Patents Examined by B. J Broadhead
  • Patent number: 6842692
    Abstract: A wheelchair navigation system having motorized wheelchair which is powered by at least one onboard battery, and a battery charger. The navigation system also has a filter-based estimator with interface software running that is operated on an onboard laptop computer. Dual cameras, proximity sensors, microphones, and rotation sensors for the wheels are mounted to the wheelchair. Small markers are placed on the walls of a location or room. The navigation system uses the proximity sensors, rotation sensors and cameras in conjunction with the specialized software to determine where objects or impediments are located in the room and thereby redirect the path of the wheelchair so as to avoid such objects. The wheelchair is walked through the marked location thereby ‘teaching’ various paths which are recorded in the computer and recalled later when the wheelchair is in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs, University of Notre Dame
    Inventors: Linda Fehr, Steven B. Skaar, Guillermo Del Castillo
  • Patent number: 6772054
    Abstract: An apparatus for operating a controlled member on a rotary-wing aircraft is provided with at least one control intended to be subject to the action of a pilot of the rotary-wing aircraft and capable of moving a linkage, a device connected to the linkage for operating the controlled member as a function of movement of the linkage, a ram incorporated into the linkage which is capable of influencing the movement of the linkage as a function of control commands received, a trim device capable of acting on the control and on the linkage as a function of control commands received, a computer determining the control commands which are transmitted to the ram and to the trim device, and at least one sensor which is capable of measuring the values of a parameter that represents an action exerted by a pilot of the rotary-wing aircraft on an auxiliary control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: EUROCOPTER
    Inventor: Marc Achache
  • Patent number: 6754563
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for establishing an operating variable to be determined of a motor vehicle in dependence on a first known operating variable and a second known operating variable, using a characteristics map for executing functions of the motor vehicle. Said characteristics map is stored in the Cartesian coordinate system in an electronic control device with the help of interpolating points. If a mathematically invertible characteristics map by which means an operating variable to be determined for a first motor vehicle function is entered on the Z-axis is provided, then by reverse interpolation using the same characteristics map, an operating variable allocated to the Y- or X-axis can also be an operating variable to be determined for a second motor vehicle function, the operating variable allocated to the Z-axis being the known operating variable for the second motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Ebeling, Gerd Kraemer
  • Patent number: 6728618
    Abstract: A system for controlling and/or regulating operational sequences in a motor vehicle having several equal-access control units for controlling and/or regulating certain functions in the motor vehicle. Control units each have a volatile memory, and a nonvolatile memory in which a loading routine is included. They are connected to one another via a time-controlled communications system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Heckmann, Reinhard Weiberle, Bernd Kesch