Abstract: A distance from an aerial vehicle to a terrain feature located forward and lower with respect to the aerial vehicle is measured. A current orientation of the aerial vehicle with respect to a reference orientation is detected. At least the measured distance and the current orientation is utilized to determine a relative vertical difference between a vertical location of the aerial vehicle and a vertical location of the terrain feature is det. The determined vertical difference is utilized to automatically adjust a flight altitude of the aerial vehicle.

Abstract: A method and a system are provided for monitoring driving conditions. The method includes receiving video data comprising video frames from one or more sensors where the video frames may represent an interior or exterior of a vehicle, detecting and recognizing one or more features from the video data where each feature is associated with at least one driving condition, extracting the one or more features from the video data, developing intermediate features by associating and aggregating the extracted features among the extracted features, and developing a semantic meaning for the at least one driving condition by utilizing the intermediate features and the extracted one or more features.

Abstract: This application discloses a method implemented on a client system for creating an automatic reply message. The client system obtains content information of a webpage including information concerning a plurality of content items. A graphical user interface is created using one or more of the plurality of content items. Then, the auto-reply message is composed in accordance with the plurality of content items and additional user instructions. The auto-reply message is further associated with one or more predefined keywords according to one or more auto-reply rules, and sent along with these predefined keywords to a server system. The server system is configured to return the auto-reply message automatically to a subscriber device of a public account of a social network application in response to a user inquiry including one or more predefined keywords.

Abstract: This application discloses a method implemented on a client system for creating an automatic reply (auto-reply) message. The client system obtains content information of a webpage including information concerning a plurality of content items. A graphical user interface is displayed and includes a preview of the webpage including the plurality of content items of the webpage. Then, the auto-reply message is composed in accordance with a user selection of a specific content item of the webpage in the webpage preview, and at least includes corresponding information of the selected content item. The auto-reply message is further associated with one or more predefined keywords according to one or more auto-reply rules, and sent with these predefined keywords to a server system. The server system is configured to return the auto-reply message automatically to a subscriber device in response to a user inquiry including at least one of the predefined keywords.

Abstract: Methods, computing devices, and computer-program products are provided for implementing a virtual personal assistant. In various implementations, a virtual personal assistant can be configured to receive sensory input, including at least two different types of information. The virtual personal assistant can further be configured to determine semantic information from the sensory input, and to identify a context-specific framework. The virtual personal assistant can further be configured to determine a current intent. Determining the current intent can include using the semantic information and the context-specific framework. The virtual personal assistant can further be configured to determine a current input state. Determining the current input state can include using the semantic information and one or more behavioral models. The behavioral models can include one or more interpretations of previously-provided semantic information.

Abstract: A method for steering control of a vehicle having an actuator which turns steered wheels of the vehicle. The steering control method includes obtaining a location of a target point at a look-ahead distance away from the vehicle based on a maneuver the vehicle is performing, predicting a forward location of the vehicle at the look-ahead distance away from the vehicle, determining a distance between the location of the target point and the forward location, computing a normalized error by dividing the distance with the look-ahead distance, and determining a steering control command based on an integration of the normalized error. The actuator then turns the steered wheels of the vehicle according to the steering control command so as to steer the vehicle to perform various maneuvers.

Abstract: A method for steering control of a vehicle having an actuator which turns steered wheels of the vehicle. The steering control method comprises obtaining a location of a target point at a look-ahead distance away from the vehicle based on a maneuver the vehicle is performing, predicting a forward location of the vehicle at the look-ahead distance away from the vehicle, determining a distance between the location of the target point and the forward location, computing a normalized error by dividing the distance with the look-ahead distance, and determining a steering control command based on an integration of the normalized error. The actuator then turns the steered wheels of the vehicle according to the steering control command so as to steer the vehicle to perform various maneuvers.

Abstract: A method for trip management provided for an electronic guided bus that follows an electronic track. The method comprises receiving an assigned trip from a bus dispatch system, obtaining junction information based on the assigned trip, obtaining a current location of the electronic guided bus, identifying a junction the bus is at based on the current location of the bus and the junction information, and setting a main track for the bus to follow based on the desired track for the identified junction. The method provides an intelligent transit system in which dispatch processors estimate ridership demands based on the passengers' trip information, determine a plurality of trips based on estimated ridership demands, generate dispatch schedule for the trips, assign trips to the electronic guided buses, and communicate assigned trips to the electronic guided buses via communication devices.

Abstract: A method for dispatching buses in groups for a bus transit system comprising determining a service interval for each trip of the bus transit system, assembling group assignments based on the service interval for each trip, determining a dispatch schedule for each bus based on the service interval and the group assignment, communicating the dispatch schedule to each bus, and communicating group assignment information to each of a plurality of the buses in a group. The group assignment assigns a plurality of the buses into a group on a segment of the trip shared by the plurality of buses such that multiple buses for different trips can dock at a station at the same time like a train to facilitate transferring passengers.

Abstract: The present application discloses a method of generating an automatic reply (auto-reply) message. A server receives a text message directed to a content provider, and obtains content information of a webpage associated with the content provider. The content information of the webpage includes predetermined tags and information concerning content items of the webpage. The server then composes an auto-reply message according to a specific keyword of the text message, and specifically, information of at least one content item is extracted according to an auto-reply rule. The auto-reply rule is included in an auto-reply rule database that further includes a plurality of keywords and the content items of the webpage semantically correlated with the keywords based on the set of predetermined tags. The server then returns the auto-reply message including the information of the at least one content item corresponding to the specific keyword for display on the client device.

Abstract: A method for determining a position deviation of an object with respect to a magnetic marker. The method senses at least two axial field strength components of the magnetic field emitted from the magnetic marker with each of at least two magnetic field sensors mounted on the object. For each axial direction, the method computes a difference in the axial field strength components sensed by the two sensors. The method then determines the position deviation of the object from the magnetic marker as a function of the two differences (i.e., one difference for each axial direction). The method can be used by an intelligent lateral control system to provide lateral deviation of a mobile object, such as a vehicle, from a desired path, and the intelligent lateral control determines and applies the desired steering control to the mobile object so as to guide it along a desired path automatically.

Abstract: This application discloses a method implemented on a client system for creating an automatic reply (auto-reply) message. The client system obtains content information of a webpage including information concerning a plurality of content items. A graphical user interface is displayed and includes a preview of the webpage including the plurality of content items of the webpage. Then, the auto-reply message is composed in accordance with a user selection of a specific content item of the webpage in the webpage preview, and at least includes corresponding information of the selected content item. The auto-reply message is further associated with one or more predefined keywords according to one or more auto-reply rules, and sent with these predefined keywords to a server system. The server system is configured to return the auto-reply message automatically to a subscriber device in response to a user inquiry including at least one of the predefined keywords.

Abstract: An interactive activity generating method, which includes setting a database for storing addresses of interactive activity platforms, providing creating options of interactive activities in an activity creating interface. The method includes setting an information configuration interface corresponding to a creating option of each interactive activity for filling in interactive activity information. The method includes detecting a selected creating option in the activity creating interface when an interactive activity is created, and finding an address of a corresponding interactive activity platform in the database. The method includes sending interactive activity information filled in an information configuration interface corresponding to the selected creating option to the interactive activity platform. The method includes generating an interactive activity interface after compiling by the interactive activity platform.

Abstract: A system is provided to associate containers with handling equipment (HE) in a container storage facility. In the system an operation detector, such as a twistlock sensor that indicates when a container is picked up or dropped off, is installed on a first HE which is a piece of container handling equipment (CHE) that can lift the container. An event detector, such as a vibration sensor or distance measuring radar, is further installed on a second HE that is a tractor with an attached chassis for receiving and transporting a container. The event detector indicates when a container-operation-related event, such as a container pick up or drop off, occurred on the tractor chassis. The two detectors (operation and event) are used by a processor to associate the container with either the CHE or the tractor. The operation and event detectors can further be used in conjunction with position sensors such as a GPS sensor to accurately determine the position of the tractor and the CHE in a container yard.

Abstract: A method is provided for calibrating past position estimates from a positioning system that provides real-time position estimates of a mobile object. The method first stores the real-time position estimates, which as time goes by become past position estimates and naturally form a first past trajectory depicting the past movement of the mobile object. Subsequently, a calibrated past trajectory is determined, which includes calibrated past position estimates that correspond to the same time instances as the past positions in the first past trajectory. When real-time positions have low qualities, this method calibrates them at a later time by using (higher-quality) real-time positions both before and after them. Errors in the past positions are then corrected based on the calibrated past trajectory. When used with event detectors that indicate inventory transactions, this method can correct position errors associated with inventory events so as to improve the performance of inventory tracking.

Abstract: A method automatically detects errors in a container inventory database associated with a container inventory tracking system of a container storage facility. A processor in the inventory tracking system performs a method that: obtains a first data record, identifies an event (e.g., pickup, drop-off, or movement) associated with the first record, provides a list of error types based on the identified event, and determines whether a data error has occurred through a checking process. In each of the checking steps, the processor selects an error type from the list of error types, determines a search criterion based on the selected error type and the first data record, queries the database using the search criterion, compares query results with the first data record to detect data conflicts between them, and upon the detection of the data conflicts, reports that a data error of the selected error type has been detected.

Abstract: A method is provided for automatically locating a container in a stowage location of a container ship for loading and unloading of the container ship in container terminals. The method includes the following steps: obtaining the position information of the container ship from container ship positioning units, obtaining the position information of the container from container positioning units when the container is in its stowage location, and determining the stowage location of the container in the container ship by first computing a relative position of the container in the container ship based on both the position information of the container ship and the position information of the container and then correlating the relative position with a stowage plan of the container ship.

Abstract: An adaptive vehicle control system that classifies a drivers driving style based on vehicle headway control. The system reads sensor signals to identify the range and range rate between a subject vehicle and a preceding vehicle, where the range rate is close to zero if the distance between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle is relatively steady, the range rate is negative when the subject vehicle is closing in on the preceding vehicle and the range rate is positive when the subject vehicle is falling behind the preceding vehicle. The range rate, the subject vehicle speed and other signals are used to classify the drivers driving style based on how fast the subject vehicle closes in on the preceding vehicle or falls behind, and the following distance between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle. The system can then classify the headway-control maneuver using selected discriminant features.

Abstract: A vehicle control system that classifies a driver's driving style based on characteristic maneuvers. The system includes a plurality of vehicle sensors that detect various vehicle parameters. A maneuver identification processor receives the sensor signals to identify a characteristic maneuver of the vehicle and provides a maneuver identifier signal of the maneuver. A style characterization processor receives the maneuver identifier signals, sensor signals from the vehicle sensors and the traffic and road condition signals, and classifies driving style based on the signals to classify the style of the driver driving the vehicle.

Abstract: An adaptive vehicle control system that classifies a driver's driving style based on characteristic curve-handling maneuvers and road and traffic conditions. The system includes a plurality of vehicle sensors that detect various vehicle parameters. A maneuver identification processor receives the sensor signals to identify a characteristic maneuver of the vehicle and provides a maneuver identifier signal of the maneuver. The system also includes a traffic and road condition recognition processor that receives the sensor signals, and provides traffic condition signals identifying traffic conditions and road condition signals identifying road conditions. A style characterization processor receives the maneuver identifier signals, sensor signals from the vehicle sensors and the traffic and road condition signals, and classifies driving style based on the signals to classify the style of the driver driving the vehicle.