Patents Examined by James Trammell
  • Vehicle and control method for vehicle
    Patent number: 9254834
    Abstract: An ECU executes a program including the steps of: executing fuel-cut control when an IG OFF operation has been performed and a vehicle is traveling; determining torque command values of a first MG and a second MG when a charge power upper limit value Win is reduced; controlling the first MG based on the determined torque command value of the first MG; and controlling the second MG based on the determined torque command value of the second MG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki Yaguchi, Takeshi Hoshiba, Akihiro Kimura, Masahiro Naito
  • Pose estimation using long range features
    Patent number: 9255805
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to using an object detected at long range to increase the accuracy of a location and heading estimate based on near range information. For example, an autonomous vehicle may use data points collected from a sensor such as a laser to generate an environmental map of environmental features. The environmental map is then compared to pre-stored map data to determine the vehicle's geographic location and heading. A second sensor, such as a laser or camera, having a longer range than the first sensor may detect an object outside of the range and field of view of the first sensor. For example, the object may have retroreflective properties which make it identifiable in a camera image or from laser data points. The location of the object is then compared to the pre-stored map data and used to refine the vehicle's estimated location and heading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: David I. Ferguson, David Harrison Silver
  • System for controlling transport of heavy load, transport vehicle, and method of controlling transport of heavy load
    Patent number: 9254775
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for controlling transport of a heavy load by which a transport vehicle smoothly transports a heavy load such as a rotor blade of a wind power generator, which has a high weight and a large length, without collisions or interferences by controlling movement of the heavy load according to a facility around a road or a peripheral environmental condition in a process of transporting the heavy load on the road with the transport vehicle, a transport vehicle, and a method of controlling transport of a heavy load. The apparatus includes: an adjusting unit configured to control rotation or movements of the heavy load so that collision or interference of the heavy load with a facility around a road or a peripheral environmental condition is prevented in a process of transporting the heavy load after the heavy load is fixedly mounted to the adjusting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: DOOSAN HEAVY INDUSTRIES & CONSTRUCTION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ki Hak Lee
  • Assisted direct start and active suspension integration control
    Patent number: 9256576
    Abstract: A system for controlling an internal combustion engine. The system includes engine shutdown/restart means and energy storage means configured for supplying power to an associated active vehicle suspension system when the engine is shut down. A controller is configured for controlling the shutdown/restart means responsive to an energy state of the energy storage means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alex O'Connor Gibson, Jeffrey A. Doering, Jianbo Lu, Eric H. Tseng
  • System for preventing vehicle collision using yaw rate and method of preventing vehicle collision using the same
    Patent number: 9254845
    Abstract: A system for preventing vehicle collision according to the present invention includes a steering detection part configured to detect collision with an object, a calculation part configured to calculate a yaw rate of a vehicle and to calculate a target steering angle, a brake control part configured to control a steering operation of the vehicle according to the target steering angle, and a wheel control part interlocked with the brake control part and configured to control the steering operation of the vehicle according to the target steering angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Mando Corporation
    Inventor: Man Bok Park
  • System and method for automated detection of never-pay data sets
    Patent number: 9251541
    Abstract: Data filters, models, and/or profiles for identifying and/or predicting the never-pay population (for example, those customers that make a request for credit and obtain the credit instrument but over the life of the account, never make a payment) can be useful to various commercial entities, such as those issuing mortgages, home equity lines of credit, consumer or business lines of credit, automobile loans, credit card accounts, or those entities providing services, such as utility services, phone services, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Experian Information Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Celka, Cristian R. Rojas
  • Devices and methods for passive navigation
    Patent number: 9243915
    Abstract: Devices and methods are disclosed for determining position and controlling navigation by sensing movement through the Earth's magnetic field. Change in position is determined by integrating velocity which has been normalized for spatial and temporal field variation. Position is registered with respect to starting point and/or subsequently detected environmental feature. Signals are provided to actuator for guidance, navigation and control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Physical Devices, LLC
    Inventors: Walter C. Hernandez, Frederick Vosburgh
  • Self tuning universal steering control system, method, and apparatus for off-road vehicles
    Patent number: 9242671
    Abstract: At least one example embodiment discloses a method of controlling steering of a vehicle. The method includes identifying a reduced-order vehicle model, the reduced-order vehicle model representing a vehicle transfer function in which a least one high-frequency pole is removed. The method further includes generating target closed loop pole locations based on at least one user preference parameter. The method further includes determining calibration parameters that place closed loop poles of a composite system at the target closed loop poles. The composite system in this context includes the reduced-order vehicle model and a steering control system. Finally, the method includes controlling the steering using the steering control system configured using the calibration parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Matthew D. Potter, Tyler D. Schleicher, Nanjun Liu, Andrew G. Alleyne
  • Apparatus and method for determining short-term driving tendency of driver
    Patent number: 9242652
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for determining a short-term driving tendency of a driver may include a data detector configured to detect an acceleration of a vehicle, a vehicle speed, and an inter-vehicle distance, and a controller configured to calculate a relative speed with respect to a forward vehicle from the vehicle speed and the inter-vehicle distance, extract fuzzy result values for the vehicle speed and the inter-vehicle distance, respectively, by setting a membership function that corresponds to each of the acceleration of the vehicle and the relative speed with respect to the forward vehicle, and determine the short-term driving tendency of the driver using the fuzzy result values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignees: Kia Motors Corporation, Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Byeong Wook Jeon, Dong Hoon Jeong
  • Control apparatus for vehicle
    Patent number: 9238462
    Abstract: The present invention is provided with: a traveling state detection means that detects the traveling state of a vehicle; a target attitude control amount computation means that computes the target attitude control amount of the vehicle on the basis of the traveling state; a attitude control amount computation means that computes the attitude control amount controlled by an actuator other than a shock absorber on the basis of the target attitude control amount; and an damping force control means that controls the damping force of the shock absorber on the basis of the target attitude control amount and the attitude control amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hironobu Kikuchi, Katsuhiko Hirayama
  • Straddle type vehicle
    Patent number: 9239023
    Abstract: The opening control mechanism includes a frame, a support shaft, a first pulley, a second pulley, a first elastic member and a second elastic member. A position taken by the second pulley when no force acts on the grip is referred to as a second reference position. The second pulley can be rotated in a second direction of rotation, starting from the second reference position. A processing unit performs a specified operation when the second pulley has been rotated in the second direction of rotation, starting from the second reference position, by a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuta Sasaki
  • Vehicle navigation system
    Patent number: 9239243
    Abstract: A vehicle navigation system having a database configured to store map data. The database includes links corresponding to road segments and attributes associated with the links. The map data includes at least some links associated with a curvature attribute. A mean absolute curvature ( ?) is stored for the curvature attribute for corresponding links. The mean absolute curvature ( ?) may be determined from a normalized sum or integral of absolute curvature values along the road segment corresponding to the link. The system includes a processing unit configured to estimate an energy consumption of the vehicle for a link using the curvature attribute retrieved from the database for the link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Engelhardt, Sebastian Kluge
  • Front loader
    Patent number: 9238899
    Abstract: When maintaining a ground pivot angle of the bucket constant irrespective of any vertical pivotal movement of the boom, a ground angle maintaining controlling section stops a bucket actuator when it is detected that a vertical pivot angle of the bucket has reached an elevation restricted angle which is set smaller by a set angle than an elevation limit angle of the bucket 15 or a lowering restricted angle which is set greater by a set angle than a lowering limit angle of the bucket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsumoto, Ryuichi Nadaoka, Masahiro Sugioka
  • Method and system for a lift device having independently steerable wheels
    Patent number: 9238477
    Abstract: A system and method of controlling a scissors lift vehicle are provided. The scissors lift vehicle system includes a carriage including a plurality of independently steerable wheel assemblies configured to engage a travel surface. The plurality of independently steerable wheel assemblies, each steerable about a steer axis of rotation include one of the plurality of wheel assemblies being designated a master wheel and the remaining wheel assemblies being designated slave wheels. The wheel assemblies each include a variable-speed steer actuator configured to rotate a respective wheel assembly about the steer axis of rotation of that wheel assembly at a selectable rate. The wheel assemblies each also include a wheel including a respective drive axis of rotation and a variable-speed drive actuator configured to rotate that wheel about a respective steer axis of rotation at a selectable rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: XTREME MANUFACTURING, LLC
    Inventors: Don Francis Ahern, Ronald Lee Fifield
  • Front loader
    Patent number: 9238900
    Abstract: The front loader includes a boom actuator configured to pivotally drive a boom along a vertical direction relative to a traveling vehicle body about a first pivot axis which is oriented along a right/left direction, a bucket actuator configured to pivotally drive a bucket along the vertical direction relative to the boom about a second pivot axis which is oriented along the right/left direction, a manual controlling section for controlling operations of the boom actuator and the bucket actuator based on a manual operation of an operational tool, a boom angle detector for detecting a vertical pivot angle of the boom, a bucket angle detector for detecting a vertical pivot angle of the bucket relative to the boom, a calculating section for calculating a ground pivot angle of the bucket based on an output from the boom angle detector and an output from the bucket angle detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsumoto, Ryuichi Nadaoka, Kosuke Oyama, Masahiro Sugioka
  • Apparatus and method for warning against lack of stroke for electronic parking brake
    Patent number: 9238456
    Abstract: An apparatus for warning against lack of stroke in an electronic parking brake may include: a tension sensor for sensing the tension of a cable which is provided in an actuator so as to transmit power; a motor for providing power to the actuator; and a controller for controlling whether to operate the motor based on the sensed tension of the cable and a preset target tension, and calculating an operating stroke of the actuator based on an operating time of the motor. The controller may issue a stroke lack warning based on the operating stroke and a preset critical stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jae Woo Jeon
  • Method of enrichment of road information data
    Patent number: 9234759
    Abstract: Road information data is enriched and a vehicle drive train is controlled on basis of this data. Based on vehicle position, data about possible routes which may be taken is collected from at least three sources (A, B, C). Data with the highest quality is chosen for controlling the drive train. When running, information about the traveled route is recorded and saved, thus providing a continuous update.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventors: Johan Bjernetun, Anders Eriksson
  • Method for safely parking a vehicle in an emergency situation
    Patent number: 9227631
    Abstract: In a method for safely parking a vehicle, it is checked whether an emergency situation is present, and the vehicle is driven by the driver assistance system to a road shoulder upon recognition of an emergency situation. In controlling the driving operation, information is requested from an external database and taken into account by the driver assistance system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Soeren Kammel, Jan Becker, Werner Poechmueller, Stefan Nordbruch, Gunther Schaaf, Peter Busch, Kurt Eckert
  • Display of estimated time to arrival at upcoming personalized route waypoints
    Patent number: 9228851
    Abstract: An in-vehicle system and method for selecting and displaying on a roadmap upcoming waypoints and associated information, including an estimated time to arrival at the waypoints. In an embodiment, driving history is stored and analyzed, including routes taken and previous destinations, and used to determine and display personalized waypoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AG, AUDI AG
    Inventors: Marco Antonio Lobato Fregoso, Karric Kwong, Heiko Maiwand
  • Apparatus and method for patient rounding with a remote controlled robot
    Patent number: RE45870
    Abstract: A method for remotely monitoring a patient. The method includes generating and transmitting input commands to the robot from a remote station. The remote station may include a personal computer that is operated by a doctor. The input commands can move the robot so that a video image and sounds of the patient can be captured by a robot camera and microphone, respectively, and transmitted back to the remote station. The robot may also have a monitor and a speaker to allow for two-way videoconferencing between the patient and a doctor at the remote station. The robot can move from room to room so that a doctor can make “patient rounds” within a medical facility. The system thus allows a doctor visit patients from a remote location, thereby improving the frequency of visits and the quality of medical care. REEXAMINATION RESULTS The questions raised in reexamination proceeding No. 90/012,069, filed Dec.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: InTouch Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yulun Wang, Louis Kavoussi