Patents Examined by Todd M Melton
  • Patent number: 10486532
    Abstract: A system comprising a vehicle control device that includes a body fittable to a vehicle receptacle. An engagement pin is mounted to a side of the body, releasably lockable to a receptacle hole. A first electrical connector, mounted to a first end of the body, is mateable to an electrical connector, mounted to the receptacle, when the engagement pin is engaged. A steering wheel is releasably and rotatably engagable by a second end of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Chapman, David Toppenberg
  • Patent number: 10486663
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for stabilizing running of a wobbling trailer towed by a vehicle, a tandem of trailer and vehicle is braked by a brake device activated by a control device. The braking process is triggered, when an amplitude of the oscillation of the trailer exceeds a predetermined value. As a result, the tandem is decelerated to a speed at which the amplitude of the oscillation of the trailer falls below a predetermined value. The tandem is decelerated more intensely in the case of a wobbling trailer and when travelling at a first travelling speed than in the case of a wobbling trailer and when travelling at a second travelling speed which is lower than the first travelling speed, and the tandem is braked in presence of the first driving speed during exceeding a lower value of the amplitude than in the presence of the second driving speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignees: AUDI AG, CONTINENTAL TEVES AG & CO. OHG
    Inventors: Thomas Theel, Matthias Muntu, Volker Bremeier
  • Patent number: 10487941
    Abstract: A stroke sensor includes a cover that covers a slide end on a protrusion side of a shaft in a slide region between the shaft and a housing while allowing a relative movement between the shaft and the housing, wherein a flange surface the extends radially outward from the slide end is provided on the housing, an axial direction seal that is in close contact with the flange surface in the axial line direction is provided on the cover, and a fixation member that presses the axial direction seal to be in contact with the flange surface is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignees: NIPPON SEIKI CO., LTD., HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kota Ebina, Tomoyuki Tanaka, Norifumi Shimizu, Jun Morimoto
  • Patent number: 10488204
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide race route distribution and/or display for mobile structures. A race route distribution and/or display system includes a race route generator, a distribution server, a display board, various race route receivers, and/or a user interface, each of which may be used in conjunction with operation of one or more mobile structures participating in a race to receive a race route from the race route generator and/or distribution server. A race route receiver may include and/or be configured to communicate with a logic device, a memory, one or more sensors, actuators/controllers, and/or corresponding interface modules. The logic device may be adapted to receive the race route and display various portions of the race route to a user using intuitive symbols and/or adjust a directional control signal provided to an actuator of the mobile structure accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Rivers
  • Patent number: 10489991
    Abstract: An engine-mounted component life cycle data tracking system is provided. The system includes a plurality of RFID tags positioned proximate to a different engine component, a communication module configured to read data from and write data to each RFID tag and a controller. The controller is configured to retrieve static data and repair data from each RFID tag wherein the static data includes identification information regarding the engine components and the repair data includes repair history information regarding the engine components. The aircraft-mounted controller is further configured to store the static data and the repair data in a database and provide dynamic data to the database wherein the dynamic data includes engine usage information, component usage information, and component fault information regarding the engine component. The controller is further configured to transmit the dynamic data regarding the engine component to each RFID tag for storage in the RFID tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Tim Griffith, Richard Cotter, Richard Douglas
  • Patent number: 10488213
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and storage media relating to a vehicle navigator system are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, vehicle operation data relating to one or more characteristics of operation of a motor vehicle may be received. An operation style by which an operator may operate the motor vehicle may be determined from the vehicle operation data. A vehicle location and a destination location may be received. A route may be determined from the vehicle location to the destination location according to the operation style by which an operator operates the motor vehicle. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Jayashree R. Padmanaban
  • Patent number: 10488869
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide for platooning control via accurate synchronization that will not result in string instability. Some embodiments provide a distributed control scheme for platoon motion control that provides a decentralized implementation of the leader information controller. These control techniques are able to manage the performance of the string of vehicles by maintaining a desired spacing distance between any two successive vehicles in the presence of communications induced delays. In order to regulate the spacing between a vehicle and its predecessor in the string, every vehicle (with the exception of the leader vehicle) uses the relative distance from itself to its predecessor (e.g., as measured using a laser ranging sensor) and a control signal of the predecessor (e.g., received via a wireless link). Various embodiments are capable of dealing with non-homogeneous strings of vehicles and non identical controllers for each vehicle in the string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Inventor: Serban Sabau
  • Patent number: 10475256
    Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to vehicle maintenance and more particularly to methods and systems for automatic vehicle maintenance scheduling. The method comprises obtaining acceleration data at a fixed sampling rate of a moving vehicle when the moving vehicle attains at least a pre-determined speed for a pre-determined time from start of the moving vehicle. The obtained acceleration data is processed to generate jerk energy values at predetermined intervals. Speed normalized jerk energy is computed based on an average of the generated jerk energy values and average speed of the moving vehicle. A relationship between journey number and the computed speed normalized jerk energy is computed. A vehicle maintenance indicator based on the computed relationship between the journey number and the computed speed normalized jerk energy is finally computed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Tata Consultancy Services Limited
    Inventors: Arijit Chowdhury, Tapas Chakravarty, Tanushree Banerjee, Balamuralidhar Purushothaman
  • Patent number: 10471983
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and to devices for operating a power steering system. wherein a motor torque applied by an electric motor is superposed on a specified manual torque, wherein a beginning freezing of the power steering system is detected by means of suitable measures, and wherein the electric motor is controlled with an oscillating control signal to avoid the freezing of the power steering system, whereby an oscillating application of a shaking torque to the power steering system, applied by the electric motor, is effected. A control signal that has first time spans in which the control signal has an increased amplitude and second time spans in which the control signal has no amplitude or a reduced amplitude is generated, whereby the shaking torque is produced with an increased maximum torque in the first time spans, without thermal overloading of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignees: Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH, Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Leutner, Viktor Fast, Rainer Woeger
  • Patent number: 10471840
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling an LDC of a hybrid vehicle are provided. The apparatus includes a determining controller that receives state information of an auxiliary battery, while the LDC is being operated in a first mode based on a detected voltage, and that determines whether an entry condition for a second mode based on a current is satisfied. An arithmetic controller calculates a charging current compensation value of the auxiliary battery when the entry condition for the second mode is satisfied and a mode controller enters the second mode and that controls the LDC based on the charging current compensation value of the auxiliary battery when the entry condition for the second mode is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Dong Jun Shin, Ho Joong Lee, Jun Yeon Park
  • Patent number: 10458799
    Abstract: Systems and methods for calibrating odometry of a materials handling vehicle. One embodiment of a method includes determining a current location of the materials handling vehicle, determining an odometry distance from the current location to a destination based on a calculation of a determined number of rotations of a wheel and a circumference of the wheel, and determining a positioning system distance from the current location to the destination. Some embodiments include comparing the odometry distance with data from the positioning system distance to calculate a scaling factor, applying the scaling factor to a fast alpha filter to achieve a fast filter result, and applying the scaling factor to a slow alpha filter to achieve a slow filter result. Similarly, some embodiments include applying the fast alpha filter to the scaling factor to smooth noise, calculating an updated odometry distance utilizing the scaling factor, and utilizing the updated odometry distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy William Fanselow, Justin Forbes Thode, Ryan Michaels Estep
  • Patent number: 10448556
    Abstract: An arrangement for monitoring and or controlling the driving state of a self-propelled agricultural working machine comprising a variable-position interface for attaching an implement that is provided with a control device. Vehicle-specific data, a position signal regarding the position of the interface, and implement data regarding physical properties of an implement mounted on the interface can be supplied to the control device. The control device is operated to evaluate at least one the driving state of the working machine, taking into consideration the above-mentioned signals and data to control the working machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Valentin Gresch, Martin Kremmer
  • Patent number: 10451423
    Abstract: Systems and methods for mapping and navigation are provided. In implementations, the systems and methods perform operations including receiving, via a network, a message from a messaging application of a mobile device of a user requesting a map of a mapped area. The operations also include generating the map of the mapped area displaying an icon indicating a location of the user. Further, the operations include sending, via the network, the map to the messaging application of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Cartogram Inc.
    Inventor: William Stryker Clausen
  • Patent number: 10449927
    Abstract: A steering system for an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle is provided. The steering system includes a controller that is in communication with an electric power steering system and a transmission control system. The controller is programmed to, in response to a first signal indicative of a non-verified operator and a request to operate, place the electric power steering system in a standby mode and inhibit the transmission control system from changing at least one of a transmission operational state and a transmission operational position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel C. Simon, Bruce M. Collier
  • Patent number: 10444029
    Abstract: A driver coaching system may have an input device generating an input signal indicative of a road condition. The system may also include an advisory device determining an output conveyed to a driver and indicative of a fuel efficiency rating based on an actual vehicle speed and an optimum fuel efficient speed. The advisory device may not decrease the fuel efficiency rating when the road condition does not warrant the optimum fuel efficient speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mathew Alan Boesch, Fazal Urrahman Syed
  • Patent number: 10443721
    Abstract: A stroke sensor includes a cover that covers a slide end on a protrusion side of a shaft in a slide region between the shaft and a housing while allowing a relative movement between the shaft and the housing, wherein a flange surface the extends radially outward from the slide end is provided on the housing, an axial direction seal that is in close contact with the flange surface in the axial line direction is provided on the cover, and a fixation member that presses the axial direction seal to be in contact with the flange surface is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignees: NIPPON SEIKI CO., LTD., HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kota Ebina, Tomoyuki Tanaka, Norifumi Shimizu, Jun Morimoto
  • Patent number: 10442435
    Abstract: In one embodiment, when speed control command (e.g., throttle, brake commands) is issued based on a target speed, a first feedback parameters is determined based on an expected speed and an actual speed of the ADV in response to the speed control command. A second feedback parameter is determined by applying a speed control parameter adjustment (SCPA) model to a set of input parameters that are captured or measured at the point in time. The set of input parameters represents a driving environment of the ADV at the point in time. One or more control parameters of a speed controller of the ADV is adjusted based on the first feedback parameter and the second feedback parameter, where the speed controller is configured to generate and issue speed control commands. Subsequent speed control commands can be generated based on the adjusted speed control parameters of the speed controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: BAIDU USA LLC
    Inventors: Qi Luo, Fan Zhu, Sen Hu, Qi Kong, Xiang Yu, Guang Yang
  • Patent number: 10437242
    Abstract: A vehicle remote operation system includes a controller correcting a map, which indicates a relationship between an operation amount of a reference vehicle and an operation amount of a vehicle to be operated, based on vehicle characteristic data of the vehicle to be operated, characteristic of the operation device being determined based on characteristic of an operation device of the reference vehicle, correcting an operation amount, which is indicated by the operation signal, in accordance with a characteristic of the vehicle to be operated by using the corrected map, and outputting a control signal indicating the corrected operation amount to the vehicle to be operated so that the vehicle to be operated can be operated in accordance with the corrected operation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takaaki Tokura, Naoya Ishizaki, Tomoharu Maeda, Yushi Seki, Hiroshi Majima, Katsuya Terahata
  • Patent number: 10437247
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a vehicle by switching between an autonomous control system within the vehicle and a remote operator are described herein. For the handover between the autonomous control system and the remote operator, the system can process current maneuvering parameters of the vehicle to at least select a teleoperation control type. The system can also generate a concurrent feature profile including a set of automated features that are configured to be implemented during teleoperation of the vehicle. The system can implement the handover of vehicle control according to the teleoperation control type while the vehicle autonomously or semi-autonomously operates according to the concurrent feature profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: UDELV INC.
    Inventors: Akshat Patel, Hugo Boyer, Vineet Singh
  • Patent number: 10429831
    Abstract: A computer-executed process and system for evaluating industrial vehicle performance comprises identifying kinematic functions of an industrial vehicle, receiving constraints of an environment in which the industrial vehicle operates, and computing a cutback curve for a parameter of a select kinematic function of the industrial vehicle. A kinematic model of the industrial vehicle is generated based on the kinematic functions, the constraints of the environment, and the cutback curves. A workflow model is defined by defining tasks of the industrial vehicle within the environment, wherein the tasks are based upon the kinematic model. The kinematic model and workflow model is used to simulate a job specification, and the results of the simulation are used to evaluate an industrial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Jacob J. Thomson, Lisa Wong, Lucas B. Waltz