Abstract: Described embodiments include a system, method, and apparatus. A system includes a package management system for operating a robotic vehicle configured to transport consumer items selected by a human shopper from a consumer shopping environment and placed in the robotic vehicle. The package management system includes circuitry for recognizing an individual human shopper placing a consumer item in the robotic vehicle. The package management system includes circuitry for routing the robotic vehicle along a path following the recognized individual human shopper through the consumer shopping environment. The package management system includes circuitry for suspending the shopper-following movement of the robotic vehicle in response to suspension criteria. The package management system includes circuitry for resuming the shopper-following movement of the robotic vehicle in response to resumption criteria.

Abstract: A method and system to contact a provider are described. The system may include a communication module to receive a referral request, a referral generator, and a call module. The referral generator may be configured to respond to the referral request by selecting a provider from a network of providers. The call module may be configured to initiate a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) call in order to contact the selected provider.

Abstract: Methods for controlling software usage are described. Methods comprise receiving a request for at least one software application license, wherein the request comprises a user count, generating, by the computing apparatus, one or more sets of license data in response to the request, wherein a set of license data comprises at least one of the user count and a corresponding sequence number, signing each of the one or more sets of license data digitally with a private key, embedding a set of signed license data into the software application, receiving user identification data from a user through an input interface associated with the computing apparatus, and validating the user identification data. Additional embodiments incorporate mechanisms for license renewal, user registration and user authentication by means of associating a range of user identification data with the license data.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of controlling an electronic parking brake are provided to prevent collision with a preceding vehicle by generating additional target clamping force through interoperation with an advanced emergency brake system (AEBS) to improve performance of the AEBS. The apparatus includes an electric parking brake (EPB) that generates target clamping force and an information collector that collects a primary warning signal and a primary demanded deceleration by interoperating with an AEBS. A controller operates the EPB to perform a preparation process for braking when the primary warning signal is collected and perform braking until a primary actual deceleration corresponding to the primary demanded deceleration is measured when the primary demanded deceleration is collected.

Abstract: A method for positioning two or more trimmable marine propulsion devices coupled to a transom of a marine vessel includes identifying two propulsion devices located one on each of a port side and a starboard side of a centerline of the transom and spaced symmetrically with respect to the centerline. The two propulsion devices are defined as a first set and are associated with a first target trim position. The method also includes defining a second set of propulsion devices and associating the second set with a second target trim position. When in auto-trim mode, each propulsion device in a set of propulsion devices is actuated to its target trim position only if the actual trim positions of all propulsion devices in the set differ from the target trim position by at least a given amount. The propulsion devices may be actuated individually in response to a user sync command.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine and a rotary electric machine. The internal combustion engine includes a variable valve actuating device configured to change an operation characteristic of an intake valve. The rotary electric machine is configured to generate driving force for propelling the hybrid vehicle. A controller for the hybrid vehicle includes a traveling control unit and a valve actuation control unit. The traveling control unit executes traveling control for causing the hybrid vehicle to travel by using the driving force of the rotary electric machine while stopping the internal combustion engine. The traveling control unit starts up the internal combustion engine while executing the traveling control. The valve actuation control unit controls the variable valve actuating device.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for determining the depth of a trench opened by an agricultural planter. Sensors are provided for detecting the position of a ground-engaging element of the planter such as a gauge wheel or seed firmer of a row unit of the planter. Apparatus and methods are provided for installing such sensors onto a row unit of the planter. Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for controlling downpressure on a row unit based on the trench depth. Methods are provided for mapping trench depth measured by the depth sensors.

Abstract: A device may determine a lead vehicle identifier and a follow vehicle identifier associated with navigating to a destination. The device may determine a plurality of device identifiers associated with the lead vehicle identifier or the follow vehicle identifier, identifying a plurality of devices. The device may determine navigation information. The device may provide the navigation information to a navigation device associated with a vehicle identifier. The device may receive a request to modify the navigation information. The device may determine a modification option. The device may provide the modification option to the plurality of devices for voting. The device may receive one or more voting responses. The device may determine a result of the voting based on the one or more voting responses. The device may provide, to the navigation device, an instruction associated with navigating to the destination based on the result of the voting.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising means for collecting data measured from operation and/or a state of a forestry machine and/or describing an environment thereof, which date may consist of one or more parameters, means for processing the collected data, and means for influencing, on the basis of the processed data, one or more parameters controlling the operation of the forestry machine or for conveying feedback or an instruction or a prompt to a driver to change his or her control.

Abstract: A method for setting a parking brake includes determining a standard deviation from a current curve of an electric brake motor. The current curve is based on measured current valued. The method further includes determining an electromechanical clamping force. The electromechanical clamping force can be determined based on a correcting current or the current values of the brake motor. The correcting current is determined if the standard deviation exceeds a limit value and motor parameters of the brake motor being determined using the correcting current. The parking brake includes an electromechanical braking mechanism having the electric brake motor configured to generate an electromechanical clamping force.

Abstract: A collision avoidance assistance device includes an object detection unit configured to detect the object, a planned execution timing determination unit configured to determine a planned execution timing, a motion characteristics value acquisition unit configured to acquire a motion characteristics value in a comparison target time span which is a predetermined time span later than a detection timing at which the object detection unit detects the object and prior to the planned execution timing, and a collision avoidance assistance determination unit configured to determine whether or not to execute the collision avoidance assistance at the timing prior to the planned execution timing, based on the result of comparison between the motion characteristics value and a reference motion characteristics value in the comparison target time span obtainable from a history of the past motion characteristics values.

Abstract: Systems and related methods for controlling vehicle position and movement are disclosed. A system includes one or more computers configured to receive data corresponding to video image frames of at least a portion of a course, and analyze the video image frame to estimate at least one of position and orientation of the vehicle within the course. A method includes identifying groups of pixels from the video image frames that are determined to correspond to non-background objects in the course. The method also includes correlating at least a portion of the identified groups of pixels with known objects in the course, and analyzing positions of the groups of pixels within the video image frames and known positions of at least one of an image capture device and known objects relative to the course to estimate at least one of the position and orientation of the vehicle within the course.

Abstract: A method for providing a clamping force generated by an automatic parking brake includes using a brake motor and a brake piston acting on a brake disk to generate the clamping force. The method guarantees a reliable function of the automatic parking brake even on a loss of clamping force due to a temperature change of the brake disk. The method also minimizes the load on components of the automatic parking brake. After a completed application of the automatic parking brake, a secondary application process is carried out as a function of an activation reaction of the brake motor.

Abstract: A load handling system for a vehicle includes a set of forks that concurrently supports two or more pallets including a first pallet and a second pallet linearly positioned along a length of the forks, and a lifting system to raise and lower the forks. A traction system moves the vehicle in a direction of travel associated with withdrawing the forks from the pallets. Additionally, an actuation device generates an activation signal in response to being actuated by an operator, and a vehicle controller places the vehicle in an automated mode of operation in response to receiving the activation signal. In the automated mode of operation, a front end of the forks moves from the second pallet to the first pallet, and the first pallet is raised while the second pallet remains on a transport surface. The first pallet is then spaced apart from the second pallet by a predetermined distance and then lowered to the transport surface.

Abstract: An end determination unit determines that a steering apparatus is in an end touching state when an angle deviation, which is a difference between an actual turning angle and a target turning angle, exceeds a threshold. This angle deviation exceeds the threshold before a large axial force is generated in a steering shaft. Accordingly, is it possible to determine that the steering apparatus is in the end touching state more quickly.

Abstract: Probe data including points with geographic locations and heading angles are identified for a geographic area. A translation is performed on the points in the probe data in a predetermined direction orthogonal to the corresponding heading. The translated points are aggregated according to a location grid. The aggregated points are analyzed from the location grid according to the heading. A potential location for a center of a roundabout road formation is determined based on the analysis.

Abstract: An object detection system for an autonomous vehicle processes sensor data, including one or more images, obtained for a road segment on which the autonomous vehicle is being driven. The object detection system compares the images to three-dimensional (3D) environment data for the road segment to determine pixels in the images that correspond to objects not previously identified in the 3D environment data. The object detection system then analyzes the pixels to classify the objects not previously identified in the 3D environment data.

Abstract: There is provided a method for heavy vehicle traffic flow optimization. The method includes determining location information and destination information of qualifying heavy vehicles. The method further includes modifying one or more traffic signal sequences to optimize a traffic flow of the qualifying heavy vehicles responsive to the location information and the destination information. Each of the qualifying heavy vehicles has a respective associated weight greater than a predetermined weight threshold.

Abstract: A system and a method for the navigation of a mobile vehicle, suitable for determining and displaying a safe navigation zone for the mobile vehicle. The navigation system includes a dead reckoning navigation system (10), a calculator (50), a storage memory (60), an embedded sensor (20), and an electronic mapping system (70). The calculator (50) is suitable for calculating an estimated position of the mobile vehicle from speed and/or acceleration measurements and a comparison of the measurement of an environmental parameter with a geographical database. The calculator (50) is suitable for calculating the probability density of the presence of the mobile vehicle around each point on the map in order to deduce a safety zone (12) corresponding to a presence probability higher than, or equal to, a pre-determined threshold p.

Abstract: A bicycle control apparatus is provided with a controller for controlling an output of an assist motor according to a manual drive force. The controller is configured to selectively set a first control state and a second control state, in which output states of the assist motor with respect to the manual drive force are different from each other. The controller controls the output of the assist motor so that a response speed of the assist motor with respect to changes in the manual drive force in the first control state will be faster than the response speed of the assist motor with respect to changes in the manual drive force in the second control state, when a crank of a bicycle is rotated from a stopped state and/or when a rotational speed of the crank is less than or equal to a prescribed first speed.