Patents Examined by Jason Roberson
  • Patent number: 9884618
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, an electric motor, an electrical storage device and a controller. The electric motor generates electric power by using driving force of the engine. The controller controls supply of electric power, which is at least one of electric power generated by the electric motor or electric power stored in the electrical storage device, to an outside of the vehicle. The controller selects, on the basis of setting made by a user, whether to permit or prohibit generation of electric power by using the driving force of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeki Kinomura
  • Patent number: 9858023
    Abstract: Systems, devices and methods are provided for training a user to control a gimbal in an environment. The systems and methods provide a simulation environment to control a gimbal in a virtual environment. The virtual environment closely resembles a real control environment. A controller may be used to transmit simulation commands and receive simulated data for visual display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Ye Tao, Zihan Chen, Zhiyuan Zhang, Weifeng Liu, Chaobin Chen
  • Patent number: 9850005
    Abstract: A number of landings of an aircraft tire is counted according to a method that includes: measuring a physical quantity of air contained inside the tire, the measuring taking place in a discontinuous mode; determining at least one indicator relating to the physical quantity; comparing the at least one indicator with a predetermined threshold associated with the tire; and, if the at least one indicator is greater than the predetermined threshold associated with the tire, incrementing the number of landings of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventor: Lionel Fagot-Revurat
  • Patent number: 9846039
    Abstract: A method of computing an aircraft trajectory, between a departure point and an arrival point, comprises: loading the departure point and a departure angle; determining two waypoints; loading the arrival point and an arrival angle; determining two departure circles of respectively left and right type, which are tangent to the oriented departure straight line respectively on the left and on the right, and passing respectively through the waypoint of left type and through waypoint of right type; determining two arrival circles of respectively left and right type which are tangent to the oriented arrival straight line respectively on its left and on its right and passing through the arrival point; determining a plurality of continuous geometric lateral trajectories comprising an initial portion comprising a portion of a departure circle, a final portion equal to a portion of an arrival circle, and an intermediate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Vincent Savarit, Emmanuel Dewas, Yohann Combes
  • Patent number: 9830815
    Abstract: A navigation apparatus 200 comprises a processing resource 260 configured to: determine a route to a selected destination; obtain weather-related data; and modify speed data for a plurality of route segments in dependence on the weather-related data. For each route there is a respective classifier that classifies the road type for the route segment, and the processing resource is configured to modify the speed data for each route segment based on the weather-related data and the road type represented by the classifier for that route segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: TOMTOM NAVIGATION B.V.
    Inventors: Daniel Fulger, Peter Mieth, Steffen Gunther Wiesner
  • Patent number: 9816829
    Abstract: An in-vehicle navigation apparatus that provides guidance to a lane on which a user's vehicle should travel, among driving lanes on a route, includes a landmark information acquiring unit and a lane guide unit. The landmark information acquiring unit acquires landmark information representing an object which serves as a landmark existing along the route within a landmark acquisition range that is set between a certain point on a near side of a specific point and the specific point. The lane on which the user's vehicle should travel on the route is restricted at the specific point. The lane guide unit provides guidance to the lane on which the user's vehicle should travel in association with the object represented by the landmark information acquired by the landmark information acquiring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: ALPINE ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Michinao Asano
  • Patent number: 9792816
    Abstract: A server system 150 for providing data to at least one mobile device 200, the server system comprising a processing resource 174. In a first embodiment, the processing resource 174 is configured to generate contour data representing a boundary of a respective area for which a weather-related parameter has substantially the same value, the contour data being sent to a mobile device 200. In a second embodiment, the processing resource 174 is configured to determine a plurality of parameter values of a model representative of weather-related data, and to filter the parameter values such that only some of the values of sent to a mobile device 200.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: TomTom Traffic B.V.
    Inventors: Daniel Fulger, Peter Mieth, Steffen Gunther Wiesner
  • Patent number: 9789904
    Abstract: The invention relates to a maneuvering system (2) for the automated maneuvering of a motor vehicle (1), including an on-board control device (3) which is designed to provide control signals (S) to a drive device and/or steering device (5) of the motor vehicle (1) and thereby to carry out a maneuvering operation of the motor vehicle (1) automatically, and including a portable communication device (4) which is operable by a user, which is designed to communicate wirelessly with the on-board control device (3) and thereby to enable and/or interrupt the maneuvering operation as a function of an input by the user at an operating device (8) of the portable communication device (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: VALEO Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Nicolas Jecker, Oliver Grimm, Vsevolod Vovkushevsky
  • Patent number: 9786102
    Abstract: A fleet management system providing a manager with a tailored user interface based on the enabled features recognized in a vehicle. The fleet management system may monitor two or more vehicles, wherein each vehicle may have one or more processors. The one or more processors may receive an initialization signal from the fleet management system. The one or more processors may perform a query of one or more vehicle modules for enabled features in response to the initialization signal received from the fleet management system. The query of enabled vehicle features may be based on one or more criteria. The system may transmit to a server a signal indicating the enabled vehicle features installed in the vehicle. The system may output the enabled vehicle features to a user while tailoring the user screen data based on the enabled features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Michael Bullister, David Chronowski, Thomas Woloszyn
  • Patent number: 9779628
    Abstract: A convoy travel apparatus for organizing a convoy of vehicles is provided. The convoy travel apparatus controls at least one of the convoy of vehicles to change lanes to a lane that is opposite to a merging lane when it is determined that the convoy of vehicles approaches a merge point of a multi-lane road and a currently traveling lane of the convoy of vehicles has the merge point. In such a lane change scheme, a vehicle having no communication device may merge into the multi-lane road without compromising a ride comfort of the convoy of vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahisa Yamashiro
  • Patent number: 9761142
    Abstract: A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes a plurality of sensors disposed at a vehicle and operable to detect objects at least one of ahead of the vehicle and sideward of the vehicle. The driver assistance system includes a data processor operable to process data captured by the sensors to determine the presence of objects ahead and/or sideward of the vehicle. Responsive to the data processing, the driver assistance system is operable to determine at least one of respective speeds of the determined objects and respective directions of travel of the determined objects. The driver assistance system is operable to determine respective influence values for the determined objects. Responsive to the respective determined speeds and/or directions of travel of the determined objects and responsive to the determined respective influence values, at least one path of travel for the vehicle is determined that limits conflict with the determined objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Goerg Pflug
  • Patent number: 9751642
    Abstract: A multifunctional controller merges certain functions of an onboard computer (OBC) and a power supply unit (PCDU) of a satellite. The controller includes reconfiguration functions for monitoring the correct functioning of components of an onboard computer of the satellite and for switching over between redundant components and/or turning off electrical loads of the satellite in the event of a malfunction. The controller also includes control functions for controlling and distributing energy to satellite components, which is designed for turning on and off the power supply to satellite components together with the reconfiguration unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Astrium GmbH
    Inventor: Jens Eickhoff
  • Patent number: 9744963
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, an electric motor, an electrical storage device and a controller. The electric motor generates electric power by using driving force of the engine. The controller controls supply of electric power, which is at least one of electric power generated by the electric motor or electric power stored in the electrical storage device, to an outside of the vehicle. The controller selects, on the basis of setting made by a user, whether to permit or prohibit generation of electric power by using the driving force of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeki Kinomura
  • Patent number: 9744862
    Abstract: A braking system for a motor vehicle, including friction brakes on the wheels of at least one axle, the brakes controlled by a friction brake control device; at least one electric machine connected to at least one wheel and controlled by an electric drive control device; a brake pedal for detecting a deceleration request; a wheel-slip controlling device; and a torque distributing device. The devices for detecting a deceleration request are connected to the wheel-slip controlling device, the wheel-slip controlling device specifying target braking torques for each wheel according to the parameters of the deceleration request. The wheel-slip controlling device connected to a torque distributing device which is connected to the friction brake control device and the electric drive control device and which specifies friction brake requests to the friction brake control device and generator brake requests to the electric drive control device according to the target braking torques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Maxim Arbitmann, Zhenfu Chen, Thomas Raste, Peter Lauer, Matthias Muntu, Daniel Schmitz
  • Patent number: 9713963
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to send likelihood-of-success request, including vehicle state information. The processor is further configured to receive information representing likelihood of reaching route points, utilizing a current vehicle charge, along with effects on the likelihood based on one or more power utilization changes. The processor is also configured to interactively display the received information and receive power utilization change selection. Also, the processor is configured to calculate a new likelihood of reaching the points based on the selection and display updated information based on the calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yimin Liu, Perry Robinson MacNeille, Michael Edward Loftus
  • Patent number: 9694815
    Abstract: A vehicle driving control apparatus is provided for controlling an own vehicle to track a target vehicle. The vehicle driving control apparatus includes: (1) means for acquiring an actual relative speed of the target vehicle to the own vehicle; (2) means for setting a target acceleration of the own vehicle based on the product of a relative speed gain and the actual relative speed acquired by the acquiring means, the relative speed gain being normally set to a reference gain; (3) means for detecting occurrence of an event which causes the target acceleration set by the setting means to discontinuously change; and (4) means for correcting, upon detection of occurrence of the event by the detecting means, the relative speed gain so as to gradually increase the relative speed gain from a value that is less than the reference gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuma Sudou, Jin Kurumisawa, Tatsuya Namikiri
  • Patent number: 9669808
    Abstract: An engine ECU and a brake ECU of a vehicle control apparatus performs any one of a mechanical brake which converts a kinetic energy using rotation of a driving wheel rotation into thermal energy using friction and a regeneration brake which converts the kinetic energy of the driving wheel rotation into electric energy using regeneration, during a vehicle deceleration, after an engine brake changes a deceleration ratio which is a rotation number ratio of driving wheels with respect to the rotation number of an engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kyoichi Abe
  • Patent number: 9645970
    Abstract: A driver coaching system may have an input device generating an input signal indicative of a road condition. The system may also include an advisory device determining an output conveyed to a driver and indicative of a fuel efficiency rating based on an actual vehicle speed and an optimum fuel efficient speed. The advisory device may not decrease the fuel efficiency rating when the road condition does not warrant the optimum fuel efficient speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mathew Alan Boesch, Fazal Urrahman Syed
  • Patent number: 9630623
    Abstract: A method for operating a speed control system of a vehicle is provided. The method comprises detecting an external force acting on the vehicle wherein the external force has an accelerating or decelerating effect on the vehicle. The method further comprises automatically adjusting a rate of change of at least one component of a net torque being applied to one or more wheels of the vehicle to compensate for the accelerating or decelerating effect of the external force on the vehicle. A system for controlling the speed of a vehicle comprising an electronic control unit configured to perform the above-described methodology is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Fairgrieve, Daniel Woolliscroft, James Kelly
  • Patent number: 9633564
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for determining whether a driving environment has changed relative to previously stored information about the driving environment. The apparatus may include an autonomous driving computer system configured to detect one or more vehicles in the driving environment, and determine corresponding trajectories for those detected vehicles. The autonomous driving computer system may then compare the determined trajectories to an expected trajectory of a hypothetical vehicle in the driving environment. Based on the comparison, the autonomous driving computer system may determine whether the driving environment has changed and/or a probability that the driving environment has changed, relative to the previously stored information about the driving environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: David I. Ferguson