Patents Examined by Nagi Murshed
  • Patent number: 8437896
    Abstract: An HV_ECU executes a program including the steps of: determining whether or not an EV switch is turned on until a monitoring timer expires when a system startup switch is turned on, latching the ON state of the EV switch if the EV switch is turned on and confirming an EV mode request on system startup, detecting various state quantities of a vehicle, and starting up a system in an EV mode without starting an engine if an EV mode prohibiting condition is unsatisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Kaita, Shinobu Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 8364342
    Abstract: A control wheel for controlling at least one function of a system by a user includes a moveable engagement wheel for engagement by the user and an actuator coupled to the engagement wheel for providing force or haptic feedback to the engagement wheel in response to movement of the engagement wheel. A sensor for sensing movement of the engagement wheel is provided and a control system is coupled to the sensor for receiving information about positioning and movement of the engagement wheel, and is also coupled to the actuator for controlling force to the engagement wheel. The control system also provides control of the at least one function of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory A. Springer, Alexander Jasso, Steven P. Vassallo, Kenneth M. Martin, Bruce M. Schena
  • Patent number: 8340845
    Abstract: A theft deterrent apparatus in a marine vessel including a propulsion device having an engine coupled to a starter and a power generator, includes an authentication unit arranged to operate by receiving power from a battery that is arranged to supply power to the starter and accumulate power generated by the power generator, an operation control unit arranged to allow operation of the propulsion device if authentication by the authentication unit does succeed and prohibit operation of the propulsion device if authentication by the authentication unit does not succeed, a fault detection unit arranged to detect a fault of the authentication unit, and a fault detection control unit arranged to make a provisional fault judgment when the fault detection unit detects the fault of the authentication unit before completion of engine starting by the starter, and then make the fault detection unit perform the fault detection again after the completion of engine starting by the starter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takaaki Bamba
  • Patent number: 8335608
    Abstract: A sensor network for monitoring vehicle operations comprises a set of wireless gateways, a plurality of wireless sensors, a plurality of wireless routers, and data processing system. The set of wireless gateways is capable of receiving emissions data from the sensor network. The plurality of wireless sensor units has sensors capable of monitoring vehicle emissions and is capable of generating the emissions data in response to monitoring the vehicle emissions. The plurality of wireless routers is capable of receiving emissions data received from the plurality of wireless sensor units and routing the emissions data received from the plurality of sensors to the set of wireless gateways. The data processing system is capable of receiving the operations data from the set of wireless gateways and capable of processing the operations data. The operations data may include data related to emissions from the vehicle or equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Bradley J. Mitchell, Henry V. R. Fletcher, III, Brock J. Prince, George M. Roe, Edwin C. Lim
  • Patent number: 8335621
    Abstract: When downshift control is performed during fuel cut control (when coast-down gearshift control is performed), fuel cut reset revolutions are lowered and set to revolutions Ndwn that are lower than fuel cut reset revolutions Nnor for normal control. By such a setting, it becomes possible to maintain fuel cut control and deceleration lockup slippage control even when engine revolutions NE temporarily drop during execution of coast-down gearshift control, so an improvement in fuel consumption can be achieved. Moreover, it becomes unnecessary to set a downshift gearshift line to a higher vehicle speed side, so fuel cut can be maintained while suppressing the occurrence of a gearshift shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Ayabe, Tomohiro Asami
  • Patent number: 8326494
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for determining a desired yaw rate for a vehicle. The vehicle has a plurality of handling states and comprises a yaw rate sensor for determining an actual yaw rate. The method comprises selecting one of the plurality of handling states, determining the desired yaw rate for the vehicle based on the road wheel angle, the velocity, and the selected one of the plurality of handling states, and activating one or more vehicle stability control measures if the difference between the desired yaw rate and the actual yaw rate for the vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kevin A. O'Dea, Christopher A. Kinser, Mohammad A. Fayyad
  • Patent number: 8321072
    Abstract: A method for determining the quantity of fuel in an aircraft and an optimization criterion such as a cost index, notably used in an FMS, making it possible to maintain a time requirement of the RTA type, comprising a first step of computing the optimization criterion CIi as a function of the aircraft weight GWi-1 via a method of the RTA type and a second step of computing the weight of the aircraft GWi as a function of the optimization criterion Ci-1 computed in the first computation step and the aircraft weight GWi-1, executed by successive iterations, until the estimated flight time resulting from the computed parameters after the second computation step makes it possible to observe the time requirement to within a determined criterion ?t, a last step determining the pair of values of aircraft weight GWi and of performance criterion CIi-1 allowing an optimal fuel payload and the maintenance of the RTA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: François Coulmeau, Emmanuel Dewas, Philippe Chaix
  • Patent number: 8321097
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling transmissions and associated vehicles, machines, equipment, etc., are disclosed. In one case, a transmission control system includes a control unit configured to use a sensed vehicle speed and a commanded, target constant input speed to maintain an input speed substantially constant. The system includes one or more maps that associate a speed ratio of a transmission with a vehicle speed. In one embodiment, one such map associates an encoder position with a vehicle speed. Regarding a specific application, an automatic bicycle transmission shifting system is contemplated. An exemplary automatic bicycle includes a control unit, a shift actuator, various sensors, and a user interface. The control unit is configured to cooperate with a logic module and an actuator controller to control the cadence of a rider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC
    Inventors: Christopher M Vasiliotis, Loren T McDaniel
  • Patent number: 8315785
    Abstract: The data communication device and method include storing road map information indicating locations of nodes and links, a time when a vehicle enters one link and an identifier of the link, and a vehicle location and the link identifier in a memory, periodically acquiring vehicle position data, identifying the link based on the road map information, and comparing the identified link with the link the vehicle has passed through a node. The device rewrites the position data and acquired time stored in the memory when receiving a result that the vehicle has not passed, determines an exit time based on the acquired time and the time of last acquired position data when receiving a result that the vehicle has passed, calculates a travel period of the vehicle, writes the exit time as an entry time, rewrites the link identification data, and transmits the travel period to a given communication destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Kyouko Okuyama
  • Patent number: 8311714
    Abstract: A method for monitoring an automated drive train of a motor vehicle, in particular of a passenger car. The drive train comprises a drive engine, a friction clutch arrangement and a multi-speed transmission. The friction clutch arrangement connects or disconnects the drive engine to/from the multi-speed transmission. The method comprises the step of determining at least one rotational speed parameter of the drive train; checking whether the rotational speed parameter is greater than a first threshold value for a first predetermined time interval, and initiating a measure in the drive train in order to lower the rotational speed parameter if the rotational speed parameter is greater than the first threshold value for the first predetermined time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: GETRAG Getriebe- und Zahnradfabrik Hermann Hagenmeyer GmbH & Cie KG
    Inventors: Martin Seufert, Tobias Kalisch, Markus Goldbach, Michael Schachtmann, Ralf Hettich, Matthias Neundorf
  • Patent number: 8311727
    Abstract: A motor vehicle operating system includes a navigation system for providing road map information, a vehicle monitoring system for providing vehicle information, a display device for displaying road map information and vehicle information, an operating device for detecting an operating action and a control device. The control device is set up and coupled with the navigation system, the vehicle monitoring system, the display device and the operating device such that, in a zoom operating condition, in at least one predefined operating situation or zoom situation, particularly in the case of the adjustment of the zoom factor to a limit value. A switching-over takes place from the zoom operating condition to a monitoring operating condition by way of an additional zoom operating action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Lutz Eckstein, Josef Schumann, Martin Zobl, Christian Knoll
  • Patent number: 8306709
    Abstract: A method for controlling a powertrain includes monitoring a transmission output speed, monitoring an engine output speed, and monitoring an engine braking request. When the engine braking request is present, a target engine output speed is determined based upon the transmission output speed. Speed of the engine is commanded to the target engine output speed. When the engine braking request is present, a selectable one-way clutch slip speed is determined based upon the transmission output speed and the engine output speed. The selectable one-way clutch slip speed is utilized to further command the speed of the engine to create a zero selectable one-way clutch slip speed. And when the selectable one-way clutch slip speed equals zero, the selectable one-way clutch is engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Chunhao J. Lee, Farzad Samie
  • Patent number: 8306685
    Abstract: A method for carrying out a logbook flight preparation process to present pre-flight information to a flight crew member of an aircraft prior to a flight mission. The method may involve electronically accessing a database to obtain a quantity of pre-flight information relating to an airworthiness of the aircraft, with the database being at least one of on-board the aircraft and remote from said aircraft. The quantity of pre-flight information is displayed in accordance with a desired sequence in which the information is to be presented to said flight crew member. The quantity of preflight information may be presented on a visual display in the desired sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Steven J. Yukawa, Rajit Jain, Tim W. Anstey
  • Patent number: 8306681
    Abstract: When curve determine signal from a navigation apparatus is activated, a learning portion learns driver's characteristics based on an accelerator pedal opening degree signal, and outputs the result of learning in association with a user ID from the navigation apparatus to a storage portion. A threshold value changing portion reads a learned value corresponding to the user ID from the storage portion, and based on the learned value, changes a threshold value for switching that is used by a traveling control portion. The traveling control portion switches between traveling modes based on a result of comparison between traveling power and the threshold value for switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takaya Soma
  • Patent number: 8301365
    Abstract: An ECU executes a program including a step of detecting a present location using a GPS system; a step of reading out data of a geographical map proximate to the present location and presenting in the geographical map charging installations including a charging installation employing solar light, together with the location of its vehicle; a step of, if a presentation switching request is made and a real-time solar radiation correction request is made, detecting a solar radiation amount and correcting a charge amount per unit time provided by the power generation installation employing solar light, based on the detected solar radiation amount; and a step of detecting an SOC in the battery to calculate an amount of discharge done until arrival at the charging installation, calculating time required for charging up to a fully charged state, and presenting the time required for charging in the geographical map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Toshiaki Niwa, Masatoshi Takahara
  • Patent number: 8301327
    Abstract: A vehicle estimate navigation apparatus including: a speed vector calculation means for calculating, based on GPS information by a GPS receiver mounted in a running vehicle, a speed vector of a running speed of the vehicle; a tire rotation information detection means for detecting rotation information of tires attached to the vehicle; a tire rotation speed calculation means for calculating rotation speeds of the tires based on tire rotation information obtained by the tire rotation information detection means; a speed calculation means for calculating a vehicle speed based on the speed vector information; a yaw rate calculation means for calculating a vehicle yaw rate based on the speed vector information; a first parameter calculation means for calculating a first parameter of a first relational expression between the vehicle speed calculated by the speed calculation means and the tire rotation speed, the vehicle speed being obtained based on a formula model for calculating a tire ground speed based on the t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Nakao, Mitsuhiro Wada
  • Patent number: 8296021
    Abstract: A hybrid transmission includes torque machines and an energy storage device connected thereto. Thee hybrid transmission is operative to transfer power between an input member and an output member and the torque machines. A method for controlling the hybrid transmission includes monitoring operating parameters of the hybrid transmission, monitoring an operator demand for power, determining an output torque range to the output member based upon states of the operating parameters of the hybrid transmission, constraining the output torque range to the output member based upon the operator demand for power, and determining input torque constraints to the input member based upon the constrained output torque range to the output member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Daimler AG, Chrysler Group LLC, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Anthony H. Heap, Tung-Ming Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8296025
    Abstract: When a vehicle driver operates a momentary-type gear shift lever and the lever continuously stays for not less than a predetermined length of time at a target gear position, in R, D, and N positions, corresponding to a target shift range of the automatic transmission of a vehicle, a shift range switching apparatus judges that the lever is operated to the target gear position and instructs a DC motor to switch to the target shift range of the automatic transmission. The apparatus detects a “busy shift” (or incomplete) operation of the lever based on voltage signals transferred from vertical/horizontal direction sensors corresponding to the current position of the lever. The apparatus detects the occurrence of the “bush shift” (or incomplete) operation when the gear shift lever is returned to the original position after being operated from the original position toward the target gear shift position, but, does not reach it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Yuuichi Takamatsu
  • Patent number: 8290648
    Abstract: After a final estimated route for a hybrid vehicle is specified, a navigation ECU determines a start point of a scheduled path, which a charging schedule is to be created for. The start point corresponds to a position at a travel distance, which is equivalent to a distance traveled from a present position of the hybrid vehicle along the estimated route for a time period required for creating a charging schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunao Yamada
  • Patent number: 8290649
    Abstract: A charging system that facilitates tracking of a stolen charging subject. The charging subject includes a battery and has a unique identification code. A charging device is connected to the battery of the charging subject by an electric cable, and the battery is chargeable. A server is connected to either one of the charging device and the charging subject and manages charging of the charging subject with the charging device. The server is cable of registering an identification code of the charging subject. The server obtains the identification code from the charging subject, determined whether or not the obtained identification code is registered in the server, and transmits to the charging device a charging prohibition command for prohibiting charging of the charging subject with the charging device when the obtained identification code is not registered in the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroaki Iwashita, Yoshiyuki Mizuno, Kenji Tanaka, Mikihisa Araki, Tomomi Shimizu, Masayuki Yurimoto, Keiji Yamamoto, Jun Shionoya