Patents Examined by Gary Chin
  • Patent number: 7369926
    Abstract: A microprocessor of an on-vehicle electronic control unit controls an on-vehicle current consumer group responsive to input signals of on-vehicle sensor groups based on control program, fixed control constant and semi-fixed control constant respectively stored in first block of a no-volatile memory, and variable control constant having been transferred from second block of the no-volatile memory to RAM memory; and content of RAM memory is learned and compensated during operation. When power supply switch is OFF, contents of the RAM memory are sequentially added to and written in the second block. When the second block is filled up to capacity, batch clear is executed and, thereafter, the latest data is written. Thus, a flash memory divided into the first and second blocks capable of executing batch clear separately is employed as a non-volatile memory, enabling to perform save processing many times with small number of times of batch clear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohji Hashimoto, Shoso Tsunekazu
  • Patent number: 7366589
    Abstract: A system and method for remote reflashing of software for electronic control units (ECUs). A method includes identifying vehicle groups for software updating 200, determining vehicles within the vehicle groups, each of the vehicles having a telematics device and a plurality of ECUs 202, preparing a software update package for each of the vehicles 204, transmitting the software update package over a wireless carrier system to the telematics device of each of the vehicles 206, and installing the software update package in at least one target ECU for each of the vehicles 208.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen C. Habermas
  • Patent number: 7366611
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for detecting local interference in GPS signals. A GPS receiver is capable of determining its GPS coordinates. A memory is capable of storing an initial location of the GPS receiver and a user-defined range of error. A processor is programmed to determine whether GPS coordinates from the GPS receiver differ from the initial location by more than a range of error, and for issuing a warning in response thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: GENERAL Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Lee A. Sweetapple
  • Patent number: 7363120
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of adjusting at least one defective, main or anti-torque rotor of a particular rotorcraft. The method uses a neural network representing the relationships between firstly accelerations representative of vibration generated on at least a portion of a reference rotorcraft, and secondly defects and adjustment parameters. After determining the defects, if any, of a defective rotor, an adjustment value ? is defined for at least one of the adjustment parameters, advantageously by minimizing the following relationship: ? c ? ? ? c ? ? a ? ? ? a ? ? ? ( ? h = 1 B - 2 ? ? ( ? h ? ? R c , a , h ? ( ? ) + ? c , a , h ? 2 ) + ? ? B - 1 ( ? R c , a , B - 1 ? ( ? ) + ? c , a , B - 1 ? 2 ? ? c , a , B ? ) 2 ) .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Eurocopter
    Inventor: Pierre-Antoine Aubourg
  • Patent number: 7363130
    Abstract: Parking assist systems, methods, and programs may take a peripheral image of a vehicle; and may display the peripheral image on a display. The systems, methods, and programs may recognize a parking area and may display a first predicted locus line on the display, the first predicted locus line extending up to a predetermined distance from the vehicle and being superimposed on the peripheral image. The systems, methods, and programs may change the display of the first predicted locus line in accordance with a steering angle of a steering wheel. The systems, methods, and programs may display a second predicted locus line superimposed on the peripheral image, the second predicted locus line extending up to the recognized parking area and being displayed on an extension line of the first predicted locus line and may change the display of the second predicted locus line in accordance with the steering angle of the steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiji Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 7363147
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an acceleration sensor that generates an output of an acceleration in a direction of the acceleration sensor. The output of the acceleration includes information on an orientation of the acceleration sensor relative to the vehicle. A method for determining an orientation of the vehicle includes (i) detecting a first output of the acceleration sensor; (ii) memorizing the first output as a reference orientation value, (iii) correcting the memorized reference orientation value, based on an average of outputs generated by the acceleration sensor while the vehicle travels after the first output is generated; and (iv) determining an orientation of the vehicle when the vehicle travels, based on the corrected reference orientation value and a second output of the acceleration sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motoharu Esaki, Hajime Oka
  • Patent number: 7363136
    Abstract: An initial abnormality analysis data is reliably retained by a controller of an electric power steering apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kumaido, Yuho Aoki
  • Patent number: 7363154
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention recite a method and system for determining the path of a mobile machine. In one embodiment, a control component accesses a first path which comprises at least one curved portion. The control component then determines a second path which is substantially parallel with the first path and which comprises a second curved portion that corresponds to the at least one curved portion of the first path. The control component then amends said second path wherein a radius of the second curved portion is at least equal to a minimum turning radius of the mobile machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventor: Robert James Lindores
  • Patent number: 7359778
    Abstract: In a vehicle steering apparatus, front wheels are controlled to be turned by a computer program processing. A displacement/torque conversion section 51 converts a steering angle ? into a steering torque Td that is in relation of exponential function. A torque/lateral-acceleration conversion section 52, torque/yaw-rate conversion section 53 and torque/curvature conversion section 54 convert into an anticipated lateral acceleration Gd, anticipated yaw rate ?d and anticipated turning curvature ?d based upon the steering torque Td. Turning angle conversion sections 55, 56 and 57 calculate target turning angles ?g, ?? and ??. A turning angle deciding section 58 decides a target turning angle ?d among the target turning angles ?g, ?? and ?? according to the detected vehicle speed V. A turning control section 60 controls the steered wheels to be turned into the target turning angle ?d.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Goto, Tatsuo Sugitani, Ryuichi Kurosawa, Toshiyuki Mikida, Kenji Tozu
  • Patent number: 7356396
    Abstract: An automatic steering control performs an automatic parking control which automatically steers steerable wheels of a vehicle, without requiring a driver to perform steering wheel operation, such that the actual steering angle of the steerable wheels follows a changing target steering angle, whereby the vehicle is moved to a target parking state. When the actual steering angle fails to follow the target steering angle because of insufficiency of the steering drive force of a steering actuator, a braking force difference imparting control is performed so as to apply a predetermined braking force on the steerable wheel located inside a target vehicle locus. As a result, a steering moment is generated in the steerable wheels. This steering moment serves as a force for compensating for the insufficiency of the steering drive force of the steering actuator. As a result, the actual steering angle accurately follows the target steering angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Mori, Kazutaka Kato, Kazuhiro Kamiya, Masahiro Matsuura
  • Patent number: 7356400
    Abstract: A clutch control apparatus for a power transmission system including an input rotating member and an output rotating member. The clutch control apparatus includes a friction clutch, and a control unit. The control unit sets a first desired clutch torque setting in accordance with a clutch slip indicator; sets a second desired clutch torque setting to an amount of torque input from the input rotating member to the friction clutch; controls the clutch torque to be the first desired clutch torque setting during a starting stage of the friction clutch; controls the clutch torque to be the second desired clutch torque setting during a steady-state stage of the friction clutch; and controls the clutch torque to gradually change from the first desired clutch torque setting to the second desired clutch torque setting during a transition stage between the starting stage and the steady-state stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: JATCO Ltd
    Inventors: Tomoaki Honma, Masaaki Uchida, Shusaku Katakura, Yoshinobu Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 7353094
    Abstract: An electrically operated vehicle driving controller has an electrically operated machine driving section for operating an electrically operated machine; a driving section temperature detecting section for detecting the driving section temperature of the electrically operated machine driving section; a limit ratio calculating processor for calculating a limit ratio for limiting the torque of the electrically operated machine on the basis of the driving section temperature; a rotating speed calculating processor for calculating the rotating speed of the electrically operated machine; and a limit torque calculating processor for calculating an electrically operated machine limit torque corresponding to an electrically operated machine maximum torque set corresponding to the rotating speed on the basis of the limit ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Okoshi, Ken Iwatsuki, Taketo Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7349781
    Abstract: The controller in an electric power steering apparatus stores the relationship between the steering torque and the basic assist torque in which the relationship is stored as assist characteristic, and stores the relationship between the steering angle correspondence value corresponding to the steering angle of the vehicle and the motor output correction value in which the relationship is stored as correction characteristic. The controller corrects the output of the motor, which is required in order to generate the basic assist torque, in accordance with the motor output correction value determined from the steering angle correspondence value and correction characteristic, in which the basic assist torque is determined from the steering torque and assist characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Terutaka Tamaizumi
  • Patent number: 7337049
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes an attribute information collection unit for collecting attribute information relevant to a plurality of units in a vehicle, an environmental information collection unit for collecting environmental information, a required performance detection unit for detecting a required performance necessary for the vehicle based on the collected environmental information, a controlled target determination unit for determining a unit to be controlled based on the collected attribute information and required performance, and a control unit for controlling the unit by calculating a control variable for the unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Sakakibara, Fumiharu Ogawa, Toshihiro Shiimado, Masao Kawai
  • Patent number: 7333889
    Abstract: A car navigation system changes from a normal guidance mode to a simplifying guidance mode when determining that part or all of sections in a guidance route is familiar or specific to an occupant. The simplifying guidance mode provides no audio guidance or simplified audio guidance with respect to route-related information compared to the normal guidance mode, while traffic-related information is provided using the same audio guidance as in the normal guidance mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masayuki Hashizume
  • Patent number: 7330783
    Abstract: The server includes statistical processing section for sequentially statistically processing a ranking of causes of a defect on the basis of defect information on a vehicle transmitted by the inspection terminal. The repair terminal includes display section for displaying the defect information, instructing section provided in the display section to give an instruction on display of ranking of causes of the defect, and section for causing the ranking of the causes of the defect to be displayed on the display section when the instructing section is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiro Tsubota
  • Patent number: 7328102
    Abstract: The present invention allows an existing single-sequentialized navigation main unit to be virtually multi-sequentialized with simple structure. An intervention device 3 receives from a front monitor 4 and a rear monitor 5 acquisition requests which request various kinds of screens from a navigation main unit 2. In response to the acquisition requests, the intervention device 3 performs a mediating process or an adjusting process for various kinds of screens which are received from the navigation main unit 2 and are scheduled to be output to the front monitor 4 and the rear monitor 5. Therefore, even if the intervention device 3 receives a plurality of acquisition requests from the front monitor 4 and the rear monitor 5, the intervention device 3 can sequentially send the acquisition requests one by one to the navigation main unit 2. Accordingly, this allows the navigation main unit 2 to be virtually multi-sequentialized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Amano, Takeshi Ota, Takumi Arie
  • Patent number: 7321817
    Abstract: A safety system (10) for a vehicle (12) includes multiple collision detection sensors (14), such as discretized patch sensors. The collision detection sensors (14) are coupled to a peripheral area (18) of the vehicle (12) and generate a collision detection signal (17). A controller (16) is coupled to the sensors (14) and determines collision type in response to the collision detection signal (17). The controller (16) performs a countermeasure in response to the collision type. The controller (16) may include a collision location estimator (22) for determining collision severity and collision contact location on the vehicle (12) and a coordinated device activation system (24) for performing the countermeasure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kwaku O. Prakah-Asante, Manoharprasad K. Rao, Gary S. Strumolo, Jeanette J. Epps
  • Patent number: 7321819
    Abstract: A novel vehicle deceleration control device for ensuring a proper distance between a vehicle and a preceding vehicle, etc., equipped on a vehicle, automatically decelerates the vehicle by controlling braking force based on a target deceleration, calculated based on a relative distance and a relative speed between the vehicle and its preceding vehicle, etc., when automatic deceleration is required. The inventive device, however, will decelerate the own vehicle based on a maximum allowable deceleration when the magnitude of the target deceleration is larger than the magnitude of the maximum allowable deceleration, restricting the vehicle deceleration. The maximum allowable deceleration is determined based on the vehicle speed of the own vehicle when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and maintained at a constant or within a predetermined range, thereby enabling a driver to judge the necessity of braking operation by himself during restricting the vehicle deceleration more easily than ever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masato Seki
  • Patent number: 7319926
    Abstract: To a self-diagnosis indication system for performing a startup disablement indication when an abnormal condition is self-detected at the time of start up without using on/off signals from a starter switch. There is provided a self-diagnosis indication system for outputting an operation control signal from an ECU by allowing signals from respective types of sensors for detecting an operating condition and a crank pulse signal for detecting a rotation of a crankshaft to enter the ECU and outputting a startup disablement indication signal in a state that an abnormal condition is self-detected at the time of startup, the self-diagnosis indication system being characterized in that a startup disablement indication signal is outputted when a crank pulse signal is inputted in the state that an abnormal condition is self-detected at the time of startup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masashi Suzuki