Patents Examined by Maceeh Anwari
  • Patent number: 11407390
    Abstract: Control determines whether or not two objects represent the same object, in which one object is detected at a first position in front of a vehicle by an electromagnetic wave sensor and the other object is detected at a second position in front of the vehicle by image sensor. The control further determines whether or not the other object is partially excluded from an image acquired by the image sensor, in which a part of the object may have been outside the imaging region of the image sensor. The control changes a determination condition used for determining whether or not the objects represent the same object, such that the object whose part is excluded from the acquired image is more easily determined as the same object, compared with an object determined that such a part is not excluded from the acquired image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Baba
  • Patent number: 11400977
    Abstract: A system and method for guiding an articulated vehicle having at least a first section and a second section includes one or more sensors positioned separately from the vehicle and adapted to detect the positions of and the angle between the first and second sections. The system also may include one or more position sensors located on the vehicle. A computing system that may be on the vehicle or positioned separately from the vehicle receives the position data and includes a pose-determining algorithm for determining the position and orientation of the vehicle and a guidance-determining algorithm for determining guidance commands to guide the vehicle to a target position. A communications device communicates the guidance commands or sensed position and/or angle information to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventors: Sean Nicholas Brennan, James Theodore Dorris
  • Patent number: 11400931
    Abstract: A lane departure prevention assist system for a vehicle includes: a tilt angle control unit configured to control a tilt angle of a seat surface with respect to a lateral direction by driving a tilt angle changing device; a lane detection unit configured to detect a lane on a road; and a vehicle position estimation unit configured to estimate a lateral position of the vehicle in the lane. The tilt angle control unit is configured to increase the tilt angle of the seat surface with respect to the lateral direction such that, as the vehicle approaches one lateral end of an own lane, a height of the seat surface on a side near the one lateral end of the own lane becomes greater than the height of the seat surface on a side remote from the one lateral end of the own lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masanori Takeda, Takashi Yanagi, Takeyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11403940
    Abstract: A system for installing a structure is provided. The system includes a plurality of moveable objects, and a server including a controller including one or more processors, and machine readable instructions stored in one or more memory modules that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to: communicate with the plurality of moveable objects; receive a request for installing the structure at a location; select a group of moveable objects among the plurality of moveable objects based on locations of the plurality of moveable objects; instruct the group of moveable objects to move to the location; and instruct one or more of the group of moveable objects to morph at the location based on information about the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Seyhan Uçar, Baik Hoh, Kentaro Oguchi
  • Patent number: 11392130
    Abstract: Autonomous ground vehicles equipped with one or more sensors may capture data regarding ground conditions at a location. The data may refer to or describe slopes, surface textures, terrain features, weather conditions, moisture contents or the like at the location, and may be used to select one or more areas for receiving a delivery of an item. The sensors may include one or more inclinometers, imaging devices or other systems. The autonomous ground vehicles may also engage in one or more direct interactions or communications with a delivery vehicle, and may select an appropriate area that is suitable for such interactions. The autonomous ground vehicles may also prepare the area for an arrival of a delivery vehicle, such as by making one or more visible markings in ground surfaces at the area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Philippe Desrosiers, Jonathan Barak Flowers, Nicholas K. Gentry, Ramsey P. Gill, Camerin Hahn, Ian Beck Jordan, Liam S C Pingree
  • Patent number: 11380142
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for measuring a driving event, a server device receiving first event data from a first motor vehicle, which first event data signal the driving event identified by a first detection apparatus of the first motor vehicle. The method further provides that the server device generates configuration data on a basis of the first event data in order to configure a second detection apparatus of a second motor vehicle that is different from the first detection apparatus of the first motor vehicle and sends the configuration data to the second motor vehicle in order to generate second event data that describe the driving event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventor: Sebastian Krüger
  • Patent number: 11370444
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes an information acquisition unit that acquires road surface condition information indicative of a road surface condition determined on the basis of sound data obtained by performing sound source separation with respect to a sound acquired by a microphone array, a storage unit in which there is stored control content in accordance with the road surface condition, and a control unit which controls a drive unit provided on a vehicle, on the basis of the control content in accordance with the road surface condition indicated by the road surface condition information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Go Morita, Takashi Ozeki, Tomoyuki Sahata
  • Patent number: 11364908
    Abstract: A cruise control method to control a driven vehicle includes: determining projected speeds of the driven vehicle at each of the predetermined-upcoming locations; determining a plurality of following times at each of the predetermined-upcoming locations of the driven vehicle and the projected speeds of the followed vehicle; determining whether at least one of the plurality of following times is less than the predetermined-minimum time threshold; and in response to determining that at least one plurality of following times is less than the predetermined-minimum time threshold, commanding, by the controller, the propulsion system of the driven vehicle to decrease the commanded axle torque by a torque adjustment in order to prevent each of the plurality of following times at each of the predetermined-upcoming locations from being less than the predetermined-minimum time threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Matthew S. Zebiak, Amanpal S. Grewal
  • Patent number: 11361600
    Abstract: A method for authenticating at least one diagnostic trouble code (DTC) generated by a motor vehicle system of a vehicle. The method generates a DTC by a fault detection algorithm, stores the DTC in a volatile fault memory, generates an identity marker denoting the fault detection algorithm at the time of generation of the DTC, stores the identity marker in NVM, stores the DTC in the NVM when an ignition-off request signal is present, loads the DTC from the NVM into the volatile memory when an ignition-on request signal is present, and authenticates the DTC by the authentication data record by, initially by determining the fault detection algorithm by which the fault event was detected, subsequently this fault detection algorithm being compared with the fault detection algorithm indicated by the identity marker, and an absence of concordance resulting in a manipulation of the DTC being indicated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Inventors: Scott F. Ross, Michael Gerhard Schneider
  • Patent number: 11347242
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed for flight control prioritization. An example apparatus includes a thrust state determiner to determine a first thrust margin between a first limit of first available power for first rotors of a rotorcraft and a first thrust state associated with the first rotors, determine a second thrust margin between a second limit of second available power for second rotors of the rotorcraft and a second thrust state associated with the second rotors, and identify the first thrust margin or the second thrust margin as a selected thrust margin based on a vertical control profile of the rotorcraft, and a command generator to determine a first vertical control command based on the selected thrust margin and a second vertical control command, the second vertical control command being executed by the rotorcraft, and control the rotorcraft based on the first vertical control command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Bryan E. Kashawlic, Brandon R. Brown
  • Patent number: 11320817
    Abstract: A method for adjusting image exposure includes, while continuously tracking one or more targets using an imaging device mounted on a movable object, receiving a user indication of a target for imaging, determining a first representation of the target, capturing a first image that includes the first representation of the target, determining an exposure parameter for the imaging device using data in the first image that corresponds to the first representation of the target, determining a second representation of the target, capturing a second image including the second representation of the target, and adjusting the exposure parameter for the imaging device using data in the second image that corresponds to the second representation of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ye Tao, Cong Zhao, Xuyang Feng, Ruochen Tang
  • Patent number: 11313693
    Abstract: A system for closest in path vehicle following using surrounding vehicles motion flow is provided and includes a sensor device of a host vehicle generating data related to vehicles upon a drivable surface. The system further includes a navigation controller including a computerized processor operable to monitor the data from the sensor device, define a portion of the plurality of vehicles as a swarm of vehicles, identify one of the plurality of vehicles as a closest in path vehicle to be followed, evaluate the data to determine whether the closest in path vehicle to be followed is exhibiting good behavior in relation to the swarm of vehicles, and, when the closest in path vehicle to be followed is exhibiting the good behavior, generate a breadcrumbing navigation path based upon the data. The system further includes a vehicle controller controlling the host vehicle based upon the breadcrumbing navigation path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ryan A. MacDonald, Mohammadali Shahriari, Dorothy Lui, Donovan J. Wisner, Benjamin J. Gaffney
  • Patent number: 11312352
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method with which the driving dynamics of an electrically driven vehicle can be modified. Within the scope of the method according to the invention, a vehicle operating characteristic variable, as a function of which a torque transmission mechanism is engaged, is monitored, by means of which torque transmission mechanism two half-shaft assemblies of the vehicle which are each driven by an electric motor can be selectively connected to one another in terms of drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA POWERTRAIN GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Simon Kaimer, Martin Parigger, Johannes Quehenberger
  • Patent number: 11299132
    Abstract: A driving support apparatus is provided with: a determinator configured to determine a collision probability; and a braking controller programmed to perform a braking control, and a preliminary braking control. The braking controller includes: a braking force increaser configured to increase the braking force applied in the preliminary braking control; and a braking force adjuster configured to perform adjustment, if the braking force applied at an end time point of the preliminary braking control is greater than the braking force applied at a start time point of the braking control in such a manner that a braking force applied in transferring from the preliminary braking control to the braking control has a small change amount, or in such a manner that it is greater than the braking force applied at the end time point of the preliminary braking control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi Tsuchiya, Kazunori Nogi
  • Patent number: 11292607
    Abstract: A propeller control system for an aircraft propeller rotatable about a longitudinal axis and having an adjustable blade angle is provided. A blade angle feedback ring is coupled to the propeller to rotate with the propeller and to move along the longitudinal axis along with adjustment of the blade angle. The feedback ring includes position markers spaced around its circumference. A sensor is positioned adjacent the feedback ring for producing signals indicative of passage of the position markers. A controller is in communication with the sensor, and is configured for: measuring a distance between the position markers, wherein the distance is representative of a longitudinal position of the feedback ring; determining whether a value representative of the longitudinal position is within a first threshold range; and when the value is within the first threshold range, storing the value as a calibration value associated with the blade angle feedback ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHTNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Ella Yakobov, James Robert Jarvo
  • Patent number: 11277966
    Abstract: Systems and methods for calibrating a machine for operating with an implement that is selectively coupleable to the machine. Both the implement and the machine have memories storing calibration data for machine-implement combinations. The machine and the implement are operated based on a calibration value stored to the machine memory corresponding to an identification of the specific implement that is coupled to the machine. If a calibration value for the specific implement is not already in the machine memory, the machine determines a calibration value for the implement based on other calibration data stored by the machine memory and/or the implement memory. In some embodiments, the calibration data stored by the machine and by the implement is synchronized when the implement is selectively coupled to the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: Michael J. Hodson
  • Patent number: 11281944
    Abstract: A method for determining event data including: sampling a first data stream within a first time window at a first sensor of an onboard vehicle system coupled to a vehicle, extracting interior activity data from the first data stream; determining an interior event based on the interior activity data; sampling a second data stream within a second time window at a second sensor of the onboard vehicle system; extracting exterior activity data from the second image stream; determining an exterior event based on the exterior activity data; correlating the exterior event and the interior event to generate combined event data; automatically classifying the combined event data to generate an event label; and automatically labeling the first time window of the first data stream and the second time window of the second data stream with the combined event label to generate labeled event data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Nauto, Inc.
    Inventors: Suchitra Sathyanarayana, Ravi Kumar Satzoda, Alex Thompson, Michael Gleeson-May, Ludmila Levkova
  • Patent number: 11260905
    Abstract: A human-machine interaction somatosensory vehicle is provided. The human-machine interaction somatosensory vehicle may include a vehicle body and two wheels mounted on the vehicle body. The two wheels may rotate around the vehicle body in a radial direction. The vehicle body may include a support frame, two pedal devices mounted on the support frame, a controller, and a driving device configured to drive the two wheels. The support frame may be an integral structure rotatably connected to the two pedal devices. The two pedal devices each may include a pedal foot board and a first position sensor. The first position sensor may be mounted between the pedal foot board and the support frame, and configured to detect stress information of the pedal device. The controller may be configured to control the driving device to drive the two wheels to move or turn based on the stress information of the pedal devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: HANGZHOU CHIC INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiawei Ying, Keping Xiao
  • Patent number: 11261068
    Abstract: A steering method of a multi-directional industrial truck for controlling a movement of the multi-directional industrial truck from a starting position into a target position. The method includes selectively controlling automatically at least one of a rotatory component of the movement and a translatory component of the movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: HUBTEX MASCHINENBAU GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Juergen Keller
  • Patent number: 11260877
    Abstract: A method for selecting a driving profile of a motor vehicle, a driver assistance system therefor and a motor vehicle equipped therewith is disclosed. In the method and based on an operating action by a driver, a deviation between the number of predetermined driving profiles currently desired by the driver and that previously used is recognized. After the deviation has been recognized, a query is output to the driver as to whether the deviation should be taught by the driver assistance system for the current situation. After the query has been confirmed by the driver, the driver assistance system is accordingly adapted for the current situation in at least one parameter influencing the selection of the driving profile to be used such that the deviation in the automatic selection of the driving profile to be used in future situations that correspond to the current situation is taken into account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Julia Gohlke, Paul Hochrein, Holger Spahr