Patents Examined by Brian J Broadhead
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Patent number: 7813838Abstract: A medical examination and treatment apparatus includes a robot operable to control a tool, and an internal position-determination system to measure a position of the tool by determining a setting of adjusting elements of the robot. The apparatus further includes an external position-determination system to measure the position of the tool, and a position monitoring system to compare the position of the tool determined by the internal position-determination system with the position of the tool determined by the external position-determination system. A mobility of the tool is restricted if an adjustable threshold relating to deviations between position measurements is exceeded.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2005Date of Patent: October 12, 2010Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Andres Sommer
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Patent number: 7805230Abstract: An apparatus for triggering personal protection means, having a surroundings sensor suite and a contact sensor suite, influences a pedestrian protection algorithm as a function of a first signal of the surroundings sensor suite, and influences a pre-crash algorithm as a function of a second signal of the pedestrian protection algorithm that takes into account a third signal of the contact sensor suite. The apparatus triggers the personal protection means as a function of a fourth signal of the pedestrian protection algorithm and a fifth signal of the pre-crash algorithm.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2004Date of Patent: September 28, 2010Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Ulrike Groeger, Alfred Kuttenberger, Marc Theisen, Michael Bunse
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Patent number: 7805243Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for utilizing personal digital assistants in a portable communications system. A personal digital assistant includes a global positioning system module, an L-band transceiver, and a processing system. The global positioning system module produces location information associated with the position of the personal digital assistant. The L-band transceiver broadcasts the location information to a network of at least one other personal digital assistant and receives location information from at least one other personal digital assistant within the network via a communications satellite. The processing system provides messages to the L-band transceiver and updates a display associated with the personal digital assistant according the received location information and the location information produced at the global positioning system module.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2003Date of Patent: September 28, 2010Assignee: Northrop Grumman CorporationInventors: Henry Frank Gasbarro, Joseph Edwin Carpenter, Robert R. Berry
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Patent number: 7792608Abstract: In a first aspect, a substrate loading station is served by a conveyor which continuously transports substrate carriers. A substrate carrier handler that is part of the substrate loading station operates to exchange substrate carriers with the conveyor while the conveyor is in motion. A carrier exchange procedure may include moving an end effector of the substrate carrier handler at a velocity that substantially matches a velocity of the conveyor. Numerous other aspects are provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2007Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Michael Robert Rice, Martin R. Elliott, Robert B. Lowrance, Jeffrey C. Hudgens, Eric Andrew Englhardt
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Patent number: 7792623Abstract: An ECU executes a program including the steps of: detecting engine speed NE based on a signal transmitted from an engine speed sensor; calculating engine speed NE with dead time of the engine with respect to a target output torque removed; calculating engine speed NE reflecting the dead time of the engine with respect to the target output torque; correcting the actual engine speed NE in accordance with a difference between the engine speed with dead time removed and the engine speed reflecting the dead time; and setting the target value of output torque in accordance with the corrected engine speed NE.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2008Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Seiji Kuwahara, Masato Kaigawa, Hideki Kubonoya
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Patent number: 7792637Abstract: A current position determination unit determines a current position of a user; a facility candidate search unit specifies, as a candidate for a visited place, a facility that is located within a predetermined area including the current position determined by the current position determination unit; an electronic money unit and a payment amount calculation unit detect a payment amount of the user; and a most-likely visited facility identification unit identifies a most-likely visited place by selecting from a plurality of facilities a facility corresponding to the payment amount detected by the electronic money unit and the payment amount calculation unit, when the plurality of facilities are specified by the facility candidate search unit.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2004Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Satoshi Matsuura, Takahiro Kudo, Jun Ozawa, Mototaka Yoshioka
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Patent number: 7778758Abstract: This invention provides a vehicle cruise control system which, during recognition of a shape of a road extending in a frontward direction of host vehicle, can calculate the road shape rapidly and accurately from a positional relationship with respect to the host vehicle. The system includes at least: a position change detector that detects, from information on the road existing in the frontward direction of the vehicle, a horizontal distance from a line segment orthogonal to a traveling direction vector of the vehicle, to a centerline of the road, the detection being conducted at a plurality of measuring points in an extending direction of the traveling direction vector; a road shape recognizer that identifies the shape of the road from data relating to linearity of changes in each of the horizontal distances, the linearity data being obtained by the position change detector; and a cruise controller that controls traveling of the vehicle according to results of the identification by the road shape recognizer.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2007Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Kazutoshi Tsuchiya, Hiroshi Sakamoto, Masato Imai, Tatsuya Ochi, Takaomi Nishigaito, Masao Sakata, Masafumi Naito
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Patent number: 7774113Abstract: A method of calculating the heading angle of a vehicle using a camera associated with the vehicle, the method comprising capturing at least two images with the camera, calculating the lateral speed of the vehicle from the images, calculating the ground speed of the vehicle and calculating, from the ground speed and the lateral speed, a first heading angle of the vehicle. The method may also include calculating a second heading value from the images and from that a misalignment value indicative of the alignment of the camera from some datum. The misalignment value may be used to correct the first heading angle and the process repeated iteratively. The method may also include fitting features that follow features that follow the direction of travel of the vehicle. A camera system and data carrier embodying the method are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2004Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: TRW LimitedInventor: Andrew Oghenovo Oyaide
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Patent number: 7751944Abstract: Context-aware systems and methods, location-aware systems and methods, context-aware vehicles and methods of operating the same, and location-aware vehicles and methods of operating the same are described. In various embodiments, a context or location service module, implemented in software, determines a vehicle context or a vehicle location based upon information that it receives from various context providers or location providers respectively. Software executing on a vehicle's computer can then cause one or more applications that are associated with a vehicle computer to be modified in a manner that changes their behavior. The behavior modification is based on the current context or location of the vehicle and thus provides a context-specific or location-specific user experience. The context or location can be ascertained through the use of one or more hierarchical tree structures that comprises individual nodes. Each node is associated with a context or location.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2004Date of Patent: July 6, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Gopal Parupudi, Stephen S. Evans, Edward F. Reus
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Patent number: 7747370Abstract: A GPS-based vehicle guidance system and a method for automatically guiding a vehicle through and end of a row turn. The present invention provides a method and system that automatically guides the vehicle through an end of row turn without manual control. An algorithm using the minimum turning radius of the vehicle and the rate of change of the vehicle creates a set of interpolated data points resulting in an end of row turn.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2007Date of Patent: June 29, 2010Assignee: CNH America LLCInventor: Peter J. Dix
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Patent number: 7739010Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic control system for a vehicle and a control method thereof, wherein communication is made between a main controller and at least one local controller to control a brake apparatus and a suspension apparatus in consideration of information of the controllers, thereby further improving and activating unique features of the respective controllers as well as simplifying the system. An embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic control system for a vehicle having a main controller for receiving vehicle information and creating and outputting a brake control signal and a suspension control signal for a vehicle; at least one local controller for controlling a damper of each wheel according to the suspension control signal outputted from the main controller; and an interface unit for performing data communication between the main controller and the local controller.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2007Date of Patent: June 15, 2010Assignee: Mando CorporationInventor: Bon Gyeong Koo
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Patent number: 7725256Abstract: A Weather Information Network Enabled Mobile System for providing information to a user regarding an emergency event. The WINEMS system receives location data, such as from a GPS system, and correlates the location data with the emergency alert to display a map showing both a location of the WINEMS system and a location of the emergency event. Preferably, the locations are displayed on a digital map.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2003Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: The University of North DakotaInventor: Ronald Marsh
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Patent number: 7725225Abstract: A refuse vehicle is disclosed that includes a control system which comprises a plurality of microprocessor based interface modules, a communication network, and at least one output device. The control system is configured to disable the output device based on certain conditions of the refuse vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2007Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: Oshkosh CorporationInventors: Duane R. Pillar, William M. Woolman
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Patent number: 7715955Abstract: An aircraft piloting system may include information sources that provide a position indication relating to the aircraft and information that characterizes a virtual approach axis. An information processing unit processes information emanating from the information sources and includes an assisted approach mode function and a landing aid multimode receiver that implements a precision approach. A user device uses the information provided by the landing aid multimode receiver to support the guidance of the aircraft up to its landing.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2004Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: Airbus FranceInventors: Gilles Tatham, Eric Peyrucain
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Patent number: 7711481Abstract: A navigation system for use in a vehicle receives a GPS signal for having a GPS time data that rolls over at an interval of 19.7 years with a start time of 0 a.m. Jan. 6th, 1980 from a GPS satellite, and acquires map generation date information that specifies map data generation time from map database in the navigation system. The GPS time data and the map data generation time information are utilized for calculating an accurate current date and time.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2007Date of Patent: May 4, 2010Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Katsuhiko Mutoh
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Patent number: 7711474Abstract: A method for automatically calculating optimum routes in a traffic-route network is provided, taking into consideration at least one set, fixed route section, where the traffic-route network is described by segments for traffic-route sections, weighted with a resistance, and nodes for the intersection points of traffic-route sections, and the route to be calculated runs from a starting segment to a destination segment, and where, for purposes of optimization, the segments from the destination segment to the starting segment are evaluated with respect to the best resistance. The route is optimized, in each instance, from a starting segment up to the fixed route sections, at the fixed route sections, and from the fixed route section up to a destination segment.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2002Date of Patent: May 4, 2010Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Guido Mueller, Holger Hoeling
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Patent number: 7711484Abstract: A method and a system for avoiding collisions between aircraft. The method includes computing a default fly out maneuver regarding how the aircraft shall be maneuvered during a fly out action, predicting a fly away path including a prediction of the position of the aircraft during the fly out maneuver, sending information about the own fly away path to the other aircrafts, receiving information about fly away paths from the other aircrafts, detecting an approaching collision, and activating the fly out maneuver upon detecting an approaching collision. The method further includes carrying out the following steps after activation the fly out maneuver: receiving the current position of the aircraft, and calculating a compensated fly out maneuver for the aircraft based on the current position of the aircraft, the previously predicted position, and the default fly out maneuver.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2005Date of Patent: May 4, 2010Assignee: SAAB ABInventors: Henrik Hammarlund, Bengt-Goran Sundqvist, Hasse Persson, Jonas Lovgren
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Patent number: 7693651Abstract: A method for monitoring fuel status of a vehicle having a fuel tank includes the steps of determining an amount of fuel in the fuel tank, obtaining a geographic location of the vehicle, calculating a fuel threshold based at least in part on the geographic location, and providing a low fuel indication if the amount of fuel is less than the fuel threshold.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2008Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.Inventors: David T. Proefke, William A. Biondo
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Patent number: 7693614Abstract: An emergency navigational system that monitors the navigation of an aircraft by comparing actual flight parameter data to predefined flight parameter data to thereby determine if the actual flight parameter data deviates beyond a defined value, and if so, activating a navigational controller to at least partially control the navigation of the aircraft.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2004Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Inventor: Brian E. Turung
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Patent number: 7689360Abstract: An obstacle detecting apparatus includes sensors and a processing unit. Each of the sensors are rendered operational by predetermined parameters. The processing unit transmits the parameters to the sensors and includes a vehicle state detector, a condition determiner, a communication controller, and a parameter setting processor. The vehicle state detector detects a running state of the vehicle. The condition determiner determines that the running state of the vehicle is one of an operating condition indicating that the sensors should be operated and a forbidding condition indicating that the operation of the sensors should be forbidden. The communication controller performs communication with the sensors. The parameter setting processor transmits the parameters to the sensors and receives a response indicating completion of the process.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2005Date of Patent: March 30, 2010Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Kenichiro Horikawa, Hideyuki Ide