Patents Examined by Edwin A. Young
  • Patent number: 12266227
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: (a) drive wheels; (b) an electric motor serving as a power source for driving the vehicle; (c) a power transmission apparatus configured to transmit a power of the electric motor toward the drive wheels; (d) an electric-insulation-performance determining portion configured to determine an electric insulation performance of an oil supplied to the electric motor and a lubrication required portion of the power transmission apparatus; and (e) a notification portion configured to notify a driver of the vehicle about the electric insulation performance of the oil which is determined by the electric-insulation-performance determining portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masashi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 12263844
    Abstract: A road surface evaluation apparatus includes a microprocessor and a memory connected to the microprocessor. The memory stores map information including roughness information indicating a roughness of a surface of a road, and the microprocessor is configured to perform: acquiring as driving information of a plurality of vehicles driving on the road, position information of the plurality of vehicles, acceleration information indicating accelerations of the plurality of vehicles, driving image information including a captured image of the surface of the road, and driving sound information indicating driving sound of the plurality of vehicles; evaluating the roughness of the surface of the road based on the driving information of the plurality of vehicles; and updating the roughness information corresponding to the road stored in the memory based on an evaluation result in the evaluating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Onimaru, Atsuki Kakinuma, Takeo Tokunaga, Yasuo Oishi, Akira Iihoshi
  • Patent number: 12263826
    Abstract: A control system that controls speed of an internal combustion engine (ICE) in a series hybrid vehicle includes an accelerator pedal, a vehicle speed sensor and a controller. The accelerator pedal sends a torque request signal. The vehicle speed sensor sends a vehicle speed signal. The controller receives the torque request signal and the vehicle speed signal. The controller is configured to calculate, based on the torque request and vehicle speed signals, a driver power request; calculate engine power limits including (i) a maximum engine power that includes the driver power request plus an upper offset; and (ii) a minimum engine power that includes the driver power request minus a lower offset; select a most efficient engine operating point between the maximum and minimum power; and control the ICE to operate at the most efficient engine operating point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Barry A Mason, Christopher A Tuckfield, Drushan Mavalankar, Chunjian Wang
  • Patent number: 12253150
    Abstract: A transmission (1) for a drive train of a vehicle (100) includes an input shaft (2), a first output shaft (3), a second output shaft (4) and a differential arranged in power flow between the input shaft (2) and the two output shafts (3, 4). A first output torque is transmittable onto the first output shaft (3) by the first planetary gear set (5). A support torque of the first planetary gear set (5) is convertible in the second planetary gear set (6) such that a second output torque is transmittable onto the second output shaft (4). The second planetary gear set (6) is axially adjacent to the first planetary gear set (5), and the planet gears (5.4) of the first planetary gear set (5) do not axially overlap the planet gears (6.4) of the second planetary gear set (6). A second gear set element in the first planetary gear set (5) is a ring gear (5.2) and is connected to a first gear set element in the second planetary gear set (6), which is a sun gear (6.1), for conjoint rotation. The sun gear (6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Tamas Gyarmati, Philip Dötschel, Matthias Reisch
  • Patent number: 12246693
    Abstract: A computer system comprising processing circuitry is configured to determine, for a vehicle comprising a driver's cabin, that an engine or a motor of the vehicle has been turned off; receive, from a gradient determining device provided on the vehicle, information indicative of the gradient of the ground on which the vehicle stands; receive, from a sensor device of the vehicle, information indicative of the vehicle being in motion; determine, based on information or based on lack of information from an in-cabin sensor of the vehicle, that the driver is outside of the cabin; and control a gear arrangement of the vehicle to engage a forward gear or a reverse gear based on the information from the gradient determining device, in order to counteract movement of the vehicle due to the gradient of the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Niveditha Krishnakumar, Nithyanandan Ponnusamy
  • Patent number: 12247656
    Abstract: A torque converter management system includes a torque converter having a clutch and a torus. The torque converter management system includes memory hardware that stores instructions, that, when executed on data processing hardware of the system, cause the system to perform operations for protecting the torque converter. The operations include receiving torque converter temperature associated with the torque converter. The operations further include obtaining a torque converter protection schedule including one or more torque converter protective action initiation threshold temperatures each having an associated torque converter protective action and determining whether the torque converter temperature(s) exceeds a first one of the torque converter protective action initiation threshold temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Andrew R. Scheich, Daniel P. Laurent, Peter Paul Radecki, Roberto Diaz, Shawn B. Look
  • Patent number: 12240458
    Abstract: A motor vehicle for operation by a driver has a frame with wheels and a motor connected to the frame. A steering control is connected to the wheels to establish a steering angle. A controller is operably connected to the steering control, to the motor, and to the wheels, and is operable to selectably drive the wheels in a forward direction in a drive mode and in a rearward direction in a reverse mode. The controller is operable to select a direction for driving the wheels in response to a pattern of steering angle movements, without operator indication of a direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: BULLETPROOF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC
    Inventor: Bennet Langlotz
  • Patent number: 12240456
    Abstract: A motor vehicle for operation by a driver has a frame with wheels and a motor connected to the frame. A steering control is connected to the wheels to establish a steering angle. A controller is operably connected to the steering control, to the motor, and to the wheels, and is operable to selectably drive the wheels in a forward direction in a drive mode and in a rearward direction in a reverse mode. The controller is operable to select a direction for driving the wheels in response to a pattern of steering angle movements, without operator indication of a direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: BULLETPROOF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC
    Inventor: Bennet Langlotz
  • Patent number: 12240457
    Abstract: A motor vehicle for operation by a driver has a frame with wheels and a motor connected to the frame. A steering control is connected to the wheels to establish a steering angle. A controller is operably connected to the steering control, to the motor, and to the wheels, and is operable to selectably drive the wheels in a forward direction in a drive mode and in a rearward direction in a reverse mode. The controller is operable to select a direction for driving the wheels in response to a pattern of steering angle movements, without operator indication of a direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: BULLETPROOF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC
    Inventor: Bennet Langlotz
  • Patent number: 12234892
    Abstract: A continuous variable planetary (CVP) system includes a CVP hub, which includes a shift mechanism including a shift driver element, and a processing server system to calibrate the CVP system and detect errors within the CVP system. The processing server system performs continuously monitoring or obtaining a transmission speed ratio of the CVP hub. Upon detecting that the transmission speed ratio reaches a particular value, the processing server system records a corresponding position of the shift driver. The processing server system calibrates the CVP system based on the particular value, the corresponding position, and a known relationship between transmission speed ratios and positions of the shift mechanism. The processing server system determines or verifies a full underdrive (FUD) position by iteratively reducing a transmission speed ratio from the particular value until an onset of a backlash condition is detected and determines or verifies a full overdrive (FOD) position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: enviolo B.V.
    Inventors: Marko Matenda, Brad Pohl, Thomas William Ryan, IV
  • Patent number: 12233871
    Abstract: A motor vehicle for operation by a driver has a frame with wheels and a motor connected to the frame. A steering control is connected to the wheels to establish a steering angle. A controller is operably connected to the steering control, to the motor, and to the wheels, and is operable to selectably drive the wheels in a forward direction in a drive mode and in a rearward direction in a reverse mode. The controller is operable to select a direction for driving the wheels in response to a pattern of steering angle movements, without operator indication of a direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: BULLETPROOF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC
    Inventor: Bennet Langlotz
  • Patent number: 12227184
    Abstract: A motor vehicle for operation by a driver has a frame with wheels and a motor connected to the frame. A steering control is connected to the wheels to establish a steering angle. A controller is operably connected to the steering control, to the motor, and to the wheels, and is operable to selectably drive the wheels in a forward direction in a drive mode and in a rearward direction in a reverse mode. The controller is operable to select a direction for driving the wheels in response to a pattern of steering angle movements, without operator indication of a direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: BULLETPROOF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC
    Inventor: Bennet Langlotz
  • Patent number: 12228083
    Abstract: A planetary gearbox device includes a static ring gear, a rotatable planet carrier, a plurality of planet gears, each planet gear being connected to a bearing device, wherein at least one of the bearing devices is coupled to at least one lubricant scooping device and/or at least one lubricant reservoir device for collecting lubricant, in particular oil coming from the at least one bearing device, and at least one lubricant channel allows a flow of the collected lubricant towards a lubrication location and/or a lubricant supply for the planetary gearbox device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG, ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Ivo Martin, Björn Petersen, Andrea Minelli
  • Patent number: 12227087
    Abstract: A diagnosis system performs, while a vehicle is being driven, a diagnosis of a rotation portion of a rotating electrical machine included in the vehicle. The diagnosis system includes a measurement unit that, when performing the diagnosis of the rotation portion, stops charging of a storage battery included in the vehicle from the rotating electrical machine, and measures an inductive voltage of the rotating electrical machine generated by a rotation of the rotation portion, and a judgment unit that judges that there is an anomaly in the rotation portion when a magnitude of the inductive voltage is equal to or larger than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Kubota, Fumihiro Yoshino
  • Patent number: 12222032
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle, the vehicle including a belt continuously variable transmission including a mechanical oil pump driven by an engine and an electric oil pump driven by an electric motor, the engine being configured to drive a drive wheel, in which when a rotation speed of the engine is less than or equal to a prescribed rotation speed as the vehicle decelerates, driving of the electric motor is controlled to supply a hydraulic pressure from the electric oil pump to the belt continuously variable transmission, and when the deceleration of the vehicle exceeds a prescribed deceleration, the driving of the electric motor is restricted not to supply the hydraulic pressure from the electric oil pump to the belt continuously variable transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignees: JATCO LTD, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koichi Okuno, Keisuke Iwado, Makoto Oguri, Akira Tsuchida
  • Patent number: 12221104
    Abstract: A motor vehicle for operation by a driver has a frame with wheels and a motor connected to the frame. A steering control is connected to the wheels to establish a steering angle. A controller is operably connected to the steering control, to the motor, and to the wheels, and is operable to selectably drive the wheels in a forward direction in a drive mode and in a rearward direction in a reverse mode. The controller is operable to select a direction for driving the wheels in response to a pattern of steering angle movements, without operator indication of a direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: BULLETPROOF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC
    Inventor: Bennet Langlotz
  • Patent number: 12221090
    Abstract: A method for determining a torque acting at a position of a drive train of an agricultural towing vehicle, includes controlling a clutch of the drive train between a closed state and an open state, capturing a drive-side rotational speed at the clutch via a first rotational speed sensor, capturing an output-side rotational speed at the clutch via a second rotational speed sensor, controlling the clutch in the direction of the open state, determining, during controlling the clutch, a difference between the rotational speeds on the drive and output sides, comparing the difference with a predetermined difference limit value, capturing the value of a physical variable that causes the clutch control on the basis of the comparison result, and determining the torque on the basis of the captured value of the physical variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Volker Kegel, David Mueller, Norbert Fritz, Rainer Gugel
  • Patent number: 12215780
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer readable storage device are provided for providing a dynamic tachometer. Based on various signal inputs from a plurality of data sources, a tachometer may be dynamically modified to include visual information and assistance to the driver in relation to the vehicle's engine speed (i.e., revolution speed of the vehicle's crankshaft). The tachometer may include one or a combination of: dynamic shift point indicators, a target engine speed range indicator, an overspeed indicator, and a power take-off mode indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: PACCAR INC
    Inventors: Steven Karl Jahns, Ryan Anthony Reed, Jonathan Scott Duncan, Josef Lotz, Tristan Thomas Pyle, Derek Scott Sancer, Jon Forrest Acton, Jacob Michael White, Hervé Jen Raymond Cecchi, David Michael Gauch, Anna-Magdalena Schatz
  • Patent number: 12217149
    Abstract: A vehicular driving assistance system includes an exterior viewing camera disposed at a vehicle and viewing exterior of the vehicle. Image data captured by the camera is provided to and processed at an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU performs processing tasks for multiple vehicle systems. The ECU prioritizes processing of a plurality of tasks including a higher priority task and a lower priority task. Responsive to prioritization by the ECU of the higher priority task, the system (i) processes captured image data at the ECU for the higher priority task and the (ii) uploads captured image data to the cloud for processing at a remote processor. Processing of uploaded captured image data at the remote processor comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) data negotiation, (ii) data collection, (iii) load analysis, (iv) load distribution and (v) monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: John Lu
  • Patent number: 12214770
    Abstract: A vehicle is operable in three modes of operation. The vehicle includes a first electromagnetic device, a second electromagnetic device electrically coupled to the first electromagnetic device, and an engine coupled to the first electromagnetic device and configured to drive the first electromagnetic device to provide electrical energy. In each of the three modes of operation, whenever the engine drives the first electromagnetic device to provide the electrical energy, the first electromagnetic device operates without providing the electrical energy to an energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Oshkosh Defense, LLC
    Inventors: Deepak Shukla, Rongjun Zhang, Nader Nasr