Patents Examined by Daniel L Greene
  • Patent number: 11390177
    Abstract: A vehicle and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. The vehicle may include a plurality of charging ports electrically coupled to a first connector and a second connector, each of the first and second connectors configured to receive power from at least one charger; and a controller configured to receive a charging start command and, upon receiving the charging start command, to control operation of the vehicle to be sequentially paired with the first connector and the second connector when the first connector and the second connector are electrically coupled to the plurality of charging ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, Yura Corporation Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: JeongHa Noh, Beob Mo Seong, Sang Yeon Kim, Dueg Ki Shin
  • Patent number: 11385641
    Abstract: Provided an information processing device that is capable of switching between a state in which a device is carried and a state in which the device is not carried in a more suitable form in accordance with a state or situation in which the device is used. The information processing device includes an acquisition unit that acquires information on a user and a controller that executes a control process for moving a device that can be carried by the user so that the device changes between a carry state in which the device is carried by the user and a non-carry state in which the device is not carried by the user on the basis of the information on the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiki Takeoka, Manabu Kii, Yasuhide Hosoda, Toshiyuki Kawamura
  • Patent number: 11376172
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a patient transporting device having a docking member at one end of the patient transporting device that allows to attach to and detach from a receiving portion of the patient loading systems in an emergency vehicle. The device includes a moveable base member that a patient lies down on, a pathway member for the base member to slidably move along tracks of the pathway member, and a docking member at one end of the pathway member that fits and mates with the receiving portion of the vehicle. In operation, the docking member docks with the receiving portion and establishes an extended bridge formed of the pathway member and the docking member of the device and the receiving portion of the vehicle. The extended bridge has a substantially coplanar surface so that the patient lying down on the base member may be easily loaded to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Inventor: Dan Bacon, IV
  • Patent number: 11377146
    Abstract: A steer-by-wire type vehicle includes actuators operated by electric power supplied from a power supply device. The actuators include a turning actuator for turning a wheel and a reaction actuator for applying a reaction torque to a steering wheel. The power supply device includes a main power supply and a backup power supply. A control device for the vehicle executes turning control that turns the wheel by controlling the turning actuator according to a steering operation of the steering wheel. When the electric power is supplied from the main power supply to the actuators, the control device executes reaction torque control that applies the reaction torque to the steering wheel by controlling the reaction actuator according to the steering operation. When the electric power is supplied from the backup power supply to the actuators, the control device executes power suppression processing that stops control of the reaction actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Asami Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 11377140
    Abstract: Technical solutions are described herein for steer-by-wire (SBW) steering systems to detect an end-of-travel condition dynamically and generate responsive handwheel torque for a driver. According to one or more embodiments, a steer-by-wire steering system includes a first controller that generates a plurality of torque commands. Generating the plurality of torque commands includes generating a curb torque command in response to detecting a curb condition in which road wheels are stationary despite a change in handwheel position, and generating an end-of-travel torque command in response to detecting an end-of-travel condition. The steer-by-wire steering system further includes an arbitrator module that determines a notification torque command by arbitrating between the plurality of torque commands, which comprises the curb torque command and the end-of-travel torque command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Scott T. Sanford, Patrick M. Ryne, Nick M. Trewhella
  • Patent number: 11378981
    Abstract: A method, by a computing device of a first autonomous escort vehicle of a convoy that includes multiple autonomous escort vehicles, that includes: receiving, from a central computing device associated with the convoy, an instruction to prevent one or more environmental vehicles from interfering with movements of the convoy, wherein the instruction is determined by the central computing device based on first sensor data from one or more autonomous escort vehicles in the convoy and the movements of the convoy; determining, based on second sensor data from one or more sensors of the first autonomous escort vehicle, a set of movements for preventing the one or more environmental vehicles from interfering with the movements of the convoy; and performing the set of movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Danaher Harvey
  • Patent number: 11378986
    Abstract: Techniques for allowing a vehicle equipped with at least one radar to take-off and land using radar return images of a landing site. The at least one radar generates radar return image(s) of the landing site, specifically of reflective symbols attached to the landing site, allowing the vehicle to orient itself to the landing site and providing information specific to the landing site. Position and velocity in relation to a landing site can be determined using at least one radar and a guidance and landing system. Using the position and velocity information, the guidance and landing system can guide the vehicle to and from the landing site and/or determine whether an obstacle requires the use of an alternate landing site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Byron Birkedahl, Marc M. Pos
  • Patent number: 11372408
    Abstract: A robot has a component that is oriented relative to a chassis of the robot. For example, a display screen is mounted to the robot using a pan and tilt arrangement. During operation, trajectory data indicative of a trajectory is determined that specifies where the robot is intended to travel as it moves through an environment. This trajectory data is used to dynamically orient the component. For example, as the robot moves through the environment, the display screen would be oriented such that it appears to be “facing” a point in space that is associated with a point on the trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Roger Webster, Amin Hani Atrash
  • Patent number: 11364950
    Abstract: The present application discloses a steering control system, a method and a crane. The steering control system includes: one or more first angle sensors, one or more second angle sensors, and a steering controller; each of the first angle sensors collects an actual steering angle of a wheel corresponding to a mechanical steering axle as a first steering angle; each of the second angle sensors an actual steering angle of a wheel corresponding to an electrically controlled steering axle as a second steering angle; the steering controller obtains a theoretical steering angle of the wheel corresponding to the electrically controlled steering axle in a corresponding travel mode according to the first steering angle, and compares the second steering angle with the theoretical steering angle, to control the wheel corresponding to the electrically controlled steering axle to steer according to a difference therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: XUZHOU HEAVY MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zenghai Shan, Jiankai Chen, Yunwang Ma, Zongjia Yu, Yufeng Zhao, Liufu Zhao, Pengcheng Lu
  • Patent number: 11358670
    Abstract: The invention obtains a straddle-type vehicle information processor and a straddle-type vehicle information processing method capable of recognizing that a traveling straddle-type vehicle enters a falling phase with a high degree of accuracy at appropriate timing and thereby contributes to improvement in occupant safety. A straddle-type vehicle information processor 10 includes: a posture information acquisition section 11 that at least acquires a roll rate Rr and a yaw rate Ry generated in a traveling straddle-type vehicle 1 as posture information; and a falling phase recognition section 12 that recognizes that the straddle-type vehicle 1 enters a falling phase in the case where a change in a degree of instability over time, which is derived at least on the basis of the roll rate Rr and the yaw rate Ry, shows an increasing tendency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Fukuzawa Keiichiro
  • Patent number: 11345423
    Abstract: An activity tracker includes a device that includes a sensor component, a radio, a housing, and a removable portion. The sensor component is configured to obtain bicycle route information based on one or more sensors. The radio is configured to wirelessly communicate the bicycle route information to a remote computing device. The housing includes at least a portion of the sensor component and the radio. The removable portion includes a battery. The removable portion and the housing, when coupled, create a watertight seal to protect electronic components of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Zachary David Nelson, Sudipto Aich, Chih-Wei Tang
  • Patent number: 11338876
    Abstract: An activity tracker includes a device that includes a sensor component, a radio, and a mounting member. The sensor component is configured to obtain bicycle route information based on information from one or more sensors. The sensor component detects pedal proximity and calculates a pedal rotation speed based on data provided by an integrated pedal cadence sensor. The radio is configured to wirelessly communicate the bicycle route information to a remote computing device. The mounting members are for mounting the device to a bicycle frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Zachary David Nelson, Darioush Xirakis Aghaiyazdi, Sudipto Aich, Chih-Wei Tang
  • Patent number: 11328614
    Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for returning a drone to a drone dock. In one aspect, a method includes detecting, by the drone and using a drone-mounted light detection unit, a first light signal and a second light signal generated by one of a plurality of visible light communication devices coupled to the drone dock, obtaining, by the drone, location information based on the first detected light signal and the second detected light signal, determining, by the drone, a position of the drone relative to the drone dock based on the obtained location information, and adjusting, by the drone, the navigation path of the drone in a manner that alters an alignment of at least a portion of the drone relative to the drone dock based on the determined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Alarm.com Incorporated
    Inventors: Gary Franklin Bart, Dean Constantine
  • Patent number: 11326985
    Abstract: An inertial regulation active suspension system based on posture deviation of a vehicle and a control method thereof are provided. The system comprises a vehicle body, an inertial measurement unit, an electronic control unit, a servo controller group, a plurality of wheels, suspension servo actuating cylinders respectively corresponding to the wheels, and displacement sensors for measuring a stroke of the suspension servo actuating cylinders. The electronic control unit reads posture parameters of the vehicle body measured by the inertial measurement unit, and calculates a deviation between the postures of the vehicle body at a current moment and at a previous moment, and then outputs posture control parameters to the servo controller group. The servo controller group controls extension and retraction of each of the suspension servo actuating cylinders according to the posture control parameters and displacement feedback values of the displacement sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Yanshan University
    Inventors: Dingxuan Zhao, Mingde Gong, Shuang Liu, Zhuxin Zhang, Zhiguo Sun, Bin Yang, Tao Ni, Qinghe Guo, Mengke Yang
  • Patent number: 11328541
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide prognostic vehicle diagnosis methodologies for monitoring the relative health of various vehicle components over time, to enable replacement of those vehicle components prior to component failure. Sensors monitoring those vehicle components transmit generated telematics data to a computing entity configured to generate a telematics data signature based on the sensor-generated data, and to compare the telematics data signature against a reference data signature to ascertain the relative health of the vehicle component. If the telematics data signature satisfies a failure threshold identified within the reference signature, the computing entity initiates a replacement process at least in part by generating an alert for a maintenance personnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Philip Aiello, Ralph Gallagher
  • Patent number: 11325591
    Abstract: A vehicle control system to provide driving assistance for a vehicle include a plurality of sensors and circuitry. The plurality of sensors captures one or more signals associated with the vehicle. The circuitry identifies a trigger input to change a current operation mode of the vehicle to a teleoperation mode of the vehicle. The circuitry further transmits, in the teleoperation mode, the captured one or more signals to a teleoperation server of a plurality of teleoperation servers. The circuitry further receives, in the teleoperation mode, one or more vehicular instructions from the teleoperation server based on the transmitted one or more signals. The circuitry further controls, in the teleoperation mode, at least one component of the vehicle based on the received one or more vehicular instructions to control movement of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuhei Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 11318847
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an energy management system suitable for a solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle and a control method thereof, which are used for an aerospace vehicle energy system. The system comprises a photovoltaic module, an MPPT controller, a first DC-DC circuit, a battery pack, a first anti-reverse circuit, a second DC-DC circuit, a second anti-reverse circuit, an ESC, a BLDC, an on-board controller, a communication link and a voltage stabilizing module. During cruising, the battery pack directly supplies power to the ESC through the first anti-reverse circuit; when high-power power output is needed, the battery pack supplies power to the ESC through the second DC-DC circuit and the second anti-reverse circuit in sequence, wherein the output voltage of the second DC-DC circuit and the accelerator signal input of the ESC are controlled by the on-board controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Inventors: Yao Zheng, Junyin Chen, Changping Du, Guanghua Song, Rui Yang, Zhixian Ye, Zekun Zhang
  • Patent number: 11312334
    Abstract: Described are devices, systems and methods for real-time remote control of vehicles with high redundancy. In some embodiments, two copies of at least one control command are received using two different wireless communication protocols, and are compared. The at least one control command is executed when the two copies are in agreement, but is rejected when the two copies differ. In other embodiments, additional wireless communication protocols may exist to provide a redundant mode of communication when one of the two different wireless communication protocols are unavailable. In yet other embodiments, redundant GPS units may be used to determine availability of any of the communication protocols, and relevant control commands may be downloaded in advance to circumvent the lack of coverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: TUSIMPLE, INC.
    Inventors: Xiaoling Han, Charles A. Price, Lindong Sun, Liu Liu, Yi Wang, Ruiliang Zhang
  • Patent number: 11307575
    Abstract: An anti-personnel autonomous vehicle (AGAR) system has a chassis formed by a directional fragmentation weapon (DFW). An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) assembly is engaged to the DFW, the UAV assembly having a plurality of wheel and motor units positioned to provide balanced wheel and motor on the DFW. A control module integrated in the UAV assembly has a wireless transmitter/receiver communicating with a remote controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Gentry B. Stephens
  • Patent number: 11305602
    Abstract: A system for testing a suspension system of a vehicle includes an inertial measurement module and a suspension fault detection module. The inertial measurement module is configured to, while the vehicle is not moving, collect sensor data from one or more inertial measurement sensors for different states of the suspension system. The sensor data is indicative of inertial states of the vehicle while the suspension system is in each of the different states. The suspension fault detection module is configured to, based on the sensor data and a set of thresholds, determine whether a fault exists with the suspension system, isolate and identify the fault, and perform a countermeasure based on the detection of the fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Xinyu Du, Lichao Mai, Brian K. Saylor, Arvind Sharma, Kevin A. Cansiani