Patents Examined by Truc M Do
  • Patent number: 11845435
    Abstract: A driving assistance device includes a forward recognizer configured to recognize a forward situation of a vehicle, a brake controller configured to perform brake control, and a determiner configured to determine execution of the brake control and drive control based on target data obtained by the forward recognizer and/or from map information. The brake controller performs the brake control to stop the vehicle at a position before a stop line of a road surface, based on a recognition result from the forward recognizer. When the vehicle stops and the forward situation is determined to be safe the determiner slowly drives the vehicle to another position before a crossing road edge where the road on which the vehicle drives intersects with another road. When the vehicle is at the other position and the forward situation is determined to be safe, the determiner slowly drives the vehicle from the other position by a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuro Yatagai, Hikaru Kumagai
  • Patent number: 11812680
    Abstract: A tractor has a controller and at least one sensor-for sensing at least one swath line of crop material corresponding to a quantity of crop material per unit length of a swath. The controller operates in dependence on at least one output of the at least one sensor to operate a steering mechanism of the tractor such that a baler towed by the tractor follows a said swath line in a manner aligning ingestion of crop material into the baler for baling. The at least one sensor is operable to sense a swath line that is laterally offset from the direction of forward movement of the tractor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Wouter Boone, Joachim Boydens, Francis De Kesel, Thomas Debbaut, Johan O Vanpoucke, Didier Verhaeghe, Jeroen Vermander, Dries Liefooghe, Neel Vanhecke
  • Patent number: 11801748
    Abstract: A speed control device can execute continuous deceleration control and speed setting change control. In the continuous deceleration control, a vehicle is decelerated over a period of time that a first operation is effective. In the speed setting change control, upon reception of a second operation, one set speed is selected out of a plurality of set speeds that are set in advance, and a target speed of the vehicle is changed to the selected set speed. When a deceleration completion speed, which is a speed at completion of the continuous deceleration control, is equal to or above a slowest set speed among the set speeds, the speed control device is configured to set as a new target speed the set speed that is equal to or below the deceleration completion speed and that is closest to the deceleration completion speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirohito Ide
  • Patent number: 11794679
    Abstract: An occupant protection device which can protect an occupant without delay is provided. An image taken by an imaging device is analyzed to judge whether there is an object approaching the subject car. In the case where a collision between the object and the subject car is judged to be inevitable, an airbag device is activated before the collision, whereby the occupant can be protected without delay. By using selenium for a light-receiving element of the imaging device, an accurate image can be obtained even under low illuminance. Imaging in a global shutter system leads to an accurate image with little distortion. This enables more accurate image analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Takayuki Ikeda, Yoshiyuki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 11796339
    Abstract: A device can parse a query to determine a first road identified by the query and a second road identified by the query. The device can determine a plurality of road segment pairs that include a first road segment of a first plurality of road segments associated with the first road and a second road segment associated with second plurality of road segments associated with the second road. The device can determine a plurality of candidate intersection points based on the plurality of road segment pairs. The device can determine an intersection of the first road and the second road based on the plurality of candidate intersection points and can provide, to a client device, information identifying the intersection of the first road and the second road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Alexander Fitchett
  • Patent number: 11780333
    Abstract: An improved system for preventing collisions between movers while improving throughput in a linear drive system utilizes a continually variable vehicle length for each mover. A vehicle length is assigned to each mover, where the vehicle length is a minimum track length required by the vehicle to avoid physically contacting a neighboring vehicle along the track. The vehicle length for each mover is then determined for each location along the track based on both the track geometry and the mover geometry. The vehicle length is continually variable along the length of the track allowing movers to be positioned as close together as possible for each location along the track based on both the track geometry and the mover geometry. The continually variable vehicle length provides collision prevention between movers while increasing throughput of movers along segments of the track that do not require the largest spacing between movers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuhong Huang, Brian M. Perreault
  • Patent number: 11780498
    Abstract: A method of brake steering in a four-wheel drive utility vehicle having a driven front axle carrying at least two front wheels, a driven rear axle carrying at least two rear wheels, a powertrain delivering torque to the front and rear axles via a connecting shaft, a controlled clutch arrangement in the connecting shaft operable to vary the distribution of delivered torque between the front and rear axles, and independently operable service brakes on each of the front and rear wheels. The method comprises, on the vehicle entering a turn, applying the service brakes of the front and rear wheels on the inside of the turn and adjusting the clutch arrangement to adapt the share of the available torque between the front and rear axles. Additional braking force may be applied from independently operable park brakes on the rear wheels in inverse relationship to the level of service brake force applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: AGCO International GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Brenninger
  • Patent number: 11760199
    Abstract: A system and method for speed/traction/slip control influences a driving engine torque of the vehicle. The method includes: calculating an idealized nominal engine torque from a linear control law applied to the speed/slip error; calculating an idealized setpoint for the speed/slip by applying a reference model to the idealized nominal engine torque; calculating a linearizing feedback with properties of compensating the nonlinearities in the road surface contact, compensating the inertia in the powertrain, and damping the powertrain; using for feedback the engine rotational speed, numerically determined derivation of engine speed, average speed of the driven axis, numerically determined derivative of the rotational speed of the driven axis, actual engine torque, and applying the driving engine torque to the engine vehicle to influence the traction and stability of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Eberl, Dirk Odenthal, Elias Reichensdoerfer, Alexander Zech
  • Patent number: 11760322
    Abstract: An on-vehicle control device includes: a control unit that controls an attitude of a vehicle based on a value of a behavior sensor that detects a behavior of the vehicle, and prohibits control based on the behavior sensor when the value of the behavior sensor exceeds a threshold; and a travel environment determination unit that determines a travel environment of the vehicle based on image information captured by a camera, and in which the control unit changes the threshold to a lower value based on the travel environment determined by the travel environment determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Yamada, Shogo Nakao, Toshiyuki Innami, Koichi Yokoura
  • Patent number: 11756342
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method comprises: validating data in a vehicle system database; identifying data to be collected from at least one vehicle system; validating sufficient data rights; if sufficient data rights are validated, collecting the identified data; identifying at least one analysis to be performed; performing the at least one analysis on the collected data; identifying at least one analysis report to be generated; and generating the at least one analysis report.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Sathish Pakki, Thulluru Lakshmi Venkata Chandrasekhar, Shantha Kumari
  • Patent number: 11756416
    Abstract: A vehicle that includes controller(s) and components that are coupled with, among other devices and systems, imaging sensors, transceivers, and obstacle and infrastructure detectors, which are configured to detect and predict locations and movements of roadway obstacles, infrastructure features and elements that include, for example, intersections and crosswalks, and positions, movement, and trajectories of pedestrians and other vehicles. Such roadway obstacles may include the other vehicles, pedestrians on and entering the crosswalks and roadway, and other potential obstacles. The controller(s) and device(s) are also coupled to and/or configured trajectory and intersection signal detectors, which detect the roadway obstacles and features such as the pedestrians, other vehicles, intersections, and crosswalks, as well as signals for the roadways and crosswalks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael McQuillen, Daniel A. Makled
  • Patent number: 11745708
    Abstract: A controller for a vehicle, a system, a vehicle, a method, a computer program and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium are disclosed. The controller is configured to receive an indication of a measured speed of the vehicle, and determine whether a gradient on which the vehicle is located is below a threshold gradient. The controller is also configured to provide an output signal to cause a brake of the vehicle to be automatically applied to hold the vehicle stationary, in dependence on: the received indication of the measured speed of the vehicle being below a threshold speed; and the determination that the gradient is below the threshold gradient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Ryan Bakewell, Matthew Hancock, Olivier Roques
  • Patent number: 11745707
    Abstract: A system and method for reducing the threat of derailment of a train during deceleration is provided. An individualized braking force for each rail car of a train, such individualized braking force being determined by the braking deceleration of the train's locomotive, may be calculated by the rail car's controller and is directly proportional to the mass of the rail car. The controller may utilize the various forces acting upon the individual rail car as measured by a plurality of sensing and measuring devices to dynamically adjust the braking force applied to the individual rail car's brakes. Such a system and method allows for the train to act as a single body mass when decelerating to eliminate rail car pile-up and reduce the threat of derailment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: The United States Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration
    Inventor: Phani Krishnaswamy Raj
  • Patent number: 11727817
    Abstract: An emergency or medical package comprising has: a body; attachment fittings, for attachment to complementary fittings of a UAV; and a plurality of compartments for housing medical or emergency supplies, including a compartment for a headset, providing two-way communication between a user of a headset and a person remote from the package, wherein the headset includes at least one camera, providing a video feed, that is sent to a remote person. A method of delivering these supplies and providing control over the use of the supplies provides two-way audio and visual communication between a remote person and the user wearing the headset, whereby the remote person can provide instructions and directions to the user. A method of planning a route for the delivery of a medical or emergency package by UAV, and a method for providing for a delivery of a priority package are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Drone Delivery Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Paul Di Benedetto, Gregory Colacitti
  • Patent number: 11726487
    Abstract: A method for identifying a doorway, including receiving, with a processor of an automated mobile device, sensor data of an environment of the automated mobile device from one or more sensors coupled with the processor, wherein the sensor data is indicative of distances to objects within the environment; identifying, with the processor, a doorway in the environment based on the sensor data; marking, with the processor, the doorway in an indoor map of the environment; and instructing, with the processor, the automated mobile device to execute one or more actions upon identifying the doorway, wherein the one or more actions comprises finishing a first task in a first work area before crossing the identified doorway into a second work area to perform a second task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: AI Incorporated
    Inventor: Ali Ebrahimi Afrouzi
  • Patent number: 11724697
    Abstract: A system and method of geofenced control of a vehicle, includes determining a geographic region within which a vehicle is operating; retrieving a geo-profile corresponding to the determined geographic region within which the vehicle is operating; and applying the retrieved geo-profile to the vehicle to alter the driving dynamics of the vehicle to conform to driving characteristics of the determined geographic region within which the vehicle is operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Katsumi Nagata, Ryan Wiesenberg, Christopher Risberg, Prathap Alvakonda
  • Patent number: 11715337
    Abstract: A controller diagnostic method includes transmitting a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) request signal to a plurality of controllers; receiving a first frame of the plurality of controllers in response to the DTC request signal; delaying a transmission time of a flow control signal and transmitting the delayed flow control signal to the plurality of controllers; and receiving a DTC information by at least one consecutive frame provided by the plurality of controllers in response to the delayed flow control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Ho Jin Jung
  • Patent number: 11708074
    Abstract: This invention involves the effect of multiple rules of the road at different elevation profiles on the speed constraints and therefore the overall fuel efficiency. A vehicle designed to optimize fuel consumption that is comprised of the rules of the road that determine maximum speed, minimum speed, stop signs, streetlights, and/or changes in other rules that determine the allowable speeds of the road, a localization mechanism, and an optimization engine to optimize the fuel economy by selecting a speed profile within that maintains the vehicle within the assigned range of speeds and minimizes fuel consumption. A wide variety of methods that typically are used to optimize the fuel efficiency of human drivers operating standard vehicles can also be applied towards autonomous vehicles driving at different speed constraints and with different changes in the elevation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Robotic Research OpCo, LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy
  • Patent number: 11694544
    Abstract: A traffic safety control method is provided. The method includes determining whether there is an intersection in front of a vehicle. When there is the intersection in front of the vehicle, a driving direction of the vehicle at the intersection is predicted according to a plurality of lane positions of the vehicle that are continuously obtained. A message is transmitted once the predicted driving direction is determined to be conflicting with a traffic rule of the intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Mobile Drive Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Hsien-Chi Tsai, Chun-Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 11667263
    Abstract: An actuator for an electric parking brake, EPB, is described. The actuator comprises a motor configured to actuate an actuating member of the EPB, as well as a reception interface configured to receive an enablement code. An enablement code is assigned to the EPB actuator which individualizes the EPB actuator against other EPB actuators. The actuator further comprises an evaluation unit configured to verify the received enablement code on the basis of the enablement code allocated to the EPB actuator and to enable a control of the motor in case of a positively verified enablement code. There is further provided a control device for the EPB actuator, an electric parking brake and a vehicle having the EPB actuator and corresponding operating methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: ZF Active Safety GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Kubb, Jens-Peter Kohrt, Ralf Kinder, Stefan Grieser-Schmitz