Patents Examined by Demetra Smith-Stewart
  • Patent number: 8738262
    Abstract: One or more embodiments of the present application may provide a system and method for monitoring driver inputs and vehicle parameters, assessing a driver's cruising speed behavior, and providing short-term and/or long-term feedback to the driver relating to the driver's cruising speed behavior. The cruising speed behavior feedback can be used to coach future cruising speed behavior that may translate into better long-term driving habits, which in turn may lead to improvements in fuel economy or vehicle range. Moreover, the cruising speed behavior feedback can be adapted to a driver based upon how responsive the driver is to the feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Fazal Urrahman Syed, Dimitar Petrov Filev, Venkatapathi Raju Nallapa, Paul Stephen Bryan, Ryan J. Skaff
  • Patent number: 8738227
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dark current cutoff system and method for a vehicle junction. In particular, a controller is configured to monitor signal input through a CAN communication module to determine when other modules in the vehicle are in a sleep mode, cut off battery power to a load device by turning off a switching element when the controller determines that the other modules in the vehicle are in sleep mode, and forcibly maintains an off state of the switching element for a set period time after the power has been cut, regardless of signal input through the CAN communication module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Wang Seong Cheon, Young Kug Lee
  • Patent number: 8725318
    Abstract: Novel and non-trivial systems and methods for incorporating virtual network computing (“VNC”) into a cockpit display system (“CDS”) and controlling an aircraft system with a VNC-incorporated CDS are disclosed. A system for incorporating VNC into the CDS is comprised of a VNC server of an aircraft system, at least one first user application (“UA”), a second UA, a pilot input device, and a CDS comprised of, in part, a processing module (“PM”) configured with a corresponding method that employs both an aviation-industry standard protocol (e.g., ARINC 661) and a VNC protocol. A system for controlling an aircraft system with a VNC-incorporated CDS is comprised with a VNC server of an aircraft system, a UA, a pilot input device, a display surface format, and a CDS comprised of, in part, a PM configured with a corresponding method that employs both an aviation-industry standard protocol and a VNC protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick D. McCusker
  • Patent number: 8725336
    Abstract: In this power transmission control device, an EV travel mode for traveling by using only an electric-motor driving torque in a state in which a clutch torque is maintained to zero, and an EG travel mode for traveling by using the internal-combustion-engine driving torque in a state in which the clutch torque is adjusted to a value larger than zero are selectively realized depending on a travel state. In a state in which the EV travel mode is selected, when it is determined that a vehicle speed is higher than a predetermined speed Vth, “a gear position to be realized” is changed depending on the travel state of the vehicle, and when it is determined that the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than the predetermined speed Vth, “the gear position to be realized” is maintained to a current gear position independently of the travel state of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin AI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutaka Kobayashi, Takeshige Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 8718921
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an avoidance system which comprises means for determining, from at least the value of a parameter for the movement (R, Vr) of an intercepting vehicle relative to said moving body and from the incoming direction (?o, ?o) of said vehicle relative to said moving body, an order of avoidance intended for said automatic means of piloting said moving body in such a way that the latter automatically carries out a maneuver for avoiding said vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: MBDA France
    Inventors: Serge Poirier, Frédéric Michaud
  • Patent number: 8718920
    Abstract: Determining a launch window from anywhere within a specified area to avoid or minimize close approaches between a launch vehicle and orbiting space objects. A method and apparatus is disclosed for minimizing close approaches, or conjunctions between spacecraft being launched from anywhere within a specified area and other objects in space during the launch and early deployment phase of their lifetime, by defining a launch window, utilizing and identifying launch window blackout times to avoid close approaches of launch trajectories from anywhere within an area with remaining objects in space as noted in a space object catalog.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Analytical Graphics Inc.
    Inventor: Sergei Tanygin
  • Patent number: 8718870
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes an actuator capable of adjusting a behavior of a vehicle, a temperature detecting device configured to detect a temperature of a tire on a wheel of the vehicle, and a control device configured to control the actuator according to the temperature of the tire detected by the temperature detecting device so as to change a degree of suppressing a behavior change of the vehicle by the actuator. Therefore, the vehicle control system can suppress a variation in a driving feeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masashi Igarashi
  • Patent number: 8700285
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device and method for signaling a braking process at a trailer vehicle. The control device determines at least one braking value that is assigned to the braking process, and actuates at least one brake light as a function of the braking value. The braking process is signaled differently for different braking values determined by the control device during a braking process. As a result, traffic following the trailer vehicle and/or an emergency braking situation can be signaled and, therefore, safety in road traffic can be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Barlsen, Tobias Lange, Rainer Risse, Axel Stender
  • Patent number: 8688325
    Abstract: In order to automatically actuate a locking element of a vehicle, movement of an object in a region surrounding the vehicle is detected. If the detected movement corresponds to at least one predefined movement profile, the locking element is automatically actuated. If the detected movement does not correspond to the at least one predefined movement profile, a further predefined movement profile is produced depending on the detected movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Richard Wolf, Bernd Ette
  • Patent number: 8688339
    Abstract: A method and system provides a Neutral Tow mode in a vehicle with a shift-by-wire transmission by displaying a Neutral Tow mode option when the transmission control mechanism has been used to select Park, an ignition switch is on, and an engine is off or an information button has been pushed and entering a Neutral Tow mode upon detecting a triggering event. The Neutral Tow mode is canceled upon detecting a certain sequence of events, such as turning on the ignition switch, depressing and holding a brake pedal, and selecting Park. When in Neutral Tow mode the transmission will stay in Neutral, without automatically shifting to Park or using battery power, thereby enabling the vehicle to be towed long distances without draining battery power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Luke Fyie, Todd Curtis Spaulding, Brian J Deurloo, Mark Edward Zyskowski, Charles C Poon, William Russell Goodwin, Christopher Lee Danks, Richard Reynolds Hathaway, Jeffrey James Tumavitch
  • Patent number: 8682513
    Abstract: A communication management system for a vehicle includes a control module, a communication module, and a management module. The control module is disposed on-board a lead powered unit of the vehicle. The control module is configured to automatically change propulsion energy settings of a remote powered unit of the vehicle. The communication module transmits instructions to the remote powered unit to automatically change the propulsion energy settings of the remote powered unit. The communication module identifies communication gaps that represent interruption in one or more communication connections between the lead powered unit and the remote powered unit. The management module compares the propulsion energy settings of the lead powered unit and of the remote powered unit during the communication gaps and, based on the propulsion energy settings, prevents the control module from switching from automatic control of the propulsion energy settings of the remote powered unit to manual control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yi Chen, Jeffrey Twichel, Brian Meyer, Robert Palanti, Scott Sexauer
  • Patent number: 8682557
    Abstract: One or more embodiments of the present application may provide a system and method for monitoring driver inputs and vehicle parameters, assessing a driver's braking deceleration behavior, and providing short-term and/or long-term feedback to the driver relating to the driver's braking deceleration behavior. The braking deceleration behavior feedback can be used to coach future braking deceleration behavior that may translate into better long-term driving habits, which in turn may lead to improvements in fuel economy or vehicle range. Moreover, the braking deceleration behavior feedback can be adapted to a driver based upon how responsive the driver is to the feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Fazal Urrahman Syed, Dimitar Petrov Filev, Venkatapathi Raju Nallapa, Paul Stephen Bryan, Ryan J. Skaff
  • Patent number: 8676464
    Abstract: A vehicle control system configured to stabilize a behavior of a vehicle during turning by correcting a driving force or a braking force. The vehicle control system comprises a lateral acceleration detecting means detecting longitudinal acceleration acting in an axle direction of the vehicle Ve (step S102); and a driving/braking force correcting means determining a changing amount Fctrl and a changing rate DFctrl of the correction based on the lateral acceleration Gy in case the running vehicle Ve is turned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Soichiro Shimura, Hitoshi Matsunaga, Kazuya Okumura
  • Patent number: 8660712
    Abstract: A reconfigurable aircraft having a fuselage and a series of wing segments that form a wing, and an extra wing segment that is interchangeable with a wing segment that is part of the wing. The wing segments are readily attachable and detachable from the fuselage, allowing for the interchanging of the wing segments. At least one of the two interchangeable wing segments is configured with one type of mission-specific equipment, and the other may be configured with a second type of mission-specific equipment, allowing for the quick reconfiguration of the aircraft. Alternatively, the two interchangeable wing segments are each configured with the same mission-specific equipment, allowing for mission-specific equipment is serviced without interfering with the flight schedule. With an additional fuselage and set of wing segments that form a wing a mission may be continuously flown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: AeroVironment Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Grabowsky, Timothy E. Conver
  • Patent number: 8655533
    Abstract: An electric vehicle is provided. The electric vehicle may include a motor for driving a wheel; a brake device for braking the wheel in response to a driver's operation of a brake operation member; and a controller for controlling the motor in response to the driver's operation of an accelerator operation member. The controller may include a first motor control section for causing the motor to be placed in a regenerative braking mode to generate a first regenerative braking force, when a displacement amount of the accelerator operation member decreases to an amount less than a predetermined reference displacement amount; and a second motor control section for causing the motor to generate a second regenerative braking force which is a sum of the first regenerative braking force and a predetermined additional braking force, in response to the operation of the brake operation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Izumi Takagi
  • Patent number: 8655564
    Abstract: A driver assistance system for a motor vehicle includes at least one driving data sensor for sensing driving data that characterize the driving condition of the motor vehicle, and an electrical controller configured to initiate autonomous emergency braking of the motor vehicle when predetermined driving data has been sensed. A device is provided that is configured to detect a vehicle located in front of the motor vehicle in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle. The electrical controller maintains a brake of the motor vehicle in braking position or brings the brake into the braking position following an emergency braking action when a preceding vehicle is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH
    Inventors: Karsten Breuer, Ruppert Kamping, Hartmut Kitterer
  • Patent number: 8649978
    Abstract: Provided is a velocity calculating device including a vertical acceleration detector that detects a vertical acceleration generated due to an undulation of a contact surface; a horizontal angular velocity detector that detects a horizontal angular velocity generated due to the undulation; a correlation coefficient calculator that calculates a correlation coefficient that represents a degree to which an acceleration in the direction of travel is mixed into the vertical acceleration in accordance with an attachment angle; a true vertical acceleration detector that calculates a true vertical acceleration by subtracting the acceleration in the direction of travel mixed into the vertical acceleration from the vertical acceleration, the acceleration in the direction of travel mixed into the vertical acceleration being calculated using the correlation coefficient; and a velocity calculator that calculates a velocity of a moving body on the basis of the true vertical acceleration and the horizontal angular velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohisa Takaoka
  • Patent number: 8630784
    Abstract: A method and system for adjusting an operation of a wireless communication device based on information related to at least one of an operating status of a vehicle system and a weather condition. The method includes a step of receiving at least one information source related to an operation status of at least one vehicle system of a motor vehicle. The method further includes a step of analyzing the information to determine an ambient moisture condition. The method also includes adjusting an operating parameter of the wireless communication device and then operating the wireless communication device according to the adjusted operating parameter to compensate for attenuation to a wireless signal caused by the ambient moisture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sue Bai
  • Patent number: 8626356
    Abstract: Enabling the remote engine starter user to address accidental start obstacles resulting from specific vehicle enclosure structures. Remotely starting an internal combustion engine with onboard computer control of a vehicle enclosed within a confined enclosure that comprises determining a set of safe distances for each of the front, rear and top of the vehicle, respectively, from the front, rear and top of the enclosure. Then, it is sensed whether all of the distances of the front, rear and top of the vehicle from the enclosure are respectively further than each of the set of safe distances. The remote starting of the engine of the vehicle is enabled only if at least one of the distances is further than it's safe distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michelle Davis, Mark E Maresh, Eric A Stegner, Robert W Stegner
  • Patent number: 8620492
    Abstract: An alternative system for damping the dutch roll mode in an aircraft is provided using roll control surfaces. Classical yaw dampers for the dutch roll mode utilize the yaw control surfaces such as a rudder to dampen the dutch roll mode oscillations. An alternative damper is described that utilizes roll control surfaces such as spoilers or ailerons to dampen the dutch roll mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Steven G. Hagerott, Steven Klausmeyer, Gonzalo E. Mendoza