Patents Examined by Charles J Han
-
Patent number: 10054449Abstract: A method of following a transfer orbit or a phase of orbital placement of a continuous-thrust space vehicle comprises the following steps: a) tracking at least one GNSS signal and using it to determine at least one pseudorange between the space vehicle and one or more GNSS satellites transmitting the signal; b) using an estimation model to jointly estimate a set of state parameters of the space vehicle comprising a plurality of position parameters, a plurality of velocity parameters and at least one thrust error parameter characterizing a discrepancy between an actual thrust force of the space vehicle and a nominal thrust force by taking the pseudorange or pseudoranges as input datum of the estimation model. An apparatus for the implementation of such a method is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2015Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: THALESInventors: Thibaud Calmettes, Fabien Rozo-Quillere, Damien Serant
-
Patent number: 10055910Abstract: A vehicle information recording device includes: a first control device that continuously stores, into a data storage device, vehicle information indicative of a state of a vehicle having an engine; a first determination device that determines whether the engine is stalled; a second control device that stores engine stall information into the storage unit when the first determination device determines that the engine is stalled while the first control device is storing the vehicle information into the data storage device; and a second determination device that determines whether the engine starts. When the second determination device determines that the engine starts, and the engine stall information is stored in the storage unit, the first control device starts storing the vehicle information into the data storage device.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2015Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Masayoshi Kayano
-
Patent number: 10054457Abstract: Driving assistance systems, methods, and programs for a vehicle, acquire a travel history of a vehicle, acquire a guidance target point at which a guidance target event has occurred based on the travel history, and acquire a tendency of a driving operation of a driver of the vehicle based on the travel history. The systems, methods, and programs determine whether to provide guidance on the guidance target point based on the tendency of the driving operation, and provide guidance relating to the guidance target point for which it is determined to provide the guidance.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2015Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: AISIN AW CO., LTD.Inventor: Masatoshi Takahara
-
Patent number: 10019000Abstract: Structures and protocols are presented for configuring an unmanned aerial device to perform a task, alone or in combination with other entities, or for using data resulting from such a configuration or performance.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2012Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: Elwha LLCInventors: Royce A. Levien, Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, John D. Rinaldo, Jr., Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
-
Patent number: 9981640Abstract: A method is described for ascertaining the offset value of a sensor signal in a vehicle after the end of a parking period, in which the vehicle was parked, including the steps ascertaining the offset value of the sensor signal prior to the start of the parking period, storing the ascertained offset value in a data memory, ascertaining the changed offset value of the sensor signal after the end of the parking period from the offset value ascertained prior to the start of the parking period and the sensor signal present after the end of the parking period.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2013Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBHInventors: Jochen Burkert, Marcus Wagner
-
Patent number: 9975540Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle is provided with: an air-fuel ratio determinator configured to determine an air-fuel ratio of an internal combustion engine in a predetermined period until speed change by a transmission is actually performed; and a controller configured to control at least one of the internal combustion engine and an electric motor in such a manner that a possible amount of torque down of the internal combustion engine is increased if the air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine is lean in the predetermined period. By this, it is possible to avoid a detrimental effect, such as a torque shock, deterioration of durability of a friction material, and the like, which can occur in the speed change.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2014Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kenta Kumazaki, Atsushi Tabata, Tooru Matsubara, Tatsuya Imamura, Kazuyuki Shiiba
-
Patent number: 9964416Abstract: Various embodiments may include methods and systems for locating health facilities based on a cost of healthcare. Information may be received identifying a source for receiving health service cost information. Further, vehicle user insurance information may be transmitted to obtain health service cost information. The health service cost information may be received from the identified source and presented at a vehicle computer. The identified source may include information by or from a health facilities and/or information from one or more members of the public.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2011Date of Patent: May 8, 2018Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Edward Clark Nelson, Gary Steven Strumolo, Mark Schunder
-
Patent number: 9934689Abstract: An automated driving system for an autonomous vehicle may include a perception system and a computing device for detecting and tracking a location of an object within an obstructed viewing region blocked from view of sensors associated with the perception system. The computing device and perception system may identify an obstructed viewing region and detect an external imaging assist device located within a sensor field of the perception system. The imaging assist device is capable of transmitting images of the obstructed viewing region to the perception system. The computing device analyzes the images received from the imaging assist device for purposes of detecting an object within the obstructed viewing region and tracking its location relative to the autonomous vehicle. The computing device may transmit a command to an autonomous vehicle system to implement an autonomous vehicle maneuver based at least in part on the tracked location of the hidden object.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2014Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventor: Danil V. Prokhorov
-
Patent number: 9909887Abstract: An autonomous vehicle may access portions of a map to maneuver a roadway. The map may be split into one or more levels that represent different regions in space. For example, an overpass may be represented by one level while the road below the overpass may be on a separate level. A vehicle traveling on a particular level may use map data that is associated with that level. Furthermore, if the vehicle travels through a warp zone, it may transition from the current level to a destination level and thus begin to use map data associated with the destination level.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2016Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Christopher Paul Urmson, Michael Steven Montemerlo, Andrew Hughes Chatham, Daniel Trawick Egnor
-
Patent number: 9827985Abstract: A system and method for performing autonomous navigation of a vehicle are disclosed, which recognize a possibility of collision risk through path estimation of a target vehicle, and generate an autonomous navigation path. The autonomous navigation system for a vehicle includes: a target-vehicle information detection unit configured to detect traveling information of a target vehicle; and a path generation unit configured to estimate movement of the target vehicle on the basis of the information received from the target-vehicle information detection unit, calculate a collision risk value by recognizing a possibility of collision risk between an ego-vehicle and the target vehicle, and generate an autonomous navigation path of the ego-vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2015Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANYInventors: Su Jung Yoo, Ji Hyun Yoon, Min Yong Shin, Hoi Won Kim
-
Patent number: 9790660Abstract: A control system for a machine having a linkage, a work implement mounted on the linkage, and at least one actuator is provided. The actuator is connected to the linkage and controlled using the control system to move the linkage and the work implement. The control system includes sensors that are configured to sense a current load and position of the work implement. Upon sensing the current load and position of the work implement, a controller provided in the control system can reject or accept a given kick-out command issued from one or more user controls of the control system based on various criteria associated with the sensed load and position of the work implement.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2016Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Matthew Stephen Marquette, Jeffrey Kent Berry, Brad Robert Van De Veer, Thuong Dao Anh Le
-
Patent number: 9771098Abstract: A motor control device includes a motor drive circuit and a microcomputer that controls the drive circuit. The microcomputer generates a control signal on the basis of duty command values Du, Dv, and Dw to control the drive circuit. The microcomputer includes a dead time compensation section that corrects the duty command values Du, Dv, and Dw on the basis of dead time compensation values Ddu, Ddv, and Ddw. The dead time compensation section includes a basic compensation value computation section that computes a basic compensation value Dd as a fundamental value of the dead time compensation values Ddu, Ddv, and Ddw, and a filter section that performs a filtering process corresponding to a low-pass filter on the basic compensation value Dd. The dead time compensation section sets the dead time compensation values Ddu, Ddv, and Ddw on the basis of an output value ? from the filter section.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2015Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATIONInventors: Satoru Mikamo, Ayumi Koike
-
Patent number: 9764632Abstract: A plugin hybrid electric vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, a battery, an electric machine, and a controller. The vehicle is operable in a primary electric vehicle driving mode (EV mode) and in a hybrid electric vehicle driving mode (HEV mode). The controller is programmed to receive input from the driver representing a desired operating mode and a desired energy reservation. If the desired operating mode is HEV mode, then a state of charge (SOC) offset is established as the smaller of a maximum SOC offset and an allowable SOC offset, otherwise, the SOC offset is established based on the desired energy reservation. The vehicle is operated based on the SOC offset.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2011Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Hai Yu, Ming Lang Kuang, Ryan McGee, Joseph G. Supina, Johannes G. Kristinsson, Fazal U. Syed
-
Patent number: 9751523Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes a control unit that performs control such that the motoring of an engine is carried out at a higher rotational speed when a required braking force is large than when the required braking force is small, from the start of charge of a battery to the start of rapid decrease in a charging power of the battery, in the case where predetermined control is performed to control a first motor and a second motor such that the battery is charged within a range of a permissible charging power through regenerative driving of the second motor and the motoring of the engine by the first motor with fuel injection stopped and that the required braking force at a braking request is applied to the vehicle, in response to the making of the braking request during the performance of cruise control or variable speed limiter control.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2016Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hajime Kato
-
Patent number: 9688154Abstract: An electrically powered vehicle includes a motor generator configured to be capable of transmitting and receiving torque to and from a driving shaft coupled to a driving wheel; a DC power supply including a power storage device; and an inverter for performing bidirectional DC/AC power conversion between the DC power supply and the motor generator. The MG-ECU controls a plurality of power semiconductor switching elements to be turned on/off in accordance with a torque command value and a state value of the motor generator. When an accelerator pedal is released, the MG-ECU controls the inverter to superimpose a DC current component on an AC current of each phase in the motor generator in accordance with the state of charge of the power storage device.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2010Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Makoto Nakamura, Ryoji Sato, Takaya Soma
-
Patent number: 9643558Abstract: A system for detecting a mismatch between first and second input signals includes first and second analog-to-digital converters, a time-division multiplexing circuit, first and second processors, a time-division de-multiplexing circuit, and a gating circuit. The first processor includes a first sinc filter, a first trimmer, a first infinite impulse response (IIR) filter, and a first high pass filter (HPF). The second processor includes a second sinc filter, a second IIR filter, and a second HPF. A bandwidth of the second IIR filter and the second HPF is greater than a bandwidth of the first IIR filter and the first HPF. A transfer function of the first IIR filter and the first HPF uses floating-point coefficients and a transfer function of the second IIR filter and the second HPF uses coefficients that are an integral power of two.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2015Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.Inventors: Siddhartha Gopal Krishna, Russell J. Lynch, Vikram Varma
-
Patent number: 9633566Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle and trailer assembly comprises obtaining an image for a current position of the vehicle and trailer assembly from a GPS system. The image is displayed on a display screen and a location is selected to indicate a desired final position for the vehicle and trailer assembly. An intended trailer backing path is determined with the desired final position of the vehicle and trailer assembly and a predicted trailer backing path is determined based upon a steering angle of the vehicle and an angle between the vehicle and the trailer. The predicted trailer backing path and the intended trailer backing path are displayed on the display screen to assist the operator in steering the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2011Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey R. Skvarce, Lorraine C. Krill, Jeffrey W. Weber
-
Patent number: 9630508Abstract: A vehicle and a method for controlling regenerative braking may utilize the maximum available regenerative braking torque for some time during a braking event. As the vehicle speed and/or powertrain torque decreases, the regenerative braking torque is controlled to deviate from the maximum. The point at which the regenerative braking torque deviates from the maximum is chosen based on the level of vehicle deceleration. The regenerative braking torque is then smoothly blended out until it reaches zero. The regenerative braking torque is brought to zero when the vehicle speed is very low, thereby eliminating the inefficiencies associated with operating a motor at a very low speed.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2015Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Daniel A. Gabor, Dale Scott Crombez
-
Patent number: 9605740Abstract: A method for controlling a locking differential of a motor vehicle includes locking the differential, if vehicle speed is less than a reference speed, and a wheel speed differential due to wheel slip is greater than a reference speed; and unlocking the differential and preventing its engagement, if vehicle speed is greater than the reference speed, and said wheel speed differential is less than a reference speed.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2009Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Jacob M. Povirk, Brian J. Andonian, Joseph J. Torres, Kenneth G. Walega
-
Patent number: 9573593Abstract: A lane deviation prevention control apparatus of a vehicle calculates a lane width direction vehicle lateral position and a yaw angle of the vehicle with respect to a lane, calculates, on the basis of the lane width direction vehicle lateral position, the yaw angle, and vehicle speed, a lane deviation predicted time in which the vehicle deviates from the lane, calculates, on the basis of the yaw angle and the lane deviation predicted time, a target yaw moment applied to the vehicle for preventing deviation from the lane, observes a change rate of the target yaw moment, and, when the change rate of the target yaw moment is equal to or larger than a threshold set in advance, limits the change rate of the target yaw moment to be equal to or smaller than a change rate limit value variably set according to at least traveling road information.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2015Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takeshi Terazawa, Takeshi Tamaki