Patents Examined by Fadey Jabr
  • Patent number: 9097539
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle information processing device which is able to specify a traveling road of a host vehicle with high reliability without including detailed map data in an in-vehicle storage unit. A driving support device according to the present invention is a vehicle information processing device which specifies a traveling road of a host vehicle, and includes means for obtaining host vehicle information including current position information of the host vehicle using a GPS; means for obtaining road information from an information transmission device which is installed in a road; means for temporarily selecting a traveling road of the host vehicle using the host vehicle information, and the road information on the surrounding roads; and means for specifying a traveling road of the host vehicle using a reliability of a temporary selection result of the means for temporarily selecting traveling road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toru Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 9095089
    Abstract: A tractor control/display system includes a display means (28) for displaying to a tractor operator tractor performance parameters and receiving operator's inputs. Sensors (30, 34, 37) are also provided to determine various operating conditions of the tractor (10), and a processing unit (27) for receiving the sensor signals and operator's inputs and processing these signals and inputs to provide selected performance parameters for display on the display means (28). The processing means (27) also provides a simulation mode in which the operator can enter proposed changes in operating conditions of the tractor (10) and the processing means (28) can indicate on the display means (27) the effect of these proposed changes on selected tractor performance parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: AGCO International GmbH
    Inventor: Benno Pichlmaier
  • Patent number: 9096354
    Abstract: The system according to the invention comprises a display and a synthetic image dynamic generating assembly. It includes a management assembly for the graphic interface of the display, capable of controlling the dynamic display, on a first region of the display, of a synthetic image and able to maintain, in certain movement configurations of the aircraft, a second region of the display delimited by the edge substantially with no synthetic surface representation of the terrain. The management assembly includes means for dynamically delimiting the edge of the first region. The delimiting means are configured to dynamically compute the position of the edge as a function of a determined visibility distance (DV), taken relative to the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: DASSAULT AVIATION
    Inventors: Olivier Baudson, Arnaud Turpin
  • Patent number: 9091562
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for conserving power in a GPS-based navigation system. The navigation system receives input from the driver selecting a portion(s) of the route (route from the current location of the vehicle to the destination) where the driver requests guidance. For those portions of the route not selected by the driver to receive guidance, the navigation system implements a low detail mode of operation. In such a mode of operation, the navigation system reduces its update frequency as well as displays less detailed graphics so as to consume less power. For those portions selected by the driver to receive guidance, the navigation system implements a high detail mode of operation, where the navigation system is capable of audio-visually communicating to the driver instructions for reaching a given destination. In this manner, the power consumed by the navigation system will be more efficiently utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Denise A. Bell, Travis M. Grigsby, Jana H. Jenkins, Trevor Livingston
  • Patent number: 9085225
    Abstract: An exemplary infinitely variable transmission includes a planetary gear set situated in a drive train of an automotive vehicle and interfaced with a worm gear driven by an electrical motor continuously controlled by an electronic control unit in response to a torque demand. Another aspect may be selection of the worm gear helix angle to effect a balance between worm gear teeth friction and load placed on the worm gear by the planetary gear set, such that power required to drive the worm gear is minimized for all input load conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Inventor: Dennis Ray Halwes
  • Patent number: 9087452
    Abstract: A method of detecting conflicts between aircraft passing through managed airspace, and to resolving the detected conflicts strategically. The method may include obtaining intended trajectories of aircraft through the airspace and time constraints corresponding to time of arrival at specified locations, detecting conflicts in the intended trajectories, forming a set of the conflicted aircraft, calculating one or more revised trajectories for the conflicted aircraft such that the conflicts are resolved and the time constraints met, and advising the conflicted aircraft subject to revised trajectories of the revised trajectories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Isabel del Pozo de Poza, Miguel Vilaplana, Alfonso Valenzuela, Rafael Vazquez, Damian Rivas
  • Patent number: 9088311
    Abstract: A transportation system comprising a vehicle having a first electrically operated component, a second electrically operated component and a wireless controller system. The wireless controller system is used for selectively controlling the operation of the first electrically operated component and the second electrically operated component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Shur-Co, LLC
    Inventors: Steven J. Knight, Timothy Jack Gilmore, Wade Anthony Dangler
  • Patent number: 9086146
    Abstract: A method of shifting a vehicle drive-train transmission having frictional and interlocking shifting elements which are engageable to obtain various gears. When shifting from a current gear to a target gear, in which the interlocking shifting element is engaged, if after the shift starts it becomes necessary to engage the current gear in the transmission while engaging the interlocking shifting element, a current operating condition of the interlocking shifting element is determined. If the current operating condition of the interlocking shifting element indicates that engagement can be interrupted and the interlocking shifting element can be disengaged, the interlocking shifting element is disengaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Jorg Arnold, Georg Mihatsch
  • Patent number: 9078391
    Abstract: A control system for a tractor (10) fitted with two or more axles (21, 22) which carry wheels (13, 14) having pneumatic tires and which is set up to pull an implement or trailer. The system having a display means (28) for displaying to a tractor operator tractor performance parameters and has sensors to determine the current pull force (F) applied to the implement or trailer, the current wheel load and the current tractor ground speed (V). The system also has a control unit which determines and advises the tractor operator via the display means (28) as to the optimum weight of the tractor (10) using a predetermined relationship between pull force (F) and tractor weight and also the required load on each axle (21, 22) to achieve a predetermined optimum axle load ratio. The system also advises via the display means (28) the appropriate tire pressure for the current wheel load and tractor ground speed (V) using a look-up table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: AGCO INTERNATIONAL GmbH
    Inventor: Benno Pichlmaier
  • Patent number: 9080618
    Abstract: In line pressure control apparatus and method for a vehicle, a line pressure controller outputs a line pressure command to reduce an indicated pressure toward a required indicated pressure by which a required pressure can be secured and which is lower than an initial stage indicated pressure from the initial stage indicated pressure preset to be higher than the required pressure, while a state of each of an electrically driven oil pump (sub-O/P) and a mechanical oil pump (M-O/P) enters a first region (a) and outputs the line pressure command to hold the indicated pressure at a time point at which the first region is ended, while the state enters a second region (b), when a hydraulic pressure source is transitioned from the electrically driven oil pump to the mechanical oil pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: JATCO LTD
    Inventors: Hiroki Kawakami, Shinya Mochiyama
  • Patent number: 9080668
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a power source, such as an engine, an electric machine, or combination thereof. A torque converter is selectively coupled to the power source such that torque is altered before being distributed into a transmission of the vehicle. A torque converter bypass clutch enables torque from the power source to selectively transmit torque directly to the transmission with little or no torque altering provided by the torque converter. At least one controller in the vehicle is in communication with a remote facility in a vehicle-to-cloud (V2C) system. The controller sends road condition data to the remote facility regarding a road segment. During a subsequent drive to or over the road segment, the controller receives the road condition data and enables the torque converter bypass clutch to slip to dampen driveline disturbances when the vehicle passes over the road segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernard D. Nefcy, Mark Steven Yamazaki, Walter Joseph Ortmann, Marvin Paul Kraska, Daniel Scott Colvin
  • Patent number: 9079662
    Abstract: A cargo lift system employs multiple unmanned lift vehicles acting as vertical lift generating machines. An autonomous control system controls coordinated movements of the cooperating unmanned vertical lift generating machines. A coupling system connects the cargo load to each of the plurality of unmanned vertical lift generating machines. The plurality of unmanned vertical lift generating machines are separated from each other by a distance through spacing by individual onboard flight computers in the lift generating machines or by rigid or semi-rigid connections between the lift generating machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Duffy, John J. Mattero, Andrew Feit
  • Patent number: 9073576
    Abstract: Vehicle steering measurements of a vehicle may be measured. Expected vehicle steering measurements may be calculated, each calculated expected vehicle steering measurement corresponding to one of the measured vehicle steering measurements. At least one difference between one of the measured vehicle steering measurements and its corresponding calculated expected vehicle steering measurement may be calculated. A lower boundary and an upper boundary of at least one override transition zone, each of the override transition zones corresponding to one of the measured vehicle steering measurements and its corresponding calculated expected vehicle steering measurement, may be calculated. Steering control of the vehicle may be gradually transferred from an automatic vehicle control system to a driver of the vehicle over a predetermined period of time when one or more of the calculated differences lie between the calculated lower boundary and the calculated upper boundary of the corresponding override transition zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jin-Woo Lee, Bakhtiar Brian Litkouhi
  • Patent number: 9075701
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for monitoring abnormal state of a vehicle. In the method, CAN data collected from an ECU mounted on the vehicle is transformed into coordinates. The coordinates are applied to a distribution map in a specific space, a number of clusters is calculated based on results of the application, and an initial center point corresponding to the number of clusters is selected. Clustering is performed based on the initial center point, and then clusters are generated. At least one piece of data is extracted from each of the clusters, and a state feature of a corresponding cluster is decided on using a difference between maximum and minimum values of attributes constituting the at least one piece of data. A current state of the vehicle is monitored based on current CAN data of the vehicle and state features of the clusters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignees: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, CHUNGBUK NATIONAL UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Un-Il Yun, Shin-Kyung Lee, Jeong-Woo Lee, Oh-Cheon Kwon, Gwang-Bum Pyun, Heung-Mo Ryang, Gang-In Lee
  • Patent number: 9073433
    Abstract: A vehicle control system comprising a control device having a plurality of positions, a processing device, and a display device. The control device is configured to transmit data regarding a position of the control device when an object is proximate to the control device. The processing device is configured to receive the data from the control device, identify the control device transmitting the data, and transmit data regarding the first position and identity of the control device. The display device is configured to receive the data from the processing device, visually display a virtual control having a plurality of positions, and allow adjustment of the plurality of positions of the virtual control to at least a second position of the virtual control, wherein the second position is different from the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc
    Inventors: Shafer Seymour, Robert Gee
  • Patent number: 9073541
    Abstract: A power source system for a vehicle includes a first power storage device, a second power storage device, a voltage converter, and a controller. The controller is configured to (a) execute a charging control in which the second power storage device is charged by the voltage converter when a parking time of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined period of time, (b) estimate a decrease amount in a state of charge of the first power storage device in a time period from after elapse of the predetermined period of time until a start of the vehicle, (c) set a lower limit of the state of charge based on the decrease amount, and (d) not execute the charging control when the state of charge is lower than the lower limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshinobu Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 9074905
    Abstract: A route search device capable of searching for a route with the lowest energy cost at a high speed even if the distance between start and end points is long. The route search device includes: a long distance search attribute calculation section for calculating, as an attribute of one long distance search link, the sum of upslope elevation differences of a plurality of short distance search links and the sum of downslope elevation differences of the short distance search links corresponding to the one long distance search link; and a link cost calculation section for calculating, based on the attribute of the long distance search link and vehicle characteristics, a link cost that is an energy consumption at a time when a vehicle travels in the long distance search link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Norihiro Nishiuma, Masahiko Ikawa, Yasuhiro Nishikawa, Ryusuke Kinoshita, Takashi Irie
  • Patent number: 9070290
    Abstract: An apparatus and system for monitoring and managing traffic flow. The system includes a plurality of remote sensor devices arranged in a plurality of vehicles, a plurality of remote communication devices arranged along one or more roadways and in communication with the plurality of remote sensor devices, a central server, a network interface in communication with the central server and the plurality of remote communication devices over a network, and a shared database in communication with the central server. The central server is configured to receive traffic data from the plurality of remote sensor devices over the network, update traffic data in the shared database, periodically calculate an optimal traffic flow for one or more of vehicles traveling along the one or more roadways based on the updated traffic data, and transmit timing adjustments over the network to one or more traffic light intersections based on the optimal traffic flow calculations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Inventor: Donald Warren Taylor
  • Patent number: 9068463
    Abstract: A monitoring system for use with a turbine engine is described herein. The turbine engine includes a compressor and at least one compressor bleed valve coupled to the compressor. The monitoring system includes at least one sensor that is for sensing an operational parameter of the compressor bleed valve, and a controller that is coupled to the sensor and the compressor bleed valve. The controller is configured to determine an operating mode of the turbine engine and receive a monitoring signal indicative of the sensed operational parameter. The controller is also configured to calculate at least one operational value of the compressor bleed valve based at least in part on the sensed operational parameter. The controller is further configured to determine a condition of the turbine engine based at least in part on the calculated compressor bleed valve operational value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Achalesh Kumar Pandey, Ravi Yoganatha Babu, Richard John Rucigay, Necip Doganaksoy
  • Patent number: 9067671
    Abstract: A method for locating markers in an image captured by a mobile device moving about an operating space. The method includes preprocessing an image to generate a set of image data, locating fixed features of markers by tracing edges of the fixed features, and extracting variable data payloads of each of the markers associated with the located fixed features. The fixed features of each of the markers may include a pair of parallel lines extending along opposite sides of a data area containing the variable data payload, and each of the lines extends a distance beyond each exposed end of the data area to avoid missing data when markers are not arranged orthogonally to the scan direction. The preprocessing involves rotating or skewing the image to provide rotated or skewed versions of the image to facilitate locating markers regardless of their angular orientation in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: James Alexander Stark, Clifford Wong