Vehicle Speed Control (e.g., Cruise Control) Patents (Class 701/93)
  • Patent number: 11111653
    Abstract: A control system for a work vehicle includes a controller. The controller acquires the travel direction of the work vehicle. The controller acquires current terrain data indicating a current terrain existing in the travel direction of the work vehicle. The controller decides a target profile of a work site based on the current terrain data. The controller generates a command signal to operate a work implement according to the target profile. The controller updates the travel direction of the work vehicle. The controller updates the target profile based on the updated travel direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11097727
    Abstract: A cruise control method to control a vehicle includes: receiving, by a controller of the vehicle, a set speed, a maximum allowed speed, and a minimum allowed speed, wherein each of the maximum allowed speed and the minimum allowed speed is a speed boundary; a propulsion system to produce a commanded axle torque to maintain the set speed; monitoring a current vehicle speed of the vehicle; determining a current vehicle acceleration of the vehicle; determining a time that the vehicle will take to reach the speed boundary; determining whether the time that the vehicle will take to reach the speed boundary is less than a predetermined time threshold; and in response to determining that the time that the vehicle will take to reach the speed boundary is less than the predetermined time threshold, commanding the propulsion system of the vehicle to adjust the commanded axle torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Amanpal S. Grewal, Matthew S. Zebiak
  • Patent number: 11092967
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vehicle movement control device which is capable of achieving stable vehicle behavior during the movement of a vehicle in lane changing mode. When calculating a travel path for turning a vehicle to the left side or the right side and then turning the vehicle to the other side, this vehicle movement control device calculates the travel path so that the peak value of the curvature of the travel path decreases in a section where the vehicle speed is higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Akiyama, Junya Takahashi, Toshiyuki Innami
  • Patent number: 11079251
    Abstract: A device, system and method for controlling speed of a vehicle are provided. The device includes a locational information module for determining location information and speed; a storage module for storing at least one geographic map including at least one route and a speed limit for the at least one route; a processing module configured to receive the location information, retrieve at least one geographic map based on the location information, determine a speed limit based on the location information and compare the speed of the device to the determined speed limit; and a display module for alerting a user if the speed of the device exceeds the determined speed limit. The system and method can be for communicating a subject vehicle's speed to a central server where it can be utilized to analyze traffic congestion patterns or notify selected companies or individuals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC
    Inventor: Leigh M. Rothschild
  • Patent number: 11052895
    Abstract: When acceleration control is interrupted due to a lane change or the like, the engine speed is controlled from a high rotation speed to a low rotation speed, a variation in engine speed increases, and poor driver's driving performance is brought about. Furthermore, suppression of acceleration when there is a lane change possibility may rather cause the lane change and the driver feels discomfort. The vehicle control unit according to the present invention includes a target engine speed calculation unit which corrects a target engine speed to be reduced relative to a predetermined target engine speed when the acceleration/deceleration possibility determination unit determines that there is a deceleration possibility during acceleration to a target vehicle speed in automatic acceleration/deceleration control, and an engine control unit which controls an engine to have a target engine speed corrected by the target engine speed calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Tashiro, Takashi Okada
  • Patent number: 11040724
    Abstract: The vehicle driving force control apparatus executes a mistaken press-down driving force control for setting an upper limit as an initial upper limit for limiting driving force when a mistaken press-down operation of an acceleration pedal is detected. The control apparatus executes a limitation level reduction control when a predetermined vehicle movement is not detected while the mistaken press-down driving force control is executed, and the acceleration pedal is operated. The limitation level reduction control is realized by repeatedly executing a process for limiting the driving force to a first upper limit larger than the initial upper limit for a first period of time and then, limiting the driving force to a second upper limit smaller than the first upper limit for a second period of time. The first upper limit increases as the number of executing the upper limit change process increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takaya Yamashita
  • Patent number: 11040756
    Abstract: A power control method includes at least: detecting a first driving state of a vehicle; determining that the vehicle obtains an assisting power from outside of said vehicle according to the first driving state of the vehicle; determining a second driving state of the vehicle which is provided thereto due to the assisting power from outside; controlling the vehicle to generate a first compensating power for use in compensating power for the driving of the vehicle according to the second driving state; and controlling the vehicle to operate on the basis of the first compensation power. Also provided are a vehicle and a non-transitory computer storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: NINEBOT (BEIJING) TECH CO., LTD
    Inventors: Xingle Li, Ji Lin, Yi Lou
  • Patent number: 11022973
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods to communicate intent of an autonomous vehicle. In particular, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can receive, from an autonomy computing system of an autonomous vehicle, data indicating an intent of the autonomous vehicle to perform a driving maneuver. It can be determined that the intent of the autonomous vehicle should be communicated to a passenger of the autonomous vehicle. Responsive to determining that the intent of the autonomous vehicle should be communicated to the passenger of the autonomous vehicle, a graphical interface indicating the intent of the autonomous vehicle can be generated and provided for display for viewing by the passenger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Molly Castle Nix, Sean Chin
  • Patent number: 11008005
    Abstract: A vehicle travel control apparatus configured to control an actuator for driving a vehicle with a self-driving capability so that the vehicle follows a forward vehicle in front of the vehicle. The vehicle travel control apparatus includes a travel state detector configured to detect a traveling state of the forward vehicle, and an electric control unit having a microprocessor and a memory. The microprocessor is configured to perform determining whether the forward vehicle is cruising based on the traveling condition detected by the travel state detector, and controlling the actuator so that the vehicle travels in a normal mode, when it is determined that the forward vehicle is not cruising, and the vehicle follows the forward vehicle in a cruise mode with a fuel economy performance or quietness higher than in the normal mode, when the forward vehicle is cruising.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Mizuno, Takayuki Kishi, Akira Kito, Yoshiaki Konishi
  • Patent number: 10990102
    Abstract: An operating system for an automated vehicle includes a failure-detector and a controller. The failure-detector detects a component-failure on a host-vehicle. Examples of the component-failure include a flat-tire and engine trouble that reduces engine-power. The controller operates the host-vehicle based on a dynamic-model. The dynamic-model is varied based on the component-failure detected by the failure-detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Motional AD LLC
    Inventors: Junqing Wei, Ludong Sun, Zachary Thomas Batts, Jarrod M. Snider, Junsung Kim
  • Patent number: 10983515
    Abstract: A method of controlling a driving speed, which controls a working vehicle at a remote location to be driven on a route at an optical driving speed, is provided. The method includes: calculating terrain data based on a terrain scan image of the route acquired by a terrain scanner of the working vehicle; calculating the optimal driving speed according to the calculated terrain data; generating a driving control signal controlling the working vehicle to be driven on the route at the calculated optimal driving speed; calculating a vibration value of the working vehicle being driven on the route at the calculated optimal driving speed based on a sensing value acquired by a sensor of the working vehicle; adjusting the calculated optimal driving speed according to the calculated vibration value; and regenerating a driving control signal controlling the working vehicle to be driven on the route at the adjusted optimal driving speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: HANWHA DEFENSE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yun Geun Choe, Woo Yeol Kim
  • Patent number: 10974734
    Abstract: A vehicle driving assistance device includes: a control unit configured to identify a point at which a vehicle speed is likely to increase, based on vehicle information collected from a plurality of vehicles, the vehicle information including position information for each of the vehicles and situation information for each of the plurality of vehicles. The control unit is configured to decide whether there is a vehicle deceleration factor due to which the vehicle speed decreases within an area in which a vehicle travels a prescribed distance from the point identified by the control unit. The control unit is configured to alert a driver that there is the vehicle deceleration factor, when there is the vehicle deceleration factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashige Hori, Makoto Akahane, Ken Ishikawa, Masatoshi Takahara
  • Patent number: 10967879
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to implement, at a low hardware cost, a device that changes an autonomous driving control parameter whose step size is variably set. An autonomous driving control parameter changing device according to the present invention includes, a gesture operation acquisition unit that acquires information on a gesture operation for moving the operation target icon, a parameter changing unit that changes the autonomous driving control parameter in an increase or decrease direction defined in association with a movement direction in which the operation target icon is moved, and a step size setting unit that variably sets a step size based on a predetermined condition, the step size corresponding to an amount of change in the autonomous driving control parameter made by the parameter changing unit per occurrence of the gesture operation, and the change operation screen includes a display of the step size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuo Shimotani, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Tadashi Miyahara, Naohiko Obata, Tsutomu Matsubara
  • Patent number: 10967874
    Abstract: Method for controlling a vehicle, comprising: identifying an upcoming curve and determining its properties; determining current vehicle speed, vv, estimating friction, ?e, between a tire of the vehicle and the road; estimating maximum allowable vehicle speed, vmax_e, when entering the curve based on the properties, speed and friction; if the current vehicle speed is higher than the estimated maximum allowable vehicle speed, determining that a friction measurement is required; if distance, dv, between the vehicle and a curve entrance is higher than a predetermined threshold distance, dT, and if a braking action is detected, performing a friction measurement during the braking action to determine current friction, ?c; if a distance between the vehicle and the curve entrance is lower than the predetermined threshold distance, performing a friction measurement to determine a current friction; and determining a maximum allowable vehicle speed vmax_d based on the curve radius, speed and friction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Mats Jonasson, Mattias Brannstrom, Rickard Nilsson
  • Patent number: 10967883
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting vehicle noises to notify the vehicle operator of speed changes in human-in-the-loop cruise control and semi-autonomous vehicle operation. In one example, a method for drive unit of a vehicle may include responsive to a vehicle speed meeting a predefined condition relative to a threshold vehicle speed, adjusting one or more drive unit actuators to modulate engine noise while maintaining desired wheel torque within a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth Miller, Thomas Leone, Aed Dudar
  • Patent number: 10960759
    Abstract: An apparatus for automatically setting a speed of a vehicle may include a path guide device configured to obtain information related to a location of the vehicle, a type of a road corresponding to the location, and a speed limit of the road corresponding to the location and a controller configured to be electronically connected to the path guide device, wherein the controller is configured to activate an automatic setting mode for setting a setting speed for autonomous driving of the vehicle to a speed limit of a road corresponding to a current location of the vehicle, when the vehicle enters another type of road from the specified type of road in a state where the automatic setting mode is activated, release the automatic setting mode, and activate the automatic setting mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Chan Il Park, Beom Jun Kim, Kyoung Jun Lee, Doo Jin Um, Dong Gu Lee, Dong Eon Oh, Hyun Jae Yoo, Min Chul Kang, Dae Young Kim, Young Min Han, Seung Geon Moon, Sung Woo Choi, Sung Yoon Yeo, Jee Young Kim, Hoi Won Kim
  • Patent number: 10944286
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a converter of an eco-friendly vehicle includes: a high-voltage battery; a low-voltage conversion converter configured to convert power supplied from the high-voltage battery into a low voltage to provide power to at least one of an auxiliary battery of the vehicle and an electric load thereof; a renewable energy generator configured to generate power using renewable energy including solar light; a renewable energy conversion converter configured to convert the power supplied from the renewable energy generator to provide power to the at least one of the auxiliary battery and the electric load; and a controller configured to control an output voltage value of the low-voltage conversion converter and an output current of the renewable energy conversion converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Hyun Wook Seong, Dong Gyun Woo, Gi Bong Son, Hui Sung Jang
  • Patent number: 10930145
    Abstract: A traffic system for predicting a traffic signal switching timing comprises a camera sensor including a) a camera for capturing images of traffic signal lights along a traffic lane, b) a CPU for running computer programs for analyzing the images of the traffic signal lights and the moving objects, wherein the traffic signal switching timing includes a yellow, red and green lighting time of each the traffic signal lights, c) a sound sensor for obtaining sound signals originated from the moving objects, and d) a communication interface for sending and receiving data associated with the traffic signal switching timing to/from other camera sensors; and a server for providing traffic information including the traffic signal switching timing to drivers of the moving objects, the sever being arranged to receive and sends the data to/from the camera sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Avanti R&D, Inc.
    Inventor: Go Yuasa
  • Patent number: 10921460
    Abstract: Disclosed is a position estimating method and apparatus that estimates a position based on main sensing data and secondarily determines the position based on the main sensing data and auxiliary sensing data when the auxiliary sensing data is found to be reliable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chul Woo Kang, Kyungboo Jung, Hwiryong Jung
  • Patent number: 10901422
    Abstract: A system that performs a method is disclosed. The system receives information about a map, which includes information about one or more zones in the map. While navigating a vehicle along a driving path within the map, the system receives information about the location of the vehicle in the map. The system estimates an error bounds of the location of the vehicle, and determines in which of the one or more zones in the map the error bounds is located within. In response to the determination: in accordance with a determination that the error bounds is located within a first zone in the map, the system causes the vehicle to perform a driving operation. In accordance with a determination that the error bounds is located within a second zone of the one or more zones in the map, the system causes the vehicle to perform a different driving operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: FARADAY & FUTURE INC.
    Inventors: Hong S. Bae, Aziz Umit Batur, Evan Roger Fischer, Oliver Max Jeromin
  • Patent number: 10880679
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to receive vehicle speed and heading. The processor is also configured to determine a local data set having coordinates reachable by a vehicle traveling at a projected speed based on the received speed and heading within a predetermined amount of time. The processor is further configured to define a geo-fence at a distance from a local data set perimeter such that a vehicle reaching the geo-fence at the received speed will have time to download new local data before reaching the local data set perimeter and send the geo-fence definition and coordinate data within the local data set to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Treman, Jacob Gaiski, Matthew Charles Cross, Karen S. Maceachern
  • Patent number: 10864913
    Abstract: A driving support ECU retains an already-present traveling trajectory of a first vehicle to determine a target traveling line based on the retained already-present traveling trajectory during a specific period. When a specific situation occurs in the specific period, the driving support ECU produces a traveling trajectory of the first vehicle in such a manner that the traveling trajectory of the first vehicle is continuous with the already-present traveling trajectory based on position information of the first vehicle and the retained traveling trajectory to determine the target traveling line based on the produced traveling trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirohito Ide
  • Patent number: 10858002
    Abstract: A speed control system for controlling a speed of a vehicle to a predetermined target speed is provided, wherein in order to achieve and maintain the target speed, a control unit transmits corresponding control signals to a drive unit or a brake unit, and wherein the control unit is configured, during active speed control, to detect the end of a manually triggered temporary acceleration request, to detect the actual speed at the end of a manually triggered temporary acceleration request and to generate a signal to initiate a coasting mode if, after the ending of the manually triggered temporary acceleration request, the actual speed is greater than the predetermined target speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Stefan Knoller
  • Patent number: 10859006
    Abstract: Provided is a throttle grip device that can stably generate an operation feeling and achieves downsizing itself. A throttle grip device includes a throttle grip attached to a handlebar, an accelerator position sensor, and a return spring. The accelerator position sensor and the return spring are accommodated inside the handlebar so as to be arranged tandemly along a straight line. The accelerator position sensor includes a cylindrical inner rotor in which a plurality of magnetic poles is magnetized along a circumferential direction, a magnetic material-made outer case configured to accommodate the inner rotor, and a sensor IC disposed facing a sensor side end of the inner rotor and offset from a central axis of the inner rotor. The inner rotor rotates in conjunction with the throttle grip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: TOYO DENSO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shoji Kishi, Toshiya Yoshida, Takayuki Otani
  • Patent number: 10845801
    Abstract: A vehicle travel control apparatus including a drive mode instruction switch instructing a manual drive mode or a self-drive mode and a processor configured to perform determining whether a deviation between a vehicle speed detected by a vehicle speed detector and a target vehicle speed included in an action plan is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and controlling an actuator in the self-drive mode in accordance with the action plan. The microprocessor is further configured to perform switching to the self-drive mode when switching to the self-drive mode is instructed during an acceleration running in the manual drive mode, and controlling the actuator so as to maintain an acceleration in the manual drive mode at least until it is determined that the deviation is equal to or less than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Konishi, Takayuki Kishi, Akira Kito, Toshiyuki Mizuno
  • Patent number: 10836364
    Abstract: A prediction unit predicts a limit time at which a limit request value corresponding to a minimum acceleration or torque is reached when a vehicle is decelerated with only a first deceleration control by a drive device based on change over time of a request value indicating a degree of longitudinal direction vehicle acceleration. A mode determination unit selects one of: a first mode in which only the first control is executed, and before the limit time is reached, in addition to the first control, a second deceleration control is started by a braking device; or a second mode in which only the first control is executed, and before the limit time is reached, in addition to the first control, a braking preparation control is started. A calculation unit calculates an operation amount of the drive and braking devices based on the request value in accordance with the determined mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masayuki Asano, Hiroyuki Ando, Yukio Mori
  • Patent number: 10829115
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes an engine mounted on a traveling body including traveling wheels; a hydraulic stepless transmission that shifts a speed of the driving force from the engine; a gear shift pedal that performs an acceleration/deceleration operation of a shifted output from the hydraulic stepless transmission; and a control section that controls the engine and the hydraulic stepless transmission based on the operation amount of the gear shift pedal. When an operation on a set switch is received in a state where the gear shift pedal is pressed by a foot operation in an auto-cruise standby mode, the control section stores the vehicle speed and the number of engine revolutions in accordance with the foot operation position of the gear shift pedal and shifts to an auto-cruise mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: YANMAR POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kouhei Ogura, Toshiyuki Miwa, Kenta Ikenori
  • Patent number: 10832438
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a first laser module configured to emit a first light beam and project a first dot onto a preceding vehicle, a second laser module configured to emit a second light beam and project a second dot onto the preceding vehicle, a camera configured to generate a digital image of the first and second dots projected onto the preceding vehicle, and a controller configured to determine, from the digital image, a width between the first and second dots, and subsequently determine a following distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle based on linear interpolation using the determined width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Inventor: Murat Gozu
  • Patent number: 10803746
    Abstract: A system and method for providing an infrastructure based safety alert associated with at least one roadway that include identifying road users located within a surrounding environment of the at least one roadway. The system and method also include determining road user related data and roadway related data. The system and method additionally include processing roadway behavioral data associated with a non-equipped vehicle. The system and method further include providing a roadway safety alert based on the roadway behavioral data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xue Bai, Ehsan Moradi-Pari
  • Patent number: 10800420
    Abstract: A method of controlling launch of a vehicle may include checking a start condition of the vehicle by a controller, determining whether only predetermined launch creep control torque is set as additional torque or whether the launch creep control torque and predetermined launch pre control torque are set together as the additional torque according to whether an accelerator pedal is manipulated when the start condition is satisfied, by the controller, setting the additional torque by adding launch slip control torque determined in consideration of a wheel speed difference between opposite driving wheels to the additional torque upon determining that the wheel speed difference is greater than a predetermined reference wheel speed, by the controller, and controlling an electric limited slip differential (eLSD) using the set additional torque, by the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Sang Suk Yang, Hyun Jin Yu, Jin Young Kim, Min Chan Jung
  • Patent number: 10759438
    Abstract: A method for controlling vehicle systems includes receiving monitoring information from one or more monitoring systems and determining a plurality of driver states based on the monitoring information from the one or more monitoring systems. The method includes determining a combined driver state based on the plurality of driver states and modifying control of one or more vehicle systems based on the combined driver state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick
  • Patent number: 10759278
    Abstract: A vehicle computer system controls downhill speed of a vehicle having a cruise control and an engine retarder. The system receives a request to increase engine retarder demand. In response, the system increases an engine retarder demand setting and, if cruise control is active, decreases a downhill speed control (DSC) cruise control offset. The engine retarder system may automatically activate to reduce the vehicle speed to a cruise control set speed plus the DSC cruise control offset. In an embodiment, the request to increase engine retarder demand is generated in response to operator input via an engine retarder demand input device (e.g., a steering-column-mounted control stalk). The system may also receive a request to decrease engine retarder demand in the engine retarder of the vehicle. In response, the system decreases the engine retarder demand setting and, if cruise control is active, increases the DSC cruise control offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: PACCAR INC
    Inventors: Jason Speer, Joseph Wray Virden
  • Patent number: 10759473
    Abstract: A neutral point detection device is applied to a steering control system that obtains a steering angle of a steering device of a vehicle as a detection value by a steering angle sensor, and controls the steering device by means of the detection value. The neutral point detection device includes a straight determination unit that determines whether a road on which the vehicle is traveling is straight, a straight traveling determination unit that determines whether the vehicle is travelling straight along the road, a steering angle acquisition unit that obtains the detection value of the steering angle sensor, and a detection unit that detects the neutral point of the steering angle sensor based on the detection value obtained by the steering angle acquisition unit, when the straight determination unit determines that the road is straight and the straight traveling determination unit determines that the vehicle is traveling straight along the road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takumi Uematsu
  • Patent number: 10745012
    Abstract: A method for controlling a motor vehicle take-off from rest including the steps of transitioning the vehicle from a brake holding mode to an engine driving mode and then accelerating the vehicle in a forward direction until a set vehicle target speed has been reached. The method including maintaining the vehicle at the set target speed until a driver of the vehicle intervenes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Inventor: Graham Bergin
  • Patent number: 10737698
    Abstract: Technologies for assisting vehicles with changing road conditions includes vehicle assistance data based on crowd-sourced road data received from a plurality of vehicles and/or infrastructure sensors. The crowd-sourced road data may be associated with a particular section of roadway and may be used to various characteristics of the roadway such as grade, surface, hazardous conditions, and so forth. The vehicle assistance data may be provided to an in-vehicle computing device to assist or facilitate traversal of the roadway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Igor Tatourian, Rita H. Wouhaybi, Hong Li
  • Patent number: 10661802
    Abstract: A vehicle may include an engine; a transmission; an accelerator pedal position sensor; a steering wheel; a steering angle sensor; and a processor configured to control the engine according to a position of an accelerator pedal detected by the accelerator pedal position sensor and to shift the transmission to a neutral state when a position of the accelerator pedal coincides with a reference position while the transmission is in a driving state, wherein the processor shifts the transmission to a driving state when a steering angle of the steering wheel detected by the steering angle sensor is equal to or greater than a reference angle while the transmission is in a neutral state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Company
    Inventors: Jae Chang Kook, Kwang Hee Park, Byeong Wook Jeon, Sang Jun Park
  • Patent number: 10654478
    Abstract: A cruise control apparatus according to the present invention comprises a curve shape detection unit that detects the shape of a curve, an estimation trajectory calculation means that, on the basis of vehicle speed, calculates an estimated trajectory that satisfies a relationship in which a G-G diagram, which is a relationship between lateral acceleration and longitudinal acceleration, draws an arc, and a steering start point determination unit that determines a steering start point in front of a curve so that the estimated trajectory falls within the curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Seiichi Satoh, Toshiyuki Innami, Junya Takahashi, Yuki Akiyama
  • Patent number: 10654481
    Abstract: A driving support ECU performs an inter-vehicle-distance control and a following-travel steering control. When an inter-vehicle-distance target vehicle and a following-travel steering target vehicle are the same specific other vehicle as each other, and there is a potential cutting-in vehicle between an own vehicle and the specific other vehicle, the driving support ECU newly specifies the potential cutting-in vehicle as the inter-vehicle-distance target vehicle at a first time point in a cutting-in period and newly specifies the potential cutting-in vehicle as the following-travel steering target vehicle at a second time point in the cutting-in period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirohito Ide
  • Patent number: 10642275
    Abstract: Techniques are discussed for controlling a vehicle, such as an autonomous vehicle, based on occluded areas in an environment. An occluded area can represent areas where sensors of the vehicle are unable to sense portions of the environment due to obstruction by another object. An occlusion grid representing the occluded area can be stored as map data or can be dynamically generated. An occlusion grid can include occlusion fields, which represent discrete two- or three-dimensional areas of driveable environment. An occlusion field can indicate an occlusion state and an occupancy state, determined using LIDAR data and/or image data captured by the vehicle. An occupancy state of an occlusion field can be determined by ray casting LIDAR data or by projecting an occlusion field into segmented image data. The vehicle can be controlled to traverse the environment when a sufficient portion of the occlusion grid is visible and unoccupied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: William Anthony Silva, Dragomir Dimitrov Anguelov, Benjamin Isaac Zwiebel, Juhana Kangaspunta
  • Patent number: 10640111
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to identifying and adjusting speed plans for controlling a vehicle in an autonomous driving mode. In one example, an initial speed plan for controlling speed of the vehicle for a first predetermined period of time corresponding to an amount of time along a route of the vehicle is identified. Data identifying an object and characteristics of that object is received from a perception system of the vehicle. A trajectory for the object that will intersect with the route at an intersection point at particular point in time is predicted using the data. A set of constraints is generated based on at least the trajectory. The speed plan is adjusted in order to satisfy the set of constraints for a second predetermined period of time corresponding to the amount of time. The vehicle is maneuvered in the autonomous driving mode according to the adjusted speed plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Jens-Steffen Ralf Gutmann, Vadim Furman, Tobias Kunz
  • Patent number: 10618524
    Abstract: A method for determining a reference driving class of a driver from among a set of predetermined driving classes, each predetermined driving class being characterized by a speed profile, comprises the following steps: The speed of a driver over a given journey is determined, the observed speed is compared with the speed profiles of each of the predetermined driving classes so as to obtain a deviation between the driver and each of the driving classes, a detected driving class is determined as being that which minimizes this deviation, and the reference driving class is determined as a function of this detected driving class.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Benoït Gandar, Marc Duvernier, Clément Petit, Christian Strahm
  • Patent number: 10620305
    Abstract: A radar comprises at least one array antenna composed of transmit sub-arrays and of receive sub-arrays, a transmit and receive system and processing means: the distribution of the transmit sub-arrays and receive sub-arrays is symmetric both with respect to a vertical axis and a horizontal axis; at least two transmit sub-arrays symmetric with respect to the vertical axis are the largest possible distance apart; at least two transmit sub-arrays symmetric with respect to the horizontal axis are the largest possible distance apart; at least two receive sub-arrays symmetric with respect to the vertical axis are the largest possible distance apart; at least two receive sub-arrays symmetric with respect to the horizontal axis are the largest possible distance apart; a first coding of the wave transmitted by the transmit sub-arrays carried out by frequency shifting of the ramps between the various transmit sub-arrays; a second coding of the wave transmitted by the transmit sub-arrays carried out by phase modulation f
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: Pascal Cornic, Stéphane Kemkemian, Yves Audic
  • Patent number: 10609654
    Abstract: In vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) or vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, the vehicle may wirelessly transmit a signal. However, transmission of a signal using a fixed transmit power may not be desirable. The transmit power should be adjusted based on various factors such as a vehicle speed and a priority level of the vehicle. The apparatus may be a device capable of wireless communication, and may be in a vehicle. The device determines one or more parameters associated with a vehicle including the device, the parameter including at least one of a speed of the vehicle or a priority level of the vehicle. The device sets a transmit power of the device based on the one or more parameters. The device transmits a message via wireless communication using the set transmit power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: James Alan Misener, Jason Ellis
  • Patent number: 10604152
    Abstract: A speed control system for a vehicle. The speed control system has a torque control for automatically causing application of positive and negative torque to one or more wheels of a vehicle to cause a vehicle to travel in accordance with a target speed value. The system receives information indicative of a gradient of a driving surface over which the vehicle is driving, with the torque control being configured to control the rate of change of the amount of torque applied to the one or more wheels, in order to attempt to maintain the vehicle traveling in accordance with the target speed value, in dependence at least in part on the gradient of the driving surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Robert Burford, James Kelly
  • Patent number: 10599140
    Abstract: At least one transceiver is configured to wirelessly receive data from a source node that is external to a vehicle, the data including a unique identifier (ID) of the source node and at least one of: a first location of the source node; a first heading of the source node; a first speed of the source node; and a first object type of the source node. At least one of a camera and a sensor is configured to identify objects located around the vehicle. An anomaly module is configured to selectively indicate that an anomaly is present in the data. A distributed ledger includes a list of unique IDs associated with not-trusted source nodes. A ledger management module is configured to, in response to an indication that an anomaly is present in the data received from the source node, add the unique ID of the source node to the list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: General Motors LLC
    Inventors: Paul A. Avery, David H. Clifford
  • Patent number: 10583821
    Abstract: A system and method for warning a vehicle of brake deterioration including (i) detecting conditions that impact brake performance of a primary vehicle through a plurality of sensors; (ii) receiving information from the plurality of sensors; (iii) determining data for a brake event; (iv) storing the brake event data in a bin; (v) determining an average of the brake data for the bin; (vi) determining whether a rate at which the average of the brake data for the bin is increasing over time is greater than a first predetermined threshold; (vii) flagging the bin when the average of the brake data for the bin is increasing over time greater than a first predetermined threshold; (viii) determining whether a number of flagged bins is greater than a second predetermined threshold; and (ix) generating an alert to a driver when the number of flagged bins is greater than the second predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Graves
  • Patent number: 10583835
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle includes automatically adapting vehicle acceleration responsive to a cruise control setpoint acceleration associated with a detected speed limit, and a drive setpoint acceleration based on the cruise control setpoint acceleration, wherein a cruise controller determines a distance control setpoint acceleration based on a detected vehicle distance from a vehicle traveling ahead, and wherein the drive setpoint acceleration is limited by the distance control setpoint acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andreas Ediger, Benjamin Baecker, Stephanie Rosenberg, Benjamin Carl Mukkala, II, Aaron L. Mills, Manuel Strauch
  • Patent number: 10569766
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a vehicle control device reducing a driving force generated by an engine of a vehicle to prevent the vehicle from colliding with a forward obstacle. The vehicle control device includes an ECU configured to control the driving force, an ultrasonic sensor configured to detect the forward obstacle in front of the vehicle, and a monocular camera configured to take an image of an area in front of the vehicle. The ECU determines the presence or absence of the forward obstacle in front of the vehicle based on the image taken with the monocular camera while the vehicle is travelling, and changes an upper limit of the driving force in accordance with a combination of whether or not the ultrasonic sensor has detected an object and the presence or absence of the forward obstacle determined based on the image taken with the monocular camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuhiro Yamashita, Takashi Goto, Kiyonobu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10566956
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided comprising a first integrated circuit. The first integrated circuit comprises a first element comprising one of a transmit or receive element, an oscillator for providing a first local oscillator signal, a local oscillator output configured to output the first local oscillator signal when activated, a local oscillator input configured to receive a master local oscillator signal when activated; and first switching circuitry for selectively coupling the first element to one of the oscillator and the local oscillator input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Ralf Reuter
  • Patent number: 10551198
    Abstract: An apparatus of providing guidance information provides guidance information about the result of recognizing a crosswalk around a vehicle as information for inducing safe driving. The guidance information about a crosswalk is differently provided in accordance with a surrounding situation concerned with forward traveling of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Thinkware Corporation
    Inventor: Han Woo Lee