Patents Examined by Isaac Smith
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Patent number: 9080520Abstract: In a vehicle control apparatus, an engine torque calculating unit calculates a developing engine torque Te, and a torque increase/decrease amount calculating unit calculates a torque increase or decrease amount Tmax of an engine which can be increased or decreased. A mode coefficient setting unit sets a mode coefficient k corresponding to a driving mode, and an allowable inertia calculating unit multiplies the torque increase or decrease amount Tmax by the mode coefficient k to calculate an allowable inertia torque Timax. A shift speed calculating unit calculates a shift speed V1 of a continuously variable transmission at which the allowable inertia torque Timax is generated, and an upper-limit shift speed setting unit sets an upper-limit shift speed V2 based on the shift speed V1. A shift control unit performs shift control of the continuously variable transmission at a shift speed not exceeding the upper-limit shift speed V2.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2012Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Keisuke Ajimoto
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Patent number: 9057618Abstract: Systems and methods provide approximations of latitude and longitude coordinates of objects, for example a business, in street level images. The images may be collected by a camera. An image of a business is collected along with GPS coordinates and direction of the camera. Depth maps of the images may be generated, for example, based on laser depth detection or displacement of the business between two images caused by a change in the position of the camera. After identifying a business in one or more images, the distance from the camera to a point or area relative to the business in the one or more images may be determined based on the depth maps. Using this distance and the direction of the camera which collected the one or more images and GPS coordinates of the camera, the approximate GPS coordinates of the business may be determined.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2013Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Abhijit S. Ogale, Stephane Lafon, Andrea Frome
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Patent number: 9046379Abstract: A route searching device according to an embodiment of the invention includes an estimated fuel consumption amount computing unit that computes an estimated fuel consumption amount of each interval constituting plural routes from a departure point to a destination and an optimum route selecting unit that selects a route in which a total of the estimated fuel consumption amount from the departure point to the destination is minimized. The estimated fuel consumption amount may be obtained by adding a cruise fuel consumption amount, a gradient fuel consumption amount, and a vehicle-speed fluctuation fuel consumption amount. In a further aspect, an average fuel consumption value for each speed range of an interval may be determined based on limited fuel consumption data, and fuel consumption values may be updated using measured probe data.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2011Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kenichi Mineta
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Patent number: 9026283Abstract: Occupancy of a railroad track detection zone by one or more trains is determined using sensor devices located at gateways into and out of the track detection zone. Each sensor device has a sensing range that includes a portion of the railroad track in the detection zone and the sensor device generates data used to uniquely identify each train passing through a gateway and thus the sensing range of one or more sensor devices. Data from the detection zone's sensor device array is collected and evaluated to monitor or track the status of any detected trains and the occupancy of the zone. In some embodiments, the sensor devices utilize anisotropic magnetoresistive sensor elements whose analog waveform data is the basis of magnetic flux peak detection and mapping to generate unique train identification signature data that is transmitted to and evaluated by a detection zone processor, which in some cases can control crossing signals and/or other control apparatus related to the railroad track detection zone.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2011Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignee: Central Signal, LLCInventors: David E. Baldwin, Ahtasham Ashraf
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Patent number: 9026368Abstract: A vehicle navigation system includes: a route guidance element for searching an optimum route from a current position of a vehicle to a destination according to a normal map data and for guiding the optimum route by displaying the optimum route on a map screen image of a display; a deviation route retrieving element for retrieving a deviation route, which has a possibility that a user may deviate from the optimum route and enter into the deviation route although the vehicle is incapable of driving along the deviation route; and an attention notification element for outputting attention notification information in order to prevent the user from entering into the deviation route when the route guidance element guides the optimum route.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2012Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Hidetoshi Fujimoto, Yasuhiro Shimizu
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Patent number: 9014926Abstract: A method and system for diagnosing an operating status of an assisted start-up mode for a motor vehicle. The system includes a driving engine, a transmission including a mechanism determining a piece of engine rotation speed information, a piece of information on a position of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle, a piece of information on a position of a transmission, and a piece of information on torque transmitted to wheels, a detection mechanism producing a malfunction signal for the assisted start-up using the information received, a plurality of encoding mechanisms to produce a follow-up signal for each piece of calculated information received, and a memory saving the follow-up signals.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2009Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: Renault S.A.S.Inventor: Alessandro Monti
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Patent number: 8996302Abstract: A location of a mobile device in a venue can be estimated by using a state space estimator to determine candidate locations of the mobile device at a first time point based on previous candidate positions conditioned upon an observation of one or more environmental variables. A second observation is received at a second time point, and the state space estimator performs a propagation step to determine the candidate locations at the second time point based on the candidate locations at the first time point and the second observation. The propagation step includes a plurality of sub-propagation steps in which a time length between the sub-propagation steps is a fraction of the time length between the first and second time points, and at each sub-propagation step each candidate location is propagated according to a stochastic process. The location of the mobile device at the second time point is determined based on the candidate locations at the second time point.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2012Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Lukas M. Marti, Shannon M. Ma
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Patent number: 8983734Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for enhancing the accuracy of auto-leveling control to adjust the optical axis of a vehicle lamp using an acceleration sensor. A controller stores reference values of first and second angles, updates the reference value of the second angle by treating a change of a sum angle during a vehicle stop as a change of the second angle, and updates the reference value of the first angle by treating a change of the sum angle when the vehicle is stopped as a change of the first angle. The controller derives a difference between a value of the sum angle and a sum of the reference values of the first and second angles, and corrects at least one of the reference values so as to reduce the difference.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2012Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yusuke Kasaba, Masashi Yamazaki, Atsushi Toda
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Patent number: 8965693Abstract: A system, method and computer-readable medium are disclosed that can detect an address, geographic coordinates or business name in text displayed on a device and geocode or reverse geocode, respectively, the address/business name or geographic coordinates to provide geocoded data. The detecting and geocoding/reverse geocoding can be performed automatically. The geocoded data can be displayed in-place with the text in a user interface of the device or be provided to another application.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2012Date of Patent: February 24, 2015Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Patrick Piemonte
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Patent number: 8948984Abstract: An operator interface assembly for a machine is disclosed. The operator interface assembly comprises a base, an operator input device operable to move in a first direction in relation to the base to a second position and a third position, a first biasing member including a first spring end, and operatively associated with the base and wherein the first spring end is operable to contact the operator input device at a first position and resist movement of the operator input device in the first direction, a second biasing member including a second spring end, and operatively associated with the base and wherein the second spring end is operable to contact the operator input device at the second position, the second position different than the first position, and resist movement of the operator input device in the first direction, and a position sensor.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2013Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Matthew E. Kontz, Jeffrey L. Kuehn, Rustin G. Metzger, David E. Ault
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Patent number: 8942872Abstract: A hybrid construction machine includes a distribution ratio setting unit that reduces an output distribution ratio of a motor generator by controlling an output control mechanism for controlling the output distribution ratio of the motor generator relative to an engine and increases an output distribution ratio of the engine by an amount corresponding to a reduction in the output distribution ratio of the motor generator when a temperature of a battery is lower than a threshold value in a low-temperature region or higher than a threshold value in a high-temperature region, and a regeneration amount control unit that reduces a hydraulic regeneration amount for the hydraulic motor by controlling an input control mechanism for controlling the hydraulic regeneration amount for the hydraulic motor when the temperature of the battery is lower than the threshold value in the low-temperature region or higher than the threshold value in the high-temperature region.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2011Date of Patent: January 27, 2015Assignee: Kayaba Industry Co., Ltd.Inventors: Haruhiko Kawasaki, Masahiro Egawa
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Patent number: 8930099Abstract: In a control apparatus for an automatic transmission, it is configured to calculate a change amount (?NC estimation value) of an output rotational speed of the transmission (S10); calculate an average (I phase initial average G) of the change amount of the output rotational speed over a predetermined period of an initial inertia (I) phase of shifting; calculate an average (after-shift average G) of a vehicle acceleration after the completion of the shifting, assuming that the change amount of the output rotational speed indicates the vehicle acceleration G; calculate a difference (I phase initial G) between the average of the change amount of the output rotational speed and the average of the vehicle acceleration; incrementally and decrementally correct the desired value of the transmission torque of the frictional engaging element such that the calculated difference falls within a predetermined range; and control supply of hydraulic pressure to the frictional engaging element such that it becomes the correctType: GrantFiled: November 19, 2010Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yasushi Inagawa, Shintaro Kameda, Atsuhiro Saeki, Takahiro Matsuda, Hidekazu Araki, Hiroyuki Okuda, Yuji Yasui
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Patent number: 8924087Abstract: A motor vehicle has a plurality of doors, each secured by a lock, peripheral control units, each connected to one of said locks, for sending a command signal to an actuator of the lock, a central control unit for sending command signals to the actuators of the locks, and an accident detector. If the accident detector has detected an accident, at least one of the actuators is switchable from a central operating mode in which it executes command signals of the central control unit and its associated peripheral control unit into a peripheral operating mode in which it executes only command signals from its peripheral control unit.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2012Date of Patent: December 30, 2014Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Andreas Heberer, Jeffrey L. Konchan, Frank J. Arabia, Jr., Matthias Ruehr, David T. Proefke, Jeffrey James Hoorn, Peter Eduard Schuessler, Richard J. Lange
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Patent number: 8855842Abstract: A vehicular charging facility guidance device is provided. The guidance device includes a route setting unit that sets a route from a departure point of a vehicle to a destination, a map display unit that displays a map on a display device, and a route display unit that displays the route set by the route setting unit to be overlapped with the map displayed on the display device. The guidance device also includes a frame display unit that displays a frame to be overlapped with the route on the display device and a frame movement unit that moves a reference position of the frame displayed by the frame display unit along the route. The guidance devise further includes a charging facility guidance unit that provides information on a charging facility located within an area delimited by the frame on the map.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2011Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: Aisin AW Co. Ltd.Inventor: Takashi Hayashi
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Patent number: 8849514Abstract: A conventional brake control can generate only a small yaw moment compared with a steering control, so that reliable avoidance of obstacles cannot be obtained. With a steering control, the driver gets behind the wheel every time when crossing a lane and has an uncomfortable feeling.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2009Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Toshiharu Sugawara, Atsushi Yokoyama
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Patent number: 8843276Abstract: A device for controlling a steering transmission ratio variable device, which is provided with: a motor, which is able to apply a driving force that promotes relative rotation between a steering output shaft coupled to wheels to be turned and a steering input shaft that applies a steering input to the steering output shaft to one of either the steering output shaft or the steering input shaft; a motor driving device that drives the motor; and a locking device that is able to restrict the relative rotation, has a setting device that prescribes a drive voltage the motor and sets a damping gain, which acts in a direction that reduces a rotating speed of the motor, to a value that is larger than a reference value corresponding to an unlocked state during a locking control period in which a state of the steering transmission ratio variable device switches from an unlocked state in which the relative rotation is not restricted to a locked state in which the relative rotation is restricted.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2010Date of Patent: September 23, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takahiro Kojo, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya, Noritsugu Iwazaki, Tetsuya Morino
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Patent number: 8838372Abstract: A collision probability calculation apparatus capable of accurately calculating a collision probability that one's own vehicle will collide with an object around the own vehicle (referred to as a nearby object). In the apparatus, a position of the nearby object and a traveling speed and a traveling direction of the own vehicle are acquired. A collision probability map is generated on the basis of the traveling speed and traveling direction of the own vehicle. A width of a traveling lane of the own vehicle is acquired and the map is corrected in response to the width of the traveling lane. Thereafter, a collision probability associated with the position of the nearby object is corrected in response to the position of the nearby object. The corrected collision probability is outputted as a more accurate collision probability that the own vehicle will collide with the nearby object.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2012Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Denso CorporationInventor: Kazuhiro Noda
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Patent number: 8838294Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for providing procedure information associated with an aircraft procedure onboard an aircraft. An exemplary method involves obtaining a briefing sequence for the aircraft procedure and providing the procedure information via the output device, wherein the procedure information is provided in accordance with the briefing sequence. When the output device is realized as an audio output device, the procedure information is sequentially provided auditorily via the audio output device. In one or more embodiments, the procedure information is sequentially indicated on a display device onboard the aircraft in concert with the auditorily provided procedure information.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2011Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Amit Srivastav, Roger W. Burgin, Dave Pepitone
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Patent number: 8831838Abstract: An electric actuator (electric motor) is thermally protected without causing any unfamiliar impression in steering a vehicle. A temperature compensation gain computing unit (25) reduces the manipulated variable of the electric actuator (40L, 40R) by using a gain that diminishes with the rise in the temperature of the actuator.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2010Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventor: Takashi Yanagi
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Patent number: 8825372Abstract: A navigation system includes: a map information acquiring unit 31 for acquiring map information; an HOV lane decision unit 38 for deciding whether an HOV lane is included in a road represented by the map information acquired by the map information acquiring unit 31 or not; a road number processing unit 43 for performing, when the HOV lane decision unit 38 decides that the HOV lane is included, processing of adding information representing the HOV lane to a road number of the road including the HOV lane; and a display processing unit 44 or a voice information unit 46 for causing the road number passing through the processing by the road number processing unit 43 to be displayed on the guide map or output in voice.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2009Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Kumi Nishibashi, Takashi Irie