Patents Examined by Brian P. Sweeney
  • Patent number: 11662218
    Abstract: According to some aspects, a wearable device is provided. The wearable device includes a memory, one or more antennas, one or more processors coupled with the memory and the one or more antennas, a location manager component executable by the one or more processors and configured to determine a location of the wearable device, and a direction manager component executable by the one or more processors. The direction manager component may be configured to receive, via the one or more antennas, information descriptive of a location of the medical device, determine a path between the location of the wearable device and the location of the medical device, and provide information descriptive of the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ZOLL Medical Corporation
    Inventor: Guy Robert Johnson
  • Patent number: 11643083
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a controller. The controller decides whether or not specifications of a proposed vehicle to be proposed to a customer are determined such that the specifications are for an electrified vehicle based on traveling data of a vehicle driven by the customer and outputs the decided specifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke Tanimori, Ryota Nakabayashi, Osamu Izumida, Takeshi Kanou, Naoki Yamada, Kazuyuki Inoue, Shin Sakurada, Hiromitsu Fujii
  • Patent number: 11644316
    Abstract: A computer program product for navigation in an establishment site for a first user using a first mobile electronic device are provided. The embodiment may include scanning an area around a current location of the first user to identify a set of second mobile electronic devices. The embodiment may also include referencing one or more resources for: identifying a set of second users for each of the set of second mobile electronic devices; analyzing schedules of the set of second users to identify expected current locations of each of the set of second users in an establishment site; and identifying the current location of the first user relative to the expected current locations of at least some of the set of second users by referencing a map of the establishment site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John J. Wood, Giacomo G. Chiarella, Eunjin Lee, Daniel T. Cunnington
  • Patent number: 11634214
    Abstract: Drones are engineered with sensors for use in insurance applications. After locating an object of interest, a drone performs an investigation by probing the object of interest. Sensors receive feedback from the object of interest. An electronic fingerprint of the drone is produced. Afterward, perils are computed based on the feedback and the fingerprint of the drone is used in insuring the object of interest. The act of probing includes thumping, drumming, or radiating ultrasound waves against the object of interest. The sensors can be turned off when they are within a geographic zone of prohibited operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: David Antony Parchment, Khamla Saenglongma, Jeffrey Alan Wright, Robert William Moore, Jeffrey C. Mastendino, Jeffrey Hoffman Marple, Jr., Brendan William Smyth
  • Patent number: 11634225
    Abstract: Flight cessation detection unit detects that drone has ceased flying at an unexpected site. Situation information acquisition unit acquires, as situation information indicating a situation related to retrieval of the drone, information on weather in an area in which the drone has flown. Retrieval procedure determination unit determines a retrieval procedure for the drone based on a situation indicated by the acquired situation information. Retrieval procedure determination unit, upon detecting a time period having specific weather based on the acquired information on weather, determines a retrieval procedure in which the time period is designated as a retrieval time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yamada, Ken Koumoto, Hidetoshi Ebara, Youhei Oono, Yuichiro Segawa, Yukiko Nakamura, Shinya Hanano
  • Patent number: 11630456
    Abstract: An autonomously traveling cart system includes a mover, a memory, a position detector, and a processor. The mover moves a cart main body. The memory stores map data indicating an autonomously traveling cart storage space installed in an area where the cart main body is movable. The position detector detects a position of the cart main body. The processor designs a moving route from the position of the cart main body which the position detector detects toward the autonomously traveling cart storage space indicated by the map data, and allows the cart main body to move toward the autonomously traveling cart storage space by the mover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Kanno
  • Patent number: 11625674
    Abstract: Technologies and techniques for delivering an order to an at least semiautonomous motor vehicle, and a motor vehicle. If an ordering function is activated, provider information is obtained from potential providers that offer delivery of an order by means of a mobile delivery system within a predefined area on a determined route from a current position of the motor vehicle to a destination. Coordinates and a time for a meeting of the motor vehicle with the mobile delivery system are determined for each of the potential providers that have been determined using traffic condition and planning criteria, and a corresponding ordering option that can be activated is provided. As soon as the ordering option is activated, the motor vehicle is at least semiautonomously driven to the determined meeting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Viktor Bader
  • Patent number: 11623646
    Abstract: An autonomous driving system includes a lane change control device that performs lane change control for making a lane change from a first lane to a second lane during autonomous driving of a vehicle. The lane change control device is configured to: determine, from start to completion of the lane change control, whether or not a driver's operation is performed as an abort request operation that requests to abort the lane change control; when the abort request operation is performed, determine whether or not an abort permission condition is satisfied; when the abort permission condition is not satisfied, continue the lane change control; and, when the abort permission condition is satisfied, abort the lane change control and make the vehicle travel in the first lane. The lane change control device changes ease of satisfaction of the abort permission condition depending on the situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuta Hashimoto, Hiroki Fukuda, Akira Ito
  • Patent number: 11618451
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed for predicting yield behaviors of objects (vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, etc.) at a location. An autonomous vehicle located at a first road segment connecting to an intersection having a stop sign can detect a first vehicle approaching the intersection from a second road segment connecting to the intersection. Using a model indicating an average yield location and yield time where both are specific to the second road segment connecting to the intersection, the autonomous vehicle can predict that the first vehicle will yield at the average yield location that is specific to the second road segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC.
    Inventors: Zachary Garcia, Chen Steve Xie
  • Patent number: 11618591
    Abstract: An example system for in-situ inspection of a composite structure includes a surface-strain imaging apparatus and a controller. The surface-strain imaging apparatus is configured to image an area of an outer surface of the composite structure while a temperature of the composite structure warms to thermal equilibrium with a surrounding environment and a temperature gradient exists within the composite structure. The controller includes a processor and a memory, and is configured to detect, using data received from the surface-strain imaging apparatus, an out-of-plane displacement of the outer surface in the area caused by the temperature gradient. The controller is also configured to determine that the out-of-plane displacement satisfies a threshold condition and, based on determining that the out-of-plane displacement satisfies the threshold condition, flag the area of the outer surface for further inspection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Samuel R. Goertz, Gary E. Georgeson
  • Patent number: 11613266
    Abstract: A method to a computer program containing instructions and to a module for monitoring a component of a control system for a transport. In a first step, a function call is sent to the component to execute a function used by the component using defined input data. Then a response from the component to the function call is received. The response is subsequently compared with an expected response. Finally, an action is performed in response to a result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: ELEKTROBIT AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Stefan Hermann
  • Patent number: 11608087
    Abstract: Techniques are described for transitioning control of a steering system from an autonomous mode in a vehicle to a driver-controlled mode where the driver can control the steering wheel of the steering system. A method includes receiving values that describe an amount of torque and a direction of torque in response to a torque applied to a steering wheel of a steering system operated in an autonomous mode, determining that the values are either greater than or equal to a threshold value or are less than or equal to a negative of the threshold value, determining that the values are measured over a period of time greater than or equal to a pre-determined amount of time, and transitioning the steering system from being operated in the autonomous mode to being operated in a driver-controlled mode in which the steering system is under manual control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: TUSIMPLE, INC.
    Inventors: Kaixin Zheng, Xiaoling Han, Zehua Huang, Charles A. Price
  • Patent number: 11603215
    Abstract: A flight direction indication system for an aerial vehicle having a plurality of rotors includes: for each of the plurality of rotors, at least one rotor blade having a plurality of light sources arranged along a radial extension of the rotor blade; and a control unit, coupled to the plurality of light sources of the rotor blades of the plurality of rotors. The control unit is configured to effect a coordinated control of the plurality of light sources of the rotor blades of the plurality of rotors, with the coordinated control yielding an image or a sequence of images across the plurality of rotors to an observer of the aerial vehicle and to to control the plurality of light sources of the rotor blades of the plurality of rotors on the basis of a momentary flight direction of the aerial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: GOODRICH LIGHTING SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventor: Carsten Pawliczek
  • Patent number: 11597373
    Abstract: There is provided a hybrid vehicle to suppress hunting (inversion) of a drive mode in a short time. The hybrid vehicle has an engine, a motor, a battery, an air conditioning system configured to condition air in a passenger compartment, and map information, and sets a drive route from the present location to the destination, and creates a drive support plan in which one of the drive modes including CD mode and CS mode is assigned to each drive section of the drive route to perform the drive support control. The drive support plan is created based on the battery remaining capacity taking into account the power consumption of the air conditioning system. When the predetermined condition that is based on the battery remaining capacity without taking into account the power consumption of the air conditioning system is satisfied while performing the drive support control, the driving state is continued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11572055
    Abstract: A method for operating a hybrid vehicle that includes a prime mover (1) with an internal combustion engine (2), an electric machine (3), a transmission (4) connected between the prime mover (1) and a driven end (5), and multiple shift elements, including a separating clutch (7) connected between the internal combustion engine (2) and the electric machine (3), and a starting component (8), is provided. After release of a brake pedal (12) or together with the release of the brake pedal (12) for a driving start or an crawling start, an engagement speed threshold (22) for the starting component (8) is established below an idling speed of the prime mover (1) and a previously disengaged starting component (8) is engaged. A control unit (9, 10, 11) for carrying out such a method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventor: Tobias Kranepuhl
  • Patent number: 11574547
    Abstract: Systems and methods for establishing an ad-hoc collaboration between unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are provided. A method includes: configuring intent data of a first UAV using a controller of the first UAV; configuring a collaboration plan for the first UAV and a second UAV based on a determination of a shared intent between the first UAV and the second UAV; executing the collaboration plan by flying the first UAV and gathering data using the first UAV based on the collaboration plan; and sharing the gathered data with an operator of the second UAV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lisa Seacat DeLuca, Clifford A. Pickover, Dana L. Price, Aaron J. Quirk
  • Patent number: 11565687
    Abstract: A control device of a hybrid vehicle includes a pressing torque applying portion configured to control the first rotating machine to output a pressing torque acting in a predetermined backlash elimination direction in backlash elimination in which one of tooth surfaces of meshing gears is pressed against the other at a meshing portion during motor running, so that the pressing torque is applied on the electric transmission mechanism. When an electrical angle of the first rotating machine is within a predetermined electrical angle range in which a cogging torque of the first rotating machine generated in accordance with rotation of the first rotating machine is equal to or greater than a predetermined torque required for the backlash elimination in the predetermined backlash elimination direction, the pressing torque applying portion makes the pressing torque smaller as compared to when the electrical angle is outside the predetermined electrical angle range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Kitahata, Hiroki Kuwamoto, Kenji Miyasaka
  • Patent number: 11548389
    Abstract: A control system for a screen of a vehicle includes a global positioning system (GPS), an inertia sensor and a control circuit. The GPS detects a satellite signal from a satellite. The inertia sensor senses motion of the vehicle and correspondingly generates a motion state value. The control circuit performs one of a first determination procedure and a second determination procedure according to the state of the satellite signal. In the first determination procedure, the control circuit calculates the vehicle speed of the vehicle according to the satellite signal, and selectively locks the screen of the vehicle according to the vehicle speed. In the second determination procedure, the control circuit generates a motion signal according to the motion state value, and selectively locks the screen of the vehicle according to the motion signal. Accordingly, driving safety can still be effectively ensured even in the case of poor satellite signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: GETAC TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hsueh-Mao Cheng
  • Patent number: 11548495
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system are disclosed for incrementally derating a torque applied by a drivetrain in response a number of traction control events detected by a traction control system over a predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventor: Martin T. Books
  • Patent number: 11549241
    Abstract: A machine is disclosed. The machine may include a control system that includes a controller configured to: determine a center of gravity of the machine based on a state of the machine; determine at least one of a slope limit or a pitch limit for the machine based on the center of gravity; receive a command to perform an operation that, if performed, would affect at least one of a slope or a pitch of the machine; determine whether the operation, if performed, would cause the machine to exceed the at least one of the slope limit or the pitch limit; and selectively perform the operation based on determining whether the operation, if performed, would cause the machine to exceed the at least one of the slope limit or the pitch limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Lee M. Hogan