Patents Examined by Erick R. Solis
  • Patent number: 12384219
    Abstract: A control system (300) for controlling an active suspension system (104) of a vehicle (100), the active suspension system comprising suspension actuators (502), the control system comprising one or more controller (301), wherein the control system is configured to: in dependence on an activation signal (904), provide (908) a control signal to the active suspension system to cause the suspension actuators of the active suspension system to repetitively pulse vertical force through wheels (FR, FL, RR, RL) of the vehicle in a controlled pattern determined by the one or more controller, to vary wheel-to-surface contact patch forces, wherein the pattern comprises repetitively pulsing vertical force through at least one of the wheels at a first phase and through at least one other of the wheels at a second phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Anesh Mistry, Luke Birch, Sam Brown, Dennis Lausecker, Syed Asad Ali, William Burdock, James Kelly
  • Patent number: 12379287
    Abstract: A method for detecting a flat spot of a tire of a first wheel of a vehicle. The method comprises obtaining a plurality of measurements indicative of an actuation and/or a motion of at least part of a suspension arrangement. The suspension arrangement is arranged to provide suspension for the first wheel. The method further comprises detecting that the tire has a flat spot by determining that the plurality of measurements fulfills one or more predetermined conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventor: Chidambaram Subramanian
  • Patent number: 12371013
    Abstract: A method for operating a driver assistance system of a vehicle includes the steps of: checking whether there is a motorway exit or roadworks on a first side of the vehicle; checking whether an environment sensor system of the vehicle detects a lane marking that bounds a lane of the vehicle on a second side, which is opposite the first side; if the result of the checking is that there is a motorway exit or roadworks on the first side of the vehicle and that the environment sensor system detects the lane marking, operating a lane-keeping function of the driver assistance system; and if the result of the checking is that there is a motorway exit or roadworks on the first side of the vehicle and that the environment sensor system does not detect the lane marking, triggering a takeover request to a driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dirk De Bruin, Sebastian Gruenwedel, Christine Kock, Pascal Minnerup, Daniel Niehues, Sebastian Rauch, Markus Schurius, Bernd Spanfelner
  • Patent number: 12358474
    Abstract: A communication system to transfer data between a towing vehicle and a towed vehicle including data of selected vehicle control network operating parameters generated in a towed vehicle, through a microcontroller to a remote monitor or display in the towing vehicle to show and alert the status of selected operating parameters of the towed vehicle when in tow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: CREED 2.0 LLC
    Inventors: Russell Creed, David F. Bailey
  • Patent number: 12344244
    Abstract: A vehicle lane marking detection system includes a 3D sensor, a driver assist component and an electronic controller. The 3D sensor is installed to a vehicle and is configured to scan physical objects around the vehicle outputting a plurality of data points each corresponding to a surface point of a physical feature. Each data point being defined by distance, direction, intensity and vertical location relative to the vehicle. The electronic controller is connected to the 3D sensor and the driver assist component. The electronic controller evaluates a point cloud defined by the data points identifying lane markings based on the intensity of the data points. The data points having intensities greater than a predetermined level are determined to correspond to lane marking and are provided to the driver assist component with the lane markings for use thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Atsuhide Kobashi, Christopher Ostafew
  • Patent number: 12344090
    Abstract: A pedal assembly for a vehicle that includes a pedal, a sensor configured to sense a force exerted on the pedal, and an electronic processor connected to the sensor. The electronic processor is configured to determine a first output value, and receive a signal indicative of the force exerted on the pedal from the sensor. The electronic processor is further configured to determine a second output value based on the force exerted on the pedal, the first output value, and a model that defines a mechanical hysteresis effect and generate an output signal for controlling the vehicle, the output signal corresponding to the second output value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: CTS Corporation
    Inventor: Scott Calkins
  • Patent number: 12337696
    Abstract: A vehicle motion management (VMM) system for a heavy-duty vehicle, configured to obtain a desired wheel force value of a wheel of the vehicle; determine a torque limit for a first motion support device (MSD) associated with the wheel based on the desired wheel force value; determine a tire model based on a relationship between wheel force and wheel speed of the wheel; determine a desired wheel speed for the first MSD based on the tire model; and determine a torque fill request for a second MSD of the vehicle based on the desired wheel force and on a torque capability of the first MSD. The VMM system determines the torque fill request for the second MSD in dependence of the torque limit for the first MSD in case the operating torque of the first MSD is limited by the torque limit, and to determine the torque fill request for the second MSD in dependence of an applied torque status signal in case the operating torque of the first MSD is not limited by the torque limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adithya Arikere, Sidhant Ray, Leon Henderson, Leo Laine
  • Patent number: 12337773
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing information on the greenhouse gas emissions of a hydrogen vehicle are disclosed. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method of providing information on the greenhouse gas emissions of the vehicle includes receiving driving information from the vehicle, determining a filling station at which hydrogen filling is performed when it is determined based on the driving information that the hydrogen was filled in the vehicle, and determining greenhouse gas emissions of the vehicle based on a hydrogen production method of the determined filling station and the driving information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Dong Yun Lee
  • Patent number: 12325274
    Abstract: In a suspension control device, an acquisition unit acquires a target roll moment, a target pitch moment, and a target heave force that are calculated based on a vehicle motion model. A correction unit corrects the target pitch moment based on the target roll moment, and corrects the target heave force based on the target roll moment and the target pitch moment. A warp moment calculation unit calculates a target warp moment based on the target roll moment. A control unit controls a damping force of a suspension of a vehicle, based on the target roll moment, the corrected target pitch moment that is corrected by the correction unit, the corrected target heave force that is corrected by the correction unit, and the target warp moment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoto Shimoya
  • Patent number: 12319256
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for determining faults in a vehicle brake system. An electronic processor obtains a brake pedal signal from a brake pedal that indicates a driver intent to brake and obtains a vehicle braking response condition signal from a brake system feedback sensor. The electronic processor determines a fault state when (1) the brake pedal signal is indicative of no brake pedal movement and the vehicle braking response signal is indicative of a vehicle braking response occurring, or when (2) the brake pedal signal is indicative of brake pedal movement and the vehicle braking response condition signal is indicative of no occurrence of a vehicle braking response. The electronic processor controls an output of an audio or visual indication of a fault state and/or controls braking operation of the vehicle in response to the fault state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: CTS Corporation
    Inventors: Ganesh Baral, Kevin Wolschlager, David Kolberg, Arthur Hazlewood
  • Patent number: 12311983
    Abstract: A method for switching between autonomous drive and manual drive of a transportation vehicle, wherein the driver of the transportation vehicle is observed by at least one interior camera relative to a handover intention and/or takeover intention. In response to a handover intention being detected, the steering wheel is moved away from the driver and the drive is switched to autonomous drive. In response to a takeover intention being detected, the steering wheel is moved toward the hands of the driver and the drive is switched to manual drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Felix Heinrich
  • Patent number: 12312987
    Abstract: An exhaust gas treatment arrangement for an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine includes at least one electrically excitable heating unit having a heating region arranged in an exhaust gas guiding housing such that exhaust gas can flow thereover, and two connection regions passing through the exhaust gas guiding housing for connection to electrical connection lines running outside the exhaust gas guiding housing. A connection line installation aid is fixed with respect to the exhaust gas guiding housing and has at least one connection line positioning recess in an installation aid body for receiving a connection line to be connected to one of the connection regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: Purem GmbH
    Inventors: Kresimir Jambrosic, Bogdan Popescu, Véronique Guérin
  • Patent number: 12296877
    Abstract: A safety information supervision apparatus applied to a high-speed rail signaling system includes a communication processor, a Radio Block Center (RBC) interface machine, a Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) interface machine, a supervision and analysis server, an analysis terminal, and a storage device, where the communication processor and the RBC interface machine are communicatively connected to the supervision and analysis server through a monitoring network. The CTC interface machine is communicatively connected to the CTC system of a station and the supervision and analysis server, so as to obtain train information in the CTC system and to transmit an analysis result of the supervision and analysis server to the CTC system through the CTC interface machine. Multi-source data fusion analysis is used to perform filtering and validity analysis on basic data, thereby reducing false alarms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: CASCO SIGNAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Enhua Hu, Pengfei Tu, Xiangbo Yang, Xiaofeng Liu, Xingyu Zhou
  • Patent number: 12291249
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed enabling the use of electromagnetic engines to traverse a wheeled bogie assembly across a plurality of rails. The electromagnetic engines may be used within a rail assembly comprising four rails and a frog assembly. Further, the electromagnetic engines may be used to traverse between a straight path and a turnout path at a non-moving rail switch having a frog assembly. In one aspect, an algorithm for powering various coils is disclosed wherein the algorithm controls the power level to switch tracks connected to the frog assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: HYPERLOOP TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Andy Alexander Hilgers, Timothy Nicholas Leslie Lambert
  • Patent number: 12291264
    Abstract: A driving support device includes: a driving state monitoring portion configured to monitor a plurality of driving states including a gripping position of a steering wheel of an occupant of a vehicle; a positive value calculation portion configured to calculate a positive value indicating a degree of positiveness of the occupant with respect to steering based on the plurality of driving states monitored by the driving state monitoring portion; and a lane keep assistance control portion configured to perform lane keep assistance control of guiding a steering operation of the occupant so that the vehicle does not deviate from a traveling lane based on the positive value calculated by the positive value calculation portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Iwasa, Haruko Okuyama
  • Patent number: 12285985
    Abstract: A controller as a control apparatus controls a shock absorber of a control target wheel (a rear wheel) located in back of a detection target portion (a front wheel) of an unsprung acceleration sensor based on a detection value detected by the unsprung acceleration sensor on the front wheel side provided on a vehicle. In this case, the controller identifies a movement distance (a delay distance) from the detection target portion (the front wheel) and controls the shock absorber of the control target wheel (the rear wheel) located in back thereof based on the detection value of the unsprung acceleration sensor and a vehicle speed for each control period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Kawasaki, Makoto Matsuura, Ryusuke Hirao
  • Patent number: 12280823
    Abstract: A driving assistance system includes: a first control unit configured to output an output amount related to a required amount; and a second control unit configured to calculate a difference amount between the output amount output and an actually measured amount of an actuator, and control the actuator based on the difference amount and a torque map, in which in assist control (second driving assistance control), the first control unit calculates a difference amount between a second required amount and the actually measured amount, acquires a division amount by dividing the difference amount by a predetermined value, and outputs a total amount of the division amount and the actually measured amount as the output amount, and the second control unit calculates a difference amount between the total amount and the actually measured amount, and controls the actuator based on the difference amount and a second torque map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shintaro Saigo, Takeshi Hamaguchi
  • Patent number: 12280813
    Abstract: A train operation support system for outputting a rescheduled timetable for a planned timetable of a train from a computer by using the planned timetable and an actual timetable of the train includes a timetable modification unit that modifies the planned timetable by using a given timetable modification method, a passenger flow prediction unit that calculates passenger staying information containing information indicating the number of staying passengers in each time zone at each station, by using demand information indicating a destination of a passenger in each time zone at each station where the train stops, a timetable rescheduling unit that modifies the demand information in reference to the planned timetable modified by the timetable modification unit, inputs the modified demand information to the passenger flow prediction unit, and creates the rescheduled timetable for the planned timetable by using the passenger staying information output from the passenger flow prediction unit, and an output unit th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryota Uematsu, Tsuyoshi Minakawa, Yuki Maekawa
  • Patent number: 12281910
    Abstract: A system for modeling energy consumption efficiency of an electric vehicle and a method thereof are disclosed. The system includes a communication device that communicates with a plurality of electric vehicles and includes a controller that receives learning data from the plurality of electric vehicles, learns an energy consumption efficiency model based on the received learning data, and transmits the energy consumption efficiency model in which the learning is completed to the plurality of electric vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jung Hwan Bang, Hyung Seuk Ohn, Dong Hoon Jeong, Won Seok Jeon, Ki Sang Kim, Byeong Wook Jeon, Dong Hoon Won, Hee Yeon Nah
  • Patent number: 12280735
    Abstract: Guidance to a vehicle occupant is directed to manual adjustment of a height of a D-ring mechanism of a safety belt. First data of the occupant is collected which is indicative of a target height for the D-ring mechanism. Second data is collected indicative of a current height of the D-ring mechanism. The target height and the current height are compared to generate an adjustment amount whenever their difference is greater than a predetermined threshold. Visual guidance is presented to the occupant on an HMI display panel wherein the visual guidance describes taking an particular action to achieve the manual height adjustment of the D-ring mechanism. A further visual instruction is presented to the occupant on the HMI display panel wherein the visual instruction identifies the adjustment amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Clara M. Bennie, Brian Bennie