Patents Examined by James Trammell
  • Patent number: 9927319
    Abstract: A method which determines aircraft Center of Gravity independent of measuring the aircraft weight. The method is used in monitoring, measuring and computing the Center of Gravity of an aircraft utilizing pressurized, telescopic landing gear struts with axles. Pressure sensors are mounted in relation to each of the landing gear struts to monitor, measure and record aircraft landing gear strut loads by way of pressure. Axle deflection sensors are mounted in relation to each of the landing gear axles to monitor, measure and record aircraft landing gear axle loads by way of deflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Inventor: C. Kirk Nance
  • Patent number: 9651386
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for calculating a distance between vehicles to receive position movement information of a subject vehicle and position movement information of an object vehicle from a global positioning system and calculate a distance between the moved subject vehicle and the moved object vehicle based on a position movement distance of the subject vehicle and a position movement distance of the object vehicle at predetermined time as the sum of a vector when calculating the position movement information of the subject vehicle and the position movement information of the object vehicle over time using a dead reckoning formula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Man-Bok Park
  • Patent number: 9587951
    Abstract: Disclosed are map matching methods and system for tracking and determining an improved position of a reference asset. The method comprising: receiving at least one global navigation satellite system (GNSS) current position probe from the reference asset; requesting and receiving information from a geographical information system (GIS) unit on a plurality of probable road network segments on which the at least one GNSS current position probe is capable of being snapped; computing a weighted cost function for each of the probable road network segments; and snapping and information fusing the current position of the reference asset with a selected road network segment having the minimum weighted cost function out of the probable road network segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: QATAR UNIVERSITY QSTP-B
    Inventors: Elyes Ben Hamida, Fethi Filali
  • Patent number: 9529340
    Abstract: A poor fit state is eliminated during an inserting operation for inserting the inserting object piece to the inserting target piece. Vibrators are attached to fingers of a robot hand, at positions contacting an inserting object piece. A controlling apparatus controls a power source to start vibrating the vibrators before the start of the inserting operation and judges as to whether a detection value of force in a Z direction detected by a force sensor exceeds or falls below a threshold value during the inserting operation. When the controlling apparatus judges that the detection value of force in the Z direction detected by the force sensor exceeds the threshold value during the inserting operation, the controlling apparatus controls the power source to change the amplitudes, the frequencies and the phases of vibrations of the vibrators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yohei Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 9440507
    Abstract: A method for reducing power consumption in an active suspension system through the selective use of high performance, associated with high power demand, only in situations instantaneously deemed to provide a high ratio of benefit to cost. Input events are classified ahead of time, and are identified during operation of the system, ahead of time if possible through the use of look-ahead sensing or statistical analysis, or at the beginning of the event through the use of motion sensing. Once an event is detected, an estimation of the cost and benefits for an intervention of the active suspension system is made, and the intervention is scaled in a way to provide a good compromise. Relying on the nonlinearity of the cost and benefit expressions, this leads to overall reduced power consumption with small loss in perceived benefit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Levant Power Corporation
    Inventors: Marco Giovanardi, Jonathan R. Leehey, Johannes Schneider, Zackary Martin Anderson
  • Patent number: 9433552
    Abstract: An electromotive walking assistance device includes a drive unit including a plurality of wheels and a motor for driving at least on portion of the plurality of wheels, a sensor unit sensing a distance from a user, a manipulation unit sensing a user's manipulation, and a controller controlling the motor based on a signal of the distance from the user and a signal of the user's manipulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Yoonyoung Chang, Honggul Jun, Jaehark Park, Duksang Kim, Eulpyo Hong, Gyunghwan Yuk, Jungsik Kim, Byungju Dan, Hongsoo Park, Byeongrim Jo, Byunghoon Min, Sangho Yoon, Heuisik Seo
  • Patent number: 9418488
    Abstract: A system for determining productivity coaching information comprises an input interface and a processor. The input interface is configured to receive vehicle event recorder data. The processor is configured to determine a first state based at least in part on a first set of vehicle event recorder data, and determine a second state based at least in part on a second set of vehicle event recorder data. The second set of vehicle event recorder data is different from the first set of vehicle event recorder data. The processor is configured to determine whether the second state following the first state indicates a productivity characterization mode, and indicate to acquire a third set of vehicle event recorder data for a productivity coaching determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Lytx, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Lambert
  • Patent number: 9416834
    Abstract: A braking system for a vehicle includes a regenerative braking system and a friction braking system. The friction braking system includes one or more conventional friction brakes, and a cooling device operable to cool the one or more friction brakes. The regenerative braking system includes an electric motor that is configurable to operate as an electric generator. The electric motor is connected to the vehicle's road wheels and is operable to decelerate the vehicle by using the wheels to drive electric motor to generate electric energy. The regenerative braking system is operable to direct at least part of the recovered energy to the cooling device and/or the battery. The regenerative braking system preferentially directs the recovered energy to battery. When the battery is at substantially full capacity, the regenerative braking system directs the recovered energy to the cooling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: BENTLEY MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventor: Deaglan O'Meachair
  • Patent number: 9409597
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a system to control switching between a two wheel steer mode and a four wheel steer mode. The system may have a sensor device that monitors an operational value indicative of vehicle speed and emits an operational signal corresponding to the operational value. A controller is provided in the system, which receives the operational signal and selects between the two wheel steer mode and the four wheel steer mode based on the operational signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Sudale
  • Patent number: 9412134
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method that enables users, such as institutional investors and financial institutions, to interactively engage in capital market transactions, including the trading of Over-the-Counter financial products, via the Internet (including the World Wide Web). The system includes a variety of servers, applications, and interfaces that enable users to interactively communicate and trade financial instruments among one another. Interactive communications supported by the system include: requesting price quotes, monitoring and reviewing quote requests, issuing price quotes, monitoring and reviewing price quotes, negotiation between users, acceptance of price quotes, reporting, portfolio management, analysis of financial information and market data, and communications among users via an automated processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Harpal Sandhu, Viral V. Tolat, Stephen Rees
  • Patent number: 9406087
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for presenting trading information. One example method includes displaying a plurality of effective trade indicators corresponding to price levels at which effective trades have been initiated, and displaying trading information corresponding to each effective trade. The effective trades can be determined based on user-configured trade definitions. The trading information can include a traded quantity and profit/loss corresponding to each effective trade. In addition to the trading information, current market information could be displayed as well in relation to the plurality of effective trades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
    Inventor: Alvin F. Tanpoco
  • Patent number: 9403273
    Abstract: A method of training a robot to autonomously execute a robotic task includes moving an end effector through multiple states of a predetermined robotic task to demonstrate the task to the robot in a set of n training demonstrations. The method includes measuring training data, including at least the linear force and the torque via a force-torque sensor while moving the end effector through the multiple states. Key features are extracted from the training data, which is segmented into a time sequence of control primitives. Transitions between adjacent segments of the time sequence are identified. During autonomous execution of the same task, a controller detects the transitions and automatically switches between control modes. A robotic system includes a robot, force-torque sensor, and a controller programmed to execute the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: David W. Payton, Ryan M. Uhlenbrock, Li Yang Ku
  • Patent number: 9404767
    Abstract: A method for accessing information on an electronic version of an navigation information display is described. The method includes displaying navigation information on a display of a device, the device incorporating a touch screen, sensing a user touch on the touch screen, determining, by the device, a location on the touch screen where the user touch has occurred, correlating the location on the touch screen where the user touch has occurred with a location on the navigation information display, and displaying a magnified area of a portion of the navigation information proximate the location on the touch screen where the user touch occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Ross McNeil Brown
  • Patent number: 9400494
    Abstract: A communication device for a motor vehicle includes a first control unit (BDC), a second control unit (SAS), a control unit arrangement (SGA), a first data bus (SB), to which the first control unit (BDC) and the control unit arrangement (SGA) are connected for the exchange of data, as well as a second data bus (AB), to which the second control unit (SAS) and the control unit arrangement (SGA) are connected for the exchange of data. The control unit arrangement includes at least a first sensor control unit (SSG1) for controlling a first sensor and a second sensor control unit (SSG2) for controlling a second sensor. The first and the second sensor have mutually overlapping sensor acquisition ranges. The first and the second sensor control unit can exchange at least preprocessed sensor data by way of a third data bus (PB). The first and the second sensor control unit are constructed to be operated in a master-slave operation with respect to at least one functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christoph Mayser, Andreas Pfeiffer
  • Patent number: 9401057
    Abstract: A computing device is connected to a motor vehicle's diagnostic port or communication port to acquire vehicle sensor data, for example from various pressure, temperature, oxygen, fuel and other sensors typically installed on a motor vehicle for other reasons. Acquired sensor data is wirelessly transmitted to a remote server where the acquired sensor data can be compared to a database of stored sensor data to identify the motor vehicle. Additional functionality is described that leverages uploaded sensor data. Sensor data may be uploaded to the server in near-real time, and/or buffered locally and uploaded by periodic or episodic, push or pull communication protocols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Airbiquity Inc.
    Inventors: Darrin Garrett, Darren Mann
  • Patent number: 9400504
    Abstract: A control device for a mobile robot, the robot comprising a camera and a communication unit, comprises a display unit displaying an image corresponding to the image taken by the camera and transmitted by the communication unit, and a user interface, wherein the user interface is configured to allow a user to control a position of a pointer on the image displayed by the display unit, and the user interface comprises a selection unit allowing the user to select a position of the pointer on the image displayed by the display unit, the control device further comprising a computation unit and a communication system, the computation unit being configured to compute displacement commands and send them through the communication system to the robot, said displacement commands being computed to make the robot move to a physical position corresponding to the pointer's position selected by the user on the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Aldebaran Robotics
    Inventor: Jean-Christophe Baillie
  • Patent number: 9401521
    Abstract: Disclosed is a technique of diagnosing a state of a fuel cell system. The technique includes configuring a processor to calculate a duty ratio and an average output current, based on real-time driving data for a preset driving period, during operation of a fuel cell vehicle; obtain a reference current value from the calculated duty ratio and the calculated average output current; and determine a state of a fuel cell system by choosing a state graph corresponding to the obtained reference current value among a plurality of state graphs which vary depending on each reference current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Hyo Seop Kim, Il Hee Cho, Jong Hyun Lee
  • Patent number: 9399485
    Abstract: There is provided an electric power steering system that makes it possible to reduce an uncomfortable feeling given to a driver even when current feedback control is executed in a state where a detected steering torque value is held. The electric power steering system includes a torque sensor that outputs a detection signal corresponding to a steering torque; and a controller that controls driving of a motor. The controller computes a detected steering torque value based on the detection signal from the torque sensor, and executes current feedback control for causing an actual current value of the motor to follow a current command value based on the detected steering torque value. When the detected steering torque value is held, the controller makes a feedback gain of the current feedback control smaller than a feedback gain that is used when the detected steering torque value is not held.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Kodera
  • Patent number: 9399284
    Abstract: A robot cleaner includes a main body, a traveling unit installed in the main body, to move the main body, an ultrasonic sensor to emit an oscillation wave, to receive a reflection wave reflected from an object surface, and to output vibration generated by the oscillation wave and vibration generated by the reception of the reflection wave as an electrical signal, a waveform analyzer to calculate a generation time period of the electrical signal output from the ultrasonic sensor, and a controller to determine information about the object surface based on the calculated generation time period of the electrical signal, and to control movement of the traveling unit based on the information about the object surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Joonhyung Kwon, Shin Kim, Ji Won Chun
  • Patent number: 9401053
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for providing fault notifications for vehicles. A notification unit is configured to provide a notification when a fault is detected for a vehicle. A processor is coupled to the notification unit, and is configured to provide instructions to the notification unit to provide the notification when the fault is detected, and restrict operation of the vehicle, when the fault is detected, until an action is taken in response to the notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Brian A. MacFarlane, Michael J. Abowd