Patents Assigned to Engineering
  • Patent number: 11042765
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a safety system for playing vehicle monitored content in a vehicle while minimizing driver distraction is provided. When the driver selects a camera, such as a rear view camera, vehicle monitored content stream from the camera is displayed on a display in the vehicle. While the driver drives the vehicle, the eye-gaze of the driver is monitored. When the eye-gaze of the driver shows that the driver is looking at the display, a timer is started. The timer runs when the driver looks at the display. When the eye-gaze of the driver shows that the driver has looked at the road continuously for more than a threshold amount of time, the time associated with the vehicle monitored content is reset back to its initial value. If the timer runs out, indicating that the driver has been watching the vehicle monitored content too much without also looking at the road, the vehicle monitored content is stopped and the driver is prevented from watching the vehicle monitored content for some period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Coh L. Yoshizaki, John-Michael McNew
  • Patent number: 11041957
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to improving observations of a surrounding environment using a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) device in the presence of highly reflective surfaces. In one embodiment, a method includes, in response to determining that a first point cloud includes an observation of an obscuring object that is highly reflective: i) emitting a scanning light beam at a scanning intensity that is different from an initial intensity of an initial light beam used to acquire the first point cloud, and ii) dynamically controlling the LiDAR device to acquire a second point cloud that omits the obscuring object. The method includes generating a composite point cloud from the first point cloud and the second point cloud that improves an observation of the surrounding environment using the LiDAR device by mitigating interference from the obscuring object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Yasuo Uehara
  • Patent number: 11043199
    Abstract: A sparse acoustic absorber includes a periodic array of spaced apart unit cells, generally having a lateral fill factor less than 0.5. Each unit cell includes a pair of joined, and inverted, Helmholtz resonators, having neck portions that point in opposite directions. This structure enables ambient fluid, such as air, to pass through the absorber. The absorber predominantly absorbs acoustic waves having a resonant frequency when such waves are incident on the absorber in one direction, and predominantly reflect such waves when they are incident on the absorber in the opposite direction. Dual-function sound suppression systems incorporate such an absorber into a porous substrate, such as a wire mesh, that enables fluid to pass and alternatively absorbs or reflects sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Taehwa Lee, Hideo Iizuka
  • Patent number: 11043803
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to generating reference signals for distance and directional elements in power systems. For example, an intelligent electronic device (IED) may receive A-phase, B-phase, and C-phase electrical measurements of a power system. The IED may transform the A-phase, B-phase, and C-phase measurements to a d-component, a q-component, and a 0-component. The IED may include an adaptive notch filter that reduces or eliminates a double frequency component that may be present when step changes of frequency and/or amplitude occur and/or when the A-phase, B-phase, and C-phase measurements have different amplitudes. By reducing the double frequency component, the IED may generate a more accurate ? which may allow for more accurately tracking changes to the polarizing source. Further, the IED may separately add inertia to the estimated angular frequency used in generating a reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Bartosz Jan Brusilowicz
  • Patent number: 11041955
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to an antenna formed by a silicon photonic two-dimensional grating. In one embodiment, a phased-array light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device includes a phase shifting array that separately shifts a phase of a source light wave to produce separate light waves with distinct phases. The LIDAR device includes optical inputs operably connected with the phase shifting array to receive the separate light waves. The LIDAR device includes a photonic grating operably connected with the optical inputs to receive the separate light waves and having a body that is disposed within a substrate with a face of the body exposed within the substrate. The photonic grating including grating structures exposed within the face. The grating structures redirect the separate light waves to emit the light waves from the photonic grating to form the beam of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Donald Schmalenberg, Tsuyoshi Nomura, Jae Seung Lee
  • Publication number: 20210179407
    Abstract: A mobile assembly support unit that includes an assembly line sync mechanism having a line engagement unit coupled to a rotatable sync arm, a propulsion unit having a propulsion wheel and a propulsion motor, a translation arm coupled to the propulsion unit and engageable with the rotatable sync arm, and an air cylinder coupled to the propulsion unit. The air cylinder is actuatable between a retracted position and an extended position such that when the air cylinder is in the retracted position, the translation arm is engaged with the rotatable sync arm and the propulsion unit is in a lifted position and when the air cylinder is in the extended position, the translation arm is disengaged with the rotatable sync arm and the propulsion unit is in a descended position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Britton, James C. Greenlee, II
  • Publication number: 20210183787
    Abstract: A semiconductor device package includes an electronic component, an infrared blocking layer, an upper protection layer and a side protection layer. The infrared blocking layer includes a first portion disposed over the electronic component. The infrared blocking layer includes a second portion surrounding the electronic component. The first portion is integral with the second portion. The upper protection layer is disposed on the first portion of the infrared blocking layer. The side protection layer is disposed on the second portion of the infrared blocking layer. The upper protection layer and the side protection layer are formed of different materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: You-Lung YEN, Bernd Karl APPELT
  • Publication number: 20210183839
    Abstract: An optical module includes a carrier, a light emitter disposed on the carrier, a light detector disposed on the carrier, and a housing disposed on the carrier. The housing defines a first opening that exposes the light emitter and a second opening that exposes the light detector. The optical module further includes a first light transmission element disposed on the first opening and a second light transmission element disposed on the second opening. A first opaque layer is disposed on the first light transmission element, the first opaque layer defining a first aperture, and a second opaque layer disposed on the second light transmission element, the second opaque layer defining a second aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsin-Ying HO, Ying-Chung CHEN, Lu-Ming LAI
  • Publication number: 20210179402
    Abstract: A portable lifting jack has a drivable mechanism operating a jack shaft formed of telescoping lifting screws. A microprocessor controls power to selectively turn electric motor to drive the operating mechanism. An in-line current draw sensor senses electric load of the motor and communicates this to the microprocessor. One detected electrical load is an electric load spike indicative that the jack shaft has contacted a mechanical load. A potentiometer connected to the operating mechanism senses extended position of the telescoping lifting screws and communicates this position to the microprocessor, which is programmed to derive when snug contact is achieved with an encountered mechanical load and to pause operation of the electric motor. In a synchronized array of jacks, all are paused to await further operator input, which may be coordinated through a remote control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Gilbert Engineering, LLC
    Inventors: Micky G. Gilbert, Garrett Hoffman, Jonathan Carlisle
  • Publication number: 20210180977
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for vehicle guidance. In an embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a method of vehicle guidance including determining a current lane-level position of a vehicle, comparing the determined current lane-level position of the vehicle to an anticipated lane-level position of the vehicle, the anticipated lane-level position of the vehicle corresponding to a lane-level position of the vehicle within a predetermined route of the vehicle, receiving, based upon the comparison, an input regarding an intended route of the vehicle, and generating, via processing circuitry, guidance information based on the received input regarding the intended route of the vehicle, wherein the receiving the input regarding the intended route of the vehicle includes determining alternate routes between a current position of the vehicle and a destination of the vehicle based on the determined current lane-level position of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
    Inventors: Ryan M. WIESENBERG, Matthew R. KIEFER
  • Publication number: 20210183026
    Abstract: Methods and systems may provide for technology to identify one or more light sources. The technology generates a light reflection profile associated with the one or more light sources. The light reflection profile is to predict one or more of reflection characteristics of light emitted from the one or more light sources or identify at least one characteristic of the one or more light sources. The technology further one or more of adjusts a first image based on the light reflection profile or identify one or more characteristics of a first object in the first image based on the light reflection profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: David B. Auner
  • Publication number: 20210184607
    Abstract: A generator system includes a generator including terminals, a generator circuit breaker coupled to the terminals and that couples and decouples the generator from a power grid, multiple sensors, and a controller that operates the generator system. The controller determines whether an active power is less than a reverse active power threshold and whether one or more turbine valves are closed, and determines that a breaker failure has occurred based on the active power being less than the reverse active power threshold and the one or more turbine valves being closed. If the active power remains less than the reverse active power and the turbine valves remain closed after a threshold time period after the trip command, and if a reactive power is less than a reverse reactive power threshold, then a breaker failure has occurred. In response, the controller may transmit another trip command to the generator circuit breaker to initiate the breaker failure protection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Matchyaraju Alla
  • Publication number: 20210182739
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods execute an iterative training process that executes an iterative training process to train an Ensemble Learning Model based on a plurality of observations associated with electronic devices so that the Ensemble Learning Model predicts conditions of the electronic devices. The electronic devices are associated with a vehicle. The iterative training process includes iteratively training the Ensemble Learning Model based on different groups of the plurality of observations during different iterations, wherein the different groups of the plurality of observations are associated with different subsets of the electronic devices, and generating an Out-of-Bag score based on whether the Ensemble Learning Model correctly predicts conditions of the electronic devices based on observations of the plurality of observations that were previously unutilized to train the Ensemble Learning Model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Muhamed Farooq
  • Publication number: 20210183723
    Abstract: A semiconductor heat dissipation structure includes a first semiconductor device including a first active surface and a first back surface opposite to the first active surface, a second semiconductor device including a second active surface and a second back surface opposite to the second active surface, a first heat conductive layer embedded in the first back surface of the first semiconductor device, a second heat conductive layer embedded in the second back surface of the second semiconductor device, and a third heat conductive layer disposed adjoining the first heat conductive layer and extending to the first active surface of the first semiconductor device. The first back surface of the first semiconductor device and the second back surface of the second semiconductor device are in contact with each other. At least a portion of the first heat conductive layer are in contact with the second heat conductive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Ya Fang CHAN, Yuan-Feng CHIANG, Po-Wei LU
  • Publication number: 20210180547
    Abstract: An air filter and methods are provided for optimizing filtration of an airstream passing through a volume within an air cleaner cover of an internal combustion engine. The air filter comprises a base plate that includes an inlet receiver for passing the airstream into an air inlet of the engine. A top plate comprises a receiver for fastening the air cleaner cover onto the air filter. Countersinks in the top plate and sleeves extending through the air filter facilitate fastening the air filter onto the air inlet of the engine. The air filter has a tapering height along a length of the air filter to maximize the total surface area of a filter medium within the volume between the air cleaner cover and the engine, and to take advantage of a relatively greater airflow due to a ram air opening in the air cleaner cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: K&N Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Williams, Jere James Wall, Jonathan Richard Fiello
  • Publication number: 20210181739
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a request from a vehicle to perform a computing task, selecting a machine learning model from among a plurality of machine learning models based at least in part on the request, and predicting an amount of computing resources needed to perform the computing task using the selected machine learning model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Dawei Chen, Yin-Chen Liu, BaekGyu Kim
  • Publication number: 20210184227
    Abstract: An electrode catalyst for an oxygen reduction reaction including intermetallic L10-NiPtAg alloy nanoparticles having enhanced ORR activity and durability. The catalyst including intermetallic L10-NiPtAg alloy nanoparticles is synthesized by employing silver (Ag) as a dopant and annealing under specific conditions to form the intermetallic structure. In one example, the intermetallic L10-NiPtAg alloy nanoparticles are represented by the formula: NixPtyAgz wherein 0.4?x?0.6, 0.4?y?0.6, z?0.1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kecheng Wei, Tomoyuki Nagai, Li Qin Zhou, Hongfei Jia
  • Patent number: 11033306
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of an articulating tool having a head that articulates and is capable of maintaining an angle for drilling or placing a fastener into a bone. The articulating tool includes a housing, an articulating head, a rotatable drive shaft, and a driver tip connected to the distal shaft portion. The articulating tool may be constructed and arranged to move between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position and the second position the articulating head and the rotatable drive shaft are at different angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Charles River Engineering Solutions and Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph E. Petrzelka, Manas C. Menon, Suresh K. Agarwal, Dimitris Chatzigeorgiou, Michelle E. Lustrino, Clara J. Stefanov-Wagner
  • Patent number: 11038384
    Abstract: The present application relates to autonomous and/or real-time monitoring of power transmission devices using an unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle may have a modular payload that controls the unmanned vehicle's positioning and orientation. The modular payload may include processing circuitry that controls data acquisition and perform processing of the collected data. Processing of the collected data may include determinations of the type of power transmission device being monitored and/or determinations of the operational status of the power transmission device being monitored. Communication between the autonomous vehicle and/or payload and the power transmission device may be established using radiofrequency data links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Johnny G Sim
  • Patent number: 11036438
    Abstract: An embodiment may involve a network interface module; volatile memory configured to temporarily store data packets received from the network interface module; high-speed non-volatile memory; an interface connecting to low-speed non-volatile memory; a first set of processors configured to perform a first set of operations that involve: (i) reading the data packets from the volatile memory, (ii) arranging the data packets into chunks, each chunk containing a respective plurality of the data packets, and (iii) writing the chunks to the high-speed non-volatile memory; and a second set of processors configured to perform a second set of operations in parallel to the first set of operations, where the second set of operations involve: (i) reading the chunks from the high-speed non-volatile memory, (ii) compressing the chunks, (iii) arranging the chunks into blocks, each block containing a respective plurality of the chunks, and (iv) writing the blocks to the low-speed non-volatile memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: FMAD Engineering Kabushiki Gaisha
    Inventor: Aaron Foo