Patents Examined by James E Stroud
  • Patent number: 9476720
    Abstract: A terminal device includes a communication state obtain unit that obtains a state of wireless communication, a travel locus information generation unit that generates travel locus information, a reference locus information obtain unit that obtains reference locus information, a measurement unit that obtains a position of a movable body along a travel direction based on a matching between the travel locus information and the reference locus information, a mismatch detection unit that detects at least one of (i) mismatch degree between the travel locus information and the reference locus information in the matching, and (ii) a cause of mismatch in the matching, and a filtering unit that filters at least one of the travel locus information and the reference locus information. The measurement unit performs the matching before the filtering, which increases the measurement accuracy of the terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toru Nagura, Tsuneo Nakata
  • Patent number: 9475349
    Abstract: Each time a time corresponding to one period of an intermittent reception process in a vehicle-side device elapses, a transmission interval of a notification signal is controlled so that a transmission time of a preamble of the notification signal is shifted in a direction in which the transmission time is relatively delayed from an execution time of the reception process. Further, when the transmission time of the preamble passes through a range of the execution time of the reception process during this relative shift, the transmission interval of the notification signal is controlled so that the entire transmission time of the preamble is included in the range of the execution time of the reception process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Ushida, Shinya Takahata
  • Patent number: 9464912
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing binaural navigational cures. In one aspect, a method includes presenting audio media in a non-directional playback state that presents the audible media in an original format, iteratively determining a navigational heading relative to a current navigational course, the navigational heading indicative of a direction to face to proceed along a navigational route, and for each iteration, determining whether a change is required to the current navigational course based on the navigational heading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Boris Smus, Antonio Bernardo Monteiro Costa
  • Patent number: 9456545
    Abstract: An autonomous implement, in particular an autonomous lawnmower, includes at least one computing unit configured to travel over an area to be worked. The computing unit is configured at least partly to automatically initialize relocalization in at least one operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Biber
  • Patent number: 9457679
    Abstract: A charge control device determines a current value acquired by dividing a current amount that should be charged in a secondary battery in a vehicle at a charging location by an allowable charging time at the charging location on the basis of a charging amount as a physical quantity associated with the charging state of the secondary battery. When the vehicle arrives at the charging location, the charge control device allows a charging device provided at the charging location to charge the secondary battery with the current having the determined current value for the allowable charging time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuaki Morita, Toshihiko Niinomi, Takayuki Kono, Kazuyuki Wakasugi, Hisashi Motoyama, Masato Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9454152
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for allocating control in a system-of-systems, in particular a dynamic system-of-systems consisting of a physical system PS, an autonomous control system CS, a human operator HO, a monitor component MK and an actuator controller AST, or comprising a physical system PS, an autonomous control system CS, a human operator HO, a monitor component MK and an actuator controller AST, wherein the CS uses a sensor system assigned thereto to cyclically monitor surroundings and/or the physical system itself and creates an internal model of the surroundings and/or the PS on the basis of this monitoring and performs an analysis of this model in order to determine control values for the AST and a criticality index KI of the scenario in a cycle, in particular in the current cycle, and wherein the MK cyclically monitors the HO and/or the actions thereof, in particular the current actions thereof, in order to determine an engagement index EI of the HO in a cycle, in particular in the current c
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: FTS Computertechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Hermann Kopetz
  • Patent number: 9448074
    Abstract: A curve modeling device includes a curvature calculation unit, a curvature correction unit, and a node information generation unit. The curvature calculation unit calculates a curvature of each sampling point on a route based on location information of each sampling point. The curvature correction unit corrects the curvature at each sampling point and approximates the route by a straight line interval, an arc interval, or a smooth curve interval. The node information generation unit builds a shape model of a curve included in the route by generating node information indicative of a node location on a road corresponding to the route based on the corrected curvature of the sampling point. The curvature correction unit corrects the curvature under a condition that an orientation difference defined by the calculated curvatures maintains a constant value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Mizuno, Masahiro Iida
  • Patent number: 9446766
    Abstract: A travel control device includes a target vehicle-speed calculation unit that includes a target vehicle-speed pattern adjustment processing unit generating a target vehicle-speed pattern based on a route passing speed pattern which is a passing vehicle-speed pattern within a certain distance generated in consideration of traffic congestion information. The travel control device also includes an evaluation value calculation unit calculating an evaluation value based on a horizon length and the target vehicle-speed pattern. The horizon length representing the time taken until a vehicle arrives at an ultimate point generated in consideration of information on prospective traffic congestion which can occur in the future.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuya Tanaka, Taisetsu Tanimichi
  • Patent number: 9448561
    Abstract: A work vehicle cooperation system includes: a master traveling tack calculation unit that calculates a traveling track of a master work vehicle (1P) based on its position; a loop traveling detection unit that detects loop traveling in a loop work area (B); a redirection traveling target calculation unit that calculates a redirection traveling start point and a redirection traveling end point (Pc3) of a slave work vehicle (1C) based on a redirection traveling track including a redirection traveling start point (Pp1) and a redirection traveling end point of redirection traveling of the master work vehicle (1P); and a loop work traveling target calculation unit that calculates a target traveling position in loop work traveling of the slave work vehicle (1C) for the redirection traveling end point (Pc3) to a next redirection traveling start point (Pc1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Kubota Coporation
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Fujimoto, Hiroyuki Araki, Yasuhisa Uoya
  • Patent number: 9448080
    Abstract: Provided are a navigation system, an information providing method and a mobile communication terminal wherein the merits of wide-area information delivery using broadcast waves are sufficiently utilized and further delivery data are selected or discarded at each of a plurality of terminals according to the position or traveling path thereof, whereby information in accordance with the position of each mobile communication terminal can be provided. A broadcast station of a navigation system digital-broadcasts, to a plurality of mobile communication terminals, a plurality of data files including a plurality of types of content files and at least one guide file. Each mobile communication terminal uses associated information of the guide file to determine and use a content file corresponding to the current position or to a guide path that leads to the destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takuro Masuda
  • Patent number: 9440644
    Abstract: An example method includes operating an electric vehicle in an electric mode when a speed of the electric vehicle is at or below a threshold speed, and operating the electric vehicle in a hybrid mode when the speed of the electric vehicle is above the threshold speed. The threshold speed is an operator-adjustable threshold speed. Another example method includes operating an electric vehicle in an electric mode when a state of charge of a battery of the electric vehicle is at a threshold state of charge, and operating the electric vehicle in a hybrid mode when the state of charge of the battery is at or below the threshold state of charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Angel Fernando Porras, Bryan Michael Bolger, Christopher Adam Ochocinski, Joseph Gerald Supina
  • Patent number: 9434376
    Abstract: The control apparatus of the present invention is applied to a hybrid vehicle that, as power sources for propulsion, includes an internal combustion engine that can change over between lean combustion and stoichiometric combustion, and motor-generators. The control apparatus performs the noise suppression control in which the operating points of the internal combustion engine are limited so as to suppress noise generated by a power transmission mechanism, and changes over the operational mode of the internal combustion engine if the thermal efficiency when performing the noise suppression control by changing over the operational mode of the internal combustion engine is higher than the thermal efficiency when performing the noise suppression control by keeping the operational mode of the internal combustion engine the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Gohki Kinoshita, Yoshihito Kanno, Hiroki Morita
  • Patent number: 9435911
    Abstract: A visual-based obstacle detection method is provided. The method includes receiving image information of an environment containing a mobile robot captured by at least one visual sensor to obtain one of a three-dimensional space and a two-dimensional plane, and extracting and matching feature geometric primitives based on the received image information. The method also includes reconstructing coordinates of matched extracted feature geometric primitives and positions and orientations of the visual sensor and optimizing the reconstructed coordinates to obtain a calculation result, wherein the calculation result includes the feature geometric primitives, the positions and orientations of the visual sensor, as well as visible constraint relationships between the feature geometric primitives and the positions and orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: SHENZHEN MERCURY OPTOELECTRONICS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Shuda Yu
  • Patent number: 9435661
    Abstract: Systems and methods for attitude fault detection based on air data and aircraft control settings are provided. In one embodiment, a sensor monitor for an aircraft attitude measurement system comprises: an aircraft model configured to model a plurality of states, the plurality of states including at least an aircraft attitude state, an aircraft velocity state, a sink rate error state, and a wind velocity state; a propagator-estimator configured to utilize the plurality of states of the aircraft model to process air data measurements and attitude measurements from a first inertial measurement unit of the aircraft attitude measurement system; and a residual evaluator configured to input residual error values generated by the propagator-estimator, wherein the residual evaluator outputs an alert signal when the residual error values exceed a predetermined statistical threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Mats Anders Brenner, John R. Morrison, Danny Thomas Kimmel, Jay Joseph Hansen
  • Patent number: 9424694
    Abstract: A method of generating probability data for use in assessing performance of a system and a mission involving the system. The method includes receiving (302) a combined model describing a system diagnosis model describing symptoms, failures and link strengths (conditionals) of components/subsystems of the system, and a mission impact model, the mission impact model describing effects of the system on an ability to perform the mission. Observation data regarding a state of the system is also received (306) The observation data is used (308) in combination with the combined model to generate probability data for use in assessing performance of the system and the mission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: BAE SYSTEMS plc
    Inventors: Erdem Turker Senalp, Richard Lee Bovey
  • Patent number: 9422001
    Abstract: A travel lane line determining unit determines a travel lane line to be used based on a predetermined selection criterion, from among the travel lane lines. A determining unit determines whether or not the own vehicle is going to depart from the travel lane line based on the determined travel lane line. A departure preventing unit outputs an alarm or controls steering of the own vehicle towards a direction in which the departure is avoided, when determined that the own vehicle is going to depart from the travel lane line. A parallel-driving control unit controls steering of the own vehicle such that the own vehicle travels along the determined travel lane line. The selection criterion determines a travel lane line from the travel lane lines which do not correspond to a predetermined exclusion condition, according to an execution state of the departure preventing unit or the parallel-driving control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keiko Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9422034
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for a self-directed (i.e., autonomous), steerable gravity-embedded anchor. This anchor free-falls through the water column, accelerates due to gravity and uses its kinetic energy to embed itself into the seafloor so as to function as an anchor for mooring of both floating vessels and other underwater structures. Unlike existing gravity-embedded plate anchors, this device can steer itself to its intended target location on the seafloor, enhancing placement accuracy and allowing release directly from an installation vessel on the water surface, thereby greatly simplifying installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Intermoor Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Bauer, Kenneth A. Ullrich, Michael J. Covello
  • Patent number: 9423802
    Abstract: An electronic control unit reduces output of an engine using a detection value of an acceleration sensor such that acceleration of a vehicle does not exceed a predetermined threshold value. In a case where there is an abnormality in the acceleration sensor, the electronic control unit sets the acceleration threshold value to be greater than that in a case where there is no abnormality, and the electronic control unit limits the vehicle speed to a predetermined value or slower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Minase, Masashi Takagi, Motonari Ohbayashi, Hiroshi Shimada, Toshihiro Takagi
  • Patent number: 9409644
    Abstract: This disclosure generally relates to an automotive drone deployment system that includes at least a vehicle and a deployable drone that is configured to attach and detach from the vehicle. More specifically, the disclosure describes the vehicle and drone remaining in communication with each other to exchange information while the vehicle is being operated in an autonomous driving mode so that the vehicle's performance under the autonomous driving mode is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph F. Stanek, John A. Lockwood
  • Patent number: 9409645
    Abstract: A mobile telepresence system may include a frame, a propulsion system operably coupled to the frame to propel the frame through a designated space, a screen movably coupled to the frame, and an image output device coupled to the frame. The frame may include a central body defining a longitudinal axis of the frame, a first arm at a first end portion of the central body, and a second arm at a second end portion of the central body, opposite the first end portion of the central body. The propulsion system may include rotors at opposite end portions of the first and second arms which propel the frame in response to an external command. The image output device may project an image onto the screen in response to an external command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Google, Inc.
    Inventors: Clark Sopper, Adam Woodworth, Clayton Woodward Bavor, Jr.