By Changing Shift Map, Schedule, Or Pattern Patents (Class 701/55)
  • Patent number: 11958472
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling a hybrid drive train comprising a first partial drive train including an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and a second partial drive train, which is separated from the first partial drive train by a torsional elasticity, having an electric machine with a rotor. A rotational characteristic value of the first partial drive train is detected via a sensor arranged on the torsional elasticity. A rotational characteristic value of the rotor is detected via a device engaged with the rotor. A quality index is determined based on the rational characteristic value of the first partial drive train and the rotational characteristic value of the rotor. The electric machine is controller to optimize the quality index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventor: Holger Witt
  • Patent number: 11926310
    Abstract: Controlling a speed limit includes determining a virtual vehicle speed as being a lower one of a vehicle speed and a target limit speed, determining a virtual APS value as being a larger one of a first APS value and a second APS value, transitioning to a second mode at a point in time at which an actual APS value and the second APS value become different, when it is expected to transition to the second mode, among a first mode for sustaining a SOC of a battery at the target limit speed and the second mode for depleting the SOC, and determining a transmission gear position by applying the determined virtual vehicle speed and the determined virtual APS value to one of a first shifting pattern and a second shifting pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Hui Un Son, Sang Joon Kim, Kyu Hwan Jo, Sung Bae Jeon, Sung Hoon Yu, Joo Young Kim, Jin Kyeom Cho
  • Patent number: 11927266
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a dual-speed final drive control method and terminal device, and a storage medium. The method includes: when an absolute value of a gradient value of a road ahead is greater than a gradient threshold, determining, according to the gradient value, whether the road ahead is an uphill section or a downhill section, thereby controlling all gears of a transmission to correspond to a higher final drive ratio or a lower final drive ratio in the dual-speed final drive. The disclosure can make use of the dual-speed-ratio final drive to the greatest extent to improve the economy in energy consumption of the entire vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Xiamen Yaxon Network Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yankai Tu, Hejie Zhou
  • Patent number: 11898633
    Abstract: Methods and systems for generating control instructions for a plurality of transmissions having dissimilar gear configurations via a common software framework are described. In one example, the common software framework provides a graphic interface whereby a user/implementer describes configurations of different transmissions. The software framework generates instructions for different transmission controllers that shift the transmissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: VOCIS LIMITED
    Inventor: Kevin Fan
  • Patent number: 11899697
    Abstract: An information processing server is configured to acquire target vehicle data having traveling conditions of target vehicles and position information of the target vehicles on a map, recognize, based on the target vehicle data, an unstable behavior position on the map where at least one of the target vehicles exhibits unstable behavior, measure an occurrence count of the unstable behavior positions within a predetermined period in a mesh preset on the map, enlarge the mesh to include the unstable behavior positions within the predetermined period such that the occurrence count of the unstable behavior positions is equal to or larger than a first threshold, and store the mesh and the unstable behavior positions of the mesh in a storage database related to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoshi Uno
  • Patent number: 11892076
    Abstract: A method for transmitting a shift signal of an electronic shift system, may include transmitting the shift signal generated at the time of operating a shift operation device, wherein the shift operation device is configured so that one shift stage and one shift signal are matched one to one and transmits shift signals which are each individually separated according to the shift stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Bum Jun Kim, Yong Ik Kim
  • Patent number: 11885411
    Abstract: Transmissions, control systems for transmissions, and methods of operating transmissions are disclosed. A transmission includes an input shaft, an output shaft, one or more clutches, and a control system. The input shaft is configured to receive rotational power supplied by a drive unit. The output shaft is coupled to the input shaft and configured to provide rotational power supplied to the input shaft to a load. The one or more clutches are coupled between the input shaft and the output shaft to selectively transmit rotational power between the input shaft and the output shaft in one or more operating modes of the transmission. Each of the one or more clutches is selectively engageable in response to one or more fluid pressures applied thereto. The control system is configured to control operation of the one or more clutches to select the one or more operating modes of the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Shultz, Bruno Re, Scott Kluemper
  • Patent number: 11841079
    Abstract: A method for controlling an automatic transmission of a vehicle includes: sensing a speed of the vehicle; sensing an acceleration of the vehicle along three spatial axes; determining that the vehicle is in a jump state associated with the vehicle being off a ground surface, the jump state being defined at least in part by the acceleration of the vehicle along the three spatial axes and the speed of the vehicle; and controlling the transmission according to a jump strategy in response to determining that the vehicle is in the jump state. Other methods for controlling an automatic transmission of a vehicle are also contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: BRP-ROTAX GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Robert Ebner, David Fillion, Verena Wolfsegger, Petra Wiesinger, Roman Schmied, Michael Kaar
  • Patent number: 11840315
    Abstract: In an adjustment mode for a derailleur of a bicycle, acceleration values from an accelerometer of the derailleur are sampled as the derailleur moves through sprockets of a rear sprocket assembly. Acceleration signal powers are identified based on the sampled acceleration values, and potential rasping positions are identified based on thresholding of the acceleration signal powers. The identified potential rasping positions are compared to expected rasping positions, and adjustment for the derailleur is set based on a minimum error between the identified potential rasping positions and the expected rasping positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Sage Hahn
  • Patent number: 11827227
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vehicle control apparatus which allows a vehicle to safely negotiate a bump smoothly without feeling unusual to the driver of the vehicle. This vehicle control apparatus is characterized by comprising: a strain sensor output value acquisition unit that acquires the output value of a strain sensor (113) mounted to a drive shaft (115) for driving wheels (116); and a vehicle behavior detection unit that detects when the wheels (116) start moving on the basis of when the output value of the strain sensor decreases from the value when the wheels (116) are in the stopped state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventor: Taisetsu Tanimichi
  • Patent number: 11820357
    Abstract: Disclosed are a vehicle for generating an acceleration profile based on the acceleration cognitive characteristics of the human and a method of controlling the same. The method includes: receiving a manipulation amount of an accelerator pedal and calculating a first torque value, inserting the first torque value to a function that receives force and outputs acceleration feeling, generating a second torque value by inserting an output value of the function into a first filter for stabilizing the output value, generating a target torque value by inputting the second torque value to a second filter for stabilizing the second torque value, and generating a torque command based on the target torque value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lee Hyoung Cho, Ji Won Oh, Sang Joon Kim, Seong Ik Park
  • Patent number: 11772583
    Abstract: A system including a vehicle having a network comprising a plurality of end points and a controller, where the controller includes an automation definition circuit, an automation management circuit, and an automation execution circuit. The automation definition circuit is structured to interpret an automation trigger description and an automation action description. The automation management circuit is structured to provide a trigger detection plan and an automated action plan in response to the automation trigger description and the automation action description. The automation execution circuit is structured to determine a trigger event value in response to the trigger detection plan, and to provide an automation command in response to the trigger event value and the automated action plan, where an end point of the plurality of end points is responsive to the automation command to implement an automated vehicle response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Sonatus, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu Fang, Thurston Zhu, Andrew Ling, Yixiang Chen
  • Patent number: 11754174
    Abstract: The transmission control unit includes a gear ratio abnormality determination unit and a limp home control unit. The gear ratio abnormality determination unit is configured to determine that a gear ratio is abnormal when, during travelling at a predetermined gear position, a difference between an actual gear ratio, which is calculated based on a transmission input shaft rotation speed and a transmission output shaft rotation speed, and a set gear ratio at the predetermined gear position is equal to or greater than a set value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignees: JATCO LTD, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norihira Amano, Masahiro Hamano
  • Patent number: 11719171
    Abstract: An electronic control method for a throttle by an electronic control throttle device that controls the throttle while an electronic control unit generates a control signal based on an input data signal. The method may include calculating an engine rotation speed deviation from a difference between an engine rotation speed and an input engine rotation speed command, calculating an engine rotational acceleration based on the engine rotation speed, obtaining a proportional torque from a product of the engine rotation speed deviation and a predetermined coefficient, obtaining an integral torque by integrating a value obtained by subtracting a product of the engine rotational acceleration and the predetermined coefficient from the product of the engine rotation speed deviation and the predetermined coefficient, and generating a control signal for the throttle by using a sum of the proportional torque and the integral torque as a value of a torque command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Inventors: Yuuki Sutoh, Ryuichi Oguro, Norichika Kojima
  • Patent number: 11702167
    Abstract: A human-powered vehicle control device controls the transmission to initiate a shifting operation based on a set of prescribed conditions that changes the transmission ratio of a human-powered vehicle. The control device includes an electronic controller that switches between a first control state for controlling the transmission to change the transmission ratio in accordance with a first prescribed set of conditions, and a second control state for controlling the transmission to prevent the change of the transmission ratio as compared with if the electronic controller is in the first control state. The electronic controller switches between the first control state and the second control state in accordance with a detection of at least one of a steering state of the human-powered vehicle, a surface condition of a travel path on which the human-powered vehicle travels, and a pedaling preparation state related to the pedals of the human-powered vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shahana, Nobukatsu Hara, Hitoshi Takayama
  • Patent number: 11691618
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an electric motor, an engine including an exhaust gas purifying unit, and an engine clutch disposed between the electric motor and the engine. A method of controlling the hybrid vehicle includes determining a driving environment condition including a first condition related to at least a driving load when a request for operating the exhaust gas purifying unit is received, determining a state of the engine clutch and an operation condition of the exhaust gas purifying unit when the exhaust gas purifying means operates according to the result of determining the driving environment condition, and operating the exhaust gas purifying unit while maintaining the determined state of the engine clutch when the driving environment condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Kyung Taek Lee, Jee Wook Huh, Dong Jun Shin, Jae-Yun Shim
  • Patent number: 11685470
    Abstract: A bicycle component controller is basically provided with a data storage device and a processor. The data storage device contains sprocket assembly information of at least one sprocket assembly. The processor is configured to perform a gear shift control based on the sprocket assembly information. The sprocket assembly information of the at least one sprocket assembly at least includes a total sprocket number and shifting gate information. The single shifting distance of the sprocket assembly information corresponds to an axial spacing between adjacent sprockets of the at least one sprocket assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shahana, Mitsuhiko Kawasaki, Shota Suyama
  • Patent number: 11623713
    Abstract: A human-powered vehicle includes a crank axle, a first rotational body, a wheel, a second rotational body, a transmission body that transmits a driving force between the first rotational body and the second rotational body, a derailleur configured to operate the transmission body to change a transmission ratio, and a motor configured to drive the transmission body. A control device has an electronic controller configured to control the motor and drive the transmission body with the motor upon determining the derailleur has been actuated to change the transmission ratio and a predetermined condition related to pedaling is satisfied, and control the motor to increase a rotational speed of the motor as a difference of a first rotational speed, which is calculated in correspondence with a rotational speed of the wheel and the transmission ratio, and a predetermined rotational speed or a rotational speed in a predetermined range increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shahana, Hayato Shimazu, Mitsuhiko Kawasaki, Atsuhiro Emura
  • Patent number: 11618447
    Abstract: A sudden acceleration prevention method for a vehicle includes the following steps, which may be performed by a controller: monitoring an output signal of an accelerator pedal sensor so as to obtain a detected operation state of an accelerator pedal, determining whether the detected operation state of the accelerator pedal is within a predetermined brake pedal operation range, determining whether the detected operation state of the accelerator pedal is within a predetermined accelerator pedal and brake pedal overlapping operation range if the detected operation state of the accelerator pedal is within the predetermined brake pedal operation range, and outputting an output reduction control signal of the vehicle if the detected operation state of the accelerator pedal is not within the accelerator pedal and brake pedal overlapping operation range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Eun Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 11608108
    Abstract: An automatic steering system comprises a controller. The controller executes target steering angle calculation processing. The controller further calculates a learning value of lateral acceleration. The learning value is calculated based on an error of a detected value of the lateral acceleration by an acceleration sensor and an estimation value of the lateral acceleration calculated using driving speed and yaw rate. In the target steering angle calculation processing, it is judged whether the acceleration sensor is normal. If it is judged that the acceleration sensor is normal, a target steering angle is calculated by using the detected value. Otherwise, the lateral acceleration used to calculate the target steering angle is switched from the detected value to a backup value of the lateral acceleration. The backup value is calculated using the estimation value and the learning value calculated before a timing at which the acceleration sensor is judged to be abnormal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shun Maruyama, Takahiro Kojo, Yoji Kunihiro
  • Patent number: 11598414
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method of controlling gear shifting in response to a driving mode change, the method including determining a maximum number of allowable low-level gear-shifting steps according to a result of determining a state of a transmission, computing an immediate post-gear-shifting expected speed of a turbine for each step included that is within the maximum number of allowable low-level gear-shifting steps, using a current speed of an output shaft of the transmission and a gear ratio of each step and comparing the computed expected speed of the turbine with a preset allowable speed thereof for each step, setting the lowest-level gear-shifting step, among gear-shifting steps at which the expected speed of the turbine and the allowable speed thereof satisfy a predetermined condition, is set to be a target gear-shifting step, and executing gear-shifting control for shifting a current gear-shifting step down to the target gear-shifting step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Hyundai Kefico Corporation
    Inventor: Hyeong-Tak Lee
  • Patent number: 11541852
    Abstract: A method for operating an accelerator pedal-controlled distance controller of a vehicle. The distance controller regulates a distance to a target vehicle as a function of an actuator pedal value of the vehicle and activates automatic braking operations as necessary. A braking operation is aborted when the accelerator pedal value is increased during the braking operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Thorsten Schori
  • Patent number: 11535254
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a powertrain having an electric machine and a controller. The controller is programmed to, responsive to an accelerator pedal position exceeding a first threshold for a predetermined time period or a lateral acceleration of the vehicle being greater than a second threshold, transition the powertrain from a nominal driving mode to a performance driving mode. The controller is also programmed to, responsive to an increase in a steering wheel angle while in the nominal mode, maintain a power output of the electric machine at a driver demanded power defined by the accelerator pedal position. The controller is further programmed to, responsive to an increase in a steering wheel angle while in the performance driving mode, reduce a power output of the electric machine to less than the driver demanded power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Allen Magolan, Zachary John Sinisi, Francis Thomas Connolly, Paul Stephen Bryan, Minku Lee, Jason Wroblewski
  • Patent number: 11526961
    Abstract: An album creation application displays an image arrangement screen and an image selection screen, and image data selected by a user from among an image group is arranged in an image slot selected by the user on the image arrangement screen. Each of the image data, which is arranged in the respective image slots included in album data for which an order is confirmed, is analyzed so as to determine whether or not each of the image data is a target of high quality printing. Based on the analysis result, upsampling for increasing the resolution is selectively performed to the image data included in the album data. The album data is sent to an image printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshinori Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11474193
    Abstract: An apparatus and/or method includes localization of a mobile device. The localization technique is calibrated by prompting the mobile device for a collection of static position images for an image-based localization service, sending static position images to the image-based localization service, receiving, for the static position images, a plurality of localization values from the image-based localization service, calculating a correction for the plurality of localization values, and providing a location for the mobile device based on the correction for the plurality of localization values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Landis Huffman, Joshua Michael Finken, Amey Aroskar, Sumedh Rasal
  • Patent number: 11430447
    Abstract: A device for voice activation includes one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to receive, via one or more microphones, a keyword and a first command spoken by a first user. The one or more processors are also configured to, subsequent to receiving the first command, receive a second command via the one or more microphones without an intervening receipt of the keyword. The one or more processors are further configured to, based at least in part on determining that the second command is spoken by the same first user, selectively process the second command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Ashank Kumar Sinha, Pramod Kalvakota, Debasis Bhowmick
  • Patent number: 11420631
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: a transmission control unit that can select a restricted mode in which the range of a gear ratio of a transmission is restricted and an unrestricted mode in which the range of the gear ratio is not restricted, and controls the gear ratio in accordance with the selected transmission mode; and a lane change control unit that, if the unrestricted mode is selected in a case where a lane change request has been acquired, keeps the unrestricted mode and performs lane change control in which a host vehicle changes lanes, and if the restricted mode is selected in the case where the lane change request has been acquired, selects the unrestricted mode and performs the lane change control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanta Tsuji, Yuta Takada
  • Patent number: 11378182
    Abstract: A vehicle controller controls a vehicle including an engine and an automatic transmission. The vehicle controller includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit estimates power generable by the engine based on a condition of the engine and a condition of the automatic transmission in a non-driving range, calculates a load on the automatic transmission in a driving range based on a condition of the automatic transmission in the driving range, determines whether a difference between the power and the load is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold by which an engine stall is identifiable, and limits a gear shift request from the non-driving range to the driving range when the difference is equal to or smaller than the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hayato Yoshikawa, Junichi Inoue, Tatsuya Kaneko
  • Patent number: 11261959
    Abstract: A shifting control apparatus for a vehicle includes a stepped automatic transmission configured to switch shifting positions based on a shifting pattern stored in advance, characterized by comprising: a sensory evaluation input portion configured to accept at least one sensory evaluation made by a vehicle occupant in the vehicle with regard to traveling of the vehicle; an evaluation tendency determining portion configured to determine an emphasis tendency in the sensory evaluation with regard to a phenomenon of an evaluation target with which the vehicle occupant feels dissatisfied based on the sensory evaluation accepted by the sensory evaluation input portion; and a shifting characteristic changing portion configured to change a shifting characteristic of the stepped automatic transmission based on the emphasis tendency in the sensory evaluation with regard to the phenomenon of the evaluation target determined by the evaluation tendency determining portion so as to improve the sensory evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuji Muto
  • Patent number: 11124175
    Abstract: A method for operating a hybrid drive train of a motor vehicle (X) which has a combustion engine (VM), a transmission (G), an electric machine (EM), as well as a separation clutch (KO) positioned between the combustion engine (VM) and the electric machine (EM). During a purely electric drive operation in which the separation clutch (KO) is disengaged and, when a gear is selected in the transmission (G), and during expectation, reaching, or exceeding a rotational speed difference of the separation clutch (KO) is larger or equal to a limit value, and/or in an expectation, reaching, or exceeding a rotational speed limit of the electric machine (EM), the separation clutch (KO) is engaged. Further, an electronic control unit (ECU) executes the method and a motor vehicle (X) having such an electronic control unit (ECU).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Moritz Riegger, Michael Sauter
  • Patent number: 11097722
    Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a second rotating electric machine; a first transmission path configured to transmit force generated by the second rotating electric machine to a wheel; a first clutch that is arranged in the first transmission path and configured to switch between a connected state and a disconnected state between the second rotating electric machine and the wheel; and an ECU configured to control the second rotating electric machine and the first clutch. In the electric vehicle, a torque sensor is arranged between the first clutch and the wheel in the first transmission path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Hoshino, Yutaka Arimura, Tatsuya Ohzu, Shingo Soma, Yosuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11016461
    Abstract: A control system includes: an operation interface generates operation amount information and priority information on the basis of an operation amount; an automatic control unit generates an automatic control output based on a predetermined input; a safety verification unit verifies the safety of the automatic control output; and an output control unit produces a control output in accordance with the automatic control output or the operation amount information on the basis of the automatic control output, the operation amount information, the priority information, and the safety verification result from the safety verification unit. The control output is generated in accordance with the automatic control output, in accordance with the operation amount information only when the control output is verified as safe by the safety verification unit, or in accordance with the operation amount information regardless of whether the control output is verified as safe by the safety verification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventor: Nobuyasu Kanekawa
  • Patent number: 10969004
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a main body, a transmission having a plurality of gear stages, a data storage, and an electronic controller. The data storage stores vehicle running condition data that includes at least one of a prescribed vehicle running condition, a sensed vehicle running condition, or a transmitted vehicle running condition. The electronic controller determines a gear shift of the gear stages of the transmission based on a future vehicle speed that has been estimated based on the vehicle running condition data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignees: SRI INTERNATIONAL, YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keiji Nishimura, Thomas Low
  • Patent number: 10865878
    Abstract: A vehicle control system to improve acceleration response and shift feel by executing a power-on downshifting in a suitable manner. An evaluation of a skip shifting and an evaluation of a stepwise shifting are compared to each other when executing the downshifting, based on an evaluation index calculated in advance in accordance with an operating condition of an accelerator. The downshifting operation to be executed is selected from the stepwise shifting and the skip shifting whose evaluation is higher than the other one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akira Takeichi, Ayumu Sagawa
  • Patent number: 10800397
    Abstract: A control apparatus for hybrid electric vehicle includes a shift operation detector and an electric motor controller. The shift operation detector detects an input of a shift operation. The electric motor controller controls an electric motor of the hybrid electric vehicle to generate motor torque directed to decreasing of torque difference, on a condition that: the input of the shift operation from a first stage into a second stage is detected by the shift operation detector; and first torque and second torque are different in magnitude from each other by the torque difference. The first torque is torque that is to be transmitted to a drive wheel during shifting of the automatic transmission. The second torque is torque that is to be transmitted to the drive wheel after the shifting of the automatic transmission is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumiyuki Moriya, Yuichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10800396
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a hybrid powertrain that includes an engine and a motor/generator are described. The systems and methods provide a way of prepositioning an engine to improve a range of driveline disconnect clutch transfer function adaptation. In one example, an engine is positioned at a location where its torque to turn exceeds a threshold torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart Ford, Alexander O'Connor Gibson, Corey Blue
  • Patent number: 10773597
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle controller includes a memory and a processor programmed to execute instructions stored in the memory. The instructions include determining a plurality of energy cost functions. Each energy cost function is associated with a combination of candidate variables. The instructions further include selecting one of the plurality of energy cost functions as a minimum energy cost function, determining a combination of candidate variables associated with the minimum energy cost function, and controlling acceleration of a host vehicle according to the combination of candidate variables associated with the minimum energy cost function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yanan Zhao, Chen Zhang, Ming Lang Kuang
  • Patent number: 10752188
    Abstract: In one aspect, a system and method allow for various pairs of candidate gear ratios and engine speeds to be identified for achieving a desired ground speed of a work vehicle. The individual operating efficiency of the vehicle's fan and/or alternator may then be analyzed for each pair of transmission/engine settings to estimate the associated parasitic power loss(es) for such component(s). Based on the parasitic power loss(es) determined for each transmission/engine setting, a net engine power or torque requirement can be calculated and used as an input for determining the fuel efficiency of the work vehicle at each candidate setting. The gear ratio and corresponding engine speed of the candidate setting associated with the lowest fuel consumption may then be set as the target or desired transmission/engine setting for maintaining the work vehicle at the desired ground speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Brian A. Hartman, Rowland J. Milburn, Jr., Rajeshwar Adupala, Shreedhra Bindingnavle, Ashraf Omran
  • Patent number: 10661801
    Abstract: A transmission controller gives an engagement instruction to a forward clutch so that the forward clutch is engaged when a rotation speed of the engine becomes a target engine rotation speed set on the basis at least of a vehicle speed and a speed ratio of a continuously variable transmission after the engine is started, if a cancellation request for a sailing-stop control is made during execution of the sailing-stop control, and the continuously variable transmission is downshifted before the forward clutch is engaged, if the target engine rotation speed when the cancellation request for the sailing-stop control is made is less than a first predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignees: JATCO LTD, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Nishihiro, Yusuke Oota, Shintaro Ohshio
  • Patent number: 10661776
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a transmission of a vehicle includes: a prediction device that obtains first driving data of the vehicle while driving in a predetermined section of a road ahead of a speed bump and predicts second driving data of the vehicle behind the speed bump, based on the first driving data of the vehicle; a calculation device that calculates a predicted gear ratio of the transmission, based on the predicted second driving data and a grade of the predetermined section of the road ahead of the speed bump; and a controller that determines a target gear ratio into which a current gear ratio of the transmission is to be shifted based on the predicted gear ratio and performs transmission control for the vehicle according to the determined target gear ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jae Chang Kook, Kwang Hee Park, Byeong Wook Jeon, Sang Jun Park
  • Patent number: 10619724
    Abstract: A method of adjusting deceleration dependent shift points to maintain a target minimum turbine speed includes calculating a vehicle speed offset based on vehicle acceleration rate a predicted downshift delay for the target minimum turbine speed and converting the target minimum turbine speed to a target vehicle speed based on the deceleration condition. Thereafter, the method continues with determining a target gear based on the vehicle speed offset and the target vehicle speed, and downshifting to the target gear having vehicle speed less than or equal to a vehicle speed corresponding to the current turbine speed. The method ends with maintaining the target gear until a shift delay period is greater than a predetermined delay threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Henry R Wright, Brandon M Fell, Martin Gentile, Rainer Kloesel, Falko Hendrischke, Julian Heinz, Marcel Wachtel
  • Patent number: 10539228
    Abstract: In the present invention: a road information acquisition unit (12a) acquires road information about a prescribed section of road ahead of a vehicle traveling at a first shift position; a vehicle information acquisition unit (12b) acquires vehicle information; a speed prediction unit (12c) predicts, on the basis of the road information and the vehicle information, the speed transition in the prescribed section for when the vehicle will have traveled through the prescribed section at the first shift position; and a gearshift control unit (12d) causes a transmission (5) to downshift to a second shift position when the minimum value of the predicted vehicle speed is less than a prescribed speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinichi Ishiguro, Nobuyuki Nishimura, Masao Nishikimi
  • Patent number: 10415701
    Abstract: An electronic control unit is configured to control a hydraulic pressures of engaging element and disengaging element in accordance with a preset target output shaft torque during a power-on downshift. The electronic control unit is configured to delay a start of decrease in the hydraulic pressure of the disengaging element from a start of a torque phase while maintain the hydraulic pressure of the disengaging element at the start of the torque phase. The electronic control unit is configured to start decreasing the hydraulic pressure of the disengaging element when the electronic control unit determines that overspeed of an input shaft is occurring during the torque phase and a predetermined condition is established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro Chimbe, Norihiro Tsukamoto, Keisuke Ota, Tomohiro Asami, Hiromasa Takai, Daiki Fukuda
  • Patent number: 10308234
    Abstract: A control device that switchably has a first drive mode which is attained with the fixing mechanism being in the non-fixing state and in which a rotational speed of the input is steplessly shifted and transmitted to the output and torque of the second rotating electrical machine is transmitted to the output, and a second drive mode which is attained with the fixing mechanism being in the fixing state and the decoupling mechanism being in the non-transmitting state and in which, with the second rotating electrical machine being decoupled from the output, the rotational speed of the input is shifted according to a gear ratio of the differential gear unit and transmitted to the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeki Takami, Toru Souda, Tatsuya Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 10304327
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a safety margin threshold of one or more driver support functions of a vehicle, to be suitable for a driving zone in which the vehicle is—or is to be—positioned comprises determining a geographical position of the vehicle, determining a driving zone associated with the vehicle position, which driving zone is selected from one or more pre-defined geographical driving zones, deriving previous statistical driving behaviour data indicative of one or more statistical driving style safety indicators associated with the driving zone, and adjusting a safety margin threshold of at least a first driver support function of the vehicle, based on the one or more statistical driving style safety indicators. The disclosure also relates to a driver support threshold adapting system in accordance with the foregoing, and a vehicle at least partly comprising such a driver support threshold adapting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Per Landfors, Andrew Backhouse
  • Patent number: 10274079
    Abstract: An electronic control unit is configured to set a target torque phase time which is used in torque phase control based on an output shaft torque difference. The electronic control unit sets the target torque phase time to be longer when the output shaft torque difference is large than when the output shaft torque difference is small. Accordingly, since the target torque phase time can be appropriately set, it is possible to achieve both of preventing a sudden change in driving force and torsion vibration of an output shaft and preventing a decrease in drivability due to hesitation at the same time. Sudden change in driving force and torsion vibration of the output shaft occur when the difference in driving force between before and after a gear shift is large. Hesitation occurs when the difference in driving force between before and after the gear shift is small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro Chimbe, Norihiro Tsukamoto, Keisuke Ota, Tomohiro Asami
  • Patent number: 10137897
    Abstract: A system and method that detects, using processing circuitry, a predetermined energy condition. The processing circuitry determines a geographic location of a vehicle, identifies at least one energy station as a function of a plurality of factors, determines a vehicle range based on an energy level of the vehicle and a first mode of vehicle operation, determines whether an energy saving condition is satisfied based on the vehicle range, a location of the at least one energy station, and the geographical location of the vehicle, and enters an economy mode when the energy saving condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Christopher M. Higgins
  • Patent number: 10054225
    Abstract: A self-propelled off-road agricultural vehicle with a dynamically reconfiguring speed control and display system is provided that allows for on-the-go range selection and range modification, without having to release a joystick control and while providing range and speed information on an animated or dynamically reconfiguring speedometer. The system may include an animated speedometer that automatically reconfigures to shown visually change in a manner that shows changed range characteristics including different ranges and different range maximum speeds. This may include changing color of a sweep portion of a dynamic scale of the animated speedometer. The system may allow dual speed change capability configured to allow an operator to change the limits of the speed ranges through either a touchscreen such as an HMI (human machine interface) or control buttons of a grip of a joystick.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Roy A. Bittner, Nathan Paul Brooks
  • Patent number: 10005449
    Abstract: A motive power system includes a first energy storage, a second energy storage, an actuator, an internal combustion engine, an electric generator, a power transmission circuit, and circuitry. The circuitry is configured to control the power transmission circuit to charge at least the second energy storage via the electric generator. The circuitry is configured to control the power transmission circuit to charge the first energy storage with electric power supplied from the second energy storage when a first charge rate of the first energy storage is lower than a first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daijiro Takizawa, Hirokazu Oguma
  • Patent number: 9950709
    Abstract: A target ratio module selectively determines a target ratio of transmission input shaft speed to transmission output shaft speed independently of an accelerator pedal position and as a function of a vehicle speed and a driver axle torque request. A first pulley valve control module controls opening of a first valve based on the target ratio. The first valve controls transmission fluid flow to a first pulley actuator. The first pulley actuator is coupled to the transmission input shaft of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and expands and contracts based on transmission fluid pressure. A second pulley valve control module controls opening of a second valve based on the target ratio. The second valve controls transmission fluid flow to a second pulley actuator. The second pulley actuator is coupled to the transmission output shaft of the CVT and expands and contracts based on transmission fluid pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Artin Farahani, Christopher Jay Weingartz, John E. Marano