Patents Examined by Genna M Mott
  • Patent number: 11731510
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle is provided with a touch panel that enables an operator to input vehicle speed control instructions during an automatic driving mode and a mechanical operation unit for inputting driving control instructions. The mechanical operation unit can be stored in a storage compartment covered with a lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KOJIMA INDUSTRIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Shitara, Yasukazu Honda, Masahiro Nakamura, Makoto Kato, Eiichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11667299
    Abstract: System for monitoring and classifying driving behavior of an operator of a motor vehicle includes at least one personal monitoring device having mechanism(s) for wearing the device by and/or attaching the device to the operator, and hardware including local memory, battery, and sensors. The device provides at least GPS and communication functions, and monitors and communicates information about driving behavior, including driving data collected by the device without receiving it from vehicle sensors and/or calculated or derived from data collected by the device without receiving it from vehicle sensors. Application software on the device interfaces with device hardware for monitoring and communicating, being activated and deactivated based on trigger events. At least one control system includes an information processor receiving and communicating information about driving behavior, aggregating information, and communicating at least some of the aggregated information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: DEPURA PARTNERS LLC
    Inventors: Shalini Memani, Bhavna S. Depura, Jamna Lal Depura
  • Patent number: 11584395
    Abstract: An energy management system determines two or more fuel components that represent fuel consumption by a vehicle system completing a trip over one or more routes. A trip plan that designates operational settings of the vehicle system at one or more of different locations, different distances along the one or more routes, or different times is generated or modified. The trip plan is based on the fuel components. The fuel components include a delta elevation component of the one or more routes, a delta speed component of the trip, a mean drag component of the vehicle system, a curvature component of the one or more routes, a base fuel component of the vehicle system, a minimum braking component of the vehicle system, a braking auxiliaries component of the vehicle system, and/or a drag variation of the vehicle system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Harry Kirk Mathews, Jr., James D. Brooks
  • Patent number: 11573567
    Abstract: A system includes one or more sensor systems, a controller-circuit, a first module, and a second module. The sensor systems are configured to determine position relationship data between a roadway and a host vehicle. The sensor system includes at least one of a computer-vision system, a radar system, and a LIDAR system. The controller-circuit is configured to receive and transform the position relationship data to effect steering control of the host vehicle. The first module is controlled by the controller-circuit to effect the steering control when the steering control transitions from a manual-mode to an automated mode. The second module is controlled by the controller-circuit to effect steering control of the host vehicle after control by the first module and upon meeting a prescribed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Motional AD LLC
    Inventors: Zachary T. Batts, Ludong Sun
  • Patent number: 11565921
    Abstract: A low-lift industrial truck (2) and a method for operating the same. The industrial truck includes a load fork (4) for picking up a load. Fork tines (6a, 6b) of the load fork (4) each include at least one load roller (8) in a region of fork tine tips (28). The industrial truck also includes a load lifting assistance system having a distance sensor (16) and a processing unit (14). The distance sensor is configured to measure a distance between the load and a front wall (12) of the industrial truck facing the load fork. At least one distance between the load and the front wall is saved in the processing unit and corresponds to a predetermined stop position. The processing unit is configured to process measured values of the distance sensor and to generate a stop signal when a distance corresponding to the stop position (20a, 20b) is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Jungheinrich AG
    Inventors: Enrico Sperlich, Marko Kral
  • Patent number: 11554762
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for providing vehicle steering support by differential wheel braking, the vehicle comprising: at least two axles with at least two wheels per axle; a braking system allowing individual braking of the wheels; and means for determining and/or estimating an operator input torque applied on a steering wheel, wherein the vehicle is configured with a positive scrub radius; the method comprising the steps of: identifying a need for steering support; determining a braking value required for achieving the needed steering support based on an integration of a function of at least one input value (Tinput) related to a determined or estimated operator input torque; and controlling the braking system based on the determined braking value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Scania CV AB
    Inventors: Malte Rothhämel, Per Back, Linus Flodin
  • Patent number: 11548499
    Abstract: An automatic parking system instructs a plurality of autonomous driving vehicles in a parking lot such that each autonomous driving vehicle parks in a target parking space within the parking lot, and includes an instruction change target vehicle specifying unit configured to, in a case where the autonomous driving vehicle becomes a failed vehicle due to abnormality or communication interruption during automatic driving according to instruction, specify an instruction change target vehicle from normal autonomous driving vehicles based on parking lot map information, a location of the failed vehicle, and a location of the normal autonomous driving vehicles, and a vehicle instruction unit configured to, in a case where the instruction change target vehicle is specified, issue a route change instruction, an evacuation instruction, or a stop instruction to the instruction change target vehicle, such that the instruction change target vehicle gets away from the failed vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tatsuya Sugano
  • Patent number: 11518381
    Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to predict a heading angle of a target vehicle, determine a distance between a host vehicle and a center line of the target vehicle based on the predicted heading angle, and perform a threat assessment for the target vehicle when the distance is below a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Alex Maurice Miller, Christopher Pontisakos
  • Patent number: 11505292
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide perimeter ranging for navigation of mobile structures. A navigation control system includes a logic device, a perimeter ranging sensor, one or more actuators/controllers, and modules to interface with users, sensors, actuators, and/or other elements of a mobile structure. The logic device is configured to receive perimeter sensor data from the perimeter ranging system. The logic device determines a range to and/or a relative velocity of a navigation hazard disposed within a monitoring perimeter of the perimeter ranging system based on the received perimeter sensor data. The logic device then generates a display view of the perimeter sensor data or determines navigation control signals based on the range and/or relative velocity of the navigation hazard. Control signals may be displayed to a user and/or used to adjust a steering actuator, a propulsion system thrust, and/or other operational systems of the mobile structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: FLIR Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: Mark Johnson, Oliver Hawker, Richard Jales, Christopher Yeomans, Marcelo Rull, Mark Rivers
  • Patent number: 11458969
    Abstract: A vehicle control device which controls acceleration/deceleration of a vehicle includes: a switch controller; a recognizer; an actual vehicle-to-vehicle distance calculator; and a target vehicle-to-vehicle distance calculator. Switching criteria for the switch controller's switching the control condition from the first control condition to the second control condition include a criterion that the absolute value of a difference between an actual vehicle-to-vehicle distance calculated by the actual vehicle-to-vehicle distance calculator and a target vehicle-to-vehicle distance calculated by the target vehicle-to-vehicle distance calculator is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuya Yashiro, Hiroshi Oguro
  • Patent number: 11453390
    Abstract: A driving support apparatus supports driving of the vehicle. The driving support apparatus includes a brake pedal detection unit, a retraction speed calculation unit and a driving operation device setting unit. The brake pedal detection unit detects an operation amount of the brake pedal. The retraction speed calculation unit calculates a retraction speed of the brake pedal, based on the operation amount of the brake pedal detected by the brake pedal detection unit. The driving operation device setting unit sets a reaction force exerted by a driving operation device to a larger value as the retraction speed calculated by the retraction speed calculation unit becomes higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kondo, Yusuke Akamine, Yasuyuki Miyake
  • Patent number: 11390266
    Abstract: A motor torque control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle includes: a calculator for calculating a model speed of a motor, a control model speed, an anti-jerk torque, and an anti-jerk torque control factor; and a controller for controlling the calculator. At the time of LFU shifting, the controller controls a motor speed using the anti-jerk torque, determines whether the motor speed controlled using the anti-jerk torque is abnormal based on the maximum difference value between the motor speed and the model speed and a reduction in the motor speed, corrects the anti-jerk torque based on the control model speed and the anti-jerk torque control factor upon determining that the motor speed is abnormal, and controls the motor speed using the corrected anti-jerk torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hong Chul Shin
  • Patent number: 11377107
    Abstract: A vehicle speed control device executes a reverse speed control that controls the speed of the vehicle when reversing, on the basis of a target speed that is set in accordance with a control operation when the reverse range is selected using the shift device of the vehicle. During the reverse speed control, the vehicle speed control device calculates so as to reduce a target acceleration. which is a target value for acceleration of the vehicle when the vehicle speed when reversing is increased toward the target speed, as the operation amount of the steering wheel increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mako Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11358727
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for predicting conditions favorable for icing, includes sensing a value indicative of a thermal cycling period, comparing, the sensed thermal cycling period with a threshold value, determining, if the sensed thermal cycling period satisfies the threshold value, and indicating, by the controller module, that conditions favorable for icing are present when the sensed thermal cycling period satisfies the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems Limited
    Inventors: Julian Alexander Opificius, Stephen C. Carlson
  • Patent number: 11346685
    Abstract: A system for determining a direction of a vehicle relative to an exit gate of a parking structure includes a vehicle location detector, one or more processors, one or more memories communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing one or more maps of one or more parking structures, machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory, and a communication unit configured to exchange one or more data streams over a network. The machine readable instructions performs at least (i) receiving location information of a target vehicle from the vehicle location detector, (ii) determining a current location of the target vehicle in the target parking structure, (iii) applying a predetermined set of rules to determine an optimal exit gate of the target parking structure, and (iv) outputting the optimal exit gate on a display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Jaya Bharath R. Goluguri
  • Patent number: 11332165
    Abstract: An autonomous driving agent is provided. The autonomous driving agent determines a set of observations from sensor information of a sensor system of a vehicle. The set of observations includes human attention information for a scene of surrounding environment and a level of human reliance as indicated by human inputs to the autonomous driving agent. The autonomous driving agent estimates, based on the set of observations, belief states for a first state of human trust on the autonomous driving agent and a second state of human's cognitive workload during journey. The autonomous driving agent selects, based on the estimated belief states, a first value for a first action associated with a level of automation transparency between a human user and the autonomous driving agent and controls a display system based on the selected first value to display a cue for calibration of the human trust on the autonomous driving agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kumar Akash, Teruhisa Misu
  • Patent number: 11292467
    Abstract: A vehicle control system configured to operate a vehicle in line with a driver's intention in respective operating mode. An operating mode of the vehicle is select from a normal mode in which a first acceleration characteristic is employed, and a sport mode in which a second acceleration characteristic to propel the vehicle in a dynamic manner is employed. In the normal mode, a controller increases a target acceleration with an increase in depression of an accelerator at a first change rate, and decreases the target acceleration with an increase in a vehicle speed at a second change rate. In the sport mode, the controller increases the target acceleration with an increase in depression of the accelerator at the first change rate, and decreases the target acceleration with an increase in the vehicle speed at a third change rate smaller than the second change rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshihito Kanno
  • Patent number: 11286141
    Abstract: The articulated self-propelled work machine (1), such as, for example, an articulated telescopic handler or the like, comprises: a front frame (11), provided with a pair of front wheels (111); a lift arm (2), adapted to support a load, hinged to the front frame (11) and mobile with respect thereto by means of at least one actuator (21, 22); a rear frame (12), provided with a pair of rear wheels (121) and articulated to the front frame (11); detecting means (51, 53, 54) for detecting an angular parameter relative to a steering angle between the front frame (11) and the rear frame (12); and electronic processing means (6) configured to control the operation of the actuator (21, 22) on the basis of the angular parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: MANITOU ITALIA S.R.L.
    Inventor: Marco Iotti
  • Patent number: 11273809
    Abstract: A controller and a control method capable of improving stability of a vehicle while improving usability of a brake system by a user. The controller includes: an operation state determination section determining an operation state of the brake system by the user; a slippage degree acquisition section acquiring a degree of slippage of a wheel; a target setting section setting a target of the degree of the slippage; and a braking force control execution section increasing or decreasing a braking force generated on the wheel on the basis of a comparison result between the degree of the slippage and the target in the case where the operation state determination section determines that the operation state is an operation state to instruct gradual deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Shunsaku Ono
  • Patent number: 11260846
    Abstract: Provided are a driving force control method and device for a hybrid vehicle, each capable of effectively absorbing torque fluctuation of an engine while suppressing deterioration in energy efficiency. The driving force control device for a hybrid vehicle comprises a PCM configured to: identify a vehicle acceleration; estimate an average torque output by an engine; estimate a torque fluctuation component of the torque output by the engine; set a countertorque for suppressing the estimated torque fluctuation component; and control an electric motor to output the set countertorque, wherein the PCM is operable, under a condition that an engine speed and the average torque output by the engine are constant, to set the countertorque such that, as the absolute value of the vehicle acceleration becomes smaller, the absolute value of the countertorque becomes larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kentaro Furusho, Hirofumi Nishimura, Tsuyoshi Goto, Yuta Enokizono, Wataru Yamamoto