Patents Examined by Redhwan Mawari
  • Patent number: 11454509
    Abstract: For locations along a route a user will be traveling, the alert system for environmental changes compares first and second sets of images associated with first and second timestamps, respectively. The alert system determines degrees of environmental changes for the locations based on the comparisons. The alert system then generates and sends an alert to a user device. In determining the degrees of environment changes, the alert system retrieves first and second set of images matching a given location and associated with first and second timestamps. The alert system identifies first and second sets of objects and extracts first and second sets of attributes for the first and second sets of images. The alert system compares the first and second sets of attributes and the first and second set of objects, and determines a given degree of environmental changes at the given location based on the comparisons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul R. Bastide, Piyush Madan, Vishrawas Gopalakrishnan, Fang Lu
  • Patent number: 9399406
    Abstract: A method for dynamic control of an electric vehicle operable based on a throttle value received from a throttle and a default throttle map correlating default output values with throttle values, the method including: determining a user parameter; detecting a condition indicative of perturbation; in response to detecting the condition indicative of perturbation, determining a replacement output value for a first throttle value based on the user parameter; and controlling vehicle operation to meet the replacement output value in response to receipt of the first throttle value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Boosted, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanjay Dastoor, John Ulmen, Salomon Trujillo, Matthew Tran
  • Patent number: 8977467
    Abstract: A control unit for brake-slip-controlled operation of the brake device in a state in which braking torque is transferred from the rear to the front wheels by the coupling arrangement, at least one rotational speed sensor in a drive train of the vehicle for inputting into the control unit rotational speed signals representing the rotational behavior of the coupled front wheels and rear wheels, at least one acceleration sensor for inputting into the control unit acceleration signals representing the vehicle longitudinal acceleration, and/or a vehicle GPS device for inputting into the control unit position signals representing positions of the vehicle, the control unit determining at least one first variable, which is characteristic of a vehicle reference speed and/or a vehicle reference acceleration, based on the acceleration and/or position signals, and so as to determine a second variable, which is characteristic of the rotational behavior of the coupled front and rear wheels, based on the rotational speed si
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme Fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Herges, Andreas Wimmer
  • Patent number: 8165794
    Abstract: A positioning method includes performing a first positioning by carrying out information communication with an external part of an positioning apparatus to obtain a first information indicating a position of an object to which the method is applied, displaying a first map representing the position of the object indicated by the first information, performing a second positioning by carrying out information communication with an external part of the positioning apparatus before displaying the first map to obtain a second information indicating the position of the object more precisely than the first information, and displaying a second map representing the position of the positioning apparatus indicated by the second information without responding to another instruction from the user of the positioning after the displaying the first map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Keiichi Hirano
  • Patent number: 8090491
    Abstract: A guidance, navigation, and control method and system for an underground mining vehicle wherein an operator directly or indirectly guides the vehicle along a route as vehicle-mounted sensors including odometric sensors and rangefinders log motion data to a file which data is processed into a route profile including a vehicle path, a sequence of submaps along the path, and a profile of desired speed as a function of distance along the path. Thereafter the vehicle automatically repeats the route as represented by the route profile without an operator using the sensors and the maps to determine vehicle location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: MacDonald Dettwiler & Associates Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Barfoot, Joshua A. Marshall, Raja Mukherji, Robert Ward
  • Patent number: 8068977
    Abstract: To provide a destination prediction apparatus which predicts a destination more accurately than before. A destination prediction apparatus which predicts a destination of a mobile object includes: a stay characteristic accumulating unit in which stay characteristic information indicating a time period when the mobile object will likely stay at a predetermined point is accumulated; a travel time calculating unit which calculates a travel time in the case where the mobile object heads from a current location obtained by a current point obtaining unit to the point; and a destination predicting unit which calculates an estimated arrival time based on a current time obtained by a current time obtaining unit and the calculated travel time and predicts the point as a destination only when a condition that the calculated estimated arrival time and a time period indicated by the stay characteristic information is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Ozawa, Takashi Tajima, Mototaka Yoshioka, Takahiro Kudoh
  • Patent number: 8050818
    Abstract: A roll stiffness control apparatus of a vehicle, which includes a controller that estimates a remaining capacity of front wheels to generate a lateral force and a remaining capacity of rear wheels to generate a lateral force, and that sets a roll stiffness distribution ratio between the front wheels and the rear wheels so as to reduce a difference between the remaining capacity of the front wheels to generate a lateral force and the remaining capacity of the rear wheels to generate a lateral force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichi Mizuta
  • Patent number: 8046160
    Abstract: A navigation system uses a dead reckoning method to estimate an object's present position relative to one or more prior positions. In some embodiments, the dead reckoning method determines a change in position from the object's heading and speed during an elapsed time interval. In embodiments suitable for use with wheeled objects, the dead reckoning method determines the change in position by measuring the heading and the amount of wheel rotation. Some or all of the components of the navigation system may be disposed within a wheel, such as a wheel of a shopping cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott J. Carter, Stephen E. Hannah, Jesse M. James
  • Patent number: 8024086
    Abstract: For determination of a relative movement of a chassis and a body of a wheeled vehicle, which is movably joined to the chassis, three linear accelerations of the wheeled vehicle, which extend perpendicular to each other, respectively, as well as at least two rotational speeds of one respective rotational movement or a component of a rotational movement about a coordinate axis of the wheeled vehicle are measured (in measuring device 1), the at least two coordinate axes running perpendicular to each other, respectively. A momentary position of the relative movement is determined (in evaluation unit 9) using the three linear accelerations and the at least two rotational rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Fiedler, Andreas Mayer, Thomas Schweiger, Martin Stratesteffen
  • Patent number: 8024095
    Abstract: A control system for an excavation machine is disclosed. The control system may have a work tool movable to perform an excavation work cycle, at least one sensor configured to monitor a speed of the work tool and generate a signal indicative of the monitored speed, and a controller in communication with the at least one sensor. The controller may be configured to record the monitored speed of the work tool during each excavation work cycle, and compare the signal currently being generated to a maximum speed recorded for a previous excavation work cycle. The controller may be further configured to partition a current excavation work cycle into a plurality of segments based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Mintah, Robert J. Price, Kevin D. King, Vijayakumar Janardhan, Shoji Tozawa, Srinivas Kowta, Parmesh Venkateswaran
  • Patent number: 8010252
    Abstract: A system and method of controlling a vehicle with a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer, generating an oscillation signal indicative of trailer swaying relative to the vehicle, generating an initial weighted dynamic control signal for a vehicle dynamic control system in response to the oscillation signal, operating at least one vehicle dynamic system according to the dynamic control signal, and thereafter, iteratively generating a penalty function for the weighted dynamic control signal as a function of the oscillation signal response. A neural network with an associated trainer modifies the dynamic control signal as a function of trailer sway response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies
    Inventors: Anya Lynn Getman, Perry Robinson Macneille, Aric David Shaffer
  • Patent number: 8010255
    Abstract: A movable or removable seat for a motor vehicle is disclosed which preferably takes the form of a re-movable vehicle seat (1). The removable seat incorporates a first inductor (17) which forms part of an inductive coupling between the removable seat and a second inductor (21) which is mounted on the motor vehicle. The first inductor forms part of a resonant circuit which incorporates at least one capacitor. The resonant frequency of the resonant circuit is variable in response to a sensed parameter such as, for example, the position of a head-rest of the seat, the inclination of the back-rest of the seat and such like. A central unit (23) generates a square wave which excites the resonant circuit. A signal is transmitted from the resonant circuit to the central unit (23) which analyses the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Roger Darraba
  • Patent number: 8000847
    Abstract: A flight control system is configured for controlling the flight of an aircraft through windshear conditions. The system has means for measuring values of selected flight performance states of the aircraft and a control system for operating flight control devices on the aircraft. A windshear detection system located on the aircraft uses at least some of the measured values of the selected flight performance states to calculate a gust average during flight for comparison to pre-determined values in a table for determining whether windshear conditions exist. The control system then operates at least some of the flight control devices in response to an output of the windshear detection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Shyhpyng Jack Shue
  • Patent number: 7996139
    Abstract: During a starting operation or a low-speed drive of a vehicle on a slope, the drive control of the invention sets a gradient-corresponding rotation speed N? as a rotation speed of an engine to output a required driving force against a longitudinal vehicle gradient ?fr (step S110), and sequentially sets a low-?-road correction rotation speed Nlow upon identification of a low-?-road drive condition, a vehicle speed difference-compensating rotation speed Nv based on a vehicle speed V, and a brake-based correction rotation speed Nb based on a brake pressure Pb (steps S120 through S250). The drive control sets a target engine rotation speed Ne* based on these settings (step S260) and subsequently sets a target throttle opening THtag (step S270). The operation of the engine is controlled with the greater between the target throttle opening THtag and a required throttle opening THreq corresponding to an accelerator opening Acc (step S290).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichi Okuda, Mitsuhiro Tabata, Hiroshi Sato
  • Patent number: 7987036
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of managing the braking of an aircraft while taxiing on an airport, the method comprising, on the basis of characteristics for a sequence of movements of the aircraft along at least one given path to be followed by the aircraft on the airport, the step of deducing information concerning the braking to be performed so that the aircraft does indeed travel in application of said sequence of movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Messier-Bugatti
    Inventors: Stephane Dellac, Arnaud Jacquet, Antoine Esteban
  • Patent number: 7979189
    Abstract: A vehicle behavior control system includes: a first drive power control unit that executes a turning control over right and left drive wheels of a vehicle to reduce the turning radius of the vehicle based on a drive power difference between the right and left drive wheels; a second drive power control unit that executes a traction control when any drive power difference between the right and left drive wheels exists, in order to reduce the existing drive power difference; and a traction control restriction unit that restricts the traction control from being executed when the turning control over the right and left drive wheels is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshihisa Nihei
  • Patent number: 7979208
    Abstract: A mobile terminal according to this invention includes the first calculation module which autonomously calculates its own position based on a GPS signal, and the second calculation module which calculates its own position based on a acquired auxiliary information from a server and the GPS signal. A first control module causes a timer to start a time counting if the second position calculation module accesses the server. When the auxiliary information which satisfies a predetermined condition is not acquired in the time of the timer, the calculation module changes from the second calculation module to the first calculation module. The second control module determines the connection state with the server within the time of the timer. At the time point if the second control module determines that the connection state is an auxiliary information unobtainable state, the calculation module changes from the second calculation module to the first calculation module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Toshiba Mobile Communications Limited
    Inventor: Wan Wang
  • Patent number: 7974774
    Abstract: A system for operating a vehicle including an engine operating on at least one type of fuel is provided. The system includes a locator element to determine a location of the vehicle, a characterization element to provide information about a terrain of the vehicle, a database to store characteristic information for each type of fuel, and a processor operable to receive information from the locator element, the characterization element, and the database. An algorithm is embodied within the processor with access to the information for creating a trip plan that optimizes performance of the vehicle in accordance with one or more operational criteria for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ajith Kuttannair Kumar
  • Patent number: 7974780
    Abstract: Navigation systems, methods and programs detect the current location of a vehicle and search a route to a destination based on the current location. The systems, methods, and programs set a guidance intersection based on the searched route, set a route guidance point at a predetermined point before the guidance intersection, and provide route guidance through the guidance intersection when the vehicle reaches the route guidance point. The systems, methods, and programs determine whether the guidance intersection is a guidance intersection where lane planning can be readily performed by a user, even if lane guidance is not performed by the controller. The systems, methods, and programs prevent lane guidance at the predetermined route guidance point from being performed if it is determined that lane planning can be readily performed by the user at the guidance intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaaki Nakayama, Shino Oonishi, Kensuke Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7966129
    Abstract: A vehicular control object determination system includes: a radar device for detecting an object that is present in the direction of travel of a vehicle; a travel locus estimator for estimating a future travel locus of the vehicle; a control object determiner for determining a control object based on a detection result obtained by the radar device, a future travel locus of the vehicle estimated by the travel locus estimator based on a vehicle speed and a yaw rate and predetermined control object determination conditions; and a swing rate detector for detecting a swing rate of side-to-side swing of the estimated travel locus. When the detected swing rate is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the control object determiner excludes from determination of a control object an object that is further than a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiichiro Sawamoto