Patents Examined by Edwin A. Young
  • Patent number: 11511729
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a hybrid vehicle and a method thereof are provided. The apparatus includes a hybrid starter & generator (HSG) controller that determines whether an HSG has failed, and a hybrid vehicle controller that controls reverse drive by controlling locking up an engine clutch and maintaining a main relay of a battery to be continuously turned on, based on whether a request for the reverse drive is input from a user. The hybrid vehicle controller changes and applies a vehicle torque control calculation method based on a state of charge (SoC) of the battery, when the HSG has failed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Seong Wook Moon, Jeong Eun Kim
  • Patent number: 11512775
    Abstract: A shift range control device includes: multiple controllers that communicate with each other and control driving of a motor. The multiple controllers share control information, and include a first controller and a second controller. When the control information of the first controller is different from the control information of the second controller, one of the first controller and the second controller is set as a continuation controller, and a different one of the first controller and the second controller is set as a stop controller. The stop controller stops the drive control. The continuation controller performs the drive control of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kouji Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 11505071
    Abstract: A regenerative braking control method and a regenerative braking control device of the present invention control a drive source that generates a regenerative brake force in such a manner that an upper limit of regenerative deceleration when a driver executes manual control becomes smaller than an upper limit of regenerative deceleration when automatic control is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yohei Nakamura, Masafumi Kuroda, Yuji Wada, Michihiko Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11506280
    Abstract: A method for operating a drive train having a power generator, a mechanical power transmission device, and a power receiver wherein the power transmission device is monitored to detect mechanical damage and/or the development of mechanical damage to the power transmission device, wherein detected damage and/or detected damage development is localized and the power generator, the power transmission device, and/or the power receiver are/is controlled such that a mechanical load at the localized damage location and/or damage development location is selectively reduced. A program product including program code sections with which such a method is feasible when the program product is executed on a programmable controller, a computer, or other programmable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Universität Stuttgart
    Inventors: Bernd Bertsche, Zeljana Beslic, Yvonne Gretzinger
  • Patent number: 11499628
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling shifting of a vehicle and a method therefor are provided, where the apparatus includes a storage storing a power map in which a demand power corresponding to a vehicle speed and an accelerator position sensor (APS) value is recorded and storing an energy consumption map of a power source for each gear stage. The apparatus includes a controller that detects a current demand power based on the power map, generates a power graph representing the detected demand power as the number of revolution and a torque of the power source for each gear stage, and matches the generated power graph with the energy consumption map of the power source to control a shift to a gear stage which consumes minimum energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dong Hoon Jeong, Byeong Wook Jeon, Yong Uk Shin, Min Jae Chai
  • Patent number: 11498429
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a powertrain having an electric machine configured to power driven wheels, an accelerator pedal, and friction brakes. A vehicle controller is programmed to, with the vehicle being in a one-pedal driving mode: in response to a braking torque capacity of the powertrain exceeding a target braking torque that is based on a position of the accelerator pedal, command a torque, that is equal to the target braking torque, from the powertrain such that the vehicle is slowed using the powertrain without application of the friction brakes, and, in response to the braking torque capacity of the powertrain being less than the target braking torque, command torques from the powertrain and the friction brakes such that the target braking torque is satisfied and the vehicle is slowed using the powertrain and the friction brakes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dale Scott Crombez, Bryan Michael Bolger, Alexander McCollough, Sergey Gennadievich Semenov, Brandon Jay Woodland
  • Patent number: 11499626
    Abstract: Methods and system are described for changing a driveline gear range from a higher gear range to a lower gear range. The driveline may include two electric machines and four clutches in a four wheel drive configuration. The methods and systems permit a driveline to change from a higher gear range to a lower gear range without stopping a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Weitian Chen, Matthew John Shelton, Pinzhi Liu, Jose Velazquez Alcantar, Zhengyu Dai, Hong Jiang
  • Patent number: 11499630
    Abstract: An apparatus configured for controlling shift of a vehicle and a method therefore are provided. The apparatus include a storage storing a deep learning model, learning of which is completed; and a controller that predicts a vehicle speed and an accelerator position sensor (APS) value for each future time point according to the deep learning model, predicts a gear stage for each future time point using the predicted vehicle speed and the predicted APS value, and controls the shift of the vehicle based on the gear stage for each future time point, thus preventing a busy shift phenomenon and preventing an acceleration delay phenomenon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Dong Hoon Jeong, Byeong Wook Jeon, Yong Uk Shin, Min Jae Chai
  • Patent number: 11498559
    Abstract: A launch control method for a vehicle may include a step of increasing clutch torque of a clutch according to a decrease in braking pressure, a step of maintaining a current level of the clutch torque for a first reference duration, a step of gradually reducing the clutch torque within a range which is lower than the first reference torque level and is equal to or greater than a second reference torque level which is lower than the first reference torque level, a step of gradually increasing the clutch torque until the clutch torque reaches a third reference torque level which is higher than the first reference torque level, and a step of bringing the control to a stop when a state in which a clutch slip is less than a predetermined critical synchronous slip is maintained for a predetermined critical synchronization duration or longer than the predetermined critical synchronization duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Sung Hyun Cho
  • Patent number: 11499629
    Abstract: Provided is a control device for a continuously variable transmission, which is capable of effectively preventing occurrence of surge pressure due to a stroke of a driven pulley being stopped by abutment. The control device for the continuously variable transmission includes a pressure regulating valve regulating an oil pressure of oil supplied from an oil supply source to a cylinder chamber of the driven pulley, a control valve controlling the pressure regulating valve, and a control part controlling the control valve. If the control part determines that a gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission is maximum, as a first condition, when an instructed oil pressure of the control valve for the pressure regulating valve is larger than an oil pressure of oil supplied from the pressure regulating valve to the driven pulley, a control for lowering the instructed oil pressure is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takuro Imasato
  • Patent number: 11498560
    Abstract: A braking force controller includes: a target jerk calculation unit; a first estimation unit configured to estimate an increment of braking force when a prescribed factor that increases braking force to be generated by the first actuator unit currently occurs; a second estimation unit configured to estimate the increment of the braking force when the prescribed factor occurs within a prescribed period; and a control unit configured to determine a negative jerk generated when the second actuator unit generates the braking force such that a sum of the negative jerk and the jerk generated by the first actuator unit without the prescribed factor becomes the target jerk. When the increment of the braking force due to the prescribed factor is larger than a prescribed value, the control unit corrects the determined negative jerk such that an absolute value of the negative jerk becomes smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shun Sato, Hiromasa Takai
  • Patent number: 11491972
    Abstract: An automatic parking control device is configured to: execute a rotation prediction process to calculate a predicted idle speed change portion by advancing an actual idle speed change portion by a brake response delay time; execute a driving force prediction process to calculate a predicted driving force change portion according to the predicted idle speed change portion; execute a braking force control process to calculate a change portion of a target vehicle braking force that cancels the predicted driving force change portion and instruct it to a brake device; and, when the brake response delay time is longer than an engine response delay time, execute a rotational speed control delay process to delay a target idle speed change by a rotational speed control delay time being longer than or equal to a difference obtained by subtracting the engine response delay time from the brake response delay time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigehiro Sugihira
  • Patent number: 11493528
    Abstract: A position sensor including: a power supply terminal to which a power supply voltage is applied; a ground terminal to which a ground voltage is applied; an output terminal that outputs a signal; a detection portion that operates based on the power supply voltage and the ground voltage, and detects a position of a detection target by a magnetic resistance element whose resistance value changes according to a movement of the detection target; and a signal processing portion that operates based on the power supply voltage and the ground voltage, and processes a signal input from the detection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akito Sasaki, Atsushi Kobayashi, Michihiro Makita, Tetsuya Ohmi
  • Patent number: 11491982
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling the powertrain of a motor vehicle between the current location of the vehicle and an arrival point, including calculating a theoretical optimal traction force, determining a friction force applied to the vehicle, calculating an actual optimal force to be applied to the wheels as far as the arrival point, and applying a traction force to the wheels of the vehicle when the calculated actual optimal force is strictly greater than a predetermined threshold value or else not applying a force to the wheels of the vehicle when the calculated actual optimal force is greater than or equal to zero and less than or equal to the predetermined threshold value, or else applying a braking force to the wheels of the vehicle when the calculated actual optimal force is strictly less than zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventor: Mariano Sans
  • Patent number: 11485371
    Abstract: A method of estimating a load on a vehicle (10), the method comprising: obtaining a first load estimate using a first load estimation technique; obtaining a second load estimate using a second load estimation technique; analysing characteristics of the first load estimate and the second load estimate; and, based on the analysis selecting either the first load estimate or the second load estimate as an output load estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Thomas Owen, Roger Wardle, David Parry
  • Patent number: 11485378
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes: a travel control unit configured to switch a driving mode of a vehicle; a traveling state detecting unit configured to detect a traveling state of the vehicle; a generating unit configured to generate at least one turning line; an external environment recognizing device configured to detect a state of an external environment of the vehicle; a setting unit configured to set a traveling area in front of the vehicle in a traveling direction thereof; and a determining unit configured to determine whether the turning line is located in the traveling area. In a case where the determining unit determines that the turning line is not located in the traveling area while a manual driving mode is selected, the travel control unit switches the driving mode of the vehicle from the manual driving mode to an autonomous driving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Takeda, Takashi Yanagi, Takeyuki Suzuki, Ryo Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 11485620
    Abstract: An operating method for an industrial truck. The industrial truck includes a hydraulic pump which provides a hydraulic output, an output setpoint value generator which controls the hydraulic output to influence a traveling speed, two drive wheels which respectively comprise a hydraulic drive unit driven via the hydraulic pump, and a hydraulic device. The hydraulic device is switchable between a first switching state, where the hydraulic drive units are supplied with hydraulic outputs which are different, and a second switching state, where the hydraulic drive units are supplied with hydraulic outputs that have a particular ratio with respect to each other. The operating method includes detecting at least one operating parameter of the output setpoint value generator, comparing the at least one operating parameter with a predefined threshold value, and moving the hydraulic device from the first switching state to the second switching state based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: HUBTEX MASCHINENBAU GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Michael Otterbein
  • Patent number: 11486492
    Abstract: A shift device includes: a shift switching member that includes a plurality of valley portions corresponding to a shift position; and an actuator that drives the shift switching member. The actuator includes a motor, a driving force transmission mechanism that transmits a driving force of the motor to an output shaft, a control board that includes a rotation angle sensor detecting a rotation angle of the motor and controls the motor based on a detection result obtained by the rotation angle sensor, a housing and an outer lid that form a housing space housing the motor and the control board, the outer lid covering an opening of the housing, and an inner lid that is housed in the housing space and to which the motor is attached, and the housing includes a first positioning portion that positions both the inner lid and the control board with respect to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kosuke Sakai, Takashi Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11480246
    Abstract: A control device for a multi-stage transmission for an electric vehicle is provided. The control device includes a controller configured to calculate a driving force of a drive motor when entering a shift mode and to determine a shift time point based on the calculated driving force, and the multi-stage transmission configured to perform shifting at the determined shift time point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jae Chang Kook, Dong Hoon Jeong, Byeong Wook Jeon, Kwang Hee Park
  • Patent number: 11473674
    Abstract: A vehicle control device controls a vehicle provided with a transmission having a direct gear and normal gears including an overdrive gear having a lower gear ratio than the direct gear. The device includes a travel segment determination unit which determines a forward travel segment having a different road slope from a current travel segment, a current gear position selection unit that selects a current gear position based on a travel resistance of the vehicle, a forward gear position selection unit that selects a forward gear position based on a travel resistance in the forward travel segment, and a shift control unit that selects whether or not to upshift the transmission based on a situation until the vehicle reaches the forward travel segment, when an upshift to the overdrive gear is newly selected in a case where the current gear position and the forward gear position are the direct gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventors: Tatsuya Ooshima, Nobuyuki Nishimura