Including Vehicle Distance Travelled Determination Patents (Class 701/32.5)
  • Patent number: 11861953
    Abstract: Systems and methods for using a computing device with sensors to determine a holistic characteristic. The computing device is configured to receive from a user device, via a first wireless data connection, a request to generate vehicle service parameters, based on a current condition of a feature of a vehicle, receive from the user device, via the first wireless data connection, vehicle-specific identifying information, determine data for a past condition for the feature of the vehicle, using the vehicle-specific identifying information, establish a second wireless data connection with an electronic system of the vehicle, receive, from the electronic system of the vehicle, via the second wireless data connection, data of a current condition for the feature, compare the data of the past condition and the data of the current condition, and generate a vehicle service parameter based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company
    Inventors: Howard Hayes, Jorge Caraballo Falcon, John Bradley Moats, Surender Kumar, David Border, Ashley Greenwell
  • Patent number: 10687030
    Abstract: Methods and devices for controlling a camera on a vehicle may include determining a duty status of a driver of the vehicle. The methods and devices may also include controlling a recording status of at least one camera of a camera system on the vehicle based on the duty status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: OMNITRACS, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Kelly Schimelpfenig, Thomas Wade Goforth
  • Patent number: 10613854
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automated renumbering, reformatting, and re-referencing of branching statements or go-to instruction line referencing within modified code using a dual-pass approach that includes operations using predicted new line numbers, error detection/correction, and alignment correction processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: The United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Gary L. Coldiron, Sr.
  • Patent number: 10515558
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for generating and outputting dynamic variance reports for vehicle operations. The dynamic variance reports enable a vehicle operations scheduler to understand trends, patterns, or the like in variances between planned vehicle operations and actual vehicle operations. The understanding of the variances provided by the dynamic variance reports enable the scheduler to apply buffers to vehicle operations plans so that planned vehicle operations more closely match actual vehicle operations and crew assignments are less likely to be disrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael J. Woicekowski, Alejandro Oswaldo Hernandez Romero, Oleksandr Basanets
  • Patent number: 9643678
    Abstract: A bicycle setting calculating system comprises a drive-train calculating device. The drive-train calculating device is configured to calculate reference drive-train information as a reference for a setting of a drive train based on bicycle information and rider information. The bicycle information relates to a bicycle configured to be equipped with the drive train. The rider information relates to a rider who is to ride the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Ryuji Abe, Mitsuru Tauchi, Takeshi Oi
  • Patent number: 9601021
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for generating and outputting dynamic variance reports for vehicle operations. The dynamic variance reports enable a vehicle operations scheduler to understand trends, patterns, or the like in variances between planned vehicle operations and actual vehicle operations. The understanding of the variances provided by the dynamic variance reports enable the scheduler to apply buffers to vehicle operations plans so that planned vehicle operations more closely match actual vehicle operations and crew assignments are less likely to be disrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael J. Woicekowski, Alejandro Oswaldo Hernandez Romero, Oleksandr Basanets
  • Patent number: 9008894
    Abstract: The application describes a system for notifying a vehicle owner regarding service due for a vehicle based on the vehicle's accumulated mileage. The system determines vehicle mileage based on GPS data, determines whether the mileage has exceeded a threshold, transmits a wireless signal from the vehicle to a notification service provider computer when the threshold is exceeded, and sends a notice from the notification service provider to the dealer and/or customer to indicate that vehicle service is due.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Procon, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Bishop, Brian M. Boling
  • Patent number: 9008947
    Abstract: A method to obtain average revolutions per independent unit includes a total number of engine revolutions with the engine control unit (ECU) and a current odometer value with the ECU so that a final value can be calculated by dividing the total number of engine revolutions with the current odometer value for a designated time period. The current odometer value can be a distance unit or time unit as the final value, which is the average revolutions per independent unit, is displayed with a control panel of a vehicle. The final value provides an accurate conclusion regarding the current condition of an engine in addition to the mileage of the engine or the engine hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Inventor: Kenneth Carl Steffen Winiecki
  • Patent number: 8996196
    Abstract: In order to suppress charge amount shortage in a predetermined area, an information provision device has an acquisition means that acquires travelling information of an electric vehicle on which a secondary battery 204 is mounted; a charge output estimation means that estimates, on the basis of the travelling information, a charge output value of a charging device which is provided in a predetermined area; a judgment means that judges, on the basis of the estimated charge output value, whether there is a risk that shortage of a charge amount will occur in the predetermined area; and an information provision means that provides recommendation information concerning charge of the vehicle to the electric vehicle according to a judgment result of the judgment means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takuji Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20150039178
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a resistance estimation apparatus includes a first detection unit, a second detection unit, a third detection unit and a first calculation unit. The first detection unit detects, as an output value, an output of a driving source of a vehicle. The second detection unit detects, as a braking value, a strength of a braking force. The third detection unit detects a speed of the vehicle. The first calculation unit calculates a traveling resistance resulting from a road surface that the vehicle has traveled during a traveling period, using a vehicle characteristic, the output value, the braking value and the speed, the traveling period including a period from a first time point when the vehicle starts and the speed changes from zero to a second time point when the vehicle stops and the speed changes to zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Ena ISHII, Mitsunobu YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20140330506
    Abstract: A method and system for comparing vehicle trip data of a current vehicle trip to historical vehicle trip data in real time includes recording vehicle trip data and creating a record of historical vehicle trip data and during the current vehicle trip, evaluating the current vehicle trip. The record of historical vehicle trip data includes vehicle trip data from at least one previously conducted vehicle trip. The evaluating includes recording vehicle data during the current vehicle trip, accessing the record of historical vehicle trip data, and comparing the vehicle trip data of the current vehicle trip to the historical vehicle trip data in real time during the current vehicle trip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicants: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, AUDI AG
    Inventors: Brian NG, Anna Korina LOUMIDI, Filip CHUDZINSKI, Hendrik FRANK
  • Patent number: 8880280
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for transmitting vehicle data in the form of kilometer readings of a motor vehicle (1) to a memory element (7) having a counter, which memory element is removable from the motor vehicle. At time intervals, the kilometer reading of the motor vehicle is transmitted to the memory element (7), and after each kilometer reading transmission, the difference between the last transmitted and the newly transmitted kilometer reading is added up in the counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Audi Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Maas, Ingo Ledendecker
  • Patent number: 8862395
    Abstract: A navigation system and method for determining a location of a navigator in a navigation environment using coded markers located within the navigation environment. In one example, the navigation system includes a camera apparatus configured to obtain an image of a scene containing images of at least one coded marker in a navigation environment, video analytics configured to read the at least one coded marker, and a processor coupled to the video analytics and configured to determine a position fix of a navigator based on a known location of the at least one coded marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: James Joseph Richardson
  • Patent number: 8798919
    Abstract: A driving characteristics detector includes: a driving information obtaining element for obtaining driving information, which relates to a driving condition of a vehicle; and a driving characteristics determining element for determining driving characteristics of a driver of the vehicle based on the driving information. The driving information includes vehicle speed relating information, which relates to at least one of a vehicle speed, acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle. A driving unit section is defined as a section from the vehicle starts to go until the vehicle stops. The driving characteristics determining element determines the driving characteristics based on the vehicle speed relating information in each driving unit section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Yano, Masayuki Narita, Hiroki Ukai
  • Patent number: 8798850
    Abstract: A method and a measurement system are specified for localizing at least one wheel on a motor vehicle. In this case the operating situation of the motor vehicle and the wheel load of the at least one wheel and/or a variable dependent on this is determined. Then the at least one measured value of the wheel load is compared with a value assigned to the operating situation. As an alternative or in addition, the comparison of at least one parameter dependent on at least two measured values can be undertaken with at least one of the parameters assigned to this operating situation. Finally the point on the motor vehicle at which the wheel is mounted is determined on the basis of the comparison results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Fink, Thomas Haas, Gregor Kuchler
  • Patent number: 8768565
    Abstract: A rental/car-share (RCS) vehicle access and management system and method, in some embodiments, utilizes barcodes, QR codes (or NFC/RFID), GPS, and a mobile app coupled with a wireless network to enable customers to bypass the reservation desk and pickup and drop off reserved RCS vehicles using a mobile phone, tablet or laptop. The QR code, RFID, or NFC communication with the mobile application allows for identification of the vehicle by a mobile application, which, if authorized, can access the vehicle via a temporary access code issued by remote servers. The remote servers and/or mobile application communicates with a control module that plugs into the on-board diagnostics module of the rental/car-share (RCS) vehicle and includes a host processing unit with a processor, an accelerometer, data storage, a GPS with internal GPS antenna; a wireless modem with internal antenna, and CAN bus transceivers connected with the processor, and a USB programmable interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Enterprise Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Jefferies, Rod W. DeMay, Gurgen L. Lachinyan
  • Patent number: 8731768
    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: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company
    Inventors: Steven J. Fernandes, Steven R. Feero
  • Patent number: 8725344
    Abstract: A management system using Global Positioning System receivers for tracking remote units from a central office and quickly and conveniently determining if those remote units have varied from a set of predetermined parameters of operation. The system also includes provisions that allows information to be sent from the remote units to the central office and vice versa. The system also has safety features that promote the rapid dispatch of law enforcement personnel when requests for emergency assistance have been made from the remote units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Marvin R. Hamrick, R. T. Mitchell Ingman
  • Patent number: 8712677
    Abstract: Navigation devices, methods, and programs acquire a reference position related to the traveling of a host vehicle and acquire a host vehicle condition at the reference position. The devices, methods, and programs accesses a travel information storage unit that stores travel sequences. The stored data for each travel sequences includes at least one position along the travel sequence, operation information that specifies a vehicle operation at each stored position, and vehicle condition information that specifies a vehicle condition at each stored position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Miura, Junichi Nonomura
  • Patent number: 8694200
    Abstract: An advice provision apparatus calculates the driving condition of the vehicle for every predetermined travel section, for the purpose of comparison with the driving condition in the previous travel section. The driving condition of the current section is evaluated in a relative manner based on the comparison of at least two travel sections, even when the absolute assessment of the driving condition is difficult. Thus, the advice provision apparatus can accurately and precisely diagnose the driving condition of the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobutaka Tauchi, Kousuke Yamaoka, Shojiro Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8675629
    Abstract: A system and method of extending the range of a vehicle telematics unit includes determining that a vehicle telematics unit is outside of a geographic range beyond which time division multiple access (TDMA) transmissions sent from the vehicle telematics unit to a base station arrive at the base station after a time slot allocated to the vehicle telematics unit in a time frame has passed; calculating a time delay that causes the TDMA transmissions to arrive at the base station in the allocated time slot of a subsequent time frame; and sending TDMA transmissions from the vehicle telematics unit at a time determined using the time delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: General Motors LLC
    Inventors: Ki Hak Yi, Eray Yasan
  • Patent number: 8655544
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for tracking vehicle locations and accumulating mileage for said vehicles by detecting intervals when said vehicles are in proximity to mobile devices and utilizing the location aware sensors of said mobile devices to determine vehicle locations. Proximity between mobile devices and vehicles is determined by short range data communication identification. Multiple vehicles and drivers may thus be tracked for trip, interval, or overall mileage traveled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Kaarya LLC
    Inventors: William Fletcher, Douglas MacGlashan, Brian Billett, Ujjual Nath, Gaurav Sharma
  • Patent number: 8639436
    Abstract: Systems and methods of vehicle fuel quantity management are provided to assist in determining an optimal quantity of fuel to carry on-board a vehicle. Certain routes are sufficiently short so to not require a completely filled fuel tank to traverse. Additionally, most routes have an abundance of vehicle fueling stations that provide ample refueling opportunities, thus permitting an operator to carry less fuel than might be required to complete a route. Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure balance initial fuel loading and fuel stops to optimize the amount of freight weight that can be carried for a given route. The benefit is increased freight efficiency in transporting cargo from source to destination while maintaining drivability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: Vivek A. Sujan, Phani Vajapeyazula, Kenneth Follen, An Wu, Barty L. Moffett, Howard R. Frost
  • Patent number: 8589075
    Abstract: Systems, methods, computer programs, and user interfaces are provided to receive a route request including a start location and an end location, generate a route from the start location to the end location, the route including a number of route segments, determine a route proportion for each of the route segments, generate a progress style based on the route proportion of each of the route segments, and send the route and the progress style to a user device, the user device displaying a segment progress to scale for a current route segment of the route segments based on the progress style.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Jonah Jones
  • Patent number: 8538624
    Abstract: A system and method for transmitting data via a transmission path between a tachograph arranged in a vehicle, and a data processing device which is remote from the vehicle. To improve data protection, the transmission takes place via a first path section of the transmission path, which path section is arranged between the tachograph and a communication controller arranged in the vehicle, and a second wireless path section of the transmission path, which path section is arranged between the communication controller and the data processing device. The tachograph in response to an encryption request signal sent from the data processing device to the tachograph encrypts data sent from the tachograph to the data processing device. The data is transmitted in encrypted form from the tachograph to the data processing device both via the first path section and via the second path section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Lindinger, Gunnar Schmidt, Denis Smolin
  • Patent number: 8510324
    Abstract: A method is provided for efficiently transferring records related to places of interest between two communicating vehicles in a V2V system without initially having to transfer full text records. A determination is made as to whether information stored in a memory of the vehicle is redundant with the respect to the other vehicle. A query request is transmitted from a first vehicle to a second vehicle containing specifics as to what records the first vehicle is seeking. Data satisfying the query request represented by global unique index numbers is hashed to determine the similarity between the data of the two communicating vehicles. The similarity is used to determine whether a full filtered set of global unique index numbers should be transferred to the second vehicle for determining which records are not duplicate records. Thereafter, the second vehicle wirelessly transmits to the first vehicle the non-overlapping data that satisfies the query request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Fan Bai, Bo Yu, Donald K. Grimm
  • Patent number: 8509987
    Abstract: In exemplary implementations of this invention, data regarding the position and operation of a vehicle is gathered by a GPS unit and an On Board Diagnostic (“OBD”) port, respectively. This data is wirelessly transmitted by a wireless transceiver located in the vehicle. The transmitted data from multiple vehicles is received by a remote processor. The data is processed and selectively shared with users of a public web interface, in accordance with user preferences. A user selects the type of data that may be shared and the specified persons, classes of persons or public with whom particular data or types of data may be shared. In some cases, data gathered by the OBD ports and GPS units is transmitted to a host server of a social network, and selectively shared over the social network in accordance with that network's policies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Inventor: Benjamin Resner
  • Patent number: 8487780
    Abstract: Methods and systems for creating an approach map for a traffic signal preemption controller. A road map is displayed, and in response to user input for instantiating a first segment of an approach map, a first instance of a graphical object overlaying one of the plurality of roads is displayed. The one road represents an approach road to an intersection having the preemption controller. First segment location data that describes a first geographical area bounded by the first segment are determined from size and placement of the first instance of the graphical object on the road map and from location data associated with the one road. The first segment location data are stored in association with the approach map for the preemption controller. The preemption controller, once configured with the first segment location data, initiates traffic signal preemption in response to a preemption request transmitted from within the first geographical area described by the first segment location data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Global Traffic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David John Edwardson
  • Patent number: 8473118
    Abstract: A navigation system for exploring and/or monitoring unknown and/or difficult environments is provided that includes a mission control module, an unmanned vehicle operable for carrying out the exploration and/or monitoring mission, a primary node coupled to the mission control module that includes an ultra-wideband radio interface, and a plurality of secondary nodes for deployment in the unknown and/or difficult environment, each secondary node including an ultra-wideband radio interface. The primary node and secondary nodes are configured to form a hierarchical communication and localization network in which the primary node is associated with a primary hierarchical level and each secondary node is associated with a respective secondary hierarchical level lower than the primary hierarchical level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Thales Alenia Space Italia S.p.A. Con Unico Socio
    Inventors: Franco Gottifredi, Enrico Varriale
  • Patent number: 8447464
    Abstract: A method and system for interfacing and communicating between an in-vehicle device such as an on board diagnostic (OBD) system and an existing distance measurement instrument (DMI) are provided. In one embodiment, the interface sends a plurality of vehicle speed requests to the OBD system to obtain a plurality of vehicle speed measurements, uses the plurality of vehicle speed measurements and time stamps associated therewith to compute a distance travelled during a time interval, converts the distance travelled to a series of pulses, and sends the series of pulses to the DMI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: North-Line Canada Ltd.
    Inventors: Don Gettner, Bernard Timothy, Val Gretchev, Boris Gretchev
  • Publication number: 20130110345
    Abstract: A method is provided for checking a vehicle's electronic distance recorder by an independent party, including the independent party using one or more devices for: obtaining or receive two distance or location readings, or a distance and location reading, from the electronic distance recorder for two vehicle locations, the distance location/readings being obtained by the electronic distance recorder, determining an apparent distance travelled between the two vehicle locations using the distance/location readings; and comparing the apparent distance travelled with a verification distance between the two locations to identify any discrepancies in the electronic distance recorder, the verification distance being determined independently from the electronic distance recorder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventor: Bruce John Wilson
  • Patent number: 8417412
    Abstract: An abnormality detection device is disclosed that includes a storage unit configured to, when abnormality of an in-vehicle device is detected, store abnormality information of the abnormality; a transmission unit configured to transmit the abnormality information to a server; an in-vehicle information terminal configured to, when driving support information is provided to an occupant and read-out operation information is input through an operation section, read out the abnormality information stored in the storage unit; and a transmission prevention unit configured to, when the read-out operation information is input through the operation section, prevent transmission of the abnormality information to the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tominaga, Keizoh Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 8412405
    Abstract: A vehicle diagnosis system includes an electronic control unit, which executes a diagnosing process for determining whether any abnormality is present in a vehicle based on signals from vehicle devices. When any abnormality is detected, the electronic control unit stores in an EEPROM a diagnosis result indicative of the abnormality when a storage permission flag in the EEPROM is in the on-state. The storage permission flag is turned on from the off-state when receiving a storage permission command from an external unit. Thus, the storage of the diagnosis result into the EEPROM may be permitted at the time of transmitting the storage permission command externally to the ECU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Enomoto, Kokichi Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20120323434
    Abstract: A management system using Global Positioning System receivers for tracking remote units from a central office and quickly and conveniently determining if those remote units have varied from a set of predetermined parameters of operation. The system also includes provisions that allows information to be sent from the remote units to the central office and vice versa. The system also has safety features that promote the rapid dispatch of law enforcement personnel when requests for emergency assistance have been made from the remote units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Marvin R. Hamrick, R. T. Mitchell Ingman
  • Patent number: 8311858
    Abstract: A data logging device tracks the operation of a vehicle or driver actions. The device includes a storage device, which may be removable or portable, having a first memory portion that may be read from and may be written to in a vehicle and a second memory portion that may be read from and may be written to in the vehicle. The second memory portion may retain data attributes associated with the data stored in the first removable storage device. A processor reads data from an automotive bus that transfers data from vehicle sensors to other automotive components. The processor writes data to the first memory portion and the second memory portion that reflect a level of risk or safety. A communication device links the storage device to a network of computers. The communication device may be accessible through software that allows a user to access files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Progressive Casualty Insurance Company
    Inventors: William Curtis Everett, Richard Ashton Hutchinson, Wilbert John Steigerwald, III, William Andrew Say, Patrick Lawrence O'Malley, Dane Allen Shrallow, Raymond Scott Ling, Robert John McMillan
  • Patent number: 8285437
    Abstract: A maintenance time notification device includes a storing unit storing a threshold value of a usage time or a traveling distance for each of a plurality of vehicle parts; a measuring unit measuring the usage time and the traveling distance of a vehicle since the vehicle began to be used for each of the vehicle parts; a maintenance period determination unit determining a maintenance period of each of the vehicle parts by comparing the usage time and the traveling distance measured by the measuring unit, with the threshold value; and a reporting unit reporting to a passenger based on a determination result of the maintenance period determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Kubota, Naoki Fukui, Kazuyuki Endo
  • Publication number: 20120253585
    Abstract: Methods and systems for identifying a spatial relationship between a frame of reference associated with an accelerometer mounted in a vehicle and a frame of reference associated with the vehicle Accelerometer data is received from an accelerometer and vehicle data is received from a vehicle network of the vehicle, a long term average of the accelerometer data is used to determine the direction of gravity in the frame of reference of the vehicle. In addition the vehicle date is used to determine changes in speed of the vehicle, and thus to determine the direction of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle in the frame of reference of the vehicle. From these determined directions, the spatial relationship between the frames of reference may be determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventor: Richard Harvie
  • Patent number: 8271161
    Abstract: A method and system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, provide a means to securely store odometer information in an automobile. A distance traveled by the automobile is calculated. The distance traveled is then stored in both a first and second memory unit within the automobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Terence L. Meehan, Kenneth M. Hromada, Steven A. Stringfellow, Kevin E. Fondaw
  • Publication number: 20120232747
    Abstract: A telematics system provides a platform for generating coaching tips, feedback, and simple indices based on driving behavior, historical information, heursistics and expert knowledge. The coaching tips are displayed on the policyholder portal and text describing the tips is completely configurable by an administrator on the server for the application. Furthermore, both ‘driving behavior’ and ‘environmentally friendly (green) driving’ tips can be supported.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: William Ben Miners, Hani Hawari, Jason Toonstra, Daniel Evan Lajeunesse
  • Patent number: 8260490
    Abstract: A method for diagnosing a possible breakdown of a vehicle component. The method stores a first distance covered by the vehicle at a time when an event related to the breakdown occurs, and stores at least another covered distance, and then makes the diagnosis based on the stored covered distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Renault s.a.s.
    Inventors: Joseph Regnard De Lagny, Abdelmalik Belaid
  • Publication number: 20120197484
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for tracking vehicle locations and accumulating mileage for said vehicles by detecting intervals when said vehicles are in proximity to mobile devices and utilizing the location aware sensors of said mobile devices to determine vehicle locations. Proximity between mobile devices and vehicles is determined by short range data communication identification. Multiple vehicles and drivers may thus be tracked for trip, interval, or overall mileage traveled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: Kaarya, LLC.
    Inventors: Ujjual Nath, Gaurav Sharma, William Fletcher, Douglas MacGlashan, Brian Billett
  • Patent number: 8229613
    Abstract: A travel energy learning device includes: a road section identifying unit that identifies a road section where a host vehicle is currently located; a travel condition information obtaining unit that obtains travel condition information that indicates a travel condition when the host vehicle traveled the road section; a work rate deriving unit that derives information indicating work rate of a transmission shaft based on rate of rotation of the transmission shaft and torque transmitted by the transmission shaft; and an energy information accumulating unit that derives required energy information indicating the energy required for traveling the road section based on the derived information that indicates the work rate during travel of the road section, links the derived required energy information to the road section and the travel condition information, and accumulates the required energy information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Kato, Tatsuya Hidaka
  • Patent number: 8214103
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring of vehicle efficiency use wireless remote sensors associated with the vehicle and with a fueling station. Vehicle data is collected from the wireless sensors in conjunction with fueling of the vehicle. Efficiency is calculated, such as by calculating miles per gallon for the vehicle, and the information is stored in a computing system. Vehicle efficiency may be tracked over time to identify deviations or irregularities that may be addressed to improve overall vehicle efficiency, and overall vehicle efficiency for a fleet of vehicles that are all monitored in such a manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Stemco LP
    Inventors: Mark J. Kranz, Daylen Borders
  • Patent number: 8200388
    Abstract: A control section determines either EV travel or HV travel to control drive of an engine. A ratio calculation section calculates an EV/HV travel ratio, and a display section displays the EV/HV ratio as a percentage. In this way it is possible to easily recognize the EV/HV travel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinichi Otake
  • Patent number: 8180522
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for monitoring a motor vehicle. The system includes a sensor unit for collecting at least one vehicle statistic and a portable device for displaying the vehicle statistics. The portable device requests the vehicle statistics from the sensor unit at regular intervals or in response to a particular event and displays statistics on a built-in display screen. In one embodiment, the portable device may be attached to the keys used to operate the vehicle being monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Inventor: Maurice Tuff
  • Publication number: 20120109448
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for transmitting vehicle data in the form of kilometer readings of a motor vehicle (1) to a memory element (7) having a counter, which memory element is removable from the motor vehicle. At time intervals, the kilometer reading of the motor vehicle is transmitted to the memory element (7), and after each kilometer reading transmission, the difference between the last transmitted and the newly transmitted kilometer reading is added up in the counter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: Audi AG
    Inventors: Stephan Maas, Ingo Ledendecker
  • Patent number: 8165797
    Abstract: In a vehicular control object determination system, locus correlation degree calculator calculates a degree of correlation between a future travel locus of a vehicle estimated by first travel locus estimator based on a vehicle speed and a yaw rate and a future travel locus of the vehicle estimated by second travel locus estimator based on a past travel locus of the vehicle calculated by travel locus calculator. When control object determiner determines a control object based on the travel locus estimated by the first travel locus estimator and predetermined control object determination conditions, the control object determination conditions are modified according to the degree of correlation, that is, the degree of reliability of the travel locus estimated by the first travel locus estimator, thereby achieving both accuracy with which the control object is determined and determination of the control object at a distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiichiro Sawamoto, Shigeru Inoue, Hiroshi Sato
  • Patent number: 8155823
    Abstract: A failure information system that transmits various kinds of failure information of a vehicle to an outside diagnosis service center is disclosed. The failure information system includes a signal receiving unit that receives a signal indicating a failure of a vehicle-mounted system, a vehicle-run judging unit that judges that the vehicle is running, a run-distance calculation unit that calculates a run-distance of the vehicle since the signal indicating a failure is received, a reliability judging unit that judges that the signal indicating a failure is reliable if the signal receiving unit continuously receives the signal indicating a failure until the run-distance exceeds a preset distance level, and an over-vehicle communication unit that transmits the failure information that includes the signal indicating a failure when the reliability judging means judges that the signal indicating a failure is reliable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Masaya Itoh
  • Patent number: 8140214
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining a speed of a vehicle (1), whereby at least two images (A, B) of an area surrounding the vehicle are recorded in time succession using a camera on the vehicle (1), and between the images (A, B) changes (2) in a position and/or a size of at least one object (X) contained in the images (X) are determined, and from the changes, a speed of the vehicle (1) is determined relative to the object (X).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Krökel, Thomas Fechner, Helmut Riedel, Holger Grunleithner, Robert Thiel