Patents Examined by Alan D Hutchinson
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Patent number: 10288438Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for route planning. The system is arranged to be mounted on a moving object. The system comprises a route planning module arranged to plan a route of the object upon request, wherein occasions of being visible from any point in the map within a shooting range during a predetermined time period is minimized. The system is characterized in that the route planning module is arranged to determine areas in the 3D map in which the object will be exposed to a potential threat during a predetermined time period based on line of sight calculations, and determining a re-planned route avoiding said potential threat areas.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2016Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Assignee: SAAB ABInventors: Ingmar Andersson, Magnus Brege
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Patent number: 10286834Abstract: A vehicle exterior environment recognition apparatus includes a computer and an illumination mechanism. The computer serves as a preceding vehicle extractor that extracts a tail lamp of a preceding vehicle, a preceding vehicle recognizer that recognizes the preceding vehicle on a basis of the extracted tail lamp, and a light-distribution controller that determines a light distribution of a headlamp. The illumination mechanism switches between a low beam and a high beam on a basis of instruction issued by the light-distribution controller. The preceding vehicle extractor acquires instruction information related to the instruction on the determination issued by the light-distribution controller and result information related to a result of beam application performed by the illumination mechanism, and extracts, by a threshold corresponding to the low beam, the tail lamp for a region in which either one of the instruction information and the result information indicates application of the low beam.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2016Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Assignee: Subaru CorporationInventor: Genya Ogawa
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Patent number: 10279798Abstract: When a brake is turned on during travel of a hybrid vehicle, a required braking force required for a drive shaft is set based on a brake depression amount, a base rotation speed of an engine is set based on the required braking force, a shift stage is set based on the base rotation speed and a vehicle speed, a target rotation speed of the engine is set based on the shift stage and the vehicle speed, and the engine, the first motor, and the second motor are controlled such that the engine operates at the target rotation speed and the required braking force acts on the drive shaft.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2017Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shunya Kato, Ikuo Ando
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Patent number: 10279908Abstract: A tagging drone (TD) responds to a received query of availability initiated from a command and control drone (CCD) or command and control station (CCS), over a network, for investigating or tagging a designated target. The TD receives one or more dispatching instructions and heads to the designated target. The TD performs tagging of the designated target and determines whether the designated target was successfully tagged as a tagged target. The tagged target is tracked and tracking data is provided for recovery resource capture of the tagged target.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2016Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Inventor: Patrick Enos
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Patent number: 10272900Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a hybrid working vehicle that enables enhancing efficiency of an engine.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2015Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: KCM CorporationInventors: Satoru Kaneko, Takashi Ikimi, Noritaka Itou, Yuuichi Kunitomo
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Patent number: 10274957Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are described for moving a patient to and from various locations, care units, etc., within a care facility. For example, a transport and support vehicle includes a body structure including a plurality of rotatable members operable to frictionally interface the vehicle to a travel path and to move the vehicle along the travel path, and a surface structured and dimensioned to support an individual subject. A transport and support vehicle can include, for example, an imager operably coupled to one or more of a power source, a steering assembly, one or more of the plurality of rotatable members, etc., and having one or more modules operable to control the power source, steering assembly, one or more of the plurality of rotatable members, etc., so as to maintain an authorized operator in the image zone.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2015Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: Elwha LLCInventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Stephen L. Malaska
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Patent number: 10274962Abstract: A vehicle traveling control apparatus that performs an automatic driving control based on traveling environment information and traveling information includes a steering holding state detector, a target parameter setting unit, a target parameter correcting unit, and an acceleration and deceleration controller. The steering holding state detector detects a steering wheel holding state of a driver. The target parameter setting unit recognizes a curve ahead of the own vehicle based on the traveling environment information. The target parameter setting unit sets a target parameter that is based on one or both of a target vehicle speed and an allowable lateral acceleration rate of the own vehicle in passing through the curve. The target parameter correcting unit corrects the target parameter depending on the steering wheel holding state. The acceleration and deceleration controller sets a target acceleration rate of the own vehicle based on the target parameter, and controls acceleration and deceleration.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2017Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATIONInventor: Yasuhiro Sekijima
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Patent number: 10266017Abstract: A rotary joint for use with a central tire inflation system and a network of sensorized components for a driveline is provided. The rotary joint comprises a sealing gasket wear detection system and a rotary encoder disposed within a joint cavity. The network of sensorized components comprises a sensorized wheel hub, a transmission speed sensor, and a controller in communication with the sensorized wheel hub and the transmission speed sensor through a communication bus. A method of utilizing a network of sensorized components to analyze a driveline and a method for monitoring a wear of a sealing gasket of a rotary joint is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2016Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: Dana Italia S.R.L.Inventors: Giulio Ornella, Alessandro Massei, Carlos Maximiliano Giorgio Bort, Fabrizio Zendri, Donald J. Remboski, Doug D. Turner
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Patent number: 10261518Abstract: An aircraft automatic control system protects structural parameters of an aircraft based on angle of attack protection by use of maximum allowed angle of attack values as a function of dynamic pressure or a combination of parameters that permit computation of dynamic pressure. Example techniques herein limit the wing lift coefficient as a function of dynamic pressure (or velocity) to create a limitation for the maximum lift produced by an aircraft wing.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2015Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: Embraer S.A.Inventor: Sérgio Luiz Miranda De Souza
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Patent number: 10254761Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for taking action when a beverage spill has occurred within a vehicle. In one example, the vehicle includes one or more sensors, an input device, and a processor. The one or more sensors are configured to detect that a beverage has spilled within a vehicle. The input device configured to receipt an in input from a passenger of the vehicle. The processor is coupled to the one or more sensors and to the input device, and configured to at least facilitate: providing information to a passenger of the vehicle as to an option to obtain a replacement beverage; receiving input from the passenger via the input device, in response to the information provided to the passenger, as to whether a replacement beverage is desired; and taking an action to obtain the replacement beverage, when the passenger has provided the input to obtain the replacement beverage.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2017Date of Patent: April 9, 2019Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Carl W. Wellborn, Mary E. Decaluwe, Jim K. Rainbolt, Ki Hyun Ahn
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Patent number: 10245968Abstract: A system for managing power consumption in a vehicle, includes an optimizing unit for optimizing a plurality of parameters to determine a power to be consumed by the vehicle based on a plurality of power source signatures for a plurality of power sources; and an operating mode setting unit for setting an operating mode for powering the vehicle based on the determined power.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2016Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Brian Marshall O'Connell, Rick Allen Hamilton, James Robert Kozloski, Clifford Alan Pickover
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Patent number: 10246076Abstract: A control apparatus and method for a hybrid vehicle that searches for and determines a scheduled travel route and a downhill section included in the scheduled travel route on the basis of positional information of the vehicle and road information. The control apparatus determines a section from a downhill control start point to an end point of a target downhill section as a controlled target section. The downhill control start point is located a predetermined first distance before a start point of the target downhill section. When the vehicle travels on the controlled target section, the control apparatus executes downhill control. Even in a situation in which a target downhill section is newly determined during execution of the downhill control, the control apparatus continues the downhill control until the vehicle reaches an end point of the controlled target section for which the downhill control is started.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2016Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yuki Ogawa, Mitsuharu Kato
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Patent number: 10239527Abstract: Driving rating information for other vehicles in an external environment of a vehicle can be provided. The external environment of the vehicle can be sensed to detect the other vehicles. Driving rating information for the other vehicles can be received, such as directly from the other vehicles or from a remote driving ratings source. The driving rating information for the other vehicles can be presented within the vehicle. Based on such driving rating information, a vehicle occupant can decide whether or not to lead or follow a particular vehicle in the external environment. If a selection of one of the identified one or more vehicles is received from a vehicle occupant, the vehicle can be caused to implement one or more driving maneuvers relative to the selected vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2016Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventor: Hideki Hada
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Patent number: 10239491Abstract: A system for monitoring an interior of a vehicle, comprising an identification device adapted to be carried by an individual, a vehicular unit adapted for mounting within the vehicle, and a controller adapted for remote wireless communication with the unit. The unit will activate a camera and a microphone when a person is detected within the vehicle. The unit will search for the identification device and, if the identification device is not detected, the unit will activate an alarm. If the identification device is detected, the unit will compare an access code from the identification device with authorized access codes. If the access code is not found within the authorized access codes, the unit will activate an alarm. The controller is operable to display images, broadcast sounds, and display the alarm status from the unit in real time to a user in possession of the controller.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2016Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: CRIDER BUSH, LLCInventors: Grant W. Crider, Kenneth M. Bush
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Patent number: 10213080Abstract: In a first mode, a control unit controls operation of driving wheels so that a main casing is made to travel straight and, upon detection of an object by an object sensor, the main casing is changed in traveling direction and made to travel straight. In a second mode, the control unit controls the operation of the driving wheels so that the main casing travels in a curved shape along an object detected by the object sensor. When a charging device is not found by a signal reception part during traveling within a region by the first mode, the control unit is changed over to the second mode. The control unit is changed over to the first mode when it is decided a specified number of times or more that the main casing has moved to a different region by the second mode.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2015Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: TOSHIBA LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS & SERVICES CORPORATIONInventors: Seiji Saito, Koichi Watanabe
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Patent number: 10216189Abstract: Systems and methods for determining object prioritization and predicting future object locations for an autonomous vehicle are provided. A method can include obtaining, by a computing system comprising one or more processors, state data descriptive of at least a current or past state of a plurality of objects that are perceived by an autonomous vehicle. The method can further include determining, by the computing system, a priority classification for each object in the plurality of objects based at least in part on the respective state data for each object. The method can further include determining, by the computing system, an order at which the computing system determines a predicted future state for each object based at least in part on the priority classification for each object and determining, by the computing system, the predicted future state for each object based at least in part on the determined order.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2017Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Galen Clark Haynes
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Patent number: 10210765Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for determining a four-dimensional (4D) trajectory of an aircraft without requiring aircraft performance data or meteorological data. The techniques can include: detecting a plurality of 4D aircraft states of the aircraft, determining, for each of a plurality of pairs of adjacent aircraft states, a respective aircraft transition, detecting a plurality of pairs of repeat adjacent aircraft transition, discarding, for each pair of repeat adjacent aircraft transitions, a respective aircraft state from the plurality of aircraft states, and electronically transmitting the plurality of aircraft states after the discarding.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2016Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventor: Michal Zajac
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Patent number: 10183541Abstract: The invention pertains to a system comprising: a source to generate a pulsed radiation pattern; a detector; a processor to process data from the detector when radiation is reflected by an object; a synchronization means interfacing between the detector and the source; wherein: the detector is synchronized with the source so that radiation to be processed is detected only during the pulses, the processor determines a characteristic of the object by determining displacement of detected spots with reference to predetermined positions, the source emits monochromatic light and the detector is equipped with a bandpass filter and optics arranged so as to modify an angle of incidence onto said filter to confine light to a predetermined range around a normal of said filter, said optics comprising an image-space telecentric lens.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2015Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: XENOMATIX NVInventors: Johan Van Den Bossche, Dirk Van Dyck, Liesbet Conings
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Patent number: 10180335Abstract: An apparatus for estimating a direction of a vehicle includes: a vehicle position calculator calculating a current position of the vehicle and a current time using a received satellite signal; a satellite candidate predictor predicting satellite candidates that are observable at the calculated current position of the vehicle using ALMANAC data in which information about positions and azimuths of satellites is included and using the calculated current position of the vehicle and current time; a road candidate searcher searching road candidates positioned around the vehicle based on the calculated current position of the vehicle; and a direction estimator estimating the direction of the vehicle using information about the predicted satellite candidates and the searched road candidates.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2016Date of Patent: January 15, 2019Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventor: Kyung Ho Yoo
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Patent number: 10180378Abstract: A method for evaluating the frictions in a power steering mechanism, the method including a step of acquiring a series of characterization points, during which are measured, for several different values taken successively by the assistance force during the operation of the steering mechanism, the corresponding friction values, so as to empirically obtain a series of distinct characterization points each associating a measured friction value to a measured value representative of the assistance force, then a step of constructing an empirical friction model, during which a correlation law is established between the characterization points constitutive of the series of characterization points, from the scatter chart formed by the series of the characterization points.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2015Date of Patent: January 15, 2019Assignee: JTEKT EUROPEInventors: Sébastien Bourdrez, Pascal Moulaire, Christophe Ravier