Patents Examined by Anne Mazzara
  • Patent number: 9469197
    Abstract: An apparatus for compensating for torque of a fuel cell electric vehicle includes: a storage configured to store a first look-up table in which pedal amount correction coefficients corresponding to degradation rates of a fuel cell stack are recorded and a second look-up table in which torques corresponding to pedal amounts are recorded; a degradation rate calculator configured to calculate a degradation rate based on a maximum voltage and an output voltage of the fuel cell stack; a correction coefficient searcher configured to search for a correction coefficient corresponding to the calculated degradation rate using the first look-up table; a pedal amount detector configured to detect a pedal amount indicating a degree to which an acceleration pedal is pressed; and a torque compensator configured to compensate for torque by compensating for the detected pedal amount based on the searched correction coefficient using the second look-up table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Seong Pil Ryu, Sung Suk Ok, Ji Tae Kim, Kyu Il Lee
  • Patent number: 9470541
    Abstract: Natural navigational guidance provides enhanced guidance instructions that take advantage of unique geographic features along a navigated route to specify maneuver points. Guidance points are clearly visible, unambiguous, and locally unique features in the geography of the maneuver area that can be used to aid the user in discovering the place where the maneuver point is. Within a guidance point selection area, a specific guidance point type has a more strict area within which it can be used. A natural guidance point selection area for an upcoming maneuver to be navigated is determined, and a unique geographic feature within the determined natural guidance point selection area is selected as a natural guidance point for navigation of the upcoming maneuver. A turn-type natural guidance point for an upcoming maneuver to be navigated is generated when the user device is within the natural guidance point selection area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Telecommunication Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Brant Miller Clark, Mark Goddard, Diego Andres Kaplan
  • Patent number: 9470544
    Abstract: A vehicle navigation apparatus wherein a detection unit comprising a gyro sensor operates by receiving a power supply from an onboard device. The onboard device comprises: a first control circuit which functions as a navigation apparatus; and a second control circuit which activates in a shorter time period (?T3) than the first control circuit, and starts the power supply to the detection unit, and collection of vehicle information. The detection unit comprises a zero point correction unit which samples the gyro voltage for a prescribed interval (?T0) after the power supply is started by the second control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Atsushi Takahira
  • Patent number: 9466085
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer-readable medium to facilitate treatment of a damaged vehicle by gathering crash information, estimating an extent of vehicle damage, and requesting transport of the damaged vehicle from the crash site to a treatment facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Christina P. Mullen, William J. Leise, Douglas Albert Graff
  • Patent number: 9370140
    Abstract: An improved control system for managing rotation of a bale loading arm in a bale loader in which a single position sensor combined with a purposefully designed sensor target enable loading arm position to be efficiently determined by a controller in order to direct the actuator movements based upon loading arm position necessary for automated operation of a bale loading cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Cecil R Sudbrack, Robert L. Fackler
  • Patent number: 9358977
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes one or more approach sensors, one or more collision detection sensors, an approach determination portion, a collision determination portion, and a braking determination portion. The approach determination portion determines whether a vehicle and an object are approached based on an output signal of one of the approach sensors, and generates a first information. The collision determination portion determines whether the vehicle collides with the object based on an output signal of at least one of the collision detection sensors, and generates a second information. The braking determination portion determines whether the vehicle is braked based on the first information and the second information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamaguchi, Shingo Wanami
  • Patent number: 9360324
    Abstract: A user-heading determining system (10) for pedestrian use includes a multiple-axis accelerometer (110) having acceleration sensors; a device-heading sensor circuit (115) physically situated in a fixed relationship to the accelerometer (110); an electronic circuit (100) operable to generate signals representing components of acceleration sensed by the accelerometer (110) sensors, and to electronically process at least some part of the signals to produce an estimation of attitude of a user motion with respect to the accelerometer, and further to combine the attitude estimation (750, ?) with a device heading estimation (770, ?) responsive to the device-heading sensor circuit, to produce a user heading estimation (780); and an electronic display (190) responsive to the electronic circuit (100) to display information at least in part based on the user heading estimation. Other systems, circuits and processes are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jayawardan Janardhanan, Goutam Dutta, Varun Tripuraneni
  • Patent number: 9355563
    Abstract: A wireless communication method implemented by a first apparatus constituting a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system, including: receiving vehicle data transmitted on a control channel from a second apparatus; acquiring, from a map information storage unit configured to store map information divided into a plurality of first areas, information relating to a first area including a current position of the first apparatus; determining whether or not to access a DB storing WS information on the basis of position information relating to the first in-vehicle wireless communication apparatus, position information relating to another apparatus, and information relating to the first area; acquiring WS information relating to a vicinity of the current position from the DB after determining to access the DB; and transmitting the WS information acquired from the DB in the querying step to a peripheral apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignees: TOYOTA INFOTECHNOLOGY CENTER CO., LTD., KYUSHU INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Onur Altintas, Koichi Seki, Hideaki Tanaka, Yuji Oie, Masato Tsuru, Kazuya Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 9340399
    Abstract: According to the embodiments described herein, an industrial vehicle can include a camera and one or more processors. The camera can capture an input image of ceiling lights of the ceiling of the warehouse. The one or more processors can execute machine readable instructions to detect transversal edges from the ceiling lights of the input image. The machine readable instructions executed by the one or more processors can determine points of convergence between the transversal edges and a first edge line and a second edge line. The machine readable instructions executed by the one or more processors can select a set of point fixes from the points of convergence. The machine readable instructions executed by the one or more processors can navigate the industrial vehicle through the warehouse utilizing the centerline and the set of point fixes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventor: Mark Bell
  • Patent number: 9339163
    Abstract: Data within a designated distance from a main body of the mobile robot is accumulated and stored to form a local area map. A traveling direction or a rotating direction is set while avoiding an obstacle around the main body and a path may be readily set. Repetition of unnecessary operation is prevented and thus a traveling velocity based on rapid movement may be improved. Obstacles are readily avoided and cleaning efficiency may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Dongki Noh, Seungmin Baek
  • Patent number: 9329044
    Abstract: A guidance system (SG) for an individual (IND) moving in an unknown environment establishes a guidance loop (B) between a measurement module (MM) placed on the individual and a remote guidance platform (PG). In the measurement module, a means (CP) collects measurement data (DM) that are transmitted by another means (UC1) of transmission to the guidance platform via a first communication channel. Then, at the guidance platform, a means (UT2) determines the tactical position data (DST) from the transmitted measurement data (DM), and another means (UC2) transmits determined guidance data (DG) from the tactical position data to a communication device of the individual by means of a second communication channel (R2), thus closing the guidance loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Cassidian SAS
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe Deloison, Herve Mokrani, Oliver Koczan
  • Patent number: 9329286
    Abstract: Various implementations described herein are directed to a seismic survey using an augmented reality device. In one implementation, a method may include determining current location data of an augmented reality (AR) device in a physical environment. The method may also include receiving placement instructions for a first seismic survey equipment in the physical environment based on the current location data. The method may further include displaying the placement instructions in combination with a view of the physical environment on the AR device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventors: Robert Hughes Jones, Emmanuel Coste, Guillaume Daniel Tamboise, Dorin Rosu
  • Patent number: 9327842
    Abstract: A method for sensing a takeoff of an aircraft includes receiving a rate of change in vertical motion of the aircraft, determining whether the rate of change in vertical motion of the aircraft exceeds a first threshold, integrating the rate of change in vertical motion of the aircraft and outputting a virtual altitude signal, responsive to receiving the indication that a portion of the aircraft is contacting a surface, delaying the virtual altitude signal through a discrete low pass filter and outputting a delayed virtual altitude signal, subtracting the delayed virtual altitude signal from the virtual altitude signal to output an altitude perturbation signal, determining whether the altitude perturbation signal exceeds a second threshold value, and outputting an indication that the portion of the aircraft is not contacting the surface responsive to the rate of change in the vertical motion of the aircraft and the altitude perturbation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Karim Khial, James J. Howlett, Vineet Sahasrabudhe, Naji S. Yakzan
  • Patent number: 9324237
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a change of speed of an aircraft for enabling the avoidance of conflicts between aircraft trajectories. The method of determining a change in speed of an aircraft, comprises the steps of: defining a merge point and a tie point; monitoring a first aircraft; determining when the first aircraft passes the tie point; providing trajectory data; predicting a trajectory of a second aircraft using the trajectory data; defining a minimum permissible longitudinal spacing; predicting a longitudinal spacing between the first and second aircraft at the merge point based on the predicted trajectory; and if the minimum permissible longitudinal spacing is greater than the predicted longitudinal spacing then calculating a proposed change in speed of the second aircraft that will result in the longitudinal spacing between the first and second aircraft at the merge point being greater than or equal to the minimum permissible longitudinal spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Christian Grabow, Lars Fucke
  • Patent number: 9317033
    Abstract: A control of autonomous vehicles, and a method for controlling at least one autonomous ground vehicle configured to adopt two operating modes, including a manual mode in which the driving depends on driving instructions from the driver of the vehicle, and an autonomous mode, in which the driving depends on data received from sensors configured to provide information on surroundings of the vehicle, and on data received by a navigation system, the method including: authorizing the autonomous mode only when the vehicle is within an area determined by defined boundaries; receiving reservation data from a user interface; generating a set message to be transmitted to the vehicle in accordance with the received reservation data; and transmitting the set message to the vehicle such that the vehicle autonomously performs a movement corresponding to the transmitted set message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventors: Javier Ibanez-Guzman, Nicoleta Minoiu-Enache, Hugo Guillermo Chale Gongora, Jean Lesaing, Francois Chauveau
  • Patent number: 9297666
    Abstract: A method, system, and/or computer program product automatically generates route directions based on signpost data. A calculated route from an origin to a destination includes multiple decision points where a user has more than one option to take. Geo-stamped images of signposts located at each decision point from the multiple decision points are received, and one or more series of signposts is compiled, where each series has a common signpost content. Conflicts in any overlapping series are resolved by using a measure of relative density of signpost content, and one or more decision points of the calculated route are replaced with instructions referring to the common signpost content of the series of signposts. Geo-stamped images of signposts of the series of signposts having the common signpost content are then displayed in a motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Boothroyd, Robert L. Kerr, Michael P. Kirwan, Kevin J. Sayer
  • Patent number: 9297146
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for automatically detecting a need for a ripping pass to be performed by a machine along a work surface is provided. The method may include monitoring one or more of machine parameters of the machine and profile parameters of the work surface, determining whether one or more predefined trigger conditions suggestive of the need for the ripping pass are met based on the machine parameters and the profile parameters, and generating a ripping pass request if one or more of the trigger conditions are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Mo Wei, Thandava Krishna Edara, Michael Allen Taylor, Troy Kenneth Becicka, Seth J. Rodenbo, Matthew E. Kontz, Kenneth L. Stratton
  • Patent number: 9290160
    Abstract: A system (80) for a vehicle comprising a rear windscreen (20) and a rear windscreen wiper (26/28), the system (80) comprising one or more tracking sensors (30) and a control unit (50); the one or more tracking sensors (30) being coupled to the control unit (50) and being configured to monitor the behavior of a driver of the vehicle and to issue data to the control unit, the control unit (50) and/or the one or more tracking sensors (30) being arranged to make a positive determination that said monitored behavior is indicative of a requirement to look through the rear windscreen (20) of the vehicle and in dependence on making said positive determination, the control unit (50) is configured to activate the rear windscreen wiper (26/28) to wipe the rear windscreen (20) and/or to activate a rear windscreen washer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventor: Christopher Davies
  • Patent number: 9284717
    Abstract: A swivel control apparatus for swiveling a swivel body that supports an attachment including a boom, an arm, and an end attachment by a motor, wherein a swivel drive command to the motor is changed in conformation with a posture of the attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO(S.H.I.) CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Umeda, Kiminori Sano, Ryuji Shiratani
  • Patent number: 9283825
    Abstract: A rollover prevention apparatus includes a primary hydraulic cylinder attached to a frame bracket, a secondary hydraulic cylinder attached to the primary hydraulic cylinder and a wheel bracket. The rollover prevention apparatus includes a stabilizing wheel affixed to the wheel bracket. The stabilizing wheel is substantially in line with a plurality of wheels affixed to the frame while the primary and secondary hydraulic cylinders are retracted, the line being substantially perpendicular to the primary and secondary hydraulic cylinders. The stabilizing wheel has a negative camber angle with respect to the plurality of wheels while the primary and secondary hydraulic cylinders are retracted. A rollover event may be averted by extending the primary and secondary hydraulic cylinders such that the stabilizing wheel makes contact with a road without substantially leaving a lane, and using the secondary hydraulic cylinder to push against the road until the rollover event has been averted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Inventor: Isam Mousa