Patents Examined by Maceeh Anwari
  • Patent number: 11247647
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a camera obtaining an external view of the vehicle and acquiring illuminance data; a radar detecting a target object located outside the vehicle and acquiring radar data; and a controller including at least one processor for processing the illuminance data acquired by the camera and the radar data acquired by the radar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Dae Seok Jeon
  • Patent number: 11237555
    Abstract: A backup control server for reducing dangers to automation systems of autonomous vehicles includes a memory and a processor. The processor is programmed to detect an anomalous event which may include one of a geomagnetic interference event and a cyber-attack event. The processor may also be programmed to perform a threat assessment for the anomalous event relative to an automation system of a vehicle. The automation system may be configured to control an aspect of autonomous operation of the vehicle. The processor may be further programmed to determine one or more mitigating actions to perform on the automation system based upon the threat assessment. The one or more mitigating actions are configured to reduce a danger to the vehicle presented by the anomalous event. The processor may also be programmed to transmit to the vehicle instructions to perform one or more mitigating actions on the automation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Aaron Scott Chan, Brian Fields
  • Patent number: 11230375
    Abstract: A method for controlling a flying projectile which rotates during flight, comprising: determining an angle of rotation of an inertial mass spinning about an axis during flight; and controlling at least one actuator for altering at least a portion of an aerodynamic structure, selectively in dependence on the determined angle of rotation and a control input, to control aerodynamic forces during flight. An aerodynamic surface may rotate and interact with surrounding air during flight, to produce aerodynamic forces. A sensor determines an angular rotation of the spin during flight. A control system, responsive to the sensor, produces a control signal in dependence on the determined angular rotation. An actuator selectively alters an aerodynamic characteristic of the aerodynamic surface in response to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Inventor: Steven M. Hoffberg
  • Patent number: 11222544
    Abstract: A platoon control system includes a platoon control in communication with a plurality of individual platoon vehicle controls associated with respective platoon vehicles of a platoon of vehicles traveling along a road. Responsive to a lane change instruction wirelessly communicated by the platoon control, the individual platoon vehicle control of a last platoon vehicle controls the last platoon vehicle to maneuver the last platoon vehicle from an initial traffic lane to another traffic lane. After maneuvering the last platoon vehicle to enter the other traffic lane, the individual platoon vehicle control of the last platoon vehicle controls the last platoon vehicle to allow the individual platoon vehicle controls of the other platoon vehicles to maneuver the other platoon vehicles to enter the other traffic lane ahead of the last platoon vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Ruediger K. Boegel
  • Patent number: 11219155
    Abstract: A system and method for monitoring an agricultural implement. The system includes a monitor device, a communication module and a display device. The monitor device is in electrical communication with a plurality of sensors monitoring the operation of agricultural implement. The implement sensors generate “as-applied” data. The as-applied data is processed and transmitted to a display device via a communication module. The display device renders maps representing the as-applied data. The generated maps may be accessed and displayed as map overlays on a display device with a common view characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: The Climate Corporation
    Inventors: Justin Koch, Doug Sauder, Tim Sauder, Jakob Stuber
  • Patent number: 11220183
    Abstract: A driver controls a switch inserted in a current path between a secondary battery and an inverter that drives a motor. A first abnormality detector instructs the driver to turn off the switch when an abnormality of the secondary battery is detected. A second abnormality detector is disposed in parallel with the first abnormality detector, and instructs the driver to turn off the switch when the abnormality of the secondary battery is detected. The first abnormality detector suspends an instruction to turn off the switch to the driver, even when the abnormality of the secondary battery is detected, in cases where an ECU instructs discharge-stop prohibition of the secondary battery. The second abnormality detector instructs the driver to turn off the switch after a lapse of a certain time from when the abnormality of the secondary battery is detected, regardless of an instruction from the ECU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takao, Noriharu Kobayashi, Hoshihito Okada
  • Patent number: 11208205
    Abstract: A rotorcraft including a main rotor, flight controls connected to the main rotor the main rotor, a plurality of engines connected to the main rotor and operable to drive the main rotor, a main rotor revolutions per minute (RPM) sensor, and a monitoring system operable to determine an engine failure of the plurality of engines. The monitoring system is further operable to engage an automated autorotation entry assist process in response to at least determining the engine failure and according to the measured main rotor RPM, where the automated autorotation entry assist process comprises the monitoring system generating one or more rotor RPM related commands according to at least a target main rotor RPM and the measured main rotor RPM, where the automated autorotation entry assist process further comprises controlling the one or more flight controls according to the one or more rotor RPM related commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
    Inventor: Luke Dafydd Gillett
  • Patent number: 11208008
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle predicts a collision of the vehicle with an object and then actuates a drive assist device. The control device includes a collision predictor, a drive assist controller, an engine controller, a first power supply system, a second power supply system, a switch, and a switch controller. When a possibility that the vehicle will collide with the object exceeds a threshold, the collision predictor outputs a collision alarm signal. When the collision alarm signal is output during driving of the starter motor, the engine controller stops the starter motor to increase an electric potential of the second power supply system, and the switch controller turns on the switch, based on a difference in electric potential between the first and second power supply systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Uchimura, Yuji Ohori, Yuki Natsume, Shota Inudo
  • Patent number: 11203440
    Abstract: An aircraft control system may include an engine control subsystem, a flight control subsystem, a processor, and a tangible, non-transitory memory. The tangible, non-transitory memory may be configured to communicate with the processor, and the tangible, non-transitory memory may have instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the aircraft control system to perform various operations. The various operations may include controlling, by the processor, the engine control subsystem and controlling, by the processor, the flight control subsystem. That is, a single processor (or a single set of processors) may control both the engine control subsystem and the flight control subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Leo J. Veilleux, Jr., Richard A. Poisson
  • Patent number: 11194323
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems of tracking a target with an imaging device onboard an unmanned aerial vehicle. The method may comprise identifying one or more targets in a first image captured by the imaging device, receiving a user selection of a target to be tracked from the one or more targets in the one or more images, generating target information for the target to be tracked based on the user selection of the target, detecting a deviation of a detected position and/or a detected size of the target in a second image captured by the imaging device from the selected position and/or the selected size of the target in the first image and adjusting at least one of the UAV and the carrier, to reduce the determined deviation to maintain the target substantially within the field of view of the image device, based on the deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Bo Zang
  • Patent number: 11188096
    Abstract: Provided is a control apparatus includes, a state information obtainment unit configured for, with respect to each of at least some nodes including an assigned node among a plurality of nodes being mobile nodes, obtaining state information that represents a state related to a predetermined value corresponding to a position of each of the some nodes; a control information generation unit configured for generating control information for controlling movement of the assigned node based on the state information of each of the some nodes; and a control unit configured for controlling movement of the assigned node based on the control information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatsugu Ogawa, Masafumi Yano
  • Patent number: 11180250
    Abstract: A fact checking system utilizes social networking information and analyzes and determines the factual accuracy of information and/or characterizes the information by comparing the information with source information. The social networking fact checking system automatically monitors information, processes the information, fact checks the information and/or provides a status of the information, including automatically modifying a web page to include the fact check results. The fact checking system is able to be implemented utilizing a drone device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Inventor: Lucas J. Myslinski
  • Patent number: 11175151
    Abstract: Systems and methods of efficient carpooling based on driver risk groups are provided. Vehicle operators may be classified into a carpooling group based on vehicle routes associated with each of the vehicle operators. Vehicle sensor data associated with each vehicle operator of the carpooling group may be analyzed. Based on the analysis of the vehicle sensor data, one or more indicia of safe driving behaviors associated with each vehicle operator of the carpooling group may be identified. The safe driving behaviors associated with each vehicle operator of the carpooling group may be compared. Based on the comparison, a vehicle operator of the carpooling group may be selected as a driver for a carpool. For example, the safest vehicle operator of the carpooling group may be selected as the driver for the carpool. The carpool may include one or more of the other vehicle operators of the carpooling group as passengers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: BLUEOWL, LLC
    Inventors: Micah Wind Russo, Theobolt N. Leung, Gareth Finucane, Eric Dahl
  • Patent number: 11158205
    Abstract: According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are disclosed of systems, methods and devices related to remote control locomotive training. In an exemplary embodiment, a remote control locomotive training system includes a locomotive control unit coupled to a locomotive and configured to control operation of the locomotive, and a trainee operator control unit in wireless communication with the locomotive control unit. The trainee operator control unit includes a first wireless interface to transmit one or more commands to the locomotive control unit. The system also includes a trainer operator control unit in wireless communication with the trainee operator control unit via a second wireless interface. The trainer operator control unit is configured to monitor the trainee operator control unit by receiving messages from the trainee operator control unit indicative of the one or more commands transmitted from the trainee operator control unit to the locomotive control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Cattron North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Jovenall, André Brousseau
  • Patent number: 11145144
    Abstract: Disclosed is a work vehicle management system including: a battery work information generation unit that generates battery work information indicating a use state of a battery during work of a work vehicle; a battery deterioration information generation unit that chronologically diagnoses the battery work information to generate battery deterioration information that indicates a deterioration trend of the battery that is unique to the work vehicle; and a notification unit that performs notification of the battery deterioration information to a manager of the work vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Manji, Hirokazu Ito
  • Patent number: 11143523
    Abstract: Provided are systems, methods, and media for tactile map-based navigation on a reconfigurable display surface. An example method includes receiving an input destination for a user, generating a navigational route to the destination based on a current location of the user, and transmitting a control signal to the reconfigurable display surface to cause the mobile display surface to render the navigational route on a map of a geographic area. The rendering of the navigational route includes changing topography of the reconfigurable display surface such that a first three-dimensional (3D) shape is formed on the map at a position of the current location and a second 3D shape is formed on the map at a position of the destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuk L. Chan, Michael D. Essenmacher, David B. Lection, Eric L. Masselle
  • Patent number: 11136138
    Abstract: This invention discloses an aircraft control method, apparatus and an aircraft. The invention relates to the field of aircraft control technologies. The method includes: obtaining ambient luminance data by a luminance sensing apparatus of an aircraft; determining whether the ambient luminance data satisfies a luminance value required for normal running of a vision system of the aircraft; and adjusting, when the ambient luminance data does not satisfy the luminance value required for normal running of the vision system of the aircraft, a working status of a light emitting apparatus on the aircraft to change light emitting luminance of the light emitting apparatus. The foregoing aircraft control method, apparatus and the aircraft can accurately learn a flight environment in which the aircraft is located, thereby effectively implementing vision positioning on the aircraft and more conveniently controlling the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: AUTEL ROBOTICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jian Yang
  • Patent number: 11130542
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some implementations a motorized tricycle includes a lean mechanism and an active system that is operably coupled to the lean mechanism that receives an signal indicative of an interaction with human, that is operable to detect a lean of the body of the human and that is operable to receive a sensed movement on the seat via multisensory devices, and to generate and send a signal to the lean mechanism from the signal, the lean and the sensed movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: TerraCraft Motors Inc.
    Inventors: James Wesley Abbott, Bailey H. Jones
  • Patent number: 11124184
    Abstract: A vehicle and a method for the vehicle to detect a vehicle accident are provided. The method includes accessing at least one accident profile, wherein each accident profile contains information describing, for vehicles involved in a vehicle accident, data indicating vehicle operating parameters during the accident; collecting, in real time, data from the vehicle and at least one nearby vehicle, the data describing current vehicle operating parameters for the vehicles; comparing the data collected in real time with the at least one accident profile to determine a probability of a vehicle crash; and implementing preventive action responsive to the probability of a vehicle crash exceeds a probability threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Emily Lerner
  • Patent number: 11120688
    Abstract: Traversing, by an autonomous vehicle, a vehicle transportation network, may include identifying a policy for a scenario-specific operational control evaluation model of a distinct vehicle operational scenario, receiving a candidate vehicle control action from the policy, wherein, in response to a determination that an uncertainty value for the distinct vehicle operational scenario exceeds a defined uncertainty threshold, the candidate vehicle control action is an orientation-adjust vehicle control action, and traversing a portion of the vehicle transportation network in accordance with the candidate vehicle control action, wherein the portion of the vehicle transportation network includes the distinct vehicle operational scenario.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignees: Nissan North America, Inc., The University of Massachusetts
    Inventors: Kyle Hollins Wray, Stefan Witwicki, Shlomo Zilberstein, Melissa Cefkin