Patents Examined by Basil T Jos
  • Patent number: 9672666
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for collecting vehicle data is provided. The method for collecting vehicle data in a vehicle data collection server communicating with a vehicle through a wireless network includes receiving vehicle data corresponding to first to Nth data items from a first vehicle. When alternative data collection vehicles are needed, the method searches for the alternative data collection vehicles in a group of vehicles, for each of the first to Nth data items, receives vehicle data corresponding to at least one of the first to Nth data items through the searched alternative data collection vehicles, and stores the vehicle data received from the first vehicle and the vehicle data received from the alternative data collection vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Dong Jin Shin, Sang Jae Han, Dong Youl Lee, Jae Am Seo, Chul Min Kim
  • Patent number: 9669826
    Abstract: A driving-assistance device is disclosed. The driving-assistance device in which, when a three-dimensional object is present on a course of a host vehicle, driving assistance for avoiding a collision between the host vehicle and the three-dimensional object is implemented on a condition that an unavoidable three-dimensional object is present in a predetermined range including the course, the driving-assistance device comprises a setting unit configured to set the predetermined range in the vicinity of the host vehicle at a degree of width depending on the three-dimensional object, wherein, when a plurality of the three-dimensional objects are detected within the predetermined range, the setting unit makes the degree of width smaller than when a single three-dimensional object is detected within the predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinji Igarashi, Masayuki Katoh
  • Patent number: 9669809
    Abstract: A brake ECU sets two sensor state flags to fix states of first and second master pressure sensors as an abnormal state when a value of a simultaneous timer becomes equal to or larger than an abnormal-state fixing time. The simultaneous timer serves to measure a time that the first master pressure sensor is determined to be not under a normal state and the second master pressure sensor is determined to be not under a normal state on the basis of the sensor state flags. The abnormal-state fixing time is set to a time shorter than an abnormal-state fixing time used for changing the state of each of the master pressure sensors from an invalid state to an abnormal state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tetsuya Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 9662960
    Abstract: An audio video navigation (AVN) terminal may include a communication unit configured to receive a signal from a user terminal; an extracting unit configured to extract location information of the user terminal based on the received signal; and a controller configured to control an air conditioning environment in the vehicle based on a user's biometric information included in the signal and location information of the user terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Jeong Hun Kim
  • Patent number: 9666083
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for inserting a segment (Tins) of flight plan into an initial flight plan (Pini) of an aircraft, performed by a flight management system (FMS) of the said aircraft, the initial flight plan (Pini) comprising an ordered series of initial legs (Sini), the said fixed initial legs being indexed with an index i that varies from 1 to n, the method comprising the steps involving: identifying (110), using a first iterative calculation on the index i, in the segment to be inserted (Tins), the fixed legs to be inserted that have a position identical to the position of the leg of index i Sini(i)), the said legs thus determined being referred to as occurrences of the leg of index i, the said occurrences (O1, O2) being ordered by rank k varying from 1 to m, as a function of their position in the segment that is to be inserted (Tins), and searching, among the identified occurrences, for the occurrence of lowest index i and lowest rank k (Oi0(k0)) that has a type and attribute values id
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: Vincent Girardeau, Marie Rommel, Manuel Gutierrez-Castaneda
  • Patent number: 9656668
    Abstract: An automobile anti-collision and anti-misoperation throttle system with a relay for controlling positive-negative rotation of a motor relates to a system which directly transforms automobile anti-collision signals and throttle-misoperation signals into brake operating signals. The sensor switch (K0) is connected to and controls the relay reversed power controller (2), the relay reversed power controller (2) controls and supplies electric power to the limit-switch-integrated motor assembly (3), the limit-switch-integrated motor assembly (3) drives the sleeved stretching rope (4), the limit-switch-integrated motor assembly (3) also cuts off a reversed power circuit of the relay reversed power controller (2), and the sleeved stretching rope (4) transmits a motor rotation drift of the limit-switch-integrated motor assembly (3) to the automobile brake pedal (5); the sensor switch K0 is connected to the anti-collision controller (11) in parallel, for respectively controlling the automobile brake pedal (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG XIANAN AUTOMOBILE BREAKING SYSTEM CO., LTD
    Inventor: Changsong Yan
  • Patent number: 9654679
    Abstract: A system quantifies the extent of a damaged vehicle in the absence of a specialist (appraiser) present onsite. The system enables an objective estimate of the damage, supplanting or merely supplementing psychologically biased claimant reporting. The system has hardware structures to perform imagery quantification of damage on a damaged vehicle. The damaged vehicle may be located anywhere, including at the scene of an accident, at an insured's home, at an insurer's claims offices, or at a body shop. Anyone, including the insured, with a mobile device such as a smart phone, may download onto it a mobile application that guides the user to take photographs or moving images of the damaged vehicle for the system to perform imagery quantification of damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
    Inventor: Razvan Veliche
  • Patent number: 9644983
    Abstract: In some implementations, a mobile device can be configured to provide simplified audio navigation instructions. The simplified audio navigation instructions can provide a reduced set of audio navigation instructions so that the audio instructions are only presented to the user when the user wishes to or needs to hear the instructions. A user can enable the simplified audio navigation instructions. The simplified audio navigation instructions can be enabled automatically. The simplified audio navigation instructions can be configured with rules for when to present audio navigation instructions. For example, the rules can specify that audio navigation instructions are to be provided for complex road segments, a user defined portion of a route, or specified road types, among other criteria. The mobile device can be configured with exceptions to the rules such that audio navigation instructions can be presented when the user has, for example, deviated from a defined route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Anil K. Kandangath, Xiaoyuan Tu
  • Patent number: 9644981
    Abstract: A system and method provides a route and turn-by-turn directions based on estimates of current and future traffic along the route. A client device may request turn-by-turn directions between an initial and a final location. A server may identify a plurality of routes between the locations. Each route of the plurality of routes may be divided into route segments. For each route segment of a particular route, the server may estimate a travel time. The travel time may be based on estimated vehicle volume data generated from information received from other users vehicle Based on the estimated travel time for each route segment of a particular route, the server may estimate a total travel time for the particular route. The server may repeat this estimate for each of the plurality of routes between the locations and select the route with the lowest estimated travel time. Based on the selected route, the server may generate turn-by-turn directions and transmit the directions to the client device for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: David M. Barth
  • Patent number: 9644339
    Abstract: A damper operation control device of a working vehicle, includes: a boom pivotably supported on a vehicle body; a bucket pivotably supported on a tip end of the boom; a lift cylinder which drives the boom; an accumulator connected to the lift cylinder through a branched oil passage; a switching valve connected to the branched oil passage between the lift cylinder and the accumulator, the switching valve switching between a connected state and a disconnected state between the lift cylinder and the accumulator; and a controller which performs switch control of the switching valve, wherein the controller includes: a state detecting unit which detects whether the bucket is in a loaded state; and a switching valve control unit which switches the switching valve to the connected state when the state detecting unit detects that the bucket is in the loaded state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Wada, Toshiyuki Ota
  • Patent number: 9637086
    Abstract: In a smart system, an onboard system transmits a request signal. A portable device receives the request signal. An LF demodulation portion demodulates the request signal to acquire request data and returns an answer signal based on acquisition of the request data. The onboard system receives the answer signal and performs smart drive based on reception of the answer signal. The onboard system also transmits a specified counter-RA signal. A switching circuit of the portable device outputs the received counter-RA signal to a modulation portion while bypassing the LF demodulation portion. The modulation portion performs RF modulation using the counter-RA signal to acquire a counter-RA modulation signal and transmits the counter-RA modulation signal. When receiving the counter-RA modulation signal, the onboard system determines whether to allow or disallow the smart drive based on delay time of timing to receive the counter-RA modulation signal with reference to timing to transmit the counter-RA signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, NIPPON SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Sanji, Munenori Matsumoto, Takatoshi Sekizawa
  • Patent number: 9637233
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle for interacting with a pet. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a processor-based monitoring device to provide a behavioral assessment of the pet, an activity recommender to select an activity program dependent on the behavioral assessment, a motor mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle to provide aerial movement based on the activity program, and an activity coordinator to perform a function based on the activity program. The function includes activating feedback outputs upon completion of the activity program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John A. Bivens, Minkyong Kim, Min Li, Clifford A. Pickover, Valentina Salapura
  • Patent number: 9633492
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for a vehicle scanner to automatically execute applications from a removable storage card. The method includes detecting a presence of one or more executable diagnostic requests in removable data storage, and responsive to the detection, transmitting one or more corresponding requests for vehicle diagnostic data to the vehicle via a vehicle interface. Responsive to the transmission, the vehicle scanner receives and processes diagnostic data from the vehicle. The vehicle scanner may store the data back to the removable storage card, or may transmit the data via a wired or wireless interface to a display device. As part of the detection process, the vehicle scanner may first authenticate the removable storage card before executing vehicle diagnostic instructions from the card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Snap-on Incorporated
    Inventor: James A. Panko
  • Patent number: 9631341
    Abstract: A method of orientating a materials handling vehicle to a desired angle includes providing a first and second stabilizers on the right and left sides, respectively, of a chassis and being selectively engageable with the ground, providing a controller to control operation of the first and second stabilizers in response to an input, positioning the vehicle on ground with the first and second stabilizers being disengaged from the ground such that the chassis is at an initial roll angle, providing a desired roll angle, providing an input to the controller requiring deployment of the stabilizers to simultaneously deploy the first and second stabilizers, and upon detection of a change in roll angle away from the desired roll angle caused by engagement of one of the stabilizers with the ground, the controller automatically stops deployment of one stabilizers and continues deployment of the other stabilizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited
    Inventors: Michael McKee, Matt Cook
  • Patent number: 9623865
    Abstract: An engine stop control method of a power split-parallel hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) system may include: determining any one driving mode among an EV mode, a power split mode and a parallel mode, corresponding to a driver's request; recognizing and deciding whether the driving mode is a mode required to stop an engine; stopping the engine; and performing kill torque (TQ) control on the revolution speed of the engine through a motor so that the revolution speed of the engine reaches 0 rpm. Accordingly, the revolution speed of the engine can be reduced down to an rpm lower than that of the conventional art, thereby promoting fast mode conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jin Kuk Cho, Kum Lim Choi
  • Patent number: 9623986
    Abstract: An aircraft passenger boarding system is provided for aircraft equipped for pilot-controllable engines-off taxi that enables a pilot to drive the aircraft without engines in a forward direction into and out of an optimum parallel or angled gate parking orientation that permits terminal connections to both forward and aft doors on a terminal-facing side of the aircraft. Selected defined classes of passengers board the aircraft separately, through a designated loading bridge connected to a forward door or through a designated loading bridge connected to an aft door, to be seated in a designated front or rear aircraft section. An airline may flexibly allocate variably sized sections of the aircraft interior for each defined class, depending on the relative numbers of passengers in each class. Airport terminal interior gate space may be used to separate passenger classes as required for separate boarding through a forward door or an aft door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Borealis Technical Limited
    Inventors: Joseph J. Cox, Isaiah W. Cox
  • Patent number: 9618627
    Abstract: A method for determining a side slip angle in a vehicle, includes determining with a first sensor an orientation of an effective vehicle speed vector of the Vehicle in relation to a geographic coordinate system of the earth; determining with a second sensor an orientation of the vehicle in relation to a magnetic coordinate system of the earth magnetic field; determining a differential angle of the magnetic north direction of the earth relative to the geographic north direction of the earth by using a vehicle speed; and determining the side slip angle as a function of the orientation of the effective vehicle speed vector and the differential angle according to the relationship ?=?course+?mag,???mag, wherein ? designates the side slip angle, ?mag,? the differential angle, ?mag the orientation of the vehicle in relation to the magnetic north direction and ?course the orientation of the vehicle speed vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Andreas Unger
  • Patent number: 9619949
    Abstract: The example embodiments may relate to a vehicle operator incentive system. In an example, the system may include a vehicle control system having a plurality of controllers, wherein the controllers are configured to communicate diagnostic messages via an internal communication network and wherein each of the diagnostic messages provides information about operation of a vehicle by an operator. The vehicle operator incentive system may include a vehicle diagnostic system communicatively coupled to the internal communication network and configured to: process the diagnostic messages to determine a plurality of measured parameters, award points based on the measured parameters, calculate a score for the operator based on the awarded points, and cause a user interface of the vehicle to display the operator score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: SHEM, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher Rood
  • Patent number: 9616349
    Abstract: Method and system of determining if a predetermined amount of time has passed since dispatch of a first one of the plurality of trackless vehicles onto one of a predefined plurality of intersecting paths. If the predetermined amount of time has passed, determining if a second one of the plurality of trackless vehicles was available for dispatch onto the predefined path or another predefined path. If the second trackless vehicle was available for dispatch, dispatching the second trackless vehicle, and if the second trackless vehicle was not available for dispatch, dispatching a third one of the trackless vehicles onto the predefined path or another predefined path. The predetermined amount of time may be calculated based on a time interval on which the trackless vehicles are dispatched onto the predefined plurality of paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Oceaneering International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Wayne Boshears, Michael David Russell, Jr., Andrew Scott Grant, Frank Peter Hass
  • Patent number: 9611932
    Abstract: When initial drive control for an actuator driving a shift switch mechanism is completed, a P-ECU determines whether an IG signal is received. In the case where the P-ECU has not received the IG signal at the time when the initial drive control is completed, the P-ECU temporarily keeps the actuator in a state where the initial drive control is completed. In the case where the P-ECU receives the IG signal in the period from completion of the initial drive control to the time when a predetermined time T2 has elapsed since completion of the initial drive control, the P-ECU executes P wall press control when the P-ECU receives the IG signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiko Tsutsumi, Ichiro Kitaori, Koki Ueno, Keisuke Sekiya, Toshinari Suzuki