Operation Efficiency (e.g., Engine Performance, Driver Habits) Patents (Class 340/439)
  • Patent number: 9925875
    Abstract: In order to provide a technology enabling efficient visual recognition of notification information by a user, provided is an information presentation device, including: a display adjustment unit configured to display, using processing information for displaying information based on a start condition, the information on a plurality of display areas; and a storage unit configured to store condition information associating a predetermined start condition with notification information being the information to be displayed when the predetermined start condition occurs, in which the display adjustment unit is configured to, when satisfaction of the predetermined start condition is detected: identify the display area for displaying the notification information that is associated with the predetermined start condition in the storage unit; cause display of the notification information on the display area; and restrict display on other display areas other than the display area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Sasaki, Naokazu Uchida, Takashi Matsubara
  • Patent number: 9926086
    Abstract: An apparatus for managing aircraft health data includes a wireless network server disposed onboard an aircraft, and at least one wireless condition monitoring device disposed onboard the aircraft, wirelessly connected to the wireless network server and configured to transmit respective health data to the wireless network server based on a communication scheme that maintains an availability of an aircraft wireless network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Anil Kumar, Kesav R. Rayaprolu, Alberto Ferrer, Kent A. Pflugrath
  • Patent number: 9898004
    Abstract: There is provided a method and system for operating a vehicle when a vehicle occupant experiences a potential medical condition. The system may include an external object control module (EOCM) configured to wirelessly receive diagnostic signals from an occupant-coupled device, such as a smart watch or implanted cardiac pacemaker. The method and system process the diagnostic signals, for example by determining the nature and/or severity of the potential medical condition and carrying out one or more responses in reaction thereto. The type of response carried out can depend on whether the occupant is a driver or passenger, as well as the nature and/or severity of the potential medical condition, and can range from giving medical instructions to vehicle occupants to automatically slowing the vehicle down and bringing it to a safe stop in the event that the driver is unable to do so.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Karl Mikkelsen
  • Patent number: 9895993
    Abstract: A state of charge indicator includes a first indication unit that provides an indicator display within a predetermined display range including first and second ends, according to an increase/decrease in a state of charge of a battery of a hybrid vehicle. In an EV traveling mode, the first indication unit allows the first and second ends to correspond respectively to an upper limit of a state of charge range directed to the EV traveling mode, and a first threshold that defines switching from the EV traveling mode to an HV traveling mode. In the HV traveling mode, the first indication unit allows the first and second ends to correspond respectively to a second threshold that defines switching from the HV traveling mode to the EV traveling mode, and a lower limit of a state of charge range directed to the HV traveling mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Taichi Kishida
  • Patent number: 9878700
    Abstract: An indicator apparatus for a hybrid vehicle includes a display region having a range that extends between first and second ends of the display region. The display region displays a first mark to indicate to the driver a first state amount that changes in accordance with the output demand from the driver, a first edge of the first mark moving across the range between the first and second ends of the display region as the first state amount changes. A second mark having a second edge is displayed so that the second edge extends across and overlaps the display region, the second edge indicating to the driver a threshold at which switching occurs between an EV traveling mode and an HV traveling mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoto Suzuki, Motohiro Nakashima
  • Patent number: 9870001
    Abstract: An operator-evaluation system for an automated vehicle includes a traffic-detector and a controller. The traffic-detector is used to determine a complexity-ranking of a traffic-scenario approached by a host-vehicle. The controller is in communication with the traffic-detector and is configured to operate the host-vehicle in: an automated-mode where the controller steers the host-vehicle toward a desired-position of a travel-lane; a monitored-mode where an operator steers the host-vehicle and the controller assists the operator to steer the host-vehicle toward the desired-position when the host-vehicle is farther than a lateral-threshold from the desired-position; and a manual-mode where the operator steers the host-vehicle without assistance from the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Nandita Mangal, Michael H. Laur
  • Patent number: 9862375
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for conserving fuel used by an engine. In some embodiments a control module processes a user-provided input, as a first function, into a second function. The second function can be used to direct the engine with a directive output power. The directive output power may have regions equal to, greater than, and/or less than what the power output would be if the engine were controlled using the user-provided input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Fuel Saving Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey N. Yu, James W. Hill
  • Patent number: 9862414
    Abstract: A method for compensating a steering wheel angle signal, which is subject to an offset, in a vehicle, includes: a filtering step; and a use step. In the filtering step, the steering wheel angle signal is filtered while the vehicle is traveling, using a filtering rule, in order to obtain a mean value of the steering wheel angle signal. The steering wheel angle signal is filtered if a lane and/or a roadway of the vehicle meets predetermined criteria. In the use step, the mean value is used to compensate the offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Chengxuan Fu
  • Patent number: 9855958
    Abstract: An ECU causes a display device to display fuel efficiency when a recovery mode is selected as an operation mode in which amount-of-stored-power recovery control of making a target value of an amount of charge of a battery higher than in other modes is performed, causes the display device to display fuel efficiency when a CS mode is selected as a running mode in which the amount of charge of the battery is maintained at a prescribed target with an engine operating, and causes switching of display between fuel efficiency and electricity efficiency on the display device based on an indicator of use history of the engine when a CD mode is selected as the running mode in which running using only a motor generator with the engine stopped is given a high priority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Ichikawa, Naoya Izuno, Hiroyuki Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 9853905
    Abstract: A method and system for managing electronic devices in a vehicle including establishing operable connections for computer communication between electronic devices and the vehicle in a vehicle network and communicating device characteristics between each electronic device and the vehicle. The device characteristics are stored at a data storage device and the device characteristics include at least one or more data types capable of transmission between each electronic device and the vehicle. Assigning a priority to each electronic device based on the device characteristics and a priority rules set stored at the data storage device and controlling data transmission between each electronic device and the vehicle based on the priority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Bonnie Chen
  • Patent number: 9846977
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for identifying or verifying trip information. A method for identifying or verifying a trip of a vehicle comprises detecting a presence of the vehicle with a mobile computing device of a user. The mobile computing device may be removable from the vehicle. Next, a trip start may be determined when the vehicle is detected by the mobile computing device as being present. Trip data may be recorded for a trip of the vehicle subsequent to the trip start, the trip data being based at least in part on sensor readings. A trip end that corresponds to an end of the trip of the vehicle may be detected and verified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: METROMILE, INC.
    Inventors: Evan Gabriel Turitz Cox, Muhammad Waliji, Dan Richard Preston, Jr., Jose Mercado, Daniel Eric Goodman, Chetan Ramaiah
  • Patent number: 9844018
    Abstract: In embodiments of vehicle detection, a first wireless device includes an interface to establish a wireless connection with a second wireless device. The first wireless device further includes a vehicle detection application that is configured to determine that the user is in a vehicle based on a connection status of the second wireless device with a vehicle kit device associated with the vehicle. In some embodiments, the vehicle detection application initiates a driver mode responsive to determining that the user is a driver of the vehicle, and initiates a passenger mode responsive to determining that the user is a passenger in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Amit Jain, Michael E. Russell
  • Patent number: 9829338
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage devices for providing directions haptically such that sight and hearing can continue unimpeded. In one exemplary embodiment, a system configured as disclosed herein receives directions to an intended destination for a user, the directions comprising a movement action and a distance to the movement action. The system generates, via a processor, a left signal component and a right signal component based on the directions. The system transmits the left signal component to a left haptic output unit and transmits the right signal component to a right haptic output unit, such that the directions are communicated to the user via the left haptic output unit and the right haptic output unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Inventor: Ryan Thomas Ward
  • Patent number: 9821816
    Abstract: A control method for driving of a vehicle for fail-safe, including: determining, by a controller, whether an interface apparatus selecting a shift range fails; confirming, by the controller, the shift range selected upon the failure determination; determining whether the vehicle is in a parking state when the shift range selected upon the failure determination is out of a D range; as a result of performing the determining of the parking, when the vehicle is in the parking state, guiding, by the controller, a driver to step on an accelerator pedal for forward driving of the vehicle; and after the guiding of the driving, when a manipulated quantity of an accelerator pedal is detected, limiting, by the controller, a torque to reduce an output torque value of the vehicle depending on the manipulated quantity of the accelerator pedal for a predetermined reference time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Dae Ro Park, Jin Woo Cho
  • Patent number: 9823657
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a system and method for transitioning vehicle control between autonomous operation and manual operation. The system includes sensors configured to generate output signals conveying information related to the vehicle and its operation. During autonomous vehicle operation, the system gauges the level of responsiveness of a vehicle operator through challenges and corresponding responses. The system determines when to present a challenge to the vehicle operator based on internal and external factors. If necessary, the system will transition from an autonomous operation mode to a manual operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: SmartDrive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Palmer, Mark Freitas, Daniel A. Deninger, David Forney, Slaven Sljivar, Alekh Vaidya, Jeffrey Griswold
  • Patent number: 9815478
    Abstract: A driving assistance system includes a history storage unit, a behavior detecting unit, a state determining unit, and a notifying unit. The history storage unit stores a behavior history which is a past behavior history of a driver. The behavior detecting unit detects a current behavior of the driver. The state determining unit determines an unsafe state by comparing the transition of the behavior detected by the behavior detecting unit with the behavior history of the driver corresponding to a current driving path. If the state determining unit determines the unsafe state, the notifying unit gives notification to the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED
    Inventors: Masashi Tsuyunashi, Toshitaka Yamato, Shogo Tanaka, Yoshikazu Hashimoto, Takashi Ohta
  • Patent number: 9811949
    Abstract: A method for providing status information pertaining to an asset is disclosed. The method stores information from a first reporting source about the asset and information from a second reporting source about the asset into a database such that the information from the first reporting source and the information from the second reporting source can be accessed from the database. The stored information includes status information about the asset that was received from at least one of the reporting sources. The status information about the asset is then provided to a client for the purpose of displaying a visual representation of the status information on the client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Trimble Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Ballew, Paul Walton, Jeanie Walter, Emmelin Yun Tai Lee, Doug Eggert, Craig Howard, Nicki Cooper
  • Patent number: 9805523
    Abstract: A diagnostic method for vehicles from a group of vehicles wherein data relating to at least one vehicle from the group of vehicles are acquired from a social medium. Complaints relating to a criticized characteristic of the at least one vehicle are determined depending on the acquired data. Diagnostic information is generated for at least one vehicle depending on the complaints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Tetiana Zinchenko, Andreas Sasse, Sergio Di Martino, Simon Kwoczek, Felix Richter
  • Patent number: 9807577
    Abstract: A system that utilizes a remote device that is capable of transmitting speed, velocity, instantaneous velocity, angular velocity, acceleration, deceleration or other means of data to wirelessly notify a mobile handset that the vehicle is in motion or is traveling at a speed, velocity, instantaneous velocity, angular velocity, acceleration, deceleration greater than zero without using the cellular signal, gps data, or on board diagnostic computer or other direct or indirect link to vehicle mechanical, electrical mechanical or computer derived speed data. This system, or an embodiment thereof shall be universally compatible with all vehicles including passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, busses, trains, airplanes, boats, construction equipment or otherwise where it is desirable to limit distractions from a personal communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: United Efficiency, Inc.
    Inventor: Stanley G. Van Meter, II
  • Patent number: 9799058
    Abstract: A method comprising steps (a) a vehicle comprising telemetric equipment is provided; (b) driving data is collected, wherein the driving data is collected using the telemetric equipment; (c) environmental data is collected; (d) vehicle original equipment manufacturer data comprising vehicle recall data and vehicle warranty claim data is collected; (e) vehicle pricing data is collected, wherein the pricing data is collected from external sources; and (f) a vehicle valuation is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Inventor: Faheem Gill
  • Patent number: 9792508
    Abstract: An apparatus for recognizing lane partition lines on opposite sides of a traveling lane in a processing area of a forward image captured by a camera mounted in a vehicle. In the apparatus, a lane change determiner is configured to determine whether or not there is a lane change made by the vehicle. A processing area changer is configured to, while it is determined by the lane change determiner that there is a lane change, change the processing area from a predefined processing area to a processing area that can accommodate the lane change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Kawasaki, Tomohiko Tsuruta, Shunsuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9788232
    Abstract: A system and method for monitoring the health of an animal using multiple sensors is described. The wearable device may include one or more sensors whose resultant signal levels may be analyzed in the wearable device or uploaded to a data management server for additional analysis. One or more embodiments include variations of the UWB system to accommodate differences in animals, such as scheduling or attempting transmissions between the wearable device and the data management server in such a way as to increase the likelihood of a successful transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: i4C Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Albert Goldfain
  • Patent number: 9787817
    Abstract: A communication system includes a first device configured to transmit a signal to each of a first transmission path and a second transmission path provided within a vehicle, a control device configured to control an in-vehicle device on the basis of the signal transmitted to the second transmission path and transmit a signal indicating a result of control to a third transmission path, and a second device configured to detect a fraud state in the vehicle by performing a comparison on the basis of first information included in the signal received from the first transmission path and second information included in the signal received from the third transmission path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Wakita
  • Patent number: 9776563
    Abstract: A vehicle computer system, comprising a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a mobile device. The vehicle computer system further comprises a processor configured to output an alert to a driver of a vehicle indicating a location of a hazardous area when the vehicle is in a pre-defined distance from a boundary of a geo-fence of the driver defining the hazardous area, and activate a vehicle function addressing the hazardous area based upon the vehicle entering a boundary of the geo-fence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tuan Anh Be, Nicholas Colella, Allen R. Murray
  • Patent number: 9770989
    Abstract: A vehicle display device is provided in an electric vehicle including a friction brake and includes: a loss energy calculation module that calculates a loss energy released from the electric vehicle on the basis of an actuation state of the friction brake; a consumption calculation module that calculates an energy consumption consumed by the electric vehicle on the basis of the loss energy; a first efficiency calculation module that calculates a first energy efficiency on the basis of a travel distance and an energy consumption in a first period; a second efficiency calculation module that calculates a second energy efficiency on the basis of a travel distance and an energy consumption in a second period shorter than the first period; and a display control module that controls a display content of an onboard display on the basis of an efficiency difference between the first and second energy efficiencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yusuke Komatsu
  • Patent number: 9767373
    Abstract: A system may receive head pose indications determined according to movement data from a motion sensor of an optical head-mounted display worn by a vehicle driver, determine, according to the head pose indications, driver activity characteristics indicative of a history of movement of the head of the driver, and send the driver activity characteristics to a driver-aware vehicle system configured to adjust driver notification based on the driver activity characteristics. The system may also receive raw movement data from a motion sensor of an optical head-mounted display worn on a head of a vehicle driver, compute head velocity data based on the raw movement data, compute head displacement data based on the head velocity data, and update head pose indications indicative of head positioning upon determining that the head displacement data exceeds a predetermined threshold displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hsin-hsiang Yang, Kwaku O. Prakah-Asante
  • Patent number: 9756319
    Abstract: At least one embodiment disclosed herein includes generating a three-dimensional graphical output that includes a three-dimensional representation of a video of an area external to a vehicle, and displaying the three-dimensional graphical output on a three-dimensional display disposed within a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Davide Di Censo, Stefan Marti
  • Patent number: 9744971
    Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring a driver of a vehicle, the method receives a state of the driver; receives one or more objects of a real environment model of the vehicle; generates one or more objects of an envisioned environment model of the driver based on the one or more objects of the real environment model of the vehicle and the state of the driver, wherein, if the state of the driver indicates that at least one sense of the driver sensed a particular object of the real environment model, the particular object of the real environment model is added to the envisioned environment model; and updates the one or more objects of the envisioned environment model based on the state of the driver, wherein the one or more objects of the envisioned environment model are updated by a physics engine if the state of the driver indicates that the driver is prevented from sensing the one or more objects of the real environment model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ali Bigdelou
  • Patent number: 9742695
    Abstract: To provide a relay device capable of increasing the number of connected nodes in a bus-type network, and a connector providing the relay device. An active-star coupler as the relay device includes a bit width distortion correction circuit and a ringing pulse absorption circuit, corrects bit width distortion in bit units using the bit width distortion correction circuit and absorbs and eliminates ringing pulses in a terminus of a communication frame using the ringing pulse absorption circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: You Yanagida, Hiroki Hamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9734717
    Abstract: A system for determining proximity events includes an input interface and a processor. The input interface is to receive a lane change information. The processor is to determine a proximity event based at least in part on the lane change information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Lytx, Inc.
    Inventors: Gabriela Surpi, Timothy Edmonds
  • Patent number: 9730000
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus for constructing utilization information of a sensor, capable of collecting information regarding various sensors installed in a mobile device of an occupant positioned within a vehicle from the mobile device, comparing the information regarding the sensors with characteristics of various sensors installed in the vehicle and performing analysis to generate utilization information so that the various sensors installed in the mobile device may be utilized in the vehicle, and a method thereof. The apparatus for constructing utilization information of a sensor constructs utilization information between various sensors provided in the mobile device and various sensors provided in the vehicle by matching the corresponding sensors of the mobile device in consideration of types, functions, and positions of the sensors of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Dong Youl Lee, Young Su Kim, Chul Min Kim
  • Patent number: 9718418
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle (1) comprising: a multiplexed communication bus (2); an engine control unit (4) connected to the communication bus (2); a secure element (6) hosted in the vehicle and configured to communicate through the communication bus, the secure element securely storing (64) security data related to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: GEMALTO SA
    Inventors: Yvon Gressus, Pascal Leroy
  • Patent number: 9715713
    Abstract: The inappropriate use of a mobile device and/or a motor vehicle may be ameliorated through audit by a supervisor, parent or peer using a system that monitors vehicle movements and mobile device use and notifies the supervisor, parent or peer of potentially inappropriate use, such as simultaneous vehicle and mobile device use, use of the mobile device generally at times when such use is normally inappropriate according to a calendar of events, and use of the motor vehicle generally at a location or at a time and location that is normally inappropriate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas W. Humphrey, Steven L. Zimmers
  • Patent number: 9707970
    Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle, and to a control device for carrying out the method and a computer program product having program code for carrying out the method. In order to improve the safety of use of the motor vehicle, it is provided that functions of the motor vehicle are enabled as a function of stored data relating to the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander Mueller, Thomas Kropf
  • Patent number: 9707971
    Abstract: A driving characteristics diagnosis device, includes: an information acquisition unit that acquires information relating to the operational state of a vehicle; a dangerous driving detection processing unit that detects dangerous driving by a user of the vehicle on the basis of information acquired by the information acquisition unit; a cause estimation processing unit that estimates a cause of the dangerous driving; a driving characteristics diagnosis processing unit that performs diagnosis of driving characteristics for the user on the basis of a result of detection of the dangerous driving by the dangerous driving detection processing unit and the cause of the dangerous driving estimated by the cause estimation processing unit; and a diagnosis result output unit that outputs the result of the diagnosis of driving characteristics diagnosed by the driving characteristics diagnosis processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Takahashi, Tatsuaki Osafune, Yoshifumi Izumi, Noboru Kiyama
  • Patent number: 9688283
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and software are disclosed for operating a driver analysis system, including receiving vehicle operation data corresponding to operation of vehicles by drivers, identifying a peer group associated with a target driver, processing at least a portion of the vehicle operation data to determine driving performance of the target driver relative to driving performance of the peer group, generating a driving report which identifies the driving performance of the target driver, and transferring the driving report to a target device for viewing by an entity, where the driving report may exclude some information based on the location of traffic lights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Cartasite, LLC
    Inventors: David L. Armitage, Gregory Froim Kushnir, Mark Alvin Mason
  • Patent number: 9688282
    Abstract: A Driver Risk Assessment System and Method Employing Automated Driver Log. The system and method provides robust and reliable event scoring and reporting, while also optimizing data transmission bandwidth. The system includes onboard vehicular driving event detectors that record data related to detected driving events, vehicle condition and/or tasking, roadway environmental conditions, selectively store or transfer data related to said detected driving events. If elected, the onboard vehicular system will “score” a detected driving event, compare the local score to historical values previously stored within the onboard system, and upload selective data or data types if the system concludes that a serious driving event has occurred. The system may respond to independent user requests by transferring select data to said user at a variety of locations and formats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Lytx, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryon Cook, Jamie Etcheson
  • Patent number: 9689336
    Abstract: An engine system is disclosed. The engine system may have an engine. The engine system may also have a sensor configured to generate a sensor signal indicative of an amount of power generated by the engine and a speed sensor configured to generate a speed signal indicative of a speed of the engine. The engine system may also have a controller configured to receive the sensor signal and the speed signal. The controller may also be configured to generate an operating histogram based on the sensor signal and the speed signal. Further the controller may be configured to receive modal points for the engine, the modal points having associated emissions limits. The controller may also be configured to generate a calibration parameter set for the operating histogram based on the weights. In addition, the controller may be configured to apply the calibration parameter set to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Hardy, Christopher K. Wackerle, Jeffrey J. Ribordy, Timothy E. Applegren, Michael S. Bond
  • Patent number: 9683875
    Abstract: A display device for a hybrid vehicle having a first drive source and at least one second drive source for driving the hybrid vehicle according to a load requirement by the driver. The display device has at least one display component for displaying a value of a load requirement predetermined by the driver at a specific time and, when the hybrid vehicle is driven exclusively by the at least one second drive at said time, at least one additional display component is provided for visualizing a limit of a maximum load requirement retrievable by the driver at said time, wherein if said load requirement is exceeded, the first drive source is also or exclusively activated for driving the hybrid vehicle. At least one further display component can be activated, via which the visualization of at least one such mode of operation of the hybrid vehicle is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ulrich Hackenberg
  • Patent number: 9684992
    Abstract: For visualization of objects along a length of street, a user selection of a street is received. The selected street is displayed in an above-street view. At least a first plurality of street view images are concurrently displayed for objects along at least a first side of the selected street.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Billy W. Chang, Sarbajit K. Rakshit
  • Patent number: 9681361
    Abstract: A wireless transmission system is provided that includes a transmission apparatus that transmits a wireless signal indicative of a vehicle parameter. The system includes a mobile computing device having an input device for accepting user input and a wireless transceiver configured to receive the wireless signal. The mobile computing device includes a processor that communicates with the wireless transceiver and the input device. The processor is configured to run an application that disables the input device if the vehicle parameter exceeds a threshold. The processor is further configured to detect if the application is disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Invictus Technology Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Luciano Tuluca
  • Patent number: 9679488
    Abstract: A drive assistance apparatus includes a target trajectory setting unit configured to set a target trajectory in a lane change assistance based on a movement time taken for a vehicle of which the direction indicator is continued to be in ON-state to move a lateral distance set in advance to the adjacent lane side from an operation start lateral position, and a lane change assistance unit configured to execute the lane change assistance for causing the vehicle to change lane along the target trajectory in a case where the lateral position of the vehicle of which the direction indicator is continued to be in ON-state reaches the assistance start lateral position set in advance in the travelling lane from the setting of the target trajectory by the target trajectory setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kentaro Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9679424
    Abstract: Data transfer systems for vehicle event recorders are provided as: a vehicle event recorder, a vehicle event recorder resident memory, and upload module in conjunction with, a communication port suitable for coupling with, a portable memory device, a server computer datastore, a server download module in conjunction with, a similar cooperating communications port. The portable memory device is arranged to operably couple with the communications ports of both the vehicle event recorder and the server computer and to be repeatedly moved between the two. The upload/download modules are arranged to transfer data to/from the portable memory in an orderly fashion in which no files are removed from the vehicle event recorder resident memory without first having been successfully transferred to the server computer datastore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SmartDrive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James Plante, Ramesh Kasavaraju
  • Patent number: 9679210
    Abstract: A system for providing real-time alerts or actions comprises an image capturing device and a processor and a memory. The image capturing device is for capturing an image during vehicle operation and of an expected driver location. The processor is configured to: 1) detect a face of a driver in the image; 2) determine a set of face data from the image; and 3) determine authentication based at least in part on the set of face data. The memory is coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Lytx, Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Sutton, Tom Butch, Syrus C. Nemat-Nasser, Andrew Tombras Smith
  • Patent number: 9672571
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed herein to determine an insurance premium discount based on telematics data. The system includes a computer memory and a processor in communication with the computer memory. The computer memory stores data indicative telematics data received from a sensor within a vehicle, including at least one of geo-position information of the vehicle and vehicle kinematics data. The processor is configured to identify safety events and associated safety event locations based on the telematics data. The processor is further configured to display to the driver indications of the safety events on a map display along with indications of safety events associated with other drivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: HARTFORD FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Steven J. Fernandes, Steven R. Feero
  • Patent number: 9666066
    Abstract: An unexpectedness prediction sensitivity determining apparatus determines a standard driving operation level of a driver when turning to the right or left at an intersection for each intersection based on intersection travel information received from plural vehicles. Subsequently, the unexpectedness prediction sensitivity determining apparatus determines the unexpectedness prediction sensitivity of the driver when turning to the right or left at the intersection based on the intersection travel information associated with the intersections where determined standard driving operation levels of the drivers are identical to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Machiko Hiramatsu, Takashi Sunda
  • Patent number: 9665910
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for monitoring driving behavior and providing feedback to the driver. The systems evaluate driving behavior and relay feedback to the driver in a fashion that is customized to take into account individual characteristics and demographic characteristics of the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company
    Inventors: Scott Chalfant, Steven Fernandes, John J. Anthony
  • Patent number: 9663047
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for inferring the behavior or state of the driver of a vehicle, use of the method and computer program for carrying out the method The method comprises evaluating a series of descriptive functions of the conditions of interaction of the driver with the vehicle based at least on information from inertial sensors of an autonomous computation device, by comparing such evaluation with reference information associated with a behavior of the driver that is considered normal. The system is suitable for implementing the method of the invention. The use is for detecting behavioral changes of a driver. The computer program is suitable for performing the steps of the method of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: FICO Mirrors, S.A.
    Inventors: Daniel Bande Martínez, Ariadna Bartra Cisa, Mireya Fernández Chimeno, Santiago Marco Colás, Juan Ramos Castro
  • Patent number: 9644737
    Abstract: A method controls a transmission in a motor vehicle. The method involves displaying transmission information on a primary display, determining when a hand is approaching a gear selector, and initiating a display of, and then displaying, gear selection information on a secondary display when the hand is approaching the gear selector, before the hand touches the gear selector, the secondary display being a multi-use changeable display that, at different times, displays information for different systems of the motor vehicle. The method may therefore provide the information to the driver when it is needed, before the gear is shifted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Schlittenbauer, Marcus Kuehne, Ulrich Mueller, Megan McClain, Nathaniel Paffett-Lugassy
  • Patent number: 9645577
    Abstract: Among other things, an operation related to control of a vehicle is facilitated by actions that include the following. A finite set of candidate trajectories of the vehicle is generated that begin at a location of the vehicle as of a given time. The candidate trajectories are based on a state of the vehicle and on possible behaviors of the vehicle and of the environment as of the location of the vehicle and the given time. A putative optimal trajectory is selected from among the candidate trajectories based on costs associated with the candidate trajectories. The costs include costs associated with violations of rules of operation of the vehicle. The selected putative optimal trajectory is used to facilitate the operation related to control of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: nuTonomy Inc.
    Inventors: Emilio Frazzoli, Karl Iagnemma