With Indication Or Control To Maintain Fixed Position Patents (Class 701/116)
  • Patent number: 11912335
    Abstract: A lane keeping control apparatus, a vehicle system including the same, and a method thereof, may include a processor that generates a target path based on line information, upon lane keeping control of the vehicle, determines whether the vehicle arrives adjacent to the target path, determines a feedback compensation distance in a direction opposite to a current steering direction of the vehicle based on a yaw rate of the vehicle, when the vehicle arrives adjacent to the target path, and performs steering control of the vehicle based on the feedback compensation distance and a storage storing data and an algorithm run by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Seung Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 11898851
    Abstract: In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus for estimating a location of a vehicle including, a communication unit configured to receive, from an information providing vehicle, identification information and location information on a driving vehicle in a vicinity of the information providing vehicle, a weighted value obtaining unit configured to obtain a weighted value representing accuracy of the location information based on the received identification information and a location estimating unit configured to estimate a location of the driving vehicle by applying the weighted value to the location information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SK Telecom Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Taekyeong Lee
  • Patent number: 11873110
    Abstract: Hybrid electric propulsion systems includes a combustion engine and an electric motor. The hybrid electric propulsion systems may include or utilize a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions, which when executed by a processor associated with the hybrid electric propulsion system, cause the processor to perform a method that includes determining an occurrence of a thrust asymmetry in the hybrid electric propulsion system, and controlling the electric motor to decrease an efficiency of the electric motor for a transient time period sufficient to reduce a torque output of the combustion engine to match an electrical load on the combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Charles Hon, Paul Robert Gemin
  • Patent number: 11780461
    Abstract: A method of determining a target lateral acceleration of a vehicle for use in autonomous control of the vehicle to drive along a road, comprising: evaluating each of a plurality of scalar velocity functions at a plurality of key lateral positions predefined with respect to a model of the road to generate a respective set of scalar velocity values; combining the velocity values calculated for each key lateral position to generate a respective target lateral velocity value, the velocity values calculated for each of the key lateral positions being combined by adding the greatest of zero and the velocity values, to the smallest of zero and the velocity values; generating a lateral velocity field by interpolating between the target lateral velocity values; and determining the target lateral acceleration of the vehicle using the lateral velocity field and a measured lateral velocity of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Aptiv Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Oskar Larsson
  • Patent number: 11772648
    Abstract: A lane keep assist system for a vehicle includes a controller that receives first and second signals including values for a distance from a point on the vehicle to an edge of a lane marker for the vehicle's lane of travel at first and second times. The controller determines a rate of change in the distance responsive to the first and second signals and generates a power steering system control signal responsive to the rate of change. The control signal generates a force on a steering gear of the vehicle connected to one or more steerable wheels on the vehicle to control the position of the vehicle relative to the lane of travel with the amount of the force responsive to the rate of change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: R.H. Sheppard Co. Inc.
    Inventors: Srimathi Srivatsan, Apurva Jamaiyar
  • Patent number: 11657625
    Abstract: A system and related method determines implicit lane boundaries by generating a bird's eye view of a portion of a road having a first lane and a second lane from environment data having information related to the road, overlaying a grid having cells onto the bird's eye view of the portion of the road, determining cells of the grid that form at least portions of the first lane of the road, determining cells of the grid that form at least portions of the second lane of the road, and determining a probability for one or more cells of the grid indicating a likelihood that a vehicle will travel upon portions of the road represented by the cells of the grid when traveling from the first lane to the second lane. The probability for one or more cells of the grid may be generated by a neural network trained with training data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institue, Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan J. Marcotte
  • Patent number: 11648942
    Abstract: An assistance device for driving in a traffic lane for a motor vehicle includes a module for determining at least one input variable chosen from among variables related to the vehicle and variables related to the traffic lane, a module for producing a correction instruction according to the input variable, and an assistance module capable of implementing a driving assistance action according to the correction instruction. The input variable includes a lateral position of the vehicle in the traffic lane and a lateral deflection speed of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignees: RENAULT s.a.s., NISSAN MOTOR Co. Ltd
    Inventors: Emmanuel Dallier, Alain Haddad
  • Patent number: 11577752
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for adjusting fully automatic vehicle guidance functions, which are realized by means of a vehicle system of a motor vehicle, during the operation of the motor vehicles in a predefined navigation environment. A stationary infrastructure device that communicates with the motor vehicles is associated with the navigation environment. Function limits of each vehicle guidance function are defined by means of limit operation parameters of the vehicle guidance function. Current traffic situation information describing dynamic objects in the navigation environment is determined by the infrastructure device by means of environment sensors of the navigation environment. The current traffic situation information is used, together with a digital map describing stationary objects and properties of the navigation environment, to determine at least one piece of risk information for each motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Florian Schuller, Christian Feist
  • Patent number: 11527160
    Abstract: A system for infrastructure system calibration includes a sensor configured to be mounted to an infrastructure component and configured to detect an object. A corner reflector has an optical pattern and is arranged within a field of view of the sensor. The corner reflector has three surfaces that meet at a point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Vivian Swan
  • Patent number: 11467097
    Abstract: A road management device comprises an arithmetic section that performs a certain analysis on a road using information acquired by a moving body (a vehicle) moving along the road. The arithmetic section performs the certain analysis on the road in a first time slot using first information acquired by a first moving body of a first kind, and performs the certain analysis on the road in a second time slot using second information acquired by a second moving body of a second kind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Oishi, Kazuya Matsuura, Akira Iihoshi, Takeo Tokunaga, Atsuki Kakinuma
  • Patent number: 11364979
    Abstract: A drilling or work-over vessel (10) is disclosed comprising a number of operational equipment (300), wherein the drilling or work-over vessel comprises at least one operational control and/or state unit (100) comprising at least one processing unit (102), wherein the at least one operational control and/or state unit (100) comprises or are in connection with a memory and/or storage (103), and at least one sensor unit (200), wherein the at least one sensor unit (200) is adapted to obtain one or more measured physical values and to provide data representing the one or more measured physical values and/or derived values thereof to the at least one operational control and/or state unit (100), the memory and/or storage (103) comprises a data representation of a computational physics model of at least a part of the drilling or work-over rig, and the at least one processing unit (102) is adapted to derive data representing an estimation of one or more physical states (such as defined by limits of forces, relative mo
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: MAERSK DRILLING A/S
    Inventors: John Røn Pedersen, Jesper Holck
  • Patent number: 11332256
    Abstract: Hybrid electric propulsion systems and methods therefore are provided. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to control systems for hybrid electric propulsion systems for aerial vehicles that are configured for rapidly and automatically taking action in response to rapid electrical load changes on a torque source, such as an engine. Methods for operating hybrid electric propulsion systems for aerial vehicles are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Charles Hon, Paul Robert Gemin
  • Patent number: 11279359
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for maintaining a speed of a vehicle within a target speed range. A plurality of coasting profiles are generated for the vehicle, each having an initial speed and a starting point on a predicted vehicle path. Each coasting profile represents a predicted vehicle speed over a time and/or distance from the starting point and is generated based on a geometry of at least a portion of the predicted vehicle path. At least one of the coasting profiles that maintains the speed of the vehicle within the target speed range is identified. A prime mover of the vehicle is controlled to place the vehicle into a coasting mode in accordance with the at least one identified coasting profile. Alternatively, feedback is provided to a user to place the vehicle into a coasting mode, such that the vehicle will coast in accordance with the at least one identified coasting profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Alex Plianos, Kestutis Jankevicius
  • Patent number: 11208005
    Abstract: An automatic APS map generating method is provided. The automatic APS map generating method includes measuring a state of charge (SOC) of a battery using a SOC sensor and calculating, a maximum torque of a motor based on the battery SOC and a creep torque based on a current vehicle state to set the creep torque as a minimum torque of the motor. An APS map is generated using an APS percentage table obtained and stored by converting torque values capable of being output by the motor into percentages based on a vehicle speed and an accelerator pedal position sensor (APS) percentage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Jong Kil Baek
  • Patent number: 11136027
    Abstract: This vehicle control device is provided with: a detection unit; and an external environment recognition unit that extracts a target object and left and right recognition lines of a traveling path. Additionally, a local environment map creation unit of the vehicle control device calculates an area of activity of an own vehicle and left and right border lines which indicate a limit of non-interference with the target object. Furthermore, the local environment map creation unit calculates left and right recommended border lines during traveling of the own vehicle by adding a margin interval that narrows the left and right border lines toward the inside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daichi Kato, Hiroshi Oguro
  • Patent number: 11001235
    Abstract: A brake control device is a control device for a vehicle used in a vehicle on which the shift-by-wire system and the brake-by-wire system are mounted. A function of automatically operating the brake device without an operation of the driver of the vehicle is referred to as a BBW automatic operation function, and a request by the driver for disabling the BBW automatic operation function is referred to as a disabling request. A brake control device includes a disabling determination part configured to determine a presence or absence of the disabling request, the vehicle stop determination part configured to determine whether the vehicle is stopped, a slope determination part configured to determine whether the vehicle is located on a slope, and a BBW automatic operation part. The BBW automatic operation part operates the brake device when the vehicle is stopped on the slope even if the disabling request is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigeru Kamio
  • Patent number: 11001257
    Abstract: A control unit functionally comprises a first steering-torque application control part which commands a steering actuator of a vehicle to execute application of a steering torque determined by a first steering characteristic CH1 and a second steering-torque application control part which commands the steering actuator of the vehicle to execute application of a steering torque determined by a second steering characteristic CH2. In a case where the vehicle travels at a curved portion of the lane, the first steering characteristic CH1 is set such that a first steering-force increase part L1 is located further toward an allowed right-end point EGR as a vehicle speed becomes higher and the second steering characteristic CH2 is set such that a magnitude of a torque maintenance part L4 becomes lower as a radius of curvature of the curved portion of the lane becomes smaller, like CH2H-CH2L.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ohmura, Rie Awane
  • Patent number: 10713960
    Abstract: A system for providing visual cues to flight crew on multiple displays during an approach is provided. The system is configured to: position, on a synthetic vision system (SVS) and/or head-up display (HUD), one or more traffic icons each representative of a lead aircraft ahead of the ownship; designate a lead aircraft as traffic to follow (TTF) via selection of a first traffic icon representative of one lead aircraft displayed on a navigation display and via selection of a second traffic icon representative of the same lead aircraft displayed on the SVS, wherein selection of either the first traffic icon or the second traffic icon results in designation of the selected lead aircraft as TTF and results in both the first traffic icon and the second traffic icon to more visually stand out; and position, on a horizontal situation indicator, a third TTF icon representative of the lead aircraft when a TTF has been designated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Melissa Ziarnick, Tomas Bouda, Ratan Khatwa, Thea Feyereisen
  • Patent number: 10614320
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for lane detection includes receiving a road image from an image capture device, detecting a first solid line marking and a second solid line marking outside of the first solid line marking in the binary road image. The first solid line marking and the second solid line marking are non-parallel lines. The method includes calculating a first distance between a first point of the first solid line marking and a first point of the second solid line marking. The first points being in a top portion of the binary road image. The method includes calculating a second distance between a second point of the first solid line marking and a second point of the second solid line marking. The second points being in a bottom portion of the binary road image. Further, the method includes determining a merging lane based the first distance and the second distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuowei Yang
  • Patent number: 10562531
    Abstract: Disclosed are an adaptive cruise control apparatus and an adaptive cruise control method using the same. An adaptive cruise control apparatus comprises an image acquisition device for acquiring image data in front of a subject vehicle; and a processor configured to detect presence of a forward vehicle using the image data; obtain information on the forward vehicle by using information on the presence of the forward vehicle and the image data; and predict a trajectory and speed of the subject vehicle using the information on the forward vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Min Woo Park, Jin Hyuk Choi, Yong Cheon Na, Won Seok Lee, Tae Gon Park
  • Patent number: 10509402
    Abstract: Methods and systems for the use of detected objects for image processing are described. A computing device autonomously controlling a vehicle may receive images of the environment surrounding the vehicle from an image-capture device coupled to the vehicle. In order to process the images, the computing device may receive information indicating characteristics of objects in the images from one or more sources coupled to the vehicle. Examples of sources may include RADAR, LIDAR, a map, sensors, a global positioning system (GPS), or other cameras. The computing device may use the information indicating characteristics of the objects to process received images, including determining the approximate locations of objects within the images. Further, while processing the image, the computing device may use information from sources to determine portions of the image to focus upon that may allow the computing device to determine a control strategy based on portions of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Dave Ferguson, Abhijit Ogale
  • Patent number: 10497268
    Abstract: A method is provided. The method comprises: identifying a vehicle; providing, to a remote processing system, an interval between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle; providing, to the remote processing system, the preceding vehicle identifier; obtaining, on the remote processing system, a location and a direction of the vehicle; obtaining, on the remote processing system, a location and a direction of the preceding vehicle; determining, on the remote processing system, a speed of the vehicle necessary to maintain the interval; and providing, to the vehicle from the remote processing system, the speed of vehicle necessary to maintain the interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Abdur Rab, Prashanth Thirumalaivenjamur, Arivazhagan V, Umesh Hosamani, Sujith Kumar
  • Patent number: 10481896
    Abstract: Responsive to a powerline connection of a vehicle to electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), vehicle version information is received indicative of whether the vehicle requires software updates that are downloaded to a non-transitory storage. If so, the software updates are sent to the vehicle over the powerline connection. If not, the software updates are requested over a wide-area connection to a remote server to be cached in the storage for use in subsequent vehicle powerline connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin M. Rocci, Mark Anthony Rockwell
  • Patent number: 10377366
    Abstract: A driver is prevented from carrying out hands-free driving while lane keeping assist control is being carried out, thereby appropriately determining an abnormal state of the driver. When a steering wheel no-operation state continues for a first period or more, a driving support ECU sets a control mode of LKA to a “weaker mode”, thereby decreasing a control amount of the LKA. As a result, an own vehicle swerves within a travel lane, and the driver neglecting the steering wheel operation can be prompted to operate the steering wheel. Further, when the no-driving operation state continues for a second period or more, the driving support ECU establishes determination that the driver is in an abnormal state, returns the LKA to a “normal mode”, and decelerates and stops the own vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirotada Otake
  • Patent number: 10209162
    Abstract: The detecting means (1) comprise measuring means (2) adapted to measure and provide at least one raw data corresponding to an aircraft parameter, computing means (3) adapted to estimate at least one derivative of said raw data, and detecting means (4) adapted to detect a failure with the aid of said derivative, said computing means (3) being adapted to estimate said derivative by differentiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignees: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.), Institut Polytechnique De Bordeaux, Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique, Universite De Bordequx
    Inventors: Anca Gheorghe, Philippe Goupil, Rémy Dayre, Ali Zolghadri, Jérôme Cieslak, Denis Efimov
  • Patent number: 10155540
    Abstract: A parking assistance device includes: an obstacle detection unit detecting an obstacle; a target determination unit determining a target area; a route determination unit determining a route from a position of a vehicle to the target area when assisting a driver in parking the vehicle in the target area; and a movement control unit assisting the driver by detecting the position and an inclination angle of the vehicle and controlling the vehicle, terminating the assist when the position is within a first range, the inclination angle is within a second range, and the position is within a third range, and terminating the assist when, while the vehicle travels, the position is within the first range, the inclination angle is within the second range, the position is outside of the third range, and the approach of an obstacle is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yusuke Kiyokawa
  • Patent number: 10000270
    Abstract: A moving body control device includes a moving body direction sensor, a position sensor, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry estimates a direction of disturbance. The processing circuitry sets a target position and a starting position. The processing circuitry controls a propulsion generator and a movement direction adjuster such that a heading direction sensed by the moving body direction sensor is opposite to the direction of the disturbance estimated by the processing circuitry, and when the moving body has been drifted at least a specific distance from the target position, the moving body returns to the starting position, and the heading direction at the starting position is opposite to the direction of the disturbance. The processing circuitry changes the starting position based on a distance between the target position and a position of the moving body sensed by the position sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuya Kishimoto, Hitoshi Maeno, Masashi Imasaka
  • Patent number: 9987924
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to a method of controlling an HMI-apparatus for providing information to a driver of a vehicle for aiding driver control of a vehicle when the vehicle is wading in a body of water. The method includes determining a measured depth of water about the actual vehicle and determining a display depth, dependent upon the measured depth of water. The method also includes measuring a lateral and/or longitudinal gradient of the actual vehicle and selecting a display vehicle position from a limited number of available options of display vehicle positions based upon the measured lateral and/or longitudinal gradient of the actual vehicle. In this way the HMI-apparatus can output a simplified picture of the actual vehicle scenario which may be easier for the driver to assimilate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: Thomas Popham, Sebastian Paszkowicz, Jonathan Woodley, Zhou Xu, Ian Barlow
  • Patent number: 9593568
    Abstract: In one aspect, a system for estimating fatigue damage in a riser string is provided. The system includes a plurality of accelerometers which can be deployed along a riser string and a communications link to transmit accelerometer data from the plurality of accelerometers to one or more data processors in real time. With data from a limited number of accelerometers located at sensor locations, the system estimates an optimized current profile along the entire length of the riser including riser locations where no accelerometer is present. The optimized current profile is then used to estimate damage rates to individual riser components and to update a total accumulated damage to individual riser components. The number of sensor locations is small relative to the length of a deepwater riser string, and a riser string several miles long can be reliably monitored along its entire length by fewer than twenty sensor locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey LeMonds, Judith Ann Guzzo, Shaopeng Liu, Uttara Ashwin Dani
  • Patent number: 9080393
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a method for retrieving a drilling riser connected to a blow-out-preventer (BOP) located on a sea bed. The method includes the steps of: a) attaching the first end of the retrieval line to a vessel; b) attaching the second end of the retrieval line to a drilling riser; c) disconnecting the riser from the BOP; d) initiating the assent of the disconnected riser from the sea bed; e) maintaining tension on the riser as it ascends to the sea surface by creating a horizontal load that is opposite to a current load on a bottom end of the riser; f) releasing tension on the retrieval line as the riser approaches the bottom of the drilling vessel; and/or g) disconnecting the retrieval line from the riser, whereby the riser is pulled through the bottom opening in the drilling vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Transocean Sedco Forex Ventures Limited
    Inventor: Momen A. Wishahy
  • Publication number: 20150100222
    Abstract: A method for holding a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, on a slope in an automated manner, wherein a vehicle driver allows the vehicle to stop on the slope, wherein the vehicle rolls on the slope in a manner largely uninfluenced by the vehicle driver, and wherein, after this, the vehicle is brought to a hold position in an automated manner. Also, a computer program product, to a processing device or a computer unit, and to a safety device or a safety system, in particular a driver-assistance system, for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Ulrich Beger, Alfred ADEN, Michael SCHÄFER
  • Patent number: 9002628
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a memory and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to receive holding instructions for an aircraft, wherein the holding instructions comprise a holding fix, a holding direction, and an inbound leg course, obtain an airspeed for the aircraft, obtain a wind speed and a wind direction affecting the aircraft, calculate a holding pattern for the aircraft using the holding instructions, the wind speed, the wind direction, an inbound leg duration, and the airspeed, obtain Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) protected airspace limits associated with the holding fix, and present the holding pattern and the FAA protected airspace limits to a flight crew member on the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Epoch Flight Systems LLC
    Inventors: Bruce Gary Wilder, Otto Charles Wilke
  • Patent number: 9002593
    Abstract: A system for re-orienting a machine during a ripping operation includes a position sensing system, a ripper, and a controller. The system stores a ripping path, determines the position of the machine, and compares the position of the machine to the ripping path. A drawbar pull of the machine is determined, compared to a maximum steering drawbar pull, and the ripper is raised if the machine is positioned greater than a predetermined distance from the ripping path and the drawbar pull exceeds the maximum steering drawbar pull. The machine is re-oriented and the ripper lowered relative to the work surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques Clar, Daniel Stanek, Lance Cowper, Troy K. Becicka, Brian G. Funke, Thandava K. Edara, Kyle Edwards
  • Publication number: 20150066339
    Abstract: A method of controlling an HMI-apparatus for providing information comprising comparing data from two or more remote-ranging sensors disposed at an elevation greater than the threshold wading depth of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Edward Hoare, Jonathan Woodley, Thuy-Yung Tran
  • Patent number: 8954261
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle positioning system for determining a position of a remote vehicle relative to a mobile host vehicle based on safety alert messages broadcast from the remote vehicle relating to an event in a road of travel. A host vehicle communication unit communicates with the remote vehicle for receiving the broadcast messages from the remote vehicle. A host vehicle control unit identifies reference points along the road of travel. Each reference point identifies a position of the host vehicle and associated signal reception properties, for example time-of-arrival, angle-of-arrival and received signal strength when the host vehicle receives the broadcast message. The control unit of the host vehicle selects a set of the reference points having identified positions and associated times, angles and signal strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Sushanta Das, Mounita Saha
  • Patent number: 8954260
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for assessing a target proximate a vehicle. A location and a velocity of the target are obtained. The location and the velocity of the target are mapped onto a polar coordinate system via a processor. A likelihood that the vehicle and the target will collide is determined using the mapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Gandhi, Chad T. Zagorski
  • Patent number: 8935088
    Abstract: An object is to prevent a driving assistance system for a vehicle from causing a collision of the driver's own vehicle with a solid object by performing driving assistance. To achieve the object, when a solid object that can be an obstacle exists in the course of the driver's own vehicle, the driving assistance system for a vehicle according to the present invention determines a plurality of primary paths along which the driver's own vehicle can travel by changing the momentum thereof, designates an avoidance line along which the solid object can be avoided from among the primary paths, and changes the momentum of the driver's own vehicle in such a way that the driver's own vehicle travels along the selected avoidance line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Matsubara
  • Patent number: 8880296
    Abstract: Vehicle control system and method in which restrictions on travel of the vehicle are determined based on an indication of the visibility of a driver and information about objects moving in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the vehicle are considered. The travel restrictions include preventing a passing maneuver on a two-lane road when an oncoming vehicle precludes safely initiating or completing an already-initiated passing maneuver. A warning system is provided to warn a driver about the travel restrictions so that the driver will, hopefully, not attempt an unsafe maneuver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences, LLC
    Inventor: David S. Breed
  • Publication number: 20140324325
    Abstract: A system for estimating the lane width and/or the number of lanes on a roadway includes environmental sensors mounted on a vehicle to monitor respective detection areas behind and to the sides of the vehicle. The sensors detect a roadway edge and the system determines a distance to the roadway edge. The system further determines a value or accesses a predefined nominal value of a lane width, and then estimates the number of lanes by evaluating the roadway edge distance with reference to the lane width value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Andreas SCHLENSAG, Peter IRRGANG, David STENMANNS
  • Patent number: 8855860
    Abstract: A vehicle behavior control apparatus disposed in a subject vehicle performs a steering angle control of the subject vehicle. The apparatus acquires lead vehicle information transmitted from a lead vehicle to determine a virtual shape of a road (i.e., a virtual road shape) based on a travel locus of the lead vehicle. A virtual road border distance is calculated as a distance from the subject vehicle to a road border of a virtual curve road positioned straight in front of the subject vehicle. The apparatus, calculates an appropriate turn radius for travel along the virtual curve road and, based on the appropriate turn radius, calculates an appropriate distance from the subject vehicle to the virtual road border positioned in front of the subject vehicle. A steering unit then controls a steering angle of the subject vehicle by maintaining the virtual road border distance with the appropriate distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Isaji, Naohiko Tsuru, Shou Morikawa
  • Publication number: 20140244142
    Abstract: An object is to prevent a driving assistance system for a vehicle from causing a collision of the driver's own vehicle with a solid object by performing driving assistance. To achieve the object, when a solid object that can be an obstacle exists in the course of the driver's own vehicle, the driving assistance system for a vehicle according to the present invention determines a plurality of primary paths along which the driver's own vehicle can travel by changing the momentum thereof, designates an avoidance line along which the solid object can be avoided from among the primary paths, and changes the momentum of the driver's own vehicle in such a way that the driver's own vehicle travels along the selected avoidance line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Matsubara
  • Publication number: 20140229092
    Abstract: A movement prevention system preventing undesired travel of a vehicle. A transmission gear sensor senses an out of park position of a vehicle transmission. An occupant detection system senses a presence of a driver in a driver seat of a vehicle in response to the vehicle transmission being out of the park position. A processor determines an imminent movement of a vehicle in response to a determination of the non-presence of the driver. A vehicle movement prevention device prevents movement of the vehicle in response to the processor determining imminent movement of the vehicle. Imminent movement is identified as actual movement of the vehicle or movement of the vehicle likely to occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas J. Hermann
  • Patent number: 8755976
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a device for steering a second agricultural machine which can be steered over a field relative to a first agricultural machine. The device includes a distance meter mounted on one of the machines and operable for recording measured values with regard to direction and distance of objects adjacent to the distance meter over a horizontal region. The device also includes an evaluating means which is connected to the distance meter and is designed to output a steering signal for causing guidance of the second machine relative to the first machine on the basis of the measured values of the distance meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Ole Peters, Nicolai Tarasinski, Klaus Hahn, Peter Pickel
  • Patent number: 8712674
    Abstract: At least a follow-up target inter-vehicle distance is set on the basis of information about a preceding vehicle recognized by a forward-environment recognition device mounted in a subject vehicle and including a stereo camera, and it is determined whether or not the preceding vehicle is making a right/left turn. When a right/left turn of the preceding vehicle is detected, the follow-up target inter-vehicle distance is multiplied by a correction coefficient so as to set a different follow-up target inter-vehicle distance for the right/left turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tasuku Maruyama
  • Patent number: 8655549
    Abstract: A vehicle driving control apparatus is provided with a lane detecting device, a future position estimating device and a vehicle control device. The lane detecting device detects a lane marker of a lane. The future position estimating device estimates a future transverse position of a host vehicle after a prescribed amount of time. The vehicle control device executes a vehicle control such that a yaw moment is imparted to the host vehicle toward a middle of the lane. The yaw moment is imparted upon determining that the future transverse position is positioned laterally farther toward an outside of the lane from the middle of the lane than a prescribed widthwise lane position that is determined in advance using the lane marker as a reference. The vehicle control device suppresses an impartation of the yaw moment device when a recognition degree of the lane marker is lower than a prescribed value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Hayakawa, Masahiro Kobayashi, Ko Sato, Shuhei Nishimaki
  • Patent number: 8639433
    Abstract: To support a driver in guiding a road vehicle, the lane markings of the road, traffic signs and/or vehicle license plates are detected by an environment sensor system, which produces corresponding image data, which is evaluated by an image evaluation system by comparison to stored country-specific data. From that evaluation, at least one country estimation signal is generated in an image processor, and then a country signal indicating the current location of the vehicle is generated from the at least one country estimation signal by a microprocessor. The country signal correspondingly activates a driver information device outputting country-specific information for guidance of the vehicle and/or the country signal is fed to a driver assistance system that supports the guidance of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH
    Inventors: Urban Meis, Christoph Wiedemann, Wladimir Klein, Axel Roth, Mari Joan Hilario, Steen Kristensen, Matthias Zobel
  • Patent number: 8583329
    Abstract: Vehicle control system and method in which restrictions on travel of the vehicle are determined based on an indication of the visibility of a driver and information about objects moving in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the vehicle are considered. The travel restrictions include preventing a passing maneuver on a two-lane road when an oncoming vehicle precludes safely initiating or completing an already-initiated passing maneuver. A warning system is provided to warn a driver about the travel restrictions so that the driver will, hopefully, not attempt an unsafe maneuver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC
    Inventor: David S. Breed
  • Patent number: 8577534
    Abstract: A method and a device are described for scanning the surrounding environment of a vehicle. When the vehicle falls below a first boundary speed a timer is triggered whose state is incremented until the vehicle exceeds a boundary speed, a check of the unobstructed view of the scanning device being carried out upon expiration of the time period recorded by the state of the timer and in which the state of the counter is incremented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Dorenkamp, Volker Brichzin, Ulrich Schirm, Maria-Eugenia Garcia Bordes
  • Patent number: 8566012
    Abstract: A method for achieving and maintaining spacing between aircraft may include receiving by a following aircraft information related to a lead aircraft. The information is useable for achieving and maintaining spacing by the following aircraft from the lead aircraft. The method may also include determining spacing of the following aircraft from the lead aircraft. The method may additionally include receiving by the following aircraft a vertical profile for the traffic management environment. The method may further include automatically controlling throttle settings to achieve and maintain spacing by the following aircraft from the lead aircraft while maintaining the vertical profile of the following aircraft in response to an automatic spacing mode being enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Syed Tahir Shafaat, David S. Yotsuuye, Tan N. Che, Minh-Tri Le
  • Patent number: 8527156
    Abstract: A tractor comprises a tractor frame, driven ground engaging means, and an electronic tractor controller. A baler comprises a baler frame coupled or connected to the tractor frame, a crop receiving means, a baling chamber, a bale size sensor associated with the baling chamber, and an electronic baler controller. The baler controller is operable to submit a halt signal to the tractor controller when a bale size signal provided by the bale size sensor indicates that a bale has reached a size equal to or exceeding a first predetermined size. A control method includes the baler controller generating a tractor halt signal in response to certain conditions of the baler system and the tractor controller preventing tractor motion in response to the halt signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Michael Jonathan Martin, Timothy Joel Kilworth, Peter Muench, Benjamin Neermann, Bruce Craig Newendorp, Travis James Davis