Patents Examined by Edwin A. Young
  • Patent number: 12085164
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling gearshifts in a transmission of a motor vehicle. Devising a shifting strategy of the gearshift takes into account the operation of a sustained-action braking device (10). To organize gearshifts in an optimum way having regard to the operation of the sustained-action braking device (10), at the beginning of the operation of the sustained-action braking device (10) it is examined with what starting criterion the operation of the sustained-action braking device (10) was initiated. Depending on the starting criterion identified, a current workload of the sustained-action braking device (10) is compared against an associated threshold value. Alternately, a gearshift is carried out directly to a lowest possible gear of the motor vehicle transmission (4). If the comparison of the current workload of the sustained-action braking device (10) exceeds the threshold value, then the shifting strategy is adapted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Ulf Lang
  • Patent number: 12084039
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a generator, a drive motor, and a filter that collects particulate matter in exhaust gas of the engine, in which the generator is driven by the engine to generate power, and the drive motor is driven with the power generated by the generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Hoshi, Yoshihiko Misao, Hirofumi Miyauchi, Azusa Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 12083927
    Abstract: A power supply system for a vehicle includes a management ECU that controls output power of first and second batteries in a normal mode or an output priority mode, a first cooler that cools the first battery, a second cooler that cools the second battery, and a cooling circuit ECU that controls first and second cooling output of the coolers. In a case where an operation mode of the management ECU is the output priority mode and the first battery has a cooling remaining-capacity, the cooling circuit ECU increases the first cooling output as compared with a case where the operation mode is the normal mode. In a case where the operation mode is the output priority mode and the second battery has a cooling remaining-capacity, the cooling circuit ECU increases the second cooling output as compared with the case where the operation mode is the normal mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 12077308
    Abstract: A method of operating a multi-engine drive system of an aircraft includes driving a main rotor of the aircraft by a main engine of the multi-engine drive system at an operating speed of the main engine, operating a supplemental engine of the multi-engine drive system at approximately 80% of an operating speed of the supplemental engine, wherein, during the operating step, a clutch interoperably coupled to the supplemental engine is interoperably decoupled from the main rotor and, responsive to a command to interoperably engage the clutch, if the clutch successfully engages such that the clutch is interoperably coupled to the main rotor, providing, by the supplemental engine, power to the main rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Eric Covington, Chia-Wei Su, Darren Gregory Lang
  • Patent number: 12078244
    Abstract: An automatic transmission, in which when starting with an accelerator pedal opening less than a predetermined opening, the automatic transmission is set to a first speed ratio, and when starting with the accelerator pedal opening equal to or greater than the predetermined opening, the automatic transmission is set to a second speed ratio lower than the first speed ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignees: JATCO LTD, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazue Shimokawara
  • Patent number: 12071025
    Abstract: The electrified vehicle includes a first motor that drives a first wheel, a second motor that drives a second wheel different from the first wheel, a temperature sensor provided for the first motor, and a control device. The control device estimates the temperature of the first motor based on the detection signal from the temperature sensor, and corrects the temperature of the first motor based on information indicating a relative relation between operation of the first motor and operation of the second motor. These processes allow the control device to estimate the temperature of the second motor, control the operation of the first motor based on the estimated temperature of the first motor, and control the operation of the second motor based on the estimated temperature of the second motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuki Norimoto, Shingo Nagai
  • Patent number: 12066829
    Abstract: An autonomous sweeper is provided, including a sweeper module, and a robot chassis having a length along a pair of sides, a front side, a back side and a top side that define an interior space. The sweeper module is configured to fit within the interior space when the robot chassis moves over the sweeper module. A pair of wheels is disposed proximate to the back side of the robot chassis and a single wheel is disposed proximate to the front side. A pair of scissor lifts is disposed along said pair of sides. A lift frame including alignment pegs that fit into corresponding alignment holes is disposed on the top side of the sweeper module. The lift frame is raised and lowered by said pair of scissor lifts, and said scissor lifts assist in lifting the sweeper module while aligning said sweeper module to the robot chassis using said alignment pegs and alignment holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: ViaBot Inc.
    Inventors: Fei Xie, Dawei Ding, Gregg Ratanaphanyarat
  • Patent number: 12066091
    Abstract: A case for a vehicle drive device includes a first case part having a first support part, a second case part having a first part, and a third case part having a second part. The second case part is joined to the first case part on an axial-direction first side, the third case part is joined to the first case part on an axial-direction second side, a first rotating body and a first input member are placed between the first support part and the first part in an axial direction, in a supported state by the first support part and the first part, and a second rotating body and a second input member are placed between the first support part and the second part in the axial direction, in a supported state by the first support part and the second part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignees: AISIN CORPORATION, MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Yanagihara, Takayoshi Kato, Isao Fujishima, Naoki Takahashi, Kiminobu Terao, Takuya Ogasawara, Yosuke Morimoto
  • Patent number: 12054058
    Abstract: A vehicle charging system includes a sensor, a traveling control processor, a traveling drive unit, a transmitter provided on a vehicle configured to travel on a traveling road, and a power-feeding facility provided on the traveling road. The sensor detects obstacles present around the vehicle. The traveling control processor performs traveling control of the vehicle based on the result of detection by the sensor. The traveling drive unit drives the vehicle to travel and includes: a power receiver receiving electric power from the traveling road; a battery storing the electric power; a motor; and an inverter driving the motor with the electric power. The transmitter sends a power-feeding control signal when the sensor detects an obstacle. The power-feeding facility includes: a receiver receiving the power-feeding control signal; a power feeder performing a power-feeding operation; and a power-feeding control unit controlling the power-feeding operation based on the power-feeding control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Susumu Masuyama, Yuki Natsume
  • Patent number: 12055937
    Abstract: This automated travel system for spraying work has a target path generation unit for generating a target path for a spraying work. A work vehicle is provided with left and right liquid spraying units which have spraying patterns including: a four-direction spraying pattern in which each of the left and right liquid spraying units sprays a liquid to both the left and right directions; and a direction-restricted spraying pattern in which the number of spraying directions of the left and right liquid spraying units is restricted to 3 or less. The target path generation unit generates the target path P in a path setting to incorporate a four-direction spraying path for which the four-direction spraying pattern is set as a spraying pattern and direction-restricted spraying paths for which the direction-restricted spraying pattern is set as a spraying pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Yanmar Power Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Suzuki, Akihiro Nakahata, Yoshiharu Mizukura, Keita Kitano
  • Patent number: 12044309
    Abstract: A method calculates a rotational speed of a node of a linkage in a transmission allows the continued operation of the transmission even when rotational speeds are difficult to sense due to the lack of rotational speed. The method begins by sensing rotational speed at each node to define a sensed rotational speed for each node. The sensed rotational speed at each node is compared to a threshold rotational speed. The sensed rotational speed continues to be used if an absolute value of the sensed rotational speed of the node is greater than the threshold rotational speed. A calculated rotational speed is calculated when the sensed rotational speed is less than the threshold rotational speed. The sensed rotational speed value is replaced with the calculated rotational speed for the node when the sensed rotational speed is less than the threshold rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Sigma Powertrain, Inc.
    Inventors: R William Davis, Graham Scott Russell, Daniel E Knieper, John W Kimes
  • Patent number: 12044297
    Abstract: An electric motor comprises: a stator; a rotor having a rotor shaft; and a transmission coupled to the rotor shaft, wherein when the rotor shaft rotates in a first direction an output shaft of the transmission rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction with a first gear ratio, and wherein when the rotor shaft rotates in the second direction the output shaft of the transmission rotates in the second direction with a second gear ratio different from the first gear ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Atieva, Inc.
    Inventors: Balazs Palfai, Bela Hegedus, Sai Enabothula, Aravind Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 12045709
    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 vehicular driving assistance system is operable to wirelessly upload captured image data to the cloud for processing at a remote processor. Processing tasks with a higher priority are determined at the ECU to be higher priority tasks. Responsive to determination at the ECU of a higher priority task, the vehicular driving assistance system (i) processes captured image data at the ECU for the higher priority task and (ii) uploads captured image data to the cloud for processing at the remote processor of processing at the remote processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: John Lu
  • Patent number: 12044310
    Abstract: A method for downshifting a multi-speed transmission of a marine propulsion device to a first gear from a second gear. The method includes providing a shift schedule that indicates a shift recommendation for when to downshift from the second gear to the first gear. The method further includes configuring the transmission to downshift when the shift schedule indicates the shift recommendation, determining a requested speed of the marine propulsion device, measuring an actual speed of the marine propulsion device, calculating an error between the requested speed and the actual speed, comparing the error to an error threshold, and determining when the error exceeds the error threshold longer than a duration threshold. The method further includes controlling the transmission to downshift, despite the shift schedule indicating a non-shift recommendation, when the duration threshold is exceeded so as to reduce the error between the requested speed and the actual speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew W. Snyder, Justin R. Poirier
  • Patent number: 12036986
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for clutch start control of an internal combustion engine, ICE, in a vehicle is described. When the vehicle is travelling on a road with the ICE being shut off, topographic data representative of the topography of an upcoming road segment is acquired. A driving scenario for at least a part of the upcoming road segment is predicted based on the acquired topographic data. A gear is selected based on the predicted driving scenario. The ICE is started on the selected gear before or when the vehicle reaches said part of the road segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tobias Husberg, Erik Lauri
  • Patent number: 12033443
    Abstract: An abnormality cause determining device that is applied to a vehicle including an electromagnetic actuator includes a storage device and an execution device. The storage device is configured to store map data which is data for defining a map. The map includes a current variable which is a variable indicating a current flowing actually in the electromagnetic actuator as an input variable and includes a cause variable which is a variable indicating a cause of an abnormality of an onboard unit including the electromagnetic actuator as an output variable. The execution device is configured to perform an acquisition process of acquiring a value of the input variable based on a detection value from a sensor which is mounted in the vehicle and a calculation process of calculating a value of the output variable by inputting the value of the input variable to the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Ken Imamura, Shinichi Ito, Kota Fujii
  • Patent number: 12030589
    Abstract: An electric device comprises first communicator circuitry and first electronic controller circuitry. The first communicator circuitry is configured to receive a signal from second communicator circuitry of a second electric device. The first electronic controller circuitry is configured to change a state of the first communicator circuitry from a first state to a second state based on a first output of a first sensor configured to sense a first sensor object. The first state has first power consumption. The second state has second power consumption. The first power consumption is lower than the second power consumption. The first electronic controller circuitry is configured to change the state of the first communicator circuitry from the second state to the first state based on a second output of a second sensor configured to sense a second sensor object different from the first sensor object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Toru Sano, Tomohiro Takimoto
  • Patent number: 12031496
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and a device for diagnosing an internal combustion engine of a powertrain. The powertrain includes the internal combustion engine and a transmission unit, and the diagnosis is carried out using a running irregularity signal, where potentially a gear change is actively requested. The method includes ascertaining a diagnostic value of the internal combustion engine during operation using the running irregularity signal of the internal combustion engine. The powertrain is operated using a diagnostic gear of the transmission unit. The method also includes detecting the diagnostic gear which is engaged in the transmission unit while ascertaining the diagnostic value; and comparing the ascertained diagnostic value with a predefined diagnostic threshold value and comparing the diagnostic gear of the transmission unit with at least one predefined gear of the transmission unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Schroth, Heiko Herzig
  • Patent number: 12017555
    Abstract: A vehicle system and method includes determining that a state of charge of an energy storage assembly of a receiving vehicle is insufficient to power the receiving vehicle to an upcoming location based on a difference between the state of charge and a needed amount of energy from the energy storage assembly to power the receiving vehicle to the upcoming location. The receiving vehicle may be controlled to move to an intermediate location that includes an increased traffic area or to a first donating vehicle location of plural different donating vehicle locations. The first donating vehicle location includes a predicted upcoming location of a first donating vehicle. The receiving vehicle receives energy from the first donating vehicle to charge the energy storage assembly of the receiving vehicle while both the first donating vehicle and the receiving vehicle area moving at the intermediate location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony D. Paul, Nathan Thomas North, Milan Karunaratne
  • Patent number: 12018749
    Abstract: In a vehicle control device for controlling the vehicle, when automatic downshift control for automatically downshifting a speed ratio of the transmission is executed in the case where a drive current value of the motor obtained when the second oil pump is driven is larger than a maximum value of the drive current value of the motor obtained when the second oil pump is driven in a normal drive state, the vehicle control device increases a minimum rotation speed of the drive source compared to a case where the drive current value of the motor is equal to or less than the maximum value, and when the automatic downshift control is executed in the case where a line pressure generated by a hydraulic pressure supplied from the first oil pump and the second oil pump is larger than a predetermined value, the vehicle control device does not increase the minimum rotation speed of the drive source even in the case where the drive current value of the motor obtained when the second oil pump is driven is larger than the m
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignees: JATCO LTD, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tarou Murazumi, Hajime Tasaka, Keisuke Iwado, Hiroyuki Tokoi, Yuji Oishi