge (SOC) of a high voltage battery; and controlling the air supply to the fuel cell depending on the calculated stack request power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Kyu Il Lee, Sung Gone Yoon, Jae Won Jung, Seong Pil Ryu
  • Patent number: 9238442
    Abstract: An energy management system (EMS) controls the energy flows in a vehicle by adapting pricing rules. In the EMS the price (Pm, P2, PB1) of the energy is variable dependent of the momentary supply of energy in a global energy system, i.e. the vehicle. Each auxiliary system (GEN, B, C) in the global energy system has in individual price limit, above which the auxiliary system (GEN, B, C) won't purchase any more energy. Some auxiliary systems (B) have variable price limits depending of those auxiliary systems parameters. The auxiliary systems (GEN, B, C) are represented in the EMS by activation agents (CA1, CA2, CAn, BA1, BAn), which have different behavior depending of what kind of auxiliary system they represent. Said activation agents (CA1, CA2, CAn, BA1, BAn) control the energy flows in the global energy system. In the EMS the energy systems are divided into two categories; energy main system and energy auxiliary systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventor: Mattias Åsbogård
  • Patent number: 9238406
    Abstract: A motor vehicle having: prime mover means; at least first and second groups of one or more wheels; and a driveline to connect the prime mover means to the first and second groups of one or more wheels such that the first group of one or more wheels may be driven by the prime mover means when the driveline is in a first mode of operation and the second group of one or more wheels may additionally be driven by the prime mover means when the driveline is in a second mode of operation, the driveline including an auxiliary portion comprising releasable torque transmitting means operable to connect the second group of one or more wheels to a torque transmission path from the prime mover means when the driveline transitions between the first mode and the second mode, the vehicle comprising control means operable automatically to control the driveline to transition from the first mode to the second mode and from the second mode to the first mode, the control means being operable to prevent a transition from the first
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventor: Pete Stares
  • Patent number: 9238418
    Abstract: A method of controlling power of the fuel cell vehicle includes dividing an expected driving path of the fuel cell vehicle into a plurality of sections and setting the plurality of sections according to a gradient, and comparing whether a predicted battery state of charge variation is within a battery charging/discharging allowance range for each of the plurality of divided sections The method further includes comparing predicted power with a predetermined maximum allowance power for each of the plurality of divided sections, and setting the plurality of divided sections as a battery charging/discharging prohibition section and a battery charging/discharging allowance section in advance according to a result of the comparison of the predicted battery state of charge variation and the predicted power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KOREA ADVANCED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Seongpil Ryu, Sang Uk Kwon, Kyuil Lee, Seo Ho Choi, Jihun Han, Youngjin Park
  • Patent number: 9235993
    Abstract: A computerized method is disclosed of creating map data from position data derived from the positions of at least one vehicle over a period of time, the map data including a plurality of navigable segments representing segments of a navigable route in the area covered by the map and the map data also including intersections between navigable segments representing intersections in the navigable route. In at least one embodiment, the method includes using a processing circuitry to perform the following: i. processing the position data; ii. calculating from the processing of the position data a transit time or set of transit times for at least some of the intersections in the map data; and iii generating further map data, which for at least some of the intersections therein, contains the calculated transit time or set of transit times associated with the intersection for which the calculation was made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: TomTom Global Content B.V.
    Inventors: Alexandru Serbanescu, Volker Hiestermann
  • Patent number: 9233682
    Abstract: Vehicle includes an engine, a first rotating electric machine and a control device controlling the rotational speed of the first rotating electric machine such that the rotational speed of the engine matches a target rotational speed. The control device calculates a torque command value of the first rotating electric machine based on an upper limit value of electric power discharged from a power storage device supplying electric power to the first rotating electric machine. The control device calculates the torque command of the first rotating electric machine based on a further restricted value of the upper limit value when a torque restricting condition including simultaneous operation of an accelerator pedal and brake pedal is met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroki Endo, Masaya Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9234758
    Abstract: A system and method for estimating position of a machine is disclosed. The method may include receiving, from a perception sensor, scene data describing an environment in a vicinity of the machine and estimating a first position of the machine based on the scene data. The method may include determining whether a first signal indicative of a location of the machine is received by the machine and estimating a second position of the machine when it is determined that the first signal is received. The method may include comparing the second position with the first position and estimating a third position of the machine using at least one of the first position and the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Russell Friend, Qi Chen, Frank Arthur Willis
  • Patent number: 9234982
    Abstract: A display system for an aircraft is provided. The system includes a processing unit configured to receive weather information associated with a flight path of a flight plan and to generate display commands based on the weather information. The flight plan includes a first waypoint associated with a first altitude. The system further includes a display device coupled with the processing unit and configured to receive the display commands and to display symbology representing the weather information. The weather information includes first weather information for the first altitude and second weather information at a second altitude, different from the first altitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Vinoda Ramaiah, Kiran Gopala Krishna
  • Patent number: 9233622
    Abstract: A system is provided for managing an amount of stored energy in a powered system. The powered system is configured to complete a mission from an initial stage to a final stage. The system includes a controller including a memory configured to store a plurality of handling stages. The controller is configured to determine the stored energy at the initial stage based upon the initial stage and a handling stage positioned between the initial stage and the final stage, and selected from among the plurality of handling stages stored in memory. The stored energy is necessary to propagate the powered system from the initial stage to the handling stage upon the occurrence of an anomaly in the powered system. Additionally, a method and computer readable media are provided for managing an amount of stored energy in a powered system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Wolfgang Daum, Steven Gray, John Dineen
  • Patent number: 9236745
    Abstract: A control for a vehicle including a battery, an auxiliary load, an electric power controller controlling electric power exchanged between the battery and the auxiliary load and a charger charging the battery using a power supply outside the vehicle includes: during vehicle drive control, controlling the electric power controller so that an SOC falls within a predetermined range; when the power supply is connected to the vehicle, controlling the electric power controller and the charger so as to carry out extended charging in which a variation in the SOC during the external charging is larger than a width of the predetermined range that is a control range from a control lower limit value to a control upper limit value during drive control; and calculating the full charge capacity by multiplying a ratio of a maximum value of the SOC to a variation in the SOC during the extended charging by an accumulated value of current flowing into the battery during the extended charging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junta Izumi
  • Patent number: 9233744
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a profile storage module, a profile playback module, and a speed control module. The profile storage module stores an acceleration profile specifying a manner of accelerating a marine vessel. The profile playback module, in response to a play command received from a vessel operator, retrieves the acceleration profile and adjusts a desired engine speed based on the acceleration profile. The speed control module controls an engine speed of the marine vessel based on the desired engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignees: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, MEDALLION INSTRUMENTATION SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Timothy J. Clever, Kevin A. Cansiani, Martin Payne, Christopher A. Koches, Ronald E. Gaskins, Lance Norris
  • Patent number: 9234766
    Abstract: A computer program product including computer readable program code embodied on a computer readable storage medium. The computer program product includes computer readable program code for obtaining a fuel tank size, amount of fuel in the tank, and a fuel efficiency for an automobile; accepting user entry of a destination for traveling in the automobile; and automatically identifying a current location and determining a route to the destination. Additional computer readable program code acquires, for each of a plurality of refueling stations along the route, a location and a current fuel price being offered at the refueling station. Computer readable program code also provides output recommending one or more refueling stations at which to stop and a quantity of fuel to purchase at each of the one or more refueling stations in order to reach the destination without running out of fuel and minimizing the price of fuel purchased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jennifer L. Burlingham, Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Christine M. Stamm-Nettleship, LaLecha J. Watkins
  • Patent number: 9229712
    Abstract: A bicycle component control apparatus is basically provided with a communication interface and a controller. The communication interface is configured to communicate with at least one electric bicycle component and at least one manually operated input member. The controller is electrically coupled to the communication interface, and programmed to control the at least one electric bicycle component based on operation of the at least one manually operated input member. The controller is programmed to decide an operation mode of the at least one electric bicycle component differently based on a number of manually operated input member coupled to the controller via the communication interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Ryuichiro Takamoto, Mao Kuroda
  • Patent number: 9228843
    Abstract: An approach is described for providing telematics information in connection with equipment. The approach includes scanning equipment available in a service vehicle, wherein the service vehicle is located at a service location. The approach also includes determining location information for the service location based on telematics information associated with the service vehicle. The approach further includes mapping the equipment to the service location based on the location information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Jagannath K. Rangarajan, Harold Rex Slay, Jr., Ajeet K. Gupta, Robert A. Kneusel, Muhammed Shaphy, Carl T. White, Kevin K. Darling, Vipul Kadia, Nityanand Sharma
  • Patent number: 9229903
    Abstract: A method of collecting vehicle operating information using a wireless device includes the steps of communicatively linking a wireless device located within a vehicle to a vehicle telematics unit; receiving vehicle data at the wireless device from the vehicle telematics unit using the link; recording the received vehicle data at the wireless device; detecting that the wireless device is no longer present in the vehicle; and wirelessly transmitting the recorded vehicle data to a central facility using the wireless capabilities of the wireless device based on the detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: General Motors LLC
    Inventors: Steven Swanson, Lawrence D. Cepuran, Mark S. Frye, Charles A. Everhart
  • Patent number: 9221434
    Abstract: A method for operating a self-propelled agricultural machine that has a traction drive, a service brake, a control and a man machine interface including an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal, where a user actuation of the brake pedal causes the service brake to be operated. The method includes monitoring the user actuation of the accelerator pedal by the control to detect a brake indication, which is a predetermined indication for an approaching user actuation of the brake pedal. Upon detecting a brake indication, the control implements at least one preparatory measure by the control for the preparation of a user actuation of the brake pedal. The implemented preparatory measure alone does not have a braking effect on the agricultural machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: CLAAS TRACTOR S.A.S.
    Inventor: Christophe Gomez