Abstract: A self-navigating cleaning device with obstacle-removing capabilities includes a detecting unit to detect the environment, and a driving unit to receive the driving signal from a navigation control unit and drive the cleaning device to move according to the driving signal. A floor cleaning unit cleans the floor automatically during movement of the cleaning device.

Abstract: A machine learning engine may correlate characteristics of obstacles identified during remotely piloted UAV flights with manual course deviations performed for obstacle avoidance. An obstacle detection application may access computer vision footage to determine notable characteristics (e.g. a direction of travel and/or velocity) of obstacles identified during the piloted UAV flights. A deviation characteristics application may access flight path information identify course deviations performed by a pilot in response to the obstacles. A machine learning engine may use the obstacle characteristic data and the deviation characteristics data as training data to generate an optimal course deviation model to use by an autopilot module to autonomously avoid obstacles during autonomous UAV flights.

Abstract: A method, vehicle, and system for calculating the location of a center of mass of the vehicle and transferring fuel to move the location of the center of mass are provided. The location of the center of mass of the vehicle is determined by measuring or calculating forces acting on the vehicle that counteract the gravitational forces on the vehicle. The location of the center of mass is calculated by determining on a moment arm of the gravitational force that counteracts the moment arms of the other forces acting on the vehicle. Fuel can be transferred among differently-located fuel tanks in the vehicle to move the location of the center of mass to a position in which at least some of the other forces acting on the vehicle are reduced, which may increase the speed and/or efficiency of the vehicle.

Abstract: A driver assistance system may be a vehicle control system configured to perform a driver assistance operation, such as implementing cruise control or performing an automated driving control operation. The control system may be configured to perform a driver assistance operation which includes at least one step which conserves energy stored in at least one battery. The control system may conserve energy by controlling a speed or following distance of a vehicle based on road parameter, such as an uphill grade or downhill grade.

Abstract: A method that calculates a setpoint for managing the fuel and electricity consumption of a hybrid motor vehicle includes: a) acquiring, by a navigation system on board the hybrid motor vehicle, a route to be traveled; b) dividing the route into consecutive portions; c) assigning attributes that characterize each portion; d) determining, for each of the portions, a curve or a map that links each fuel consumption value of the hybrid motor vehicle over the portion to a charge or discharge value of the traction battery; e) determining an optimal point of each curve or map, which makes it possible to minimize the fuel consumption of the hybrid motor vehicle over the entire route and to completely discharge the traction battery by the end of the route; and f) producing an energy management setpoint in accordance with the coordinates of the optimal points.

Abstract: Localization and navigation systems and techniques are described. An electronic device comprises a processor configured to apply an extended Kalman filter (EKF) as the electronic device traverses the trajectory. The extended Kalman filter is configured to maintain a state vector storing estimates for a position of the electronic device at poses along a trajectory within an environment along with estimates for positions for one or more features within the environment. The EKF computes constraints based on features observed from multiple poses along the trajectory, and updates, in accordance with motion data and the one or more computed constraints, the estimates within the state vector of the extended Kalman filter while excluding, from the state vector, state estimates for positions within the environment for the features that were observed from the multiple poses and for which the constraints were computed.

Abstract: A method for tractive force distribution for a power-distributed train is provided, which includes: determining a current motor car of a target train; acquiring parameter information of the current motor car; calculating, based on the parameter information, axle load transfer at four axles of the current motor car; calculating, based on the axle load transfer at the four axles of the current motor car, current axle loads on the four axles of the current motor car; and performing, based on the current axle loads on the four axles, distribution of tractive forces of the four axles of the current motor car using an electrical control compensation technology.

Abstract: A system for controlling a motion of a vehicle includes a memory to store a set of analytical functions corresponding to a set of patterns of elementary paths. Each pattern represents a continuous path and each analytical function is determined for a corresponding pattern to provide an analytical solution for input states of the vehicle defining a continuous path connecting the input states by a sequential compositions of the elementary paths following the corresponding pattern. The system includes a path planner to select from the memory, in response to receiving an initial state and a target state of the vehicle, an analytical function corresponding to a minimum cost of the continuous curvature path connecting the initial state with the target state and to analytically determine parameters of the continuous curvature path using the selected analytical function and a controller to control the motion of the vehicle according to the parameters of the continuous curvature path.

Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for hygiene device marker placement on a map interface, indoor locator system installation, and/or hygiene installation plan creation for hygiene devices. In an example, a map interface may be displayed on a client device of a user. The user may place and/or reposition hygiene device markers (e.g., a representation of a sanitizer dispenser within a department store building), locator beacon markers (e.g., a representation of a Bluetooth locator beacon marker of an indoor locator system installation for the department store building), and/or hygiene installation markers (e.g., a representation of a soap dispenser that is to be installed within the department store building) within the map interface (e.g., a depiction of the department store building). A marker may be repositioned within the map interface to an adjusted position that may be used to update GPS coordinates used to initially position the marker.

Abstract: Steering wheel sensor systems are described in which a sensor array is attached to or integrated with a steering wheel and provides information about the forces exerted on the steering wheel for interacting with or controlling other vehicle systems.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a guided line acquisition system and method for generating a path of a vehicle from its current location to a final guidance line. This path is referred to hereinafter as an acquisition path. The generated acquisition path starts at the current vehicle position and ends co-linear to the final guidance path. The acquisition path is generated using one constraint and one objective parameter. More specifically, the acquisition path is constrained by the minimum turning radius of the vehicle and angle of approach criteria, (i.e., the maximum heading relative to the guidance line). It should be appreciated that while the guided line acquisition system attempts to find an acquisition path that meets the angle of approach criteria, the guidance acquisition system will allow this objective to be sacrificed when it is not possible due to the minimum turning radius of the vehicle.

Abstract: Disclosed is a feature for a vehicle that enables taking precautionary actions in response to conditions on the road network around or ahead of the vehicle, in particular, a blind intersection along a section of road. A database that represents the road network is used to determine locations where a blind intersection is located along a section of road. Then, precautionary action data is added to the database to indicate a location at which a precautionary action is to be taken about the blind intersection located along the section of road. A precautionary action system installed in a vehicle uses this database, or a database derived therefrom, in combination with a positioning system to determine when the vehicle is at a location that corresponds to the location of a precautionary action. When the vehicle is at such a location, a precautionary action is taken by a vehicle system as the vehicle is approaching a blind intersection.

Abstract: An image-aided GPS navigation deployed on a vehicle may include a GPS receiver configured to estimate the position of the vehicle based on signals received from one or more GPS satellites. The navigation system may also include an imager configured to capture image frames associated with an environment through which the vehicle travels and estimate the relative motion of the vehicle through the environment based at least in part on the image frames. The navigation system may also include a navigation processor configured to receive the position estimation from the GPS and the relative motion estimation, and determine an updated position estimation based at least in part on the relative motion estimation.

Abstract: Provided is a travel control device for a vehicle such that comfortable and safe control for the vehicle is possible without disturbing the driver. The travel control device for the vehicle is provided with a control command computation unit for calculating a steering assist amount for assisting the steering of the vehicle and an acceleration command value for controlling braking and driving forces of the vehicle.

Abstract: An apparatus for predicting a traffic hindrance risk having a traffic hindrance information generating server configured to generate traffic hindrance information encompassing congestion degree information including a current congestion degree obtained from a current value of driving data transmitted as probe data regarding a driving route from a vehicle equipped with a navigation system and a statistical congestion degree obtained from a statistical value of the current value of driving data in a certain previous period and a weather information generating server configured to generate weather information from weather data distributed by a meteorological agency with respect to an area including the driving route based on an weather model. In the apparatus, a traffic hindrance occurrence risk possibility of traffic hindrance occurrence with respect to the driving route is predicted from the congestion degree and weather information.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for control a vehicle with a drive system comprising an output shaft of a combustion engine and a planetary gear with a first and a second electrical machine, connected via their rotors to the components of the planetary gear, the vehicle is started by controlling the first electrical machine to achieve a torque thereof, so that the requested torque is transmitted to the planetary gear's output shaft, and controlling the second electrical machine to achieve a torque, so that the desired power to electrical auxiliary aggregates and/or loads in the vehicle, and/or electric energy storage means, if present in the vehicle, for exchange of electric energy with the first and second electrical machine is achieved.

Abstract: A robotic cleaning device having a main body, a propulsion system configured to move the device across a surface and an obstacle detecting device configured to detect obstacles. The device further includes a processing unit configured to position the robotic cleaning device with respect to the detected obstacles from obstacle detecting device output data, and further to control the propulsion system to move the robotic cleaning device across the surface. The processing unit is configured to identify a landmark and its position from the obstacle detecting device output data, to derive at least one characteristic from the landmark to create and store a generated landmark signature. The processing unit is also configured to compare the generated landmark signature with predetermined landmark signatures and to determine whether the generated landmark signature matches one of the predetermined landmark signatures or not and operate the robotic cleaning device based on the determination.

Abstract: At least one embodiment may provide a remote server that can determine occurrence of an abnormal condition in a power transmission system without using a threshold value in advance. There may be provided a remote server that receives operating and non-operating information of a working unit, information on a working date, information on a traveling speed, and information on a load factor of an engine, respectively from a combine harvester. The remote server calculates for each predetermined period an average of the engine load factor while the traveling speed is at or above a predetermined traveling speed with all working units in non-operation. If the average during a predetermined period is in a status of a predetermined difference from the average up to the predetermined period, the remote server determines that a moving power transmission mechanism of a traveling system of the combine harvester is in an abnormal condition.

Abstract: Embodiments of this invention relate to a method of determining the risk of driving a vehicle on a road network as a function of, for example, location, time of driving, weather, road conditions, driver ability, and traffic density. Historical information for the above is statistically analyzed to come up with a predictive model. Results can be displayed or presented to a driver while driving or otherwise or another person.

Abstract: A portable interface, comprising a wireless transceiver configured to emit a short-range wireless signal including an encrypted packet configured to prompt authorized autonomous vehicles to respond to the packet with identification and location data of the vehicles. The portable interface further includes a processor configured to cause the transceiver to emit the signal, and in response to receiving the identification and location data, prompt a notification to be output to a shortest-distance vehicle.