Patents Examined by Edward Pipala
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Patent number: 8862385Abstract: Providing machine-generated travel directions with customized augmentations to enhance the navigation process. To provide machine-generated travel directions, a user submitted starting location, destination location, and meta-data associated with the user is used to generate a route between the starting location and destination location Annotations to the route are derived based on the meta-data associated with the user or characteristics associated with the route. The annotations are then ranked according to a determined priority. The route generated between the starting location and the destination location, and augmented with the ranked annotations, is displayed to the user.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2008Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Aiden Byrne, Matthew Cheung, Jeff Couckuyt, Nagendra Kolluru
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Patent number: 8849491Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a drive motor, an air conditioning system, an electric storage device, and a power consumption controller. The drive motor is to generate drive force for the electric vehicle. The electric storage device is to supply power to the drive motor and the air conditioning system. The power consumption controller is configured to control power consumption of the drive motor and the air conditioning system to limit the power consumption of the drive motor while securing preset power consumption of the air conditioning system and to keep securing power for the air conditioning system through limitation of the power consumption of the drive motor until driving of the drive motor is stopped if a remaining charge of the electric storage device approaches zero with consumption of power by the drive motor.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2012Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kosuke Higashitani, Masanobu Asakawa
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Patent number: 8849505Abstract: Methods and systems for locating a vehicle are disclosed, including detecting one or more environmental conditions, the one or more environmental conditions being indicative of an occurrence of an environmental event, determining a probability of the occurrence of the environmental event in response to detecting the one or more environmental conditions, and effecting a preventive action in response to the probability being above a threshold probability, the preventive action being configured to protect the vehicle from the environmental event.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2009Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Robert Menard, Gabriel Castillo
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Patent number: 8843306Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying an aircraft fix. A fix for an aircraft is identified, wherein the fix is a location of the aircraft. A fix identifier is displayed in a plan view display, wherein the fix identifier indicates a location of the fix on a map background in the plan view display. A fix formation identifier is displayed in the plan view display, wherein the fix formation identifier indicates a direction from a navigational aid to the fix.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2012Date of Patent: September 23, 2014Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Steven Curtis Spackman, Theodore Bruce Thompson, Jeffrey L. Williams
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Patent number: 8838375Abstract: The present invention discloses an electronic device with object guiding function and the method thereof. In one embodiment, the electronic device includes a view window area, via which a user may watch a view. The electronic device may determine whether an object is located in the view window area when the user inputs the position of the object, and may further show an object indicating message or an object guiding message according to the determination result. Therefore, the electronic device is able to provide the user with short distance guiding function. In another embodiment, the electronic device may also show information related to the object located in the view window area, such as information about every mountain range, constellation, user's friends, or specific landmark that is located in the view window area.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2009Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Acer IncorporatedInventor: Chao-Kuang Yang
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Patent number: 8825379Abstract: A method of providing navigational information includes processing destination information spoken by a vehicle occupant on-board. The processed voice information is transmitted to a remote center wirelessly. The processed voice information is voice recognition analyzed at the remote data center to recognize components of the destination information spoken. The remote center generates a list of hypothetical recognized components of the destination information listed by confidence levels as calculated for each component of the destination information analyzed by the voice recognition system. The hypothetical recognized component list is displayed with confidence levels at the remote center for selective checking by a human data center operator. A component set is selected based on the confidence levels and accuracy of the selected set is confirmed by interactive voice exchanges between the vehicle driver and the remote data center.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2013Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Sirius XM Connected Vehicle Services Inc.Inventor: Thomas Barton Schalk
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Patent number: 8825299Abstract: A main control device generates a first signal and a second signal, which is substantially equivalent to the first signal, in accordance with the input signal, a sub-control device includes a comparison-judgment-processing unit that compares the first signal with the second signal, and judges that an abnormality occurs when a state, in which a deviation between the both signals is greater than equal to a predetermined value, is continued in a time being equal to a first predetermined time, and a limitation unit is configured in such a way that the limitation unit adds a predetermined limitation to the output of the main control device in accordance with a result for which the comparison-judgment-processing unit judges that the abnormality occurs.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2010Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Keisuke Iwamoto, Yuji Takatsuka
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Patent number: 8825243Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle having a hybrid powertrain includes monitoring vehicle navigation and traffic patterns associated with a predicted travel path. It extends the powertrain instantaneous controller into a predictive control framework, and utilizes previewed traffic and geographic information based on on-board sensing and navigation information. An impending road load is predicted from which a fuel cost factor is optimized under a model predictive control framework. A state-of-charge trajectory is predicted from the impending road load and operation of the hybrid powertrain system is controlled in response thereto.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2009Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Hong Yang, Joel M. Maguire
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Patent number: 8825286Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining a center of gravity of a motor vehicle are described. In said method and apparatus, for at least one wheel of the motor vehicle, two different drive force values representing a drive force are determined. In addition, longitudinal acceleration values associated with the determined drive force values, and wheel slip values associated with the determined drive force values, are determined. As a function of the drive force values, the associated longitudinal acceleration values and the associated wheel slip values that are determined, coordinates of the center of gravity of the vehicle are determined.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2009Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Patrick Kroeger
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Patent number: 8818630Abstract: A vehicular vibration damping control apparatus calculates a correction torque to suppress vehicle body sprung vibration. In outputting a correction torque command to a driving/braking torque producing device, the control apparatus outputs a hunting time correction torque command smaller than a normal time correction toque command when a state in which amplitude of the correction torque is greater than or equal to a predetermined amplitude continues for a predetermined time length, and thereafter to return an output of the correction torque command from the hunting time correction torque command to the normal time correction torque command if a state in which the amplitude of the correction torque is smaller than or equal to the predetermined amplitude continues for a first predetermined time length. The frequency of performing the vibration damping control is increased by suppressing occurrence of hunting at the time of return to the normal vibration damping control.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2011Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yosuke Kobayashi, Takeshi Kimura, Yuuki Shiozawa, Mitsunori Ohta, Hiroki Sasaki, Akihiro Itoh, Masahiko Yoshizawa
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Patent number: 8818660Abstract: A hybrid powertrain system includes a transmission device operative to transfer power between an input member, a torque machine and an output member, the output member coupled to a driveline coupled to a wheel to transfer tractive torque therebetween. A method for controlling the hybrid powertrain system includes monitoring an operator torque request, determining an operating range state of the transmission device, determining a net output torque to the output member based upon the operator torque request, determining a lash state of the driveline, and determining a command for transferring output torque to the output member based upon the operating range state of the transmission device, the net output torque, and the lash state of the driveline.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2008Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Daimler AG, Chrysler Group LLC, Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Anthony H. Heap, Jason J McConnell, Seamus T McGrath, Robert L. Morris
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Patent number: 8818580Abstract: The dialog device includes a display screen, on which are displayed three graphic representations, which are respectively associated with the three control axes of the aircraft, each of said graphic representations comprising a plurality of portions, each of which is associated with a guidance mode of the associated control axis, so that all the possible guidance modes of the guidance system are thus represented, this representation highlighting the fact that the guidance modes are active exclusively on a given guidance axis.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2012Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: Airbus Operations SASInventors: Pascale Louise-Babando, Delphine Macdonald, Raphaƫlle Ankaoua
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Patent number: 8798849Abstract: A method and device for dual-channel transmission of safety-relevant sensor signals. In the method, two sensor signals to be monitored are generated parallel to one another by two sensors and the generated sensor signals are transmitted to a common evaluation unit via two separate, input-side transmission channels. Within the evaluation unit, the permissibility of the transmitted sensor signals is checked using prescribed calculation specifications that correspond to one another and an evaluation unit output signal representing permissibility or impermissibility is generated for each sensor signal. The individual processing steps of the two calculation specifications are decoupled by the evaluation unit for the two sensor signals and performed diversified within the evaluation unit. The generated output signals are output via two separate, output-side transmission channels.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2009Date of Patent: August 5, 2014Assignee: MAGNA Powertrain AG & Co. KGInventors: Thomas Eggert, Heinz Langbauer
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Patent number: 8793065Abstract: Oftentimes individuals have a number of objectives to complete while traveling in a vehicle. The objectives can be arranged automatically and an associated route can be produced such that the objectives can be completed in an effective manner. Data related to the objectives can be collected such as a traffic pattern on paths near a location the objective is to take place. Locations for the objectives to be completed can be determined automatically as well as provided by user. Analysis of the collected data can take place and based on a result of the analysis, an efficient route is produced.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2008Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Michael Lewis Seltzer, Neil W. Black, Jeffrey D. Couckuyt, Ivan J. Tashev, John C. Krumm, Ruston Panabaker
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Patent number: 8788191Abstract: Disclosed is a system that uses existing power line infrastructure in a building as a distributed reception antenna capable of receiving signals from very low-power wireless sensors, thus allowing these sensors to be detected at ranges that are otherwise impractical with over-the-air reception. Also disclosed is a wireless sensor platform that is able to be sensed throughout a building with very low current draw. The disclosed technique may also be utilized to extend the range of mid-frequency consumer electronic devices by leveraging the power line as a reception antenna.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2011Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignees: Georgia Tech Research Corporation, University of WashingtonInventors: Erich P. Stuntebeck, Thomas Robertson, Gregory D. Abowd, Shwetak N. Patel
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Patent number: 8788170Abstract: When a rear wheel total drive force is smaller than a rear wheel drive force difference and the rear wheel drive force difference cannot be accomplished by dividing the rear wheel total drive force between the left and right rear wheels, an inside wheel target drive force is not set to 0 and an outside wheel target drive force is not set to. Instead, the inside wheel target drive force is set to a default drive force that is a minimum value required to prevent a three-wheel drive state from occurring, and the outside wheel target drive force is set a value equal to the sum of the default drive force and the rear wheel drive force difference, which is a value with which the rear wheel drive force difference can be achieved under the condition of the inside wheel target drive force being equal to the default drive force.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2011Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yohei Tsushima
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Patent number: 8788196Abstract: The different advantageous embodiments provide a method, computer program product, and apparatus for presenting a position of a vehicle on a chart. In one advantageous embodiment, a method for presenting a vehicle on a chart is presented. A current position of the vehicle is identified. The method then determines whether the current position of the vehicle is on a path between two points in a plurality of points. A first indicator at a first location on the chart indicating a position of the vehicle on the path relative to the two points is presented responsive to a determination that the current position is on the path. A second indicator on a second location on the chart is presented responsive to an absence of a determination that the current position is on the path, wherein the second indicator points to a closest point in the plurality of points.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2009Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventor: Brian B. Kennedy
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Patent number: 8788144Abstract: A method for adjusting braking in a vehicle having wheels and a regenerative braking system is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing regenerative braking torque for the vehicle via the regenerative braking system at a first level if a wheel slip of the vehicle is not present, and providing regenerative braking torque for the vehicle via the regenerative braking system at one of a plurality of modulated levels if the wheel slip is present. Each of the plurality of modulated levels is dependent on a magnitude, a location, or both, of the wheel slip. Each of the modulated levels is less than the first level.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2009Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Eric E. Krueger, Kevin S. Kidston, Eric J. Holdorf, Mahir Hodzic
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Patent number: 8781673Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle having a fuel system that may include unwanted water is described. The method includes, adjusting an operating parameter in response to a relative amount of high and low readings from a water-in-fuel sensor coupled in the fuel system.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2007Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Janette Marie Nunn, Suzanne Stuber, David Chester Waskiewicz, John Eric Rollinger
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Patent number: 8775048Abstract: The method for controlling a safety system (102-108) of a vehicle (10) determines a reference velocity from a first front wheel sensor (20A) and a second front wheel speed signal from a second front wheel sensor (20B). An axle speed sensor (20C) may be used to determine an axle speed signal. A first rear speed signal and a second rear speed signal are determined from the reference velocity, a slip effect and a yaw signal. The yaw signal may be determined from a yaw rate sensor (28). Safety system (102-108) may be controlled in response to the first rear wheel speed signal and the second rear wheel speed signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2012Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Ford Global TechologiesInventors: Michael Edward Brewer, Todd Allen Brown, Thomas Salmon