Patents Examined by Isaac Smith
  • Patent number: 8818711
    Abstract: Techniques for constructing a path analysis in an area are provided. Data are received from a mobile device in an area. The data is based on a path that is traversed by the mobile device. A traversable path is then determined from the data received from the mobile device. The traversable path is superimposed on a map and the map, including the traversable path, is packaged for delivery or display to requesting devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventor: Ezekiel Kruglick
  • Patent number: 8818632
    Abstract: In a machine having a differential steering control system, uncommanded motion may be determined by comparing an actual speed of a steering motor to a commanded turn direction signal from an operator. Where uncommanded motion is occurring, the steering motor speed and time-rate-of-change of the steering motor speed may be used to determine a weighted steering motor speed that is accumulated over a series of sample cycles and compared to an integration limit to determine whether the operator should be warned of the occurrence of uncommanded motion. The integration limit may be based on a factor indicative of the responsiveness of the machine, such as the oil temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Harold Dabbs, Brittany J. Lee
  • Patent number: 8818699
    Abstract: A stability detection system is provided for detecting the stability of an articulated vehicle. The stability detection system may include a weigh system configured to measure the weight distribution of the vehicle. A controller may provide a warning when the detected weight distribution exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Boyd M. Nichols, Carl R. Starkey
  • Patent number: 8812184
    Abstract: A control device configured with a vibration reduction necessity determination section that determines whether or not a required drive operation point falls within a reduction necessary range, which is prescribed in advance as a range in which it is necessary to reduce torque vibration transferred from the internal combustion engine to the rotary electric machine. A cancellation control execution determination section that determines whether or not torque vibration cancellation control can be executed in the case where it is determined that the required drive operation point falls within the reduction necessary range. An execution control decision section that decides to execute the torque vibration cancellation control in the case where it is determined that the torque vibration cancellation control can be executed and that decides to execute operation point change control in the case where it is determined that the torque vibration cancellation control cannot be executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yomei Hakumura, Yoichi Tajima, Hirokazu Kobayashi, Arinori Shimada
  • Patent number: 8798869
    Abstract: A vehicle motion control system for a vehicle having a single front wheel, a right wheel and a left wheel. The control system includes (a) a rollover-probability judging portion configured to judge whether or not a vehicle-body acceleration falls in a high rollover-probability region; and (b) a rollover-prevention control executing portion configured, when the acceleration falls in the high rollover-probability region, to execute a rollover prevention control for controlling motion of the vehicle so as to reduce the probability of rollover of the vehicle. The rollover-probability judging portion is configured to obtain a direction and a magnitude of the acceleration by composing a component of the acceleration in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a component of the vehicle-body acceleration in a width direction of the vehicle. The high rollover-probability region is defined by a threshold whose amount varies depending on the direction of the vehicle-body acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Ohnuma, Yasuaki Tsurumi
  • Patent number: 8798843
    Abstract: After a request for first data is received from a first diagnostic unit, when a request for second data is received from a second diagnostic unit, if the first data and the second data of the same type, then a communication unit requests the electronic control unit to send the same type of data, and sends the same type of data received from the electronic control unit to the first diagnostic unit and the second diagnostic unit. If the first data and the second data are of different types, then the communication unit requests the electronic control unit to send the first data and the second data, receives the first data and the second data all together from the electronic control unit, sends the received first data to the first diagnostic unit, and sends the received second data to the second diagnostic unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazumori Sakai, Taku Makita, Hiroki Hashimoto, Yuichiro Ikeda, Yosuke Morita
  • Patent number: 8793067
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taisuke Tsurutani, Koichiro Takemasa, Yoshinori Aoki, Kenichi Mineta
  • Patent number: 8781686
    Abstract: A vehicle turning behavior control apparatus comprises a controlling section which limits a turning behavior of a vehicle caused by a steering operation, to a limit behavior corresponding to an actual steering speed, by a vehicle speed decrease. The controlling section is configured to determine a modified steering speed in accordance with the actual steering speed, and to determine the limit behavior in accordance with the modified steering speed. The controlling section is further configured to make the modified steering speed higher than the actual steering speed when the actual steering speed decreases during a turning steering for increasing a steering amount. For example, the actual steering speed is used directly as the modified steering speed while the actual steering speed during the turning steering is increasing. While the actual steering speed during the turning steering is decreasing, the modified steering speed higher than the actual steering speed is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Suzuki, Motoaki Hosaka
  • Patent number: 8774991
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to ground transportation systems. According to certain aspects, the present invention includes systems and methods that provide a higher degree of precision and a greater coordination of vehicle movement than is possible in conventional systems. For example, a control system according to the invention is designed to enforce vehicle movement along a route to a position versus time trajectory. The control system includes control equipment on the vehicle that reports its location on the track every 0.5 seconds. The controlling computer in the station receives the report, and knowing where the vehicle should be and how fast it should be traveling at that point in time via a run definition table prepared for the route, calculates a position and velocity error, and then calculates and sends a tractive effort (force) adjustment command to the vehicle that attempts to reduce the position and velocity error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Cybertran International Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene Iwao Nishinaga, Kevin Kohei Nishinaga
  • Patent number: 8774994
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling a drivetrain of a vehicle which includes a prime mover operatively connected to at least one tractive element. The method includes: (a) determining the vehicle's total weight; and (b) using an electronic controller carried by the vehicle, causing the prime mover to apply power to the tractive element so as to propel the vehicle, the magnitude of the power being a function of the vehicle's total weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Henry Todd Young, Ajith Kumar
  • Patent number: 8762044
    Abstract: A Guided Soft Target System is disclosed that includes a subject vehicle and a dynamic motion element (DME). The subject vehicle may be accelerated at an arbitrary rate to a speed corresponding to the speed in its own predetermined trajectory. Each of the DME vehicles computes its target speed as a ratio of the subject vehicle's speed at each waypoint location, and modulates its speed control to achieve this target speed. To further compensate for timing differences along the target path, each DME computes its longitudinal error along the path relative to its target position, as dictated by the position of the subject vehicle within its own trajectory, and each DME's target speed is modulated in order to minimize the longitudinal error along the predetermined trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Dynamic Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Kelly, Peter Broen, Jordan Silberling, John Zellner
  • Patent number: 8755999
    Abstract: A cam actuated hydraulic brake system and an in plane tensioner pulley belt drive system may be used on autonomous vehicles, such as dynamic motion elements for the evaluation of various crash avoidance technologies. The brake system utilizes a cam driven by a servo to push the piston push rod of a hydraulic master brake cylinder, thus distributing pressurized brake fluid throughout the brake system. The pulley drive system uses an articulating arm for the driven pulley, and that arm may also have connected to it one or two tension pulleys, each of which is in contact with the belt. Because the drive pulley and the tensioner pulleys pivot about the same pivot axis, the needed belt length remains nearly constant across the entire range of the articulating arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Dynamic Research Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Kelly, Peter Broen, Jordan Silberling, John Zellner
  • Patent number: 8751143
    Abstract: A cam actuated hydraulic brake system and an in plane tensioner pulley belt drive system may be used on autonomous vehicles, such as dynamic motion elements for the evaluation of various crash avoidance technologies. The brake system utilizes a cam driven by a servo to push the piston push rod of a hydraulic master brake cylinder, thus distributing pressurized brake fluid throughout the brake system. The pulley drive system uses an articulating arm for the driven pulley, and that arm may also have connected to it one or two tension pulleys, each of which is in contact with the belt. Because the drive pulley and the tensioner pulleys pivot about the same pivot axis, the needed belt length remains nearly constant across the entire range of the articulating arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Dynamic Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Kelly, Peter Broen, Jordan Silberling, John Zellner
  • Patent number: 8744701
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for controlling a motor vehicle drivetrain which comprises a drive motor, a multi-step, automated change-speed transmission and an automated separating clutch arranged between the drive motor and the transmission, and a shifting device with a selector lever which can be moved at least from a particular position in an upshift direction (“+” direction) for manually initiating an upshift and in a downshift direction (“?”) for manually initiating a downshift, and in which the transmission and the separating clutch can be controlled by a transmission control unit which is connected at least to a speed sensor, a brake pedal actuation sensor and a selector lever actuation sensor, such that when the motor vehicle is rolling with its drivetrain open the closing of the drivetrain is initiated by actuating the selector lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ingo Sauter, Melchor Moro-Oliveros, Michael Burkhart
  • Patent number: 8712623
    Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling an autonomous operating vehicle having a prime mover and operating machine, it is configured to have a geomagnetic sensor responsive to magnets embedded in the area, detect angular velocity generated about z-axis in center of gravity of the vehicle, detect a wheel speed of the driven wheel, store map information including magnet embedded positions, detect a primary reference direction, detect a vehicle position relative to the magnet, and detect a vehicle position in the area, calculate a traveling direction and traveled distance of the vehicle, and control the operation performed through the operating machine in the area in accordance with a preset operation program based on the detected direction, the detected position of the vehicle in the area, the calculated traveling direction and the calculated traveled distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Sato, Makoto Yamamura, Yoshinori Masubuchi
  • Patent number: 8706395
    Abstract: A cam actuated hydraulic brake system and an in plane tensioner pulley belt drive system may be used on autonomous vehicles, such as dynamic motion elements for the evaluation of various crash avoidance technologies. The brake system utilizes a cam driven by a servo to push the piston push rod of a hydraulic master brake cylinder, thus distributing pressurized brake fluid throughout the brake system. The pulley drive system uses an articulating arm for the driven pulley, and that arm may also have connected to it one or two tension pulleys, each of which is in contact with the belt. Because the drive pulley and the tensioner pulleys pivot about the same pivot axis, the needed belt length remains nearly constant across the entire range of the articulating arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Dynamic Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Kelly, Peter Broen, Jordan Silberling, John Zellner
  • Patent number: 8666623
    Abstract: A method for controlling and/or regulating an automatic transmission of a vehicle, depending on the driving route slope in which a winding mountain pass road detection is carried out, depending upon a topography of the driving route, in such a way that a time for either setting or resetting winding mountain pass road detection is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Werner Wolfgang, Matthias Winkel, Bertram Wengert
  • Patent number: 8660771
    Abstract: A method for detecting the opening of a thrust reverser for a jet engine of an aircraft is disclosed. According to the method, an operating parameter of the turbojet (1) is determined being responsive to the opening of a mobile element (2a, 2b) of the thrust reverser and reacting to such an opening by a sudden variation of the value thereof, the parameter is measured continuously and the mobile element (2a, 2b) is considered as being opened when the sudden variation is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Patrick Jegu, Jacques Rosay, Emanuele Costanzo
  • Patent number: 8620525
    Abstract: A system for performing posture control of a motorcycle is such that in outputting a synthesized output by adjusting a yaw direction output and a roll direction output outputted from a displacement detection sensor by an adjustment part respectively, a synthesized output in which the yaw direction output is larger than the roll direction output is outputted when a vehicle speed is low, and a synthesized output in which the roll direction output is larger than the yaw direction output is outputted when the vehicle speed is high. Accordingly, in either a case where the vehicle is traveling at a low speed or a case where the vehicle is traveling at a high speed, the displacement and the behavior of a motorcycle 10 can be detected with high accuracy thus eventually realizing a control of the posture of the motorcycle 10 with high accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Araki, Hiroyoshi Kobayashi, Tsuyoshi Tsuda, Tsubasa Nose
  • Patent number: 8600594
    Abstract: On condition that output of a torque of not lower than a preset reference torque from a motor continues for at least a predetermined time period in a vehicle stop state with output of a corresponding torque from the a second motor based on a detected accelerator opening, a torque command of the second motor is set to decrease the output torque of said motor by a torque decrease rate, which is set according to the corresponding torque and the accelerator opening in the vehicle stop state (initial accelerator opening). After a changeover of a current crowding phase in the second motor, the torque command of said motor is set to increase the output torque of said motor by a torque increase rate, which is set according to the accelerator opening in the vehicle stop state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Aoki, Kazuomi Okasaka, Yoichi Tajima, Kiyoshiro Ueoka