Patents Examined by Gertrude Arthur Jeanglaud
  • Patent number: 8024110
    Abstract: There is provided a method and a device for accurately estimating traffic information of a link having no traffic information even if different types of roads are mixed. The device finds a parameter characterizing a damping curve of a quantity of change of relative speed based on stored traffic information for links on a city center side on a minimum-time cost route connecting the city center and suburbs, finds a quantity of change of relative speed of the link having no observed traffic information and estimates its traffic information based on the damping curve. The device also calculates a ratio of quantities of change of relative speed of two links whose road types change as a speed change similarity ratio and estimates traffic information of the link of a second road type from known traffic information of the link of a first road type by using that ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Xanavi Informatics Corporation
    Inventors: Takumi Fushiki, Kenichiro Yamane, Manabu Kato, Shinichi Amaya
  • Patent number: 8024078
    Abstract: A system on an aircraft used during taxiing or air/ground and ground/air transitions. The system groups together a set of devices for mapping the airport zone presenting the crew with a set of elements catalogued in a database and/or updated as a function of information received dynamically. The system group has control or monitoring of compliance with regulations and other mobile craft, consolidating the airport topological information, the ground control instructions and the applicable operational rules. The system groups have routing, that is preparation of the taxiing phase during an arrival or preparation for takeoff, by depicting the interactions with the ground control for receiving the taxiing instructions, and from the aircraft to the ground control to inform the same of the aircraft capabilities. The system groups have guidance in the form of instructions presented to the crew, and of automatic speed management capabilities, for managing emergency situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: François Coulmeau, Bernard Dubourg, Xavier Louis, Nicolas Marty
  • Patent number: 8024111
    Abstract: A method of recommending a travel route includes receiving an indication of a start location and a destination location, and a desired arrival time at the destination location. One or more road segments included in possible routes are identified. Traffic data, event data, and weather data from at least one traffic data source, event data source, and weather data source, are received for the one or more road segments corresponding to a desired time of travel between the start location and destination location. At least one suggested travel route from the start location to the destination location for arriving at the destination by the desired arrival time is created based on analyzing the impact of the traffic data, the event data, and the weather data on the one or more road segments during the desired time of travel between the start location and destination location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Strategic Design Federation W, Inc.
    Inventors: Vernon Meadows, Joseph Paul Koval
  • Patent number: 8019496
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a locomotive controller including an input device, a display and a processor for driving the display and receiving inputs from the input device. Software in the processor determines and drives the display to show a location of a train on a track and indicia of the location on the track of stopping distances for one of an emergency brake application, a full service brake application and at least one controlled stop brake application. Creep control is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: New York Air Brake Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Matusiak, Jr., Folkert Horst
  • Patent number: 8019545
    Abstract: Primary and secondary keys are adapted to be associated to primary and secondary drivers. A key ignition device is positioned on each of the primary and secondary keys and is configured to generate a driver status signal indicative of whether the driver the primary driver or the secondary driver. A controller is operably coupled to the key ignition device. The controller is adapted to determine whether the driver is the primary driver or the secondary driver. The controller is adapted to generate a position notification signal indicative of the position of the object with respect to the vehicle. The controller is adapted to notify the primary and secondary drivers of the position of the object. The controller is adapted to selectively control the operation of generating the position notification signals based on whether the driver is the primary driver or the secondary driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Lee Miller, Anthony Dwayne Cooprider, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Kevin Thomas Hille, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Karl William Wojcik, Shimul Bhuva, Aaron Lewis Mills
  • Patent number: 8014916
    Abstract: The internal-combustion-engine ignition diagnosis apparatus is configured in such a way that the first duration setting unit sets the first detection duration in a predetermined duration including a time instant when the spark discharge is generated, the second duration setting unit sets the second detection duration after the first detection duration, the diagnosis unit determines normality of the spark discharge, based on a signal state in the second detection duration, and regardless of the signal state in the second detection duration, determines abnormality of the spark discharge, based on a signal state in the first detection duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kimihiko Tanaya
  • Patent number: 8014942
    Abstract: Remote destination programming enables a user to define a desired destination (402, 406, 410) in advance of a journey. The destination may be stored in a user profile (502, 504) on a remote navigation server (400, 500). It may be uploaded there via a web interface (402), or through land-line or wireless telecom communications (410). Subsequently, for example beginning at a rental car agency, the navigation server supports navigation through any of several modes of operation, including a first mode in which the desired destination information is downloaded from the server (520) so as to program target navigation equipment (522) on-board the rental vehicle. In another mode, the user's GPS-enabled communication device (428) interacts with the navigation server (500) to upload periodic location data (430), and receive turn-by-turn directions (530) for the user. In this mode, there is no need for separate on-board navigation equipment to assist the user to the desired location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Airbiquity, Inc.
    Inventors: Kamyar Moinzadeh, Leon Hong
  • Patent number: 8010253
    Abstract: A method of stabilizing a vehicle combination including a towing vehicle and a trailer, includes determining at least one vehicle state variable describing the state of the vehicle from a comparison with an assigned nominal value. A correcting variable is produced, which is supplied to an actuator in the vehicle. The correcting variable acts upon a steering actuator in order to adjust the wheel steering angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Lundquist
  • Patent number: 8010284
    Abstract: Wireless coverage data are associated with a geographic database that contains data that represent a road network in a geographic region. The wireless coverage data indicate areas within the geographic region in which navigation-related services or data from a navigation services provider are available wirelessly, or conversely, areas within the geographic region in which navigation-related services or data from a navigation services provider are not available wirelessly. An end user obtains the wireless coverage data. The wireless coverage data are used to indicate to the end user areas in which navigation-related services or data from the navigation services provider are available wirelessly or areas in which navigation-related services or data from the navigation services provider are not available wirelessly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: NAVTEQ North America, LLC
    Inventor: Lawrence M. Kaplan
  • Patent number: 8010282
    Abstract: A system, comprising a first computing device receiving data from an input feed, the data corresponding to one of operations data and revenue data of an airport facility, the first computing device organizing the data into files which are viewable by users of the system and an additional computing device connected via a communication network to the first computing device, receiving the files organized by the first computing device and displaying the files to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: PASSUR Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: James T. Barry, Matthew Marcella, Ron Dunsky
  • Patent number: 8005590
    Abstract: When a wiper is started, a wiper arm is moved at first in the backward path direction (S1). If a motor is locked (S2) before an original point position signal is outputted, a reciprocating operation for moving the wiper arm temporarily in the forward path direction and then moving the wiper arm again in the backward path direction is performed (S5-S8, S1). When an absolute position signal is not outputted even after repeating the reciprocating operation a plurality of times (S5) and the original point position cannot be recognized (S2, S5), the motor is not forced furthermore but stopped (S5?END) On the other hand, if the motor is not locked when the wiper arm is moved in the backward path direction (S1) and the original point position can be recognized (S2, S3), wiping control is performed (S4) by calculating the wiper arm position based on the original point position and the motor rotation pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Ikeda, Narimitsu Kobori
  • Patent number: 8005582
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for displaying and receiving tactical and strategic flight guidance information are disclosed. A method in accordance with one aspect of the invention includes displaying at least one first indicator to an operator of the aircraft, with a first indicator corresponding to a first instruction input by the operator for directing a first aircraft behavior and implemented upon receiving an activation instruction from the operator. At least one second indicator corresponding to a second instruction for directing a second aircraft behavior at least proximately the same as the first aircraft behavior is displayed, with the at least one second instruction to be automatically implemented at a future time. The at least one second indicator is at least approximately the same as the at least one first indicator. Indicators can be hierarchically organized to simplify presentation and reduce pilot training time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Daniel J. Boorman, John C. Griffin, III, Peter D. Gunn, Randall J. Mumaw
  • Patent number: 8005587
    Abstract: Environment conditions expected to be encountered by a vehicle are used as inputs in determining operating modes of a motive power system of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. A vehicle operating in charge depleting mode may transition to operate in charge sustaining mode if the vehicle is expected to encounter circumstances where it is desirable to allow the vehicle to more quickly respond to sudden requests for torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Michael Alan Tamor, Krishnaswamy Venkatesh Prasad, Craig H. Stephan
  • Patent number: 8000871
    Abstract: A communication system for a vehicle includes a vehicle speed sensor configured to emit a periodic function with a parameter correlated to the speed of the vehicle, an acceleration monitoring system, a braking system engagement detector to detect a braking status of the vehicle, an alerting device capable of signaling other drivers of a deceleration condition of the vehicle, and a control device. The acceleration monitoring system is configured to compute the acceleration of the vehicle from variations in the parameter of the periodic function of the vehicle speed sensor and to output a deceleration status of the vehicle. The control device is coupled to the acceleration monitoring system, the braking system engagement detector, and the alerting device, wherein the acceleration monitoring system sends signals to the control device and the control device operates the alerting device in a manner dependent on the deceleration status of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Vision Works IP Corporation
    Inventors: Alfred S. Braunberger, Beau M. Braunberger
  • Patent number: 8000893
    Abstract: A method of obtaining navigation information includes creating a first itinerary for a navigation route corresponding to a travel event for a first individual. Navigation information is searched for related to at least one location along the first itinerary via a situational network established with a plurality of devices corresponding to other individuals searching for navigation information. The navigation information found in the searching is received. The first itinerary is altered based on the received navigation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited
    Inventors: Thomas Cona, Edward A. Ehrlacher
  • Patent number: 8000894
    Abstract: A vehicular wireless communication system includes a control in a vehicle operable to communicate with an external service provider via a wireless communication link between the equipped vehicle and the external service provider. The control may receive a user input and responsive thereto, may establish the wireless communication link between the equipped vehicle and the external service provider. Data from the external service provider is downloaded to the control via the wireless communication link. The control controls at least one accessory of the vehicle, and the control may control the accessory responsive to at least one of (a) a geographic location of the vehicle as determined by a global positioning system of the equipped vehicle and (b) a biometric characteristic of an occupant of the equipped vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: David W. Taylor, Kevin C. McCarthy, Niall R. Lynam, Kenneth Schofield
  • Patent number: 7996121
    Abstract: A device and method for assisting in the management of an engine failure on an aircraft: (1) determine, when an engine failure occurs, flight profiles allowing the closest airports to be reached according to flight strategies and (2) present, on a screen, the airports associated with the determined flight profiles and corresponding predictions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Airbus France
    Inventors: Daniel Ferro, Amelie David
  • Patent number: 7996125
    Abstract: A system and method for determining and displaying an overall efficiency value of a vehicle. The vehicle may include an engine and an electric machine that operates to provide torque to propel the vehicle. In addition, the vehicle may have an electric power source that provides electric power to the electric machine. A controller may determine and transmit the overall efficiency value so that the information display displays the number of efficiency indicators. Also, the number of efficiency indicators displayed may be based on the overall efficiency value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan J. Skaff, Robert Jay Louch, Anthony Howard, Stephen Burke, David Watson, Angela L. Watson, Derek Hartl, Paul Stephen Bryan
  • Patent number: 7991520
    Abstract: In a control apparatus for an electric car, wherein an auxiliary power source device, a drive control device and a power storage system are connected in parallel; the power storage system is configured of a DC-DC converter in parallel with which a capacitor is connected, a power storage portion, and a power storage system control portion which performs the controls of the DC-DC converter and the power storage portion, and the power storage system control portion is configured so as to be capable of detecting the service interruption and grounding of an overhead line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Kitanaka
  • Patent number: 7991517
    Abstract: A method for policing and managing the operation of a flying, unmanned aircraft in the event of usurpation of control of, malfunction of, or ill-intentioned use of, this aircraft includes the steps of (a) detecting inappropriate operation of the aircraft; (b) transmitting a takeover command to the aircraft to interrupt control of the operation of this aircraft by a first pilot and relinquish control of the aircraft to a second pilot; and (c) transmitting control commands to the aircraft to control its operation by the second pilot, until the need for alternate pilot control of the aircraft has ended or until the aircraft has landed safely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Matos