Operation Efficiency (e.g., Engine Performance, Driver Habits) Patents (Class 340/439)
  • Patent number: 10549779
    Abstract: Provided are a vehicle control device provided in a vehicle and a method for controlling a vehicle. The vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle having a camera and a steering wheel includes a communication unit communicating with at least one of the camera and the steering wheel, and a controller transmitting, when a predetermined condition is met, a driving command to a driving unit which applies an external force to move the steering wheel along a predetermined route, receiving a photographed image from the camera while the steering wheel is moving, and performing authentication of a driver's face using the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Minsick Park
  • Patent number: 10546193
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method to control a workflow comprising at least one task to be performed by a person (P3), wherein information is provided about at least one certain object (20, 32, 36, 38) related to the at least one task of the workflow, eye data (24, 26) are captured of at least one eye of the person (P3), and in dependency of the eye data (24, 26) and the information about the at least one certain object (20, 32, 36, 38) it is checked whether at least one task condition consisting in whether the task had been performed and/or whether the task is allowed to be performed is fulfilled. The invention also relates to a system and method for providing a set of task-specific control parameters (CP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Eberhard Schmidt, Tom Sengelaub
  • Patent number: 10543847
    Abstract: A database of high risk locations is formed and high risk causal factors for the high risk locations determined. Driver behavior is monitored at the sites in the database using data collection devices such as electronic logging devices or mobile phones to see if the drivers exhibit the same specific behaviors that are considered contributing factors to specific accident types at risk of occurrence at those sites. Warnings are provided to drivers approaching the specific sites to prompt behavioral changes which may further be monitored by the data collection devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Intelligent Imaging Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Heath, Wayne Allan Malkin
  • Patent number: 10532617
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining a state parameter of an object to be monitored comprises a means for providing a plurality of measurement values, wherein the measurement values comprise information relating to the state parameter of the object to be monitored, a comparison means for comparing the measurement value to a predeterminable comparison parameter, wherein the comparison means is formed to output a first comparison signal when a predeterminable number of measurement values falls below the comparison parameter within a measurement interval, or to output a second comparison signal when the predeterminable number of measurement values exceeds or reaches the comparison parameter, wherein the first comparison signal or the second comparison signal indicate the state parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Christoph Steiner, Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Patent number: 10532746
    Abstract: A vehicle that provides an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) recommendation function and a method of controlling the vehicle are provided. The vehicle includes a collection unit that is configured to collect behavior information of a driver and a controller that is configured to determine an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) mode recommendable to the driver based on the collected behavior information and to output the determined ADAS mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jung Mi Park, Hyunjin Kang, Jimin Han, Jia Lee
  • Patent number: 10537033
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a display device (1) for a motor vehicle, which includes: a display module (3) comprising a flat screen (7) provided on the rear surface thereof with mounting feet (17), each mounting foot (17) including a tapped hole for receiving a mounting screw (21); and a housing (9) holding the display module (3), said housing (9) having a bottom wall (23) and on which the mounting feet (1) of the flat screen (7) are mounted by screwing, characterised in that it also comprises a membrane made of resilient material (29) arranged between the mounting feet (17) and covering each mounting foot (17) so as to be inserted between the mounting feet (17) and the bottom wall (23) of the housing (9), and in that the mounting screws (17) of the flat screen (7) pass through the bottom wall (23) and the membrane made of resilient material (29) so as to engage with the tapped hole of each foot (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: DAV
    Inventors: Christophe Delmaere, Richard Geloen
  • Patent number: 10513270
    Abstract: A system may include a plurality of vehicle sensor and a computer comprising a processor and memory storing instructions executable by the processor. One of the instruction may comprise to determine a driving responsiveness (DR) value using a weighted sum comprising indices of a transition probability matrix (Q), Q being derived from likelihood of transition data (?) between a plurality of driving modes from a set of interacting multiple model (IMM) instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Sanghyun Hong, Jianbo Lu, Dimitar Petrov Filev
  • Patent number: 10510249
    Abstract: A safety driving assistant system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire pieces of probe information from probe vehicles, each piece of probe information including information of a position of the corresponding probe vehicle and information of a time at which the probe vehicle has passed through the position; a detection unit configured to detect a sudden-deceleration-prone spot where sudden deceleration of probe vehicles frequently occurs, based on the pieces of probe information acquired by the acquisition unit; and a provision unit configured to provide information of the sudden-deceleration-prone spot detected by the detection unit, to a target vehicle that receives safety driving assistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignees: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masataka Tokunaga, Shoichi Tanada, Shigeki Nishimura, Hiroyuki Yamada, Hitoshi Konishi
  • Patent number: 10493996
    Abstract: A method and system for impaired driving detection, monitoring and accident prevention with driving habits. An impairment test method is provided with an impairment test determining in real-time whether a driver of vehicle is impaired (e.g., has used drugs, alcohol, is distracted, talking, texting, eating, etc. or is drowsy, etc.). The impairment test determines plural assigned probability impairment values over a pre-determined time interval to compare a frequency of received plural event signals from a passenger compartment of the vehicle for one or more of the plural driver performance actions completed by a driver of a vehicle to those previously stored in a unique driver profile for the driver to determine with a statistical probability whether the driver operating the vehicle may be impaired based on the unique behavior patterns for the driver of the vehicle stored in the unique driver profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Future Technology Partners, LLC
    Inventors: Brian K. Phillips, Geoffrey A. Wilson, Brian K. Phillips, II
  • Patent number: 10496090
    Abstract: A control system that is operable to control a vehicle in an autonomous or semi-autonomous mode includes a processor that processes data captured by a plurality of exterior sensing sensors. When the control system is operating in the autonomous or semi-autonomous mode and responsive to a determination of an upcoming event that requires the system to hand over control of the vehicle to a driver before the vehicle encounters the event, the control determines (i) a total action time until the vehicle encounters the event, (ii) an estimated time for the driver to take over control and (iii) an estimated handling time for the vehicle to be controlled before the vehicle encounters the event. Responsive to the determinations, the control system (i) allows the driver to take over control of the vehicle or (ii) controls the vehicle to slow down and stop the vehicle before the vehicle encounters the event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Ralph Latotzki, Frank Goseberg
  • Patent number: 10482333
    Abstract: Mental state analysis is performed using blink rate within vehicles. Video is obtained of an individual or a group within a vehicle. The video is analyzed to detect a blink event based on a classifier, where the blink event is determined by identifying that eyes are closed for a frame in the video. A blink duration is evaluated for the blink event. Blink-rate information is determined using the blink event and one or more other blink events. The evaluating can include evaluating blinking for a group of people. The blink-rate information is compensated using the processors for a context. Mental states of the individual are inferred for the blink event, where the mental states are based on the blink event, the blink duration of the individual, and the blink-rate information that was compensated. A difference in blinking between the individual and the remainder of a group can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Affectiva, Inc.
    Inventors: Rana el Kaliouby, Abdelrahman N. Mahmoud, Seyedmohammad Mavadati, Panu James Turcot
  • Patent number: 10475255
    Abstract: A road toll system comprises a vehicle-mounted unit comprising a satellite navigation system implementing a position tracking function; transmitting means for transmitting position or route information to a remote server; and a unique identification device for attaching to the vehicle, and associated with the satellite navigation receiver. The road toll system function is enabled only when the identification device is present. The identification device comprises an electronic device which is adapted to alter by detachment or attempted detachment such as to prevent the road toll system function being enabled. This system increases the security of this type of system and makes fraudulent use of the system increasingly difficult.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Telit Automotive Solutions NV
    Inventors: Michael M. P. Peeters, Jan L. R. M. Taelman, Frank C. H. Daems, Veroni Ballet
  • Patent number: 10475348
    Abstract: The invention regards a method and a system for assisting a person in acting in a dynamic environment. At first, information on states at least two entities in a common environment is obtained. A future behaviour of each of the entities is then predicted based on the obtained information and a time to event for at least one predetermined event involving the at least two entities and a position of occurrence of the event relative to the person is estimated. Then, a signal indicative of the relative direction of the predicted event with respect to the person and indicative of the time to event for driving an actuator is generated, the signal causing a stimulation being perceivable by the person by its perceptual capabilities, wherein the time to event is encoded such that the signal's saliency is the higher the smaller the time to event is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBH
    Inventor: Matti Krüger
  • Patent number: 10467704
    Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring use and determining risks associated with operation of a vehicle having one or more autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, a virtual log of data regarding performance of the features in a virtual test environment may be recorded during operation of the vehicle. This may include information regarding the vehicle, the vehicle environment, use of the autonomous operation features, and/or control decisions made by the features. The control decisions may include evasive maneuvers performed by the vehicle under the control of the features. The performance data in the virtual log may be used to determine risk levels associated with vehicle operation by the autonomous operation features. The risk levels may further be used to adjust an insurance policy associated with the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
    Inventors: Blake Konrardy, Scott T. Christensen, Gregory Hayward, Scott Farris
  • Patent number: 10460410
    Abstract: A location services platform includes a map database and a processor to analyze probe data and map data to identify one or more traffic violations. The processor also receives probe data associated with law enforcement personnel and correlates the locations of the traffic violations to the location of the law enforcement personnel. The location services platform includes a traffic violation database that stores information regarding the traffic violations that were identified and a law enforcement placement database that stores information regarding the location of the law enforcement personnel. The processor is further configured to determine a relationship between traffic violation citations that have been issued at a respective location and traffic violations identified to occur at the respective location in an instance in which the probe data associated with law enforcement personnel indicates that law enforcement personnel were present at the respective location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventor: Buddika Gajapala
  • Patent number: 10438073
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for detecting the departure of a vehicle from a set of land boundaries. A boundary determination component is configured to determine an associated set of lane boundaries for a vehicle. A kinematic sensor is configured to measure at least one kinematic parameter associated with the vehicle. A lane departure warning system is configured to determine if the vehicle is crossing one of the determined set of lane boundaries from the at least one kinematic parameter and provide a response signal if the vehicle is crossing one of the determined set of lane boundaries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: TRW Automotive U.S. LLC
    Inventors: Mike Babala, Gordon M. Thomas
  • Patent number: 10436602
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an indication to a driver of a geared vehicle that the vehicle is not in an optimal gear is disclosed. The method comprises determining a current gear of the vehicle and determining a current speed of a drive unit of the vehicle. An indication is then provided to the driver of the vehicle that the vehicle is not in an optimal gear when: (i) the determined current speed of the drive unit is greater than a predetermined threshold; and (ii) the determined current gear of the vehicle is less than a maximum gear of the vehicle. A method and apparatus is also disclosed for determining a score indicative of the amount of time during a journey on a road network that a geared vehicle is driven in an optimal gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: TOMTOM TELEMATICS B.V.
    Inventors: Paul Roeland Verheijen, Jasper Johannes Anthonius Pauwelussen, Christoph Ebert, Steffen Orlowsky, Marco Leupold, Lars Dietzel
  • Patent number: 10431097
    Abstract: A handheld, portable device is used to facilitate inspection of vehicles, by generating an electronic vehicle inspection record that can be used by fleet operators to provide evidence of complying with required vehicle inspections. When the vehicle inspection record is generated, route identification data is added to the inspection record. The route identification data defines which of a plurality of predefined routes the vehicle has serviced, or will service, during a time period proximate the inspection of the vehicle. Fleet operators can thus use archived inspection records as evidence of compliance with inspection requirements, and to document what route a vehicle serviced at a particular time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: ZONAR SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Charles Michael McQuade, Brett Brinton
  • Patent number: 10421461
    Abstract: Method for automatically assessing performance of a driver (110) of a vehicle (100) for a particular trip, wherein current driving data sets, comprising basic driving data are repeatedly read from the vehicle, which method comprises the steps a) collecting previous-trip driving data sets, comprising instantaneous vehicle energy consumption, for different previous trips, different drivers and different vehicles; b) classifying said previous-trip driving data sets into collections corresponding to vehicle classes; c) classifying the current vehicle (100) into a current class; and d) calculating a performance parameter for the current trip based upon respective performance parameters for previous-trip driving data sets in said current collection; wherein the basic parameter set comprises vehicle velocity and engine rotation speed and/or motor load and energy consumption, and wherein the class-defining parameters comprise characteristic engine rotation speed per vehicle velocity and/or characteristic energy consu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: GREATER THAN AB
    Inventor: Anders Lindelöf
  • Patent number: 10416670
    Abstract: According to certain aspects, a computer-implemented method for operating an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be provided. With the customer's permission, an identity of a vehicle operator may be identified and a vehicle operator profile may be retrieved. Operating data regarding autonomous operation features operating the vehicle may be received from vehicle-mounted sensors. When a request to disable an autonomous feature is received, a risk level for the autonomous feature is determined and compared with a driver behavior setting for the autonomous feature stored in the vehicle operator profile. Based upon the risk level comparison, the autonomous vehicle retains control of vehicle or the autonomous feature is disengaged depending upon which is the safer driver—the autonomous vehicle or the vehicle human occupant. As a result, unsafe disengagement of self-driving functionality for autonomous vehicles may be alleviated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Chien Che Huang, Mohamed A. Wazeer, Shawn C. Bennett, Steven C. Cielocha, Ronny S. Bryant, Stephen Kohaus, Terry Quakenbush, Richard A. Novak, Aaron Scott Chan, Craig M. Main, Weixin Wu, Torri Wollenschlager, Carol Marie Csanda, Stacey Gorsuch, Todd Binion
  • Patent number: 10407078
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are described for dynamically assessing and improving driver performance, including that of an autonomous driving system. Based on received electronic driver performance messages, the system determines whether an instant feedback message is required to dynamically adjust driving behavior of a subject driver or autonomous driving system. If yes, then the system provides an instant feedback message, otherwise the system provides an aggregate feedback message, calibration message, and/or coaching recommendation as appropriate. An aggregate feedback message may be provided based at least on integral rating and/or driver performance score calculated and based at least on the driver performance messages received over a predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Inventor: Sivalogeswaran Ratnasingam
  • Patent number: 10408114
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for diagnostics of a gasoline particulate filter in an exhaust system. In one example, a method may include during conditions where a differential pressure sensor is exposed to changing exhaust pressure, indicating degradation of a hose coupled across a particulate filter in an exhaust system responsive to a change in differential pressure measured by the differential pressure sensor being different than an expected change, the differential pressure sensor positioned in the hose and the particulate filter positioned upstream of an exhaust tuning valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Eric Rollinger, Douglas Raymond Martin
  • Patent number: 10403059
    Abstract: Distributed monitoring systems and methods are provided for monitoring a vehicle, such as a rotorcraft. One exemplary system includes a plurality of sensor management modules onboard the vehicle and coupled to respective sensing arrangements mounted onboard the vehicle to provide measurement data corresponding to a respective mechanical component. A mobile device is communicatively coupled to the management modules over a wireless network associated with the vehicle. The mobile device configures the management modules for sampling their sensing arrangements, receives the measurement data obtained in accordance with the configuration information from the management modules, determines the condition of the respective mechanical components based on the corresponding measurement data, and displays a graphical representation of the condition of the respective mechanical component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Patrik Moravek, Jan Beran, Robert Kalmar
  • Patent number: 10392029
    Abstract: A method for output of haptic information to a driver of a motor vehicle via a brake pedal includes ascertaining, based on signals of an environment-sensor system, imminence of a traffic situation that poses a potential risk to the motor vehicle, and modifying, during a driving of the motor vehicle, independent of a driver input, and in response to the ascertained imminence of the traffic situation, a characteristic of the brake pedal of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Alessandro Moia, Armin Verhagen, Laszlo Boros, Simon Hansmann, Thomas Friedrich
  • Patent number: 10394236
    Abstract: A vehicle system of a vehicle for a vehicle user having a camera, an evaluation unit which has a memory and is coupled to the camera, a communication device that is coupled to the evaluation unit, and a self-drive unit which is coupled to the evaluation unit for autonomously driving the vehicle. The camera views the face of the vehicle user and relays collected data to the evaluation unit. An artificial intelligence, in the evaluation unit, evaluates the data from the camera in relation to the attentiveness and emotion of the vehicle user. The evaluated data is stored in the memory of the evaluation unit. On the basis of a predetermined emotion or a lack of attentiveness of the vehicle user, recognized by the artificial intelligence, the vehicle user is notified of the emotion or the lack of attentiveness recognized and the self-drive unit can be activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Malgorzata Wiklinska, Matthias Holzer, Gerhard Deuter
  • Patent number: 10377389
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a controller that prompts a user to confirm a willingness to accept a reduced maximum acceleration or speed responsive to user confirmation of a desire to increase an electric drive range by a user selected amount. The controller further operates a propulsion system with the reduced maximum acceleration or speed to increase the electric drive range responsive to user confirmation of the willingness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Seth Anthony Bryan, Bryan Michael Bolger, Robert David Hancasky, Angel Fernando Porras
  • Patent number: 10380435
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image acquisition unit that uses a camera installed in an own vehicle to acquire images of an environment outside the own vehicle at predetermined intervals, an object candidate recognition unit that recognizes an object candidate in the image, an object determination unit that determines that the object candidate is an object on condition that the same object candidate is recognized in N consecutive frame images (N is a natural number), a parameter X acquisition unit that acquires a parameter X correlated with an apparent moving speed of a stationary object in the images, and an N setting unit that sets N smaller as the moving speed correlated with a value of the parameter X increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yousuke Hattori
  • Patent number: 10351009
    Abstract: An electric vehicle display system may include a battery, an interface configured to present at least one selectable icon configured to control a battery powered vehicle feature, and a controller programmed to, in response to state-of-charge (SOC) data indicating that a trip range exceeds a possible driving range, update the selectable icon to indicate a suggested adjustment to the vehicle feature to decrease power demand of the feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth James Miller, Douglas Raymond Martin, William Paul Perkins
  • Patent number: 10346925
    Abstract: Proposed is a OEM-linked, telematics-based system and platform (1) for score-driven operations associated with motor vehicles (41, . . . , 45) or transportation means of passengers or goods and based on a dynamic, telematics-based data aggregation, and method thereof. The telematics-based system (1) comprises vehicle embedded telematics devices (OEM line fitted) (411, . . . , 415) associated with the plurality of motor vehicles (41, . . . , 45), wherein the vehicle embedded telematics devices (OEM line fitted) (411, . . . , 415) comprise a wireless connection (42101-42108) to a central, expert-system based circuit (11). The telematics devices (411, . . . , 415) are connected via interfaces (421, . . . , 425) to the sensors and/or measuring devices (401, . . . , 405) and/or an on-board diagnostic system (431, . . . , 435) and/or an in-car interactive device (441, . . . , 445), wherein the telematics devices (411, . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Andri Perl, Sebastiaan Bongers, Donato Genovese, Hector Naves Sordo
  • Patent number: 10343682
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle computing system (VCS) and an adaptive cruise control module, a lane departure warning (LDW) module, a navigation system, or an alert mechanism (e.g., audible, visual or tactile). The VCS communicates with an activity tracking device worn by a vehicle driver. The activity tracking device detects and records biometric characteristics of the driver, and is capable of exchanging data with the VCS. The VCS generates at least one output signal based on data from the activity tracking device. An adaptive cruise control module may increase the distance between the vehicle and a tracking vehicle based on the signal. A navigation system may generate a recommended parking location based on a difference between step goals and current steps detected by the activity tracking device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Aiswarya Kolisetty, Johannes Geir Kristinsson, Joseph Wisniewski
  • Patent number: 10344651
    Abstract: A reductant insertion assembly includes: a first pump configured to pump a predetermined amount of a reductant into a selective catalytic reduction system; a reductant delivery line configured to deliver the reductant to the first pump from a reductant storage tank; a reductant return line configured to return reductant to the reductant storage tank from the first pump; a second pump configured to pump the reductant from the reductant storage tank to the first pump; and a valve selectively moveable between a closed position in which the second pump pumps the reductant through the reductant delivery line to the first pump, and an open position in which the second pump draws air through the valve and pumps the air through at least a portion of the reductant delivery line downstream of the valve and the first pump to purge the reductant insertion assembly of the reductant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Cummins Emission Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Karan Sanghavi, Nicholas Blodgett
  • Patent number: 10339811
    Abstract: A technology for displaying images on a displaying apparatus mounted on a vehicle is provided. In response to a predetermined instruction signal, synthetic images viewed from a virtual viewpoint around and above the periphery of the vehicle are generated based on a plurality of images acquired from a plurality of cameras for capturing the periphery of the vehicle. The plurality of synthetic images, in which a position of a viewpoint moves sequentially varies such that the synthetic images move in a circle around the vehicle, are sequentially output to the displaying apparatus. Accordingly, the user monitors the entire circumference of the vehicle from the viewpoint where the user sees the vehicle in front of user's eyes, so that the user can intuitively recognize the positional relation between the vehicle and an obstacle from one screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ohno, Yukisuke Ozaki, Takayoshi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10336191
    Abstract: A vehicle controller determines likelihood of downshifting, such as by detecting braking and clutch disengagement. In response, the vehicle controller determines a desired angular velocity for the engine for a gear lower than a current gear. A tachometer display is updated to indicate the current angular velocity of the engine and the desired angular velocity. A difference between current and desired angular velocities is determined and fill in a region of the tachometer display, such as a sector between needles indicating current and desired angular velocities or most or all of a surface of the tachometer. The tachometer may be updated in the same manner according to a desired angular velocity in cases where the drive shifts into gear following coasting in neutral.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Joshua Scott Smith
  • Patent number: 10332397
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for designing a preferred route for a vehicle. The route designing system receives a request from the vehicle for a preferred route from a first geographical point to a second geographical point. The route designing system analyzes the request and obtains driving scores associated with drivers of other vehicles. The route designing unit may identify a set of preferred and non-preferred vehicles based on the driving scores. The route designing system then determines a preferred route based, at least in part, on the driving scores associated with drivers of the other vehicles. The preferred route is designed to minimize the likelihood of proximity to non-preferred vehicles and maximize the likelihood of proximity to preferred vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company
    Inventor: Dana Ferguson
  • Patent number: 10322727
    Abstract: Systems and methods for analyzing sensor data to determine an inferred emotional state of a vehicle operator and generate a recommendation based on the inferred emotional state are disclosed. According to embodiments, an electronic device may analyze image data depicting a vehicle operator to identify a behavior. The electronic device may also compare vehicle dynamics data to baseline vehicle dynamics data to determine if the vehicle dynamics data differs from the baseline vehicle dynamics data by a threshold amount. Based on the identified behavior and the vehicle dynamics data, the electronic device may determine an inferred emotional state of the vehicle operator. The electronic device may generate a recommendation for the vehicle operator based on the inferred emotional state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Aaron Scott Chan, Kenneth J. Sanchez
  • Patent number: 10323562
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for diagnostics of a gasoline particulate filter in an exhaust system. In one example, a method may include indicating degradation of a hose coupled across a particulate filter responsive to a difference between a first differential pressure and a second differential pressure being greater than a threshold, the first differential pressure measured by a differential pressure sensor positioned in the hose responsive to a downstream exhaust tuning valve being fully open, the second differential pressure measured by the differential pressure sensor responsive to the exhaust tuning valve being fully closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt, Allen Lehmen, Douglas Raymond Martin, John Eric Rollinger, Sumanth Dadam, Rohit Bhat
  • Patent number: 10297156
    Abstract: A driving support apparatus for a vehicle is provided. The apparatus causes an alarm unit to issue an alarm based on a lane marking of an own lane in which an own vehicle runs. The apparatus includes a leading vehicle detection section that determines a leading vehicle running in the own lane, a crossing over determination section that determines whether or not the leading vehicle has crossed over the lane marking present at an opposite side of the target, when a target is present at a left side or a right side of the leading vehicle in the own lane, and an alarm inhibition section that inhibits the alarm based on a result of the determination whether or not the leading vehicle has crossed over the lane marking present at the opposite side of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshiya Habu
  • Patent number: 10279634
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicular communication system configured to prevent crosstalk between signals transmitted from an in-vehicle wireless device constituting one wireless communication system such as a TPMS and a mobile device constituting another wireless communication system. The vehicular communication system includes a mobile device wirelessly transmitting a signal related to operation of a vehicle, an in-vehicle wireless device wirelessly transmitting a signal related to the vehicle, and an in-vehicle communication apparatus provided in a different part from the in-vehicle wireless device and wirelessly communicates with the mobile device and the in-vehicle wireless device. The in-vehicle communication apparatus receives signals transmitted from the mobile device and the in-vehicle communication apparatus, and determines whether there is crosstalk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akinori Usami
  • Patent number: 10275959
    Abstract: Methods and systems for tracking user behavior, the user behavior including one or more of: one or more user actions and one or more user interactions with a vehicle. A storage system stores the user behavior, where the tracked user behavior is associated with a driver and the storage system is capable of storing the tracked behavior for the driver from a plurality of vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 10275585
    Abstract: This invention is directed to an electronic device with an embedded authentication system for restricting access to device resources. The authentication system may include one or more sensors operative to detect biometric information of a user. The sensors may be positioned in the device such that the sensors may detect appropriate biometric information as the user operates the device, without requiring the user to perform a step for providing the biometric information (e.g., embedding a fingerprint sensor in an input mechanism instead of providing a fingerprint sensor in a separate part of the device housing). In some embodiments, the authentication system may be operative to detect a visual or temporal pattern of inputs to authenticate a user. In response to authenticating, a user may access restricted files, applications (e.g., applications purchased by the user), or settings (e.g., application settings such as contacts or saved game profile).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony M. Fadell, Andrew Bert Hodge, Stephan V. Schell, Ruben Caballero, Jesse Lee Dorogusker, Stephen Paul Zadesky, Emery Sanford
  • Patent number: 10267861
    Abstract: An automatic estimation procedure for estimating a battery's state-of-charge includes predicting the state-of-charge using a state model that includes a state-transition matrix. An observation model then uses an observability matrix in connection with predicting a measured value of a parameter. State noise, the covariance of which is characterized by a state-noise covariance matrix contaminates this prediction. Similarly, measurement noise, the covariance of which is characterized by a measurement covariance matrix, contaminates this prediction. The values of these covariance matrices are then adjusted during the estimation procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Vincent Heiries, Sylvain Leirens
  • Patent number: 10269327
    Abstract: A method for controlling a display includes segmenting the display; assigning an importance level to at least one of the segments; and selectively setting the luminance of said segment in dependence on its importance level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: ZERO360, INC.
    Inventor: Peter Karsten
  • Patent number: 10239524
    Abstract: A lane shift indicating system for indicating a potential lane shift of a vehicle supporting at least partly automated steering and vehicle speed control, when the vehicle is travelling along a first driving lane of a road having a second driving lane separated from the first driving lane by one or more lane markings. The lane shift indicating system determines a driving environment of the vehicle at an initial vehicle position, and determines that the driving environment indicates that the vehicle is in a driving situation where a lane shift from the first driving lane to the second driving lane is considered appropriate, and adjusts the steering prior to a potential automated vehicle speed adjustment pertinent the determined driving situation, such that the vehicle continues its travel laterally closer to the one or more lane markings along the first driving lane, as compared to the initial vehicle position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Claus Allan Christensen, Christian Hedegaard, Thomas Bove
  • Patent number: 10235859
    Abstract: Systems and methods for mitigating drowsy and/or sleepy driving may include utilizing vehicle-related and wellness-related telematics to detect and/or predict drowsy and/or sleepy driving states of a driver of a vehicle and take mitigating actions to thereby increase the safety of the driver and other people and/or vehicles in the vicinity of the driver's vehicle. Vehicle-related telematics data and wellness-related telematics data (which may include sleep data) may be collected via sensors that disposed on-board the vehicle, in the vehicle's environment, and at a personal health/fitness tracker of the driver. The collected data may be collectively interpreted to detect, predict, and/or otherwise discover information relating to a drowsy and/or sleepy state of the driver, and one or more mitigating actions may be automatically performed based on the discovered information to thereby mitigate undesirable effects of drowsy/sleepy driving and increase driving safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventor: Brian Todd Hiles
  • Patent number: 10220778
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted alert system includes display devices equipped to a vehicle, a sight line detection device detecting driver's sight line, a surrounding monitoring device detecting a presence of an object near the vehicle and a direction of the object with respect to the vehicle, and an alert control device controlling the display devices to display an alert image for informing the driver of the presence of the object detected by the surrounding monitoring device. The alert control device controls the display device located in a direction of the sight line of the driver to display the alert image, and then, controls the display devices so that the alert image successively moves from the display device located in the direction of the sight line of the driver to the display device determined based on the direction of the object detected by the surrounding monitoring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shun Tomioka
  • Patent number: 10214103
    Abstract: A method for the operation of at least one actuator for a force controller of a device, for which a user of the device is provided with a haptic feedback message about at least one operating state of the device by a force, which is predetermined in its strength and acts by way of at least one actuator on the force controller, when the force controller is brought by the user to at least one predetermined point on a track of movement of the force controller. The at least one actuator is controlled in such a way that the strength of the force acting by way of the at least one actuator on the force controller is reduced after another predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Daniel Lepczyk, Maximilian Dietrich, Daria Makhortova
  • Patent number: 10212274
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an electronic device, the method including identifying, by processing circuitry of a controller, at least one electronic device located within a vehicle, the processing circuitry including a first register configured to store at least a factors vector characterizing the vehicle and a user of the at least one electronic device, determining, by the processing circuitry of the controller, an operating status of the vehicle, updating, by the processing circuitry of the controller, one or more values of the factors vector based on the operating status of the vehicle, identifying, by the processing circuitry of the controller, one or more functions of the at least one electronic device based on the factors vector, and controlling the identified one or more functions of the at least one electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Inventor: Khaled A. Alghoniem
  • Patent number: 10210398
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining flows by acquiring a video of the flows with a camera, wherein the flows are pedestrians in a scene. The video includes a set of frames, wherein motion vectors are extracted from each frame in the set, and a data matrix is constructed from the motion vectors in the set of frames. A low rank Koopman operator can be determined from the data matrix and a spectrum of the low rank Koopman operator can be analyzed to determine a set of Koopman modes. Then, the frames are segmented into independent flows according to a clustering of the Koopman modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Hassan Mansour, Mouhacine Benosman, Vahan Huroyan
  • Patent number: 10210772
    Abstract: A method of evaluating the driving behavior in a vehicle. The method includes determining values of a plurality of parameters of the operation of a first vehicle in a first road segment, determining values of the plurality of parameters for one or more second vehicles in a second road segment having similar properties to those of the first road segment, comparing the determined values of the first vehicle and the one or more second vehicles and providing an evaluation of the driving behavior of the first vehicle, responsive to the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Insurance Services Office, Inc.
    Inventors: Asaf Tamir, Ido Topaz
  • Patent number: 10202092
    Abstract: A vehicle alarm system for inhibiting a passenger from being left in a vehicle includes a vehicle has a processor, a pair of rear seats, a theft alarm and door locks. The processor selectively generates an alarm sequence and the processor is electrically coupled to the theft alarm and the door locks. A plurality of pressure sensors is each positioned within an associated one of the rear seats. Each of the pressure sensors detects when a passenger is seated in the associated rear seat. The processor generates the alarm sequence when the vehicle is turned off and at least one of the pressure sensors detects the passenger in the associated rear seat. Moreover, the theft alarm is turned on when the processor generates the alarm sequence to alert that at least one passenger remains in the vehicle thereby inhibiting the passenger from is injured by heat exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Inventor: Adrain Evans