Patents Examined by Edward Torchinsky
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Patent number: 9212920Abstract: A system and method for generating driving directions is disclosed. The system and method comprise generating a series of instructions to guide a driver along a route that includes a sequence of roads and intersections. The system uses real time or near real time information culled from one or more databases to calculate and display a time-efficient route based on current weather conditions, traffic conditions, road closures, construction, and the like. The system can also incorporate one or more driver preferences in calculating the displayed route. The system also can provide a summary of the rationales used in calculating the displayed route so the user can understand the basis for a particular route's presentation. A method is also disclosed for using the system.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2010Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventors: Rao Y. Mannepalli, Joseph E. Uzdzinski
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Patent number: 9205849Abstract: A sensing system includes a leading sensor, a trailing sensor, and a route examining unit. The leading sensor is onboard a first vehicle of a vehicle system that is traveling along a route. The leading sensor measures first characteristics of the route as the vehicle system moves along the route. The trailing sensor is disposed onboard a second vehicle of the vehicle system. The trailing sensor measures second characteristics of the route as the vehicle system moves along the route. The route examining unit is disposed onboard the vehicle system and receives the first characteristics of the route and the second characteristics of the route to compare the first characteristics with the second characteristics. The route examining unit also identifies a segment of the route as being damaged based on a comparison of the first characteristics with the second characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2014Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jared Klineman Cooper, Mark Bradshaw Kraeling, Eugene Smith, James Glen Corry, David Lowell McKay, Brian Joseph McManus, Keith Szewczyk, Joseph Forrest Noffsinger
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Patent number: 9206584Abstract: A hybrid excavator includes an engine, a generator motor, a capacitor, a swing motor, a transformer, a transformer temperature sensor, a capacitor temperature sensor, and a hybrid controller. An overheat suppression control unit of the hybrid controller changes the amount of power regenerated by the swing motor supplied to the capacitor and the amount of power regenerated by the swing motor supplied to the generator motor based on a temperature of the transformer detected by the transformer temperature sensor and a temperature of the capacitor detected by the capacitor temperature sensor.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2012Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.Inventor: Tadashi Kawaguchi
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Patent number: 9199626Abstract: A control device of a vehicle includes: an engine; a connection/disconnection device configured to connect/interrupt the engine; a rotating machine disposed to enable transmission of drive power to the wheels; and a running position selection device, the control device including a first manual mode selected by performing a deceleration increasing operation by a driver for increasing vehicle deceleration while the automatic running position is selected and a second manual mode selected by performing a deceleration increasing operation by a driver for increasing the vehicle deceleration while the manual running position is selected, while the vehicle is running with the engine interrupted from the wheels, if the first manual mode is selected, the vehicle deceleration being generated only by the rotating machine, and if the second manual mode is selected, the connection/disconnection device being put into the connected state to generate the vehicle deceleration at least by the engine.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2011Date of Patent: December 1, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomoaki Furukawa, Takeshi Kanayama, Tetsuo Hori, Tomoyuki Maruyama, Akiko Nishimine, Takeshi Miyagawa, Ryoki Ii, Koji Hayashi, Norihiro Yamamura, Akihiro Sato
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Patent number: 9193333Abstract: A method of user-selecting a custom wiping rate using a windshield wiper control system is provided. The method includes activating a wiper motor connected to a windshield wiper by moving control stalk to a first switching position providing the windshield wiper with a first wiping rate. The control stalk is moved repeatedly to a second switching position, wherein successive movements of the control stalk to the second switching position define one or more tap intervals. The one or more tap intervals are determined using an analyzing and control system. Speed of the wiper motor is changed to set a second wiping rate different from the first wiping rate using the analyzing and control system based on the one or more tap intervals.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2012Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventor: Kenan Kurtovic
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Patent number: 9187091Abstract: A collision detection system for a vehicle includes a sensor and a camera. The sensor measures a first data set of an object relative to the vehicle. The camera measures a second data set of the object relative to the vehicle and separately measures an image-based time-to-collision with the object based on scalable differences of captured images. A fusion module matches data from the sensor and the camera and estimates a collision threat based on the matched data. A plausibility module generates a signal if the measured image-based time-to-collision is less than a calculated steering-based time-to-collision and a braking-based time-to-collision with the object. A countermeasure module actuates a countermeasure device, such as an autonomous braking system, if the collision threat exceeds an actuation threshold and the signal from the plausibility module is received, thereby statistically reducing the rate of false actuations of the countermeasure device.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2012Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: Aaron L. Mills
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Patent number: 9168951Abstract: A jackknife warning condition controller and control method notifies a driver of a potential jackknife situation while backing up a vehicle with an attached trailer. The vehicle has a front axle with steerable front wheels controlled by the driver and a rear axle with non-steerable rear wheels. The trailer has a front axle with non-steerable front wheels and a rear axle with steerable rear wheels controlled by a trailer steering controller. The jackknife controller receives an operator-controlled vehicle steering angle and a measured hitch angle. The jackknife warning condition controller determines a directional jackknife warning condition and compares the measured hitch angle with the determined directional jackknife warning condition. If the measured hitch angle satisfies the directional jackknife warning condition then a notification is sent to the driver.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2013Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jimmy Chiu, Ambarish Goswami
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Patent number: 9169108Abstract: A performance line display unit includes an imaging device which is attached near a leading end of an extensible boom provided on a rotation platform rotatably placed on a vehicle of a crane, a display configured to display an image imaged by the imaging device, and a performance line arithmetic part configured to obtain a performance line regarding a suspended load maximum performance of a crane, wherein the performance line arithmetic part is configured to overlap the performance line with a position of the image corresponding to the obtained performance line to be displayed on the display.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2012Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: Tadano Ltd.Inventors: Kazuya Tanizumi, Iwao Ishikawa
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Patent number: 9162682Abstract: A method for determining the speed of a vehicle equipped with at least one surround sensor that determines environment data of the vehicle relative to at least one motionless object includes: receiving, by the vehicle, through wireless vehicle-to-environment communication with the at least one motionless object, a transmitted piece of information about the motionlessness of the motionless object; determining the relative motion of the vehicle with respect to the motionless object from the environment data of the vehicle relative to the motionless object; and determining the speed of the vehicle and/or the relative position of the vehicle with respect to the motionless object from the determined relative motion.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2013Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbHInventors: Andree Hohm, Matthias Komar, Ulrich Stählin
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Patent number: 9145115Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle control apparatus which can prevent the deterioration of drivability. The ECU can set a control accelerator opening degree to be converted when a control permission condition is established. The control accelerator opening degree is equal to or larger than an accelerator lower limit which is larger than an idle determination value for determining an automatic stopping of an engine by an eco-run. The control accelerator opening degree thus set can prevent the drivability from being deteriorated without the automatic stopping of the engine being caused even if the accelerator opening degree is converted to reduce the torque of the engine with the establishment of the control permission condition.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2009Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toshiya Oishi, Masashi Takagi, Michihito Shimada, Yuki Minase, Kenichi Okaya, Tsutomu Miyazaki
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Patent number: 9139203Abstract: A lane tracking system for tracking the position of a vehicle within a lane includes a camera configured to provide a video feed representative of a field of view and a video processor configured to receive the video feed from the camera and to generate latent video-based position data indicative of the position of the vehicle within the lane. The system further includes a vehicle motion sensor configured to generate vehicle motion data indicative of the motion of the vehicle, and a lane tracking processor. The lane tracking processor is configured to receive the video-based position data, updated at a first frequency; receive the sensed vehicle motion data, updated at a second frequency; estimate the position of the vehicle within the lane from the sensed vehicle motion data; and fuse the video-based position data with the estimate of the vehicle position within the lane using a Kalman filter.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2011Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Nikolai K. Moshchuk, Shuqing Zeng, Xingping Chen, Bakhtiar Brian Litkouhi
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Patent number: 9134730Abstract: The invention relates to a management method for managing a turning movement of an aircraft taxiing on the ground, the aircraft having wheels each fitted with an independent drive device, in which method commands are generated for the independent drive devices so that at least some of those devices contribute to the turning movement. According to the invention, the method comprises the steps of: estimating at each instant during the turning movement: an instantaneous total power developed by all of the independent drive devices in response to the commands; and an instantaneous mean angular acceleration for all of the wheels; and adapting the commands to the independent drive devices such that the total instantaneous power developed by all of the independent drive devices is minimized, while conserving the mean angular acceleration.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2011Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: MESSIER-BUGATTI-DOWTYInventors: David Lemay, David Frank, Michel Basset, Yann Chamaillard
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Patent number: 9126577Abstract: A vehicle braking system includes (a) a rotary machine that functions at least as an electricity generator and that is capable of generating braking torque based on regenerative torque, (b) a first braking control apparatus that electrically controls the braking torque of a mechanical brake that is provided for a wheel, and (c) a second braking control apparatus that replaces one of the braking torque provided by the rotary machine and the braking torque provided by the mechanical brake with another one of the braking torque provided by the rotary machine and the braking torque provided by the mechanical brake while maintaining a target braking torque, the second braking control apparatus correcting the braking torque provided by the rotary machine so that the deviation lessens, if the braking torque of a vehicle has deviation from the target braking torque at time of replacement transition.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2012Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Eiji Fukushiro
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Patent number: 9110467Abstract: The disclosure relates to a marine vessel having a control system for automatically steering the marine vessel for the purpose of aiding an angler who has hooked a fish. The control system includes a GPS unit for determining the orientation of the marine vessel, a sonar unit for determining the bearing of a fish, and an algorithm for minimizing the error between the two. The control system will execute steering commands in the propulsion system in order to minimize the error in order to aid the angler as he tries to land the hooked fish.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2012Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Fu P. Yuet, Merritt P. Callaghan, Justin Anderson
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Patent number: 9079651Abstract: A marine vessel propulsion system includes multiple propulsion devices, multiple operation levers, and multiple lever position sensors arranged to detect the positions of the multiple operation levers, and a control unit. The control unit is programmed to control, based on detection results from the multiple lever position sensors, the shift states of the respective propulsion devices and to change the steering angle of at least one of the propulsion devices. The control unit may be arranged to change the steering angles of the propulsion devices to facilitate the behavior of the hull corresponding to the shift states of the respective propulsion devices.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2009Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yukinori Nose, Toshiya Inai, Yoshiyuki Ichikawa, Makoto Mizutani
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Patent number: 9079560Abstract: A device location determination includes authenticating a device within range of a vehicle via a node in a vehicle. The vehicle includes a first peripheral device and a second peripheral device that is disposed at a location on the vehicle that is different than the first peripheral device. The peripheral devices are coupled to an antenna of the node. The device location determination also includes receiving from the device a first signal strength value associated with a first signal of the first peripheral device, a second signal strength value associated with a second signal of the second peripheral device, and a third signal strength value associated with a third signal transmitted by the node. The device location determination also includes determining a location of the device from the signal strength values and performing a remote function with respect to the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2012Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Neeraj R. Gautama, Amanda J. Kalhous, Cem U. Saraydar
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Patent number: 9079606Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system comprises a steering mechanism which operatively connects a steering wheel to the road wheels of the vehicle, an electric motor operatively connected to the steering mechanism; a torque signal generator adapted to produce a torque signal indicative of the torque carried by a portion of the steering mechanism, a column velocity signal generator for producing a column velocity signal indicative of the angular velocity of the steering wheel or steering column and a signal processing unit adapted to receive the output signals from the sensing means and to produce therefrom a torque demand signal representative of a torque to be applied to the steering mechanism by the motor.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2008Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: TRW LimitedInventors: Angel Luis Andres Fernandez, George Thomas Dibben
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Patent number: 9076341Abstract: A vehicle-to-vehicle communication device mounted to a subject vehicle with a traveling control device is provided. The vehicle-to-vehicle communication device includes a communication portion, a connection transmission process portion, a connection control signal obtain portion, a connection signal obtain portion, and a connection control signal transmission process portion. The communication portion receives and transmits a signal between the subject vehicle and a preceding vehicle, and between the subject vehicle and a follower vehicle. The connection transmission process portion transmits a connection request signal. The connection control signal obtain portion obtains a connection control signal. A convoy travel control device includes the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device and the traveling control device. The traveling control device periodically outputs a first instruction and a second instruction to the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2013Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Junichiro Funabashi
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Patent number: 9068837Abstract: A method of operating a navigation system is disclosed. A request for a route to a large scale point of interest having multiple entrances is obtained. Data indicating a meeting point for the large scale point of interest is obtained from a geographic database associated with the navigation system. The meeting point defines a location within the large scale point of interest or proximate to the large scale point of interest. A route to the meeting point location is calculated and the meeting point location is sent to another user.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2010Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: HERE Global B.V.Inventors: David J. Holsinger, Ashish B. Tajpuria, Jeremy S. Agulnek
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Patent number: 9068843Abstract: A system for determining and correcting a calculated orientation of a computing device based on data from an accelerometer and a gyroscope. The system compares a predicted direction of gravity in a predicted frame of the device with a measured direction of gravity in a sensor frame of the device, and determines an angle of the difference between the directions. A correction is calculated to rotate the predicted frame around an axis by the angle relative to a sensor frame, the axis being perpendicular to both the predicted and measured directions of gravity. A predicted orientation of a reference “Earth” frame relative to the predicted frame is calculated based on the gyroscope data. A corrected orientation is determined by applying the correction to the predicted orientation, providing an orientation of the Earth reference frame relative to the sensor frame.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2014Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Jung Bae Sohn, David William Devries