Patents Examined by Lail A Kleinman
  • Patent number: 11737626
    Abstract: A cleaning robot having an improved structure capable of improving a user convenience and method for controlling the same are disclosed herein. A cleaning robot includes a main body to form an outer appearance and having an inlet port provided to suck a foreign matter present in a cleaning area, an operation unit detachably coupled to the main body and provided to be gripped, at least one motion sensor provided to detect a motion of the operation unit, and a control unit electrically connected to the at least one motion sensor to drive a driving motor of the main body based on the motion of the operation unit detected by the at least one motion sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong Hun Lee, Heum Yong Park, Chang Yeong Kim, Jae Youl Jeong, Young Do Kwon, Jin Wook Yoon
  • Patent number: 11657714
    Abstract: A method for operating a fleet of vehicles may include determining a first set of parameters for operating a first vehicle as it travels to a destination, and determining a second set of parameters for operating a second vehicle. Consumption of the first set of parameters by the first vehicle may cause the first vehicle to accelerate, alter shocks and/or suspensions, and/or move into a free lane. Consumption of the second set of parameters by the second vehicle may cause the second vehicle to remain outside of a drive envelope of the first vehicle, between the first vehicle and the particular destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy David Kentley-Klay
  • Patent number: 11650584
    Abstract: Example systems and methods enable an autonomous vehicle to request assistance from a remote operator in certain predetermined situations. One example method includes determining a representation of an environment of an autonomous vehicle based on sensor data of the environment. Based on the representation, the method may also include identifying a situation from a predetermined set of situations for which the autonomous vehicle will request remote assistance. The method may further include sending a request for assistance to a remote assistor, the request including the representation of the environment and the identified situation. The method may additionally include receiving a response from the remote assistor indicating an autonomous operation. The method may also include causing the autonomous vehicle to perform the autonomous operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Nathaniel Fairfield, Joshua Selh Herbach, Vadim Furman
  • Patent number: 11628868
    Abstract: A car control device includes a driving force calculating unit that calculates driving force necessary for a train to travel; an operating number calculating unit that determines the number of M cars to be operated on the basis of the driving force; and a driving force command calculating unit that calculates driving force commands to be given to the M cars that operate depending on the number of M cars to be operated, wherein the driving force command calculating unit continuously changes the driving force commands when the number of M cars to be operated changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuruki Okada, Yoshinori Yamashita, Kota Teramoto, Yoshinori Chiba, Sho Kato
  • Patent number: 11613151
    Abstract: A suspension apparatus includes: a damping device which damps a force generated between a vehicle body and a wheel; and a control section which controls a damping force of the damping device. The control section includes a multiplication section which multiplies a longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle body detected by a longitudinal acceleration sensor and a differential value of the longitudinal acceleration to thereby obtain a multiplication value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Taiji Fukazawa, Kota Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11609098
    Abstract: A vehicle for traversing an area with a minimal environmental impact is described. The vehicle includes a first component that creates a first environmental impact when the vehicle is traversing in the area. The vehicle further includes a second component configured to reduce the first environmental impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: AYRO, INC.
    Inventor: Thomas M. Wittenschlaeger
  • Patent number: 11590862
    Abstract: A seating system include a seat assembly including a first seat, a track assembly, and/or an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to control movement of the first seat along the track assembly. The first seat may be configured to move along the track assembly in at least one direction. The ECU may be configured to communicate with an external network. The ECU may be configured to move the first seat proximate a door of a vehicle in response to information received from the external network. The first seat may include an actuator. The ECU may be configured to control movement of the first seat via the actuator, such as in response to the information received from the external network. The ECU may include a first seat profile including information corresponding to the first seat. The ECU may communicate with the external network regarding the first seat profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Arjun Yetukuri, Jasmine Pizana
  • Patent number: 11592297
    Abstract: Various methods are provided for facilitating map update to an environment map using gradient thresholding. One example method may include detecting an observed feature associated with a first feature decay and generating an interpolated feature that approximates the observed feature associated with a second decay. The method also includes determining a gradient difference between the interpolated feature and a stored map feature. The stored map feature represents an encoding of the observed feature associated with a third decay associated with an environment map. The method also includes determining a relationship between the gradient difference and a feature gradient update threshold, and, based upon the relationship, updating the environment map by at least replacing the map feature representation associated with the environment map with the approximated feature representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Here Global B.V.
    Inventor: Anirudh Viswanathan
  • Patent number: 11586226
    Abstract: A flight vehicle control and stabilization process detects and measures an orientation of a non-fixed portion relative to a fixed frame or portion of a flight vehicle, following a perturbation in the non-fixed portion from one or both of tilt and rotation thereof. A pilot or rider tilts or rotates the non-fixed portion, or both, to intentionally adjust the orientation and effect a change in the flight vehicle's direction. The flight vehicle control and stabilization process calculates a directional adjustment of the rest of the flight vehicle from this perturbation and induces the fixed portion to re-orient itself with the non-fixed portion to effect control and stability of the flight vehicle. The flight vehicle control and stabilization process also detects changes in speed and altitude, and includes stabilization components to adjust flight vehicle operation from unintentional payload movement on the non-fixed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: RHOMAN AEROSPACE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Thomas A. Youmans
  • Patent number: 11584184
    Abstract: A control method for hybrid electromagnetic suspension. The method provides four modes for hybrid electromagnetic suspension: a comfort mode, a sport mode, a combined mode, and an energy feedback mode. A driver can switch between the four modes as desired. For the comfort, sport, and combined modes, hybrid control is adopted, and two sub-modes are provided: an active control mode and a semi-active control mode. A switching condition between the two sub-modes is determined by using a novel parameter Cact and comparing the same against a maximum equivalent electromagnetic damping coefficient Ceqmax of a linear motor. The present invention solves the problem of achieving a balance between suspension comfort and tire traction, and meets the demands of different operating conditions and users by enabling manual mode switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Jiangsu University
    Inventors: Ruochen Wang, Yuchen Qian, Xiangpeng Meng, Zeyu Sun, Jian Xie, Long Chen
  • Patent number: 11579232
    Abstract: Navigation beacons may be trained to receive signals of opportunity from one or more vehicles, to recognize their own position based on such signals, and to transmit information regarding their own position to one or more other vehicles accordingly. The navigation beacons may be of small size and feature a basic construction including one or more transceivers, power sources and the like, and may communicate via a Bluetooth® Low Energy, Ultra Wideband or long-range low-power wireless standard, or any other standard. The navigation beacons may be installed in any location, preferably being mounted to one or more existing fixed structures or facilities (e.g., transportation structures or facilities), and may operate in active and/or passive modes when learning their positions or servicing position information to one or more remote devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John Clark Coonley Duksta, Camerin Cole Hahn, Fabian Thomas Hensel, Ronald Eugene Huebner
  • Patent number: 11565809
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Aspects of the present disclosure provide a UAV that includes at least four arms, each configured with a co-axial pair of contra rotating propellers, wherein each propeller has capability of rotating reversibly with associated reversal of direction of thrust, and an autopilot control system that controls rotational direction and speed of the at least four co-axial pairs of propellers to maintain yaw stability, roll stability and pitch stability of the UAV, wherein in an event of failure of any one co-axial pair out of the at least four co-axial pairs of propellers, the autopilot control system reverses direction of rotation and thereby direction of thrust of at least one propeller of any functional pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Inventors: Ankit Mehta, Ashish Bhat
  • Patent number: 11535068
    Abstract: A load-based tire inflation system for a heavy-duty vehicle comprises at least one source of fluid pressure, suspension structure of the heavy-duty vehicle, a tire and wheel assembly and a system to control fluid pressure in the tire and wheel assembly. The suspension structure is located between a frame member and an axle and has a condition indicative of a weight of the heavy-duty vehicle. The tire and wheel assembly is operatively mounted to the axle and is in fluid communication with the source of fluid pressure. The control system controls fluid pressure in the tire and wheel assembly in response to the condition of the suspension structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Hendrickson USA, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Matt J. Wilson, Jesse W. Cervantez, Jeff R. Zawacki
  • Patent number: 11526164
    Abstract: A system comprising, a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles and a single controller for controlling said plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, wherein the single controller is configured such that it can broadcast a command to all of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles so that each of the plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles receive the same command; and wherein each of the unmanned aerial vehicles comprise a memory which stores a plurality of predefined flight paths each of which is assigned to a respective command; and wherein each of the unmanned aerial vehicles comprise a processor which can, (i) receive a command which has been broadcasted by the single controller to said plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, (ii) retrieve from the memory of that aerial vehicle the flight path which is assigned in the memory to that command, and (iii) operate the aerial vehicle to follow the retrieved flight path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Verity AG
    Inventors: Federico Augugliaro, Markus Waibel, Markus Hehn, Raffaello D'Andrea, Luca Gherardi
  • Patent number: 11514802
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for determining, by a processor, an unmanned aerial system (UAS) position relative to at least one flight boundary; and effecting, by the processor, at least one flight limitation of a UAS if the determined UAS position crosses the at least one flight boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Joseph Thurling, Joseph Frank Mohos
  • Patent number: 11504540
    Abstract: A defibrillation system may include a cardiac arrest detector detecting whether cardiac arrest of a passenger has occurred in a state of taking a seat of a self-driving vehicle and fastening a seatbelt of the vehicle; a passenger posture detection device detecting a posture of the passenger; a seat driving device changing the posture of the passenger into another posture in which the passenger lies down based on a detection signal of the passenger posture detection device when the cardiac arrest of the passenger occurs; a heart position detector configured to search for a position of a heart of the passenger; a defibrillation robot to perform a CPR method or a method using an AED on the heart of the passenger; and a controller controlling operation of the seat driving device, the heart position detector, and the defibrillation robot based on detection signals of the cardiac arrest detector and the passenger posture detection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Baek Hee Lee, Min Hyuk Kwak, Jong Hun Lee, Hyun Kyu Park, Yo Seob Lee
  • Patent number: 11505092
    Abstract: A hologram switch system of a seat for vehicles generates hologram switch images for adjusting movement of the seat and air-conditioning of the seat in front of a passenger sitting on the seat, and allows the passenger to perform selection and operation in the generated hologram switch images through the position and motion of a passenger's hand, so that the passenger may more intuitively approach and easily operate the switch images and thereby easily operate various seat moving apparatuses and seat air-conditioning apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Baek Hee Lee, Gyu Ho Chung, Jong Hun Lee, Yo Seob Lee, Hyun Kyu Park, Min Hyuk Kwak
  • Patent number: 11491988
    Abstract: In a driving assistance device for a vehicle provided with an automatic driving mode and a manual driving mode, a standby member is provided to allow a driver seated at a seat to rest an arm. A sensor senses that a hand of a driver is placed at a position where the driver can reach the sensor while the driver rests the arm on the standby member. The sensor senses that a finger of the driver is in contact with the sensor. The sensor is provided in an arm rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Inuzuka
  • Patent number: 11488476
    Abstract: A detection system includes a first-sensor, a second-sensor, and a controller. The first-sensor is mounted on a host-vehicle. The first-sensor detects objects in a first-field-of-view. The second-sensor is positioned at a second-location different than the first-location. The second-sensor detects objects in a second-field-of-view that at least partially overlaps the first-field of view. The controller is in communication with the first-sensor and the second-sensor. The controller selects the second-sensor to detect an object-of-interest in accordance with a determination that an obstruction blocks a first-line-of-sight between the first-sensor and the object-of-interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Motional AD LLC
    Inventors: Junsung Kim, Junqing Wei, Wenda Xu, Gaurav Bhatia
  • Patent number: 11479411
    Abstract: A layer pick system optimizes usage of a layer picker gantry or robotic arm by arranging and/or displacing the gantry or arm in optimal locations with respect to one or more groups of pallets, and/or by grouping pallets by their attributes and arranging the same group of pallets close to each other. In some implementations, a plurality of pallets is categorized into multiple groups by different velocities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Lineage Logistics, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Frank Eckman, Daniël Walet, Elliott Gerard Wolf, Frank Baijens, Sudarsan Thattai