Patents Examined by Stephen J. Walder, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5499192
    Abstract: A set of module generators produce optimized implementations of particular circuit logic arithmetic functions for Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) or other digital circuits. The module generators allow a circuit designer to spend more time actually designing and less time determining device-specific implementation details. The module generators accept a high level block diagram schematic of the circuit and automatically perform the detailed circuit design, including propagation of data types (precision and type) through the circuit, and low level circuit design optimization using a library of arithmetic and logic functions. The module generators are particularly useful for designs using field programmable gate arrays because of their unique architectures and ability to implement complex functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: XILINX, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven K. Knapp, Jorge P. Seidel, Steven H. Kelem
  • Patent number: 5493504
    Abstract: A design system of a logic circuit including a logic synthesis and processing unit and a set data processing unit. The set data processing unit includes a node table which records elements of a set. A control unit of the logic synthesis and processing unit reads set data from the node table, assigns a binary number to each element, and transfers them to a control unit of the set data processing unit. The control unit of the set data processing unit separates the set data in accordance with 0 and 1 of individual digits of the binary numbers, generates a 0-suppressed binary decision diagrams of a logic function, and stores them to the node table. In generating the 0-suppressed binary decision diagram, node sharing and 0-suppress node elimination are applied. The 0-suppress node elimination is applied to each intermediate node having edges e0 and e1, which are associated with 0 and 1 of each position of digits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventor: Shin-ichi Minato
  • Patent number: 5490065
    Abstract: A method and a device for testing control units are presented, serving the purpose of operation and quality testing of automotive control units. The method comprises event control of individual test steps with defined signals from and to the test unit, thus reducing the test time. The method, furthermore, encompasses a test with square wave signals applied to the control unit, which are recognized by the control unit and read out to the test unit, thus increasing the depth of the test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Harald Hoenninger, Michael Horbelt, Arno Pruellage, Hans Seitel
  • Patent number: 5490083
    Abstract: The logic elements and net list contained in a logic circuit are inputted to an electronic calculator. The total number N1 of primary adjacent logic circuits which are connected directly to all the logic elements contained in the foregoing logic circuit, respectively is calculated from the inputted logic elements and net list. The total number N2 of primary and secondary adjacent logic circuits, which is the sum of the foregoing total number N1 of primary adjacent logic circuits and the total number of secondary adjacent logic circuits which are connected directly to the primary adjacent logic circuits, respectively, is calculated from the inputted logic elements and net list. The difference between the logarithmic value of the foregoing total number N1 of primary adjacent logic circuits and the logarithmic value of the foregoing total number N2 of primary and secondary adjacent logic circuits is calculated as a value for classification which characterizes the aforesaid logic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Toyonaga, Michiaki Muraoka, Toshiro Akino
  • Patent number: 5488558
    Abstract: In a handy computer having an image pickup unit, a drawing or map information of a large area which including a prearranged portion to be inspected is stored, the prearranged portion to be inspected is specified on the drawing or the map information to thereby calculate positional data. The positional data is associated with photographed image data of an inspected portion which has been photographed by the image pickup unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1996
    Assignee: Daishin Instrument Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sinji Ohki
  • Patent number: 5487007
    Abstract: In a control system for a power steering apparatus, in which a steering assist amount in a steering mechanism of a vehicle is controlled to a target assist amount, a vehicle speed sensor 41 for detecting a running speed V of the vehicle and a steering angle sensor 52 for detecting a steering angle ha of the vehicle are provided. A lateral acceleration calculation unit calculates a lateral acceleration GY from the vehicle speed V and the steering angle ha and further determines the product V.GY of the vehicle speed V and the lateral acceleration GY. A fuzzy logic calculation unit then sets the target assist amount in accordance with a fuzzy logic rule using the vehicle speed V and the product V.GY as input conditions (membership functions). This thereby provides a control system and control method for controlling a power steering apparatus which presents an optimum steering characteristic in response to the running condition of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidekazu Suzuki, Mitsuhiko Harara, Tadao Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5485383
    Abstract: This invention relates to an attitude and orbit control system in which a standard interface is provided between an attitude and orbit control electronics unit and all peripheral systems. For this purpose microprocessors with expandable processing capability are used, and processing power is decentralized, with data processing being performed on the periphery. All functions such as automatic controllers, modulators, etc. are implemented with expandable microprocessors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Deutsche Aerospace AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Schreiber
  • Patent number: 5483455
    Abstract: Vehicle navigation systems typically include devices for determining the location of the vehicle. In many situations it is advantageous to improve the resolution of such devices or to provide a back-up system for determining vehicle location. Simple and efficient systems are also desirable when used as the primary positioning systems. The subject invention provides a simple and efficient system for determining the location of a vehicle in a base reference frame. One or more targets are located at predefined positions with respect to the base reference frame. A target sensing device determines a position of one of the one or more targets with respect to the vehicle. A device determines an estimated vehicle position. A vehicle locating device determines the location of the vehicle with respect to the base reference frame in response to the position of the target with respect to the vehicle and the estimated vehicle position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Norman K. Lay, Carl A. Kemner, Joel L. Peterson, William E. Allen, Richard B. League
  • Patent number: 5481475
    Abstract: A data structure is used in semiconductor process integration studies for manufacture of device structures, where one dimension of the data structure is used to represent each film layer in the device and one or two additional dimensions represent vertical regions within the device. Primary data values within this data structure are the thickness of film layers at the corresponding vertical region. Using this data structure, process integration studies can be performed rapidly and efficiently on a microcomputer. The data structure simplifies the identification of overetching and overfilling, facilitating the use of thinner film layers and shorter process steps. Statistical simulations, to account for process control limitations on the uniformity of deposition and etching rates, are easily accommodated by a natural extension of the data structure to an additional dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Ralph W. Young
  • Patent number: 5481460
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a controller for an electric vehicle in which right and left drive wheels are respectively driven by drive motors which are individually provided. The controller for an electric vehicle comprises motors for driving right and left wheels, means for detecting rotating speeds or rotation torques of the wheels, and a facility for taking a rotation deviation between output signals from the detection means close to zero. As a result, the vehicle is always operated in safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Automotive Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoso Masaki, Shigeki Morinaga, Kazuo Tahara, Hirohisa Yamamura, Kenzo Kajiwara, Hiroyuki Yamada, Nobuo Inoue, Toshio Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5473544
    Abstract: A slip control or a traction control is performed by retarding the timing of ignition or cutting the supply of fuel to the partial number of the cylinders when a slip of the driving wheel with respect to the surface of a road becomes excessive. When the number of revolutions of the engine becomes higher than a given value, for example, 6,500 rpm, prior to starting the traction control, the start of the traction control is inhibited. When the number of engine revolutions becomes higher than the given value during the traction control, the traction control is suspended and a particular control is executed. The particular control includes, for example, a control to be performed by repeating an action to cut the supply of fuel to all cylinders and an action to supply fuel to all cylinders. The particular control can satisfy a prevention of the driving wheels from slipping and a prevention of a catalyst for purifying exhaust gases from becoming too high in temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuhiro Yamashita
  • Patent number: 5471387
    Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for controlling wheel slip in a railway vehicle brake system which includes: determining whether the axle rate is in the slippage range, and generating a first output logical signal indicative thereof; comparing the axle rate and the first output logical signal to determining an energy summation value indicative of the wheel/axle set's loss of energy due to braking wheel slippage, and generating an energy summation signal indicative thereof; determining an energy loss limit and generating an energy loss limit signal at which wheel slippage has little potential for self correction; comparing the energy summation signal and the energy loss limit signal to generate a second logical output signal indicative of whether the wheel/axis set is in a slip condition that needs correction; comparing the axle rate signal, the energy summation signal and the second logical output signal to generate a wheel slip intensity signal; converting the wheel slip intensity signal to a command signal; an
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company
    Inventors: James A. Wood, David A. Greer
  • Patent number: 5463550
    Abstract: Regulation of the driving and braking of vehicles equipped with a plurality of single wheel drive and brake unit modules, controlled by control processing circuitry, that act on the guiding function of the wheels includes coupling in pairs control processing circuitry associated with the individual single wheel drive and brake unit modules, the pairs of modules being symmetrically disposed with respect to a plane of the vehicle. The degree of coupling is dynamically changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: AEG Westinghouse Transport-Systeme GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Korber, Klaus Niemann, Fritz Frederich, Christian Gunther
  • Patent number: 5461565
    Abstract: An anti-skid apparatus for installation in a vehicle braking system includes an electrically operated actuator arranged to control hydraulic brake pressure applied to each wheel brake cylinder of road wheels of the vehicle and an electronic control device for applying an electric control signal to the actuator in response to electric signals indicative of each rotational speed of the road wheels so that the actuator is operated to decrease or increase the brake pressure when the rotational speed of the road wheels in braking operation becomes lower than a reference speed the value of which is defined on a basis of a travel, speed of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinsuke Sakane, Hiroyuki Ichikawa, Nobuyasu Nakanishi, Tatsuo Sugitani
  • Patent number: 5461573
    Abstract: A VLSI circuit including memory is viewed as a finite state object machine and for testability a finite state test machine is embedded in the finite state object machine. To make the embedding practiced, the object test machine is partitioned into components and separate test machines are embedded into each component. The augmented components are then interconnected to form a composite machine for testing. To have the same test generation complexity as the object machine with a single embedded test function, there are special relations that have to be satisfied in the manner in which the test machines are embedded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignees: NEC USA, Inc., Rutgers University, AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Srimat T. Chakradhar, Suman Kanjilal, Vishwani Agrawal
  • Patent number: 5459669
    Abstract: Position control methods are described for satellites and spacecraft for controlling transition from thruster control to momentum wheel control in a three-axis stabilized spacecraft. Transition from a high-bandwidth, high-torque thruster-controlled stationkeeping (SK) mode to a low bandwidth, low torque momentum wheel On-Orbit Mode is carried out. Usually a unique threshold entry method to automatically initiate the transition mode at the point with the most favorable dynamics. Also, the disclosed method eliminates the use of nutation in conjunction with a deadbeat thruster sequence to correct the spacecraft attitude to improve pointing performance and significantly shorten the time spent in the transition mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Assignee: Space Systems/Loral, Inc.
    Inventors: Rhys Adsit, Tung Liu, Fred N. T. Chan, Charles J. Weyandt, Jr., Scott Tilley, Michel Bayloca
  • Patent number: 5452222
    Abstract: An electromagnetic test system induces large current pulses in a component of a system under test. The pulse waveform may be selectively varied, and possible waveforms include square wave pulse, double exponential, and damped sinusoid waveforms. In a preferred embodiment, these waveforms are generated by simultaneously triggering a plurality of modular signal injector units having ferrite cores hinged to permit positioning of a system component under test (such as a cable or antenna) along their central axes without disturbing connections of the tested component within its system. The injector units are resonance tuned to induce a particular signal in the component under test when triggered, and the modular construction of the system permits selective connection of different injector units to provide different desired total induced signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Ensco, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Gray, Leedy Ambrose, Diane C. Jentilet
  • Patent number: 5448487
    Abstract: A vehicle navigation control system has primary prediction error width calculating means for calculating a primary near-distance error width between a forward extending line of the vehicle and a target path at a predetermined near-distance observing location and for calculating a primary far-distance error width between the forward extending line and the target path at a predetermined far-distance observing location. A secondary near-distance error width between a predicted path and the target path at the predetermined near-distance observing location, and a secondary far-distance error width between the predicted path and the target path at the predetermined far-distance observing location, are calculated by a secondary prediction error width calculation means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1995
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazumasa Arai
  • Patent number: 5446660
    Abstract: An electronically controlled power steering apparatus for controlling the steering assist amount of a steering mechanism of a vehicle is controlled in accordance with a fatigue condition of a driver of the vehicle. The apparatus includes means for setting an aimed assist amount, and means for detecting a degree of fatigue of a steering operator. The aimed assist amount setting means receives, as an input thereto, a value calculated by the fatigue detecting means and sets the aimed assist amount in accordance with a fuzzy rule so that the steering assist amount may increase as the degree of fatigue steering operator increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Miichi, Mitsuhiko Harara, Tadao Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5442556
    Abstract: A system for generating, in an aircraft, a warning signal whenever the aircraft is on a potentially hazardous course with respect to the terrain and obstacles thereon imminently to be overflown. The system involves the computation of pull-up trajectories which the aircraft could carry out at a reference point (RP) on the current aircraft flight path (FP) forward of the aircraft current position (CP), taking account of uncertainties of at least aircraft position, which trajectories define collectively a region moving notionally forwardly of the aircraft at a spacing ahead of the aircraft which is a function of aircraft velocity and acceleration and aircraft dynamic response to pilot demands and pilot reaction time, and therefore constitutes a region which the aircraft can imminently overfly. A warning signal is produced if any point on the trajectories has a predetermined relationship with data stored in a map data storage means containing height data relating to the region defined by the trajectories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: GEC-Marconi Limited
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Boyes, Charles Hewitt