Patents Examined by Donald J. Wallace
  • Patent number: 11460865
    Abstract: Methods and systems for longitudinal control of aircraft during flight are disclosed. One method comprises receiving a commanded normal acceleration of the aircraft and computing a target pitch rate for the aircraft based on the commanded normal acceleration. The target pitch rate is used in a control technique for controlling one or more flight control surfaces of the aircraft to achieve the target pitch rate for the aircraft. The control technique can include (e.g., incremental) nonlinear dynamics inversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER INC.
    Inventors: Aymeric Kron, Matthew Olsthoorn
  • Patent number: 11442466
    Abstract: A self-moving device, including: a moving module, a task execution module, a control module. The control module is electrically connected to the moving module and the task execution module, controls the moving module to actuate the self-moving device to move, controls the task execution module to execute a working task. The self-moving device further includes a satellite navigation apparatus, electrically connected to the control module and configured to receive a satellite signal and output current location information of the self-moving device. The control module determines whether quality of location information output by the satellite navigation apparatus at a current location satisfies a preset condition, controls, if the quality does not satisfy the preset condition, the moving module to actuate the self-moving device to change a moving manner, to enable quality of location information output by the satellite navigation apparatus at a location after the movement to satisfy the preset condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: POSITEC POWER TOOLS (SUZHOU) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong Shao, Mingming He, Chang Zhou, Zhou Yang, Gen Sun, Yue Rao
  • Patent number: 11433929
    Abstract: A method for locating railroad components along a railroad track including obtaining a guidance plan and obtaining inspection data. The guidance plan includes an identity of each of a plurality of assets, the identity including previous features of the assets. The assets may be railroad components. The inspection data includes current features of a plurality of railroad components along the railroad track. The method includes using one or more processors, comparing and correlating the current features of the plurality of railroad components with the previous features of the assets to determine which of the plurality of railroad components corresponds with the plurality of assets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Loram Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd L. Euston, Gregory T. Grissom, Jeb E. Belcher, Antonio R. Mauricio, John J. Kainer, Ryan S. Richard, Carlos A. Repelli, Charles W. Aaron
  • Patent number: 11429098
    Abstract: A path providing apparatus includes a communication interface configured to obtain current location data of a vehicle, receive obstacle data of moving objects, and receive a path finding command including a first location and a second location of the vehicle; and a processor configured to generate a virtual vehicle swarm comprising a plurality of virtual vehicles, generate a plurality of pieces of path prediction data by virtually driving each of the plurality of virtual vehicles on a first map based on the current location data, update the plurality of pieces of path prediction data by virtually driving each of the plurality of virtual vehicles on a second map based on the obstacle data, and generate optimal path data from among the updated plurality of pieces of path prediction data based on the path finding command including the first location and the second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: HANWHA DEFENSE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Byung Ki Kim, Seong Hun Han
  • Patent number: 11427281
    Abstract: A human-powered vehicle component includes a communication device and an electronic controller. The communication device is configured to communicate with a first electric component and a second electric component differing in type from the first electric component. The electronic controller is configured to be operable in a first control state to manage the first electric component and a second control state managed by the second electric component. The electronic controller is configured to be operable in the first control state upon determining the communication device can communicate with the first electric component but cannot communicate with the second electric component. The electronic controller is configured to be operable in the second control state upon determining the communication device can communicate with the second electric component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Yuichiro Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11430336
    Abstract: Vehicle monitoring systems and methods are described. According to one aspect, a vehicle monitoring system includes a plurality of vehicle monitoring devices individually configured to communicate with circuitry of a respective one of a plurality of vehicles being monitored by the vehicle monitoring system, to receive vehicle information regarding the one vehicle from the circuitry of the one vehicle at a plurality of moments in time, and to output a plurality of messages externally of the vehicle monitoring device at a plurality of moments in time, wherein the messages from the vehicle monitoring devices include the vehicle information being monitored by the vehicle monitoring system, and a management device configured to receive the messages and the vehicle information included within the messages, to store the vehicle information, to process the vehicle information, and to generate and output a communication regarding the vehicles to a recipient party.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Inventors: Kenneth Lynn Smith, Michael David Smith
  • Patent number: 11430071
    Abstract: A method including operations to obtain a planned driving action for accomplishing a navigational goal of a host vehicle on a roadway, identify a planned trajectory for the host vehicle, corresponding to the planned driving action, identify, from sensor data representative of an environment of the host vehicle, an occluded location of a potential object that is occluded from view of the host vehicle, identify a possible trajectory of the potential object, based on possible movement of the potential object from the location into the roadway, identify an intersection of the planned trajectory for the host vehicle with the possible trajectory for the potential object, determine a safety action of the host vehicle to respond to the possible movement of the potential object, and apply the safety action to change the planned driving action of the host vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: MOBILEYE VISION TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
    Inventors: Shai Shalev-Shwartz, Amnon Shashua, Shaked Shammah
  • Patent number: 11430331
    Abstract: Systems and methods for power and thermal management of autonomous vehicles are provided. In one example embodiment, a computing system includes processor(s) and one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer readable media that collectively store instructions that when executed by the processor(s) cause the computing system to perform operations. The operations include obtaining data associated with an autonomous vehicle. The operations include identifying one or more vehicle parameters associated with the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the data associated with the autonomous vehicle. The operations include determining a modification to one or more operating characteristics of one or more systems onboard the autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the one or more vehicle parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: David Patrick Rice, Scott Klaus Boehmke
  • Patent number: 11422571
    Abstract: Vehicles that are autonomous or human-operated may drive in a platoon to achieve energy savings. A leader vehicle receives information broadcasts from following vehicles that include a state of energy and one or more other values such as energy usage rates, range, destination, and aerodynamic properties. The leader vehicle may then determine an ordering of vehicles that increases the range of the platoon, e.g., reduces the number of refueling/recharging stops of the platoon. Other considerations for ordering the vehicles may include overall energy savings and a fair distribution of energy savings. A desired ordering may be achieved by transmitting swap commands to pairs of vehicles until the platoon is in the correct ordering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jayanthi Rao, Cynthia Neubecker, Pramita Mitra, Perry MacNeille, Brad Ignaczak, Somak Datta Gupta
  • Patent number: 11420631
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: a transmission control unit that can select a restricted mode in which the range of a gear ratio of a transmission is restricted and an unrestricted mode in which the range of the gear ratio is not restricted, and controls the gear ratio in accordance with the selected transmission mode; and a lane change control unit that, if the unrestricted mode is selected in a case where a lane change request has been acquired, keeps the unrestricted mode and performs lane change control in which a host vehicle changes lanes, and if the restricted mode is selected in the case where the lane change request has been acquired, selects the unrestricted mode and performs the lane change control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanta Tsuji, Yuta Takada
  • Patent number: 11407425
    Abstract: A vehicle control device comprises an accelerator (22a) which a driver of a vehicle operates in order to accelerate the vehicle, and a controller configured to execute a limit control for imposing a limitation on a driving force, in such a manner that the driving force is prevented from becoming excessively large, when a predetermined limit condition is satisfied. The controller executes the limit control and a mistaken operation notification, when a mistaken operation state has been occurring. The controller executes a failure notification, when the mistaken operation state has not been occurring at a failure occurrence time point at which a control failure that the controller cannot execute the limit control has occurred. The controller continues executing the mistaken operation notification without executing the failure notification at the failure occurrence time point, if the mistaken operation state has been occurring at the failure occurrence time point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kan Mayoshi, Yoshikatsu Oda
  • Patent number: 11410475
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus to collect sensor data generated in an autonomous vehicle. Sensors in the vehicle generate a sensor data stream during operations of the vehicle on a road. An advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) of the vehicle uses the sensor data stream to operate the vehicle and generate a trigger signal in response to a fault in object detection, recognition, identification or classification and/or in response to the detection/prediction of an accident. A cyclic buffer buffers at least a portion of the sensor data stream. In response to the trigger signal, a selected segment of the sensor data stream is stored into a non-volatile memory. The selected segment can be partially before the trigger signal and partially after the trigger signal; and selected segment can be longer than what can be fully buffered in the cyclic buffer at the time of the trigger signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Gil Golov
  • Patent number: 11407269
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a control system (49) for controlling a target ride height of a vehicle (1). The control system (49) is configured to set a target off-road ride height (hOFF) in dependence on one or more vehicle operating parameters. The target off-road ride height (hOFF) is set upon receipt of a driving mode signal signaling that an off-road driving mode has been selected. Aspects of the present invention also relate to a vehicle and a method of controlling a target ride height of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: Philip Guest, Jason Walters, Sam Anker, Edward Nicholson
  • Patent number: 11407408
    Abstract: A method for performing an evasive maneuver with a commercial vehicle-trailer combination includes ascertaining that a collision between the commercial vehicle-trailer combination and a collision object is impending. The method further includes determining an evasion trajectory by which the commercial vehicle-trailer combination can evade the collision object without coming into contact with the collision object, determining a desired steering angle based on the evasion trajectory and activating an active steering system of the commercial vehicle-trailer combination in dependence on the determined desired steering angle such that the commercial vehicle-trailer combination moves along the evasion trajectory from a starting traffic lane to a target traffic lane so as to perform the evasive maneuver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventors: Christoph Barth, Thomas Dieckmann, Stephan Kallenbach, Ralph-Carsten Luelfing, Klaus Plaehn
  • Patent number: 11402853
    Abstract: Provided are a method for controlling a platooning vehicle based on a blockchain and a platooning vehicle constituting the blockchain. According to a method for controlling a platooning vehicle based on a blockchain according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to identify the blockchain data being modulated by comparing a hash value of second block with hash values of the first and third blocks in response to the execution of blockchain agreements. An autonomous vehicle according to the present disclosure may be linked with an artificial intelligence module, a drone (unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)), a robot, an augmented reality (AR) device, a virtual reality (VR) device, devices related to 5G services, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Cheolseung Kim
  • Patent number: 11391586
    Abstract: An approach is provided for discovery of semantic nodes for map-based dynamic location sampling. The approach, for instance, involves identifying a semantic node occurring on a road segment. The semantic node is a point of interest on or near the road segment that is different from beginning node and end node of the road segment. The approach also involves calculating an estimated time of arrival at the semantic node based on historical traversal time data for the road segment. The approach further involves determining a sampling rate for a location sensor of vehicle traveling the road segment based on the estimated time of arrival. The approach further involves configuring the location sensor to collect location data using the sampling rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Ron Begleiter, Ofri Rom, Marina Ousov Fridin, Daniel Schmidt, Yelena Shnaider, Inna Branevich, Alexander Maryanovsky, Marcelo Savignano
  • Patent number: 11390164
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an interface having an electromagnetic transmitter and operable to receive tactile user input for control of a system of the vehicle. The vehicle includes a controller configured to modulate output having ultraviolet or infrared spectrum wavelength of the electromagnetic transmitter at a receiver capture rate to encode data into the output describing the control interface. The modulated output is responsive to a request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stephenie Worthy, Grant Inskeep, Erick Michael Lavoie, Jayanthi Rao
  • Patent number: 11383698
    Abstract: Provided are: a device and a method for controlling vehicle movement, with which it is possible to suppress causing uncomfortableness to vehicle occupants and causing unstable behavior during turning by automatic travel control; and a device and a method for generating a target course. In a vehicle capable of automatically controlling lateral acceleration occurring in the vehicle, the present invention controls the acceleration occurring in the vehicle such that jerk, which is the change over time of acceleration, becomes the greatest in a region where the lateral acceleration that occurs upon entering a curve is equal to or less than half the acceleration during normal turning, and the jerk decreases as the acceleration increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Junya Takahashi, Yuki Akiyama, Kenta Maeda, Naoki Hiraga, Toshiyuki Innami
  • Patent number: 11377114
    Abstract: A system and method for carrying out a remedial action based on monitoring driver attention of a vehicle driver. The method includes: obtaining driver attention sensor data from one or more driver attention sensors that are installed on the vehicle as onboard vehicle sensors; detecting a driver inattention event based on the obtained driver attention sensor data; determining one or more driver inattention metrics based on the obtained driver attention sensor data and in response to the detected driver inattention event; based on at least one of the driver inattention metrics, determining one or more remedial actions to be carried out; and carrying out the one or more remedial actions, wherein, when at least one of the one or more remedial actions is carried out, in-vehicle entertainment that is provided by one or more vehicle-user interfaces of the vehicle is restricted or prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Tessa E. Elwart, Andrew Wassef, Alyssa L. Scheske
  • Patent number: 11370440
    Abstract: A method for determining an idealized passing maneuver includes receiving first data values that represent a passing maneuver of a first vehicle to pass a second vehicle, requesting and receiving surroundings data values that represent instantaneous and/or future surroundings of the first vehicle and/or of the second vehicle, determining a surroundings model of the first vehicle based on the surroundings data values and on a digital map that represents the instantaneous and/or future surroundings of the first vehicle and/or of the second vehicle, determining an idealized passing maneuver for the first vehicle to carry out the passing maneuver based on the surroundings model, and providing the idealized passing maneuver in the form of second data values for receipt by the first vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Benjamin Voelz, Matthias Maier, Matthias Haug, Michael Gabb, Ruediger-Walter Henn