Patents Examined by Jeffrey Boomer
  • Patent number: 9955559
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for commissioning a light source in a lighting system including a plurality of light sources capable of emitting coded light. An autonomous vehicle with one or more light sensors and a location detector navigates throughout the lighting system. The light sensor detects an identifier encoded in a light source and the location detector determines the location of the autonomous vehicle. The location is associated with the encoded identifier, thereby commissioning the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Dirk Valentinus René Engelen, Bartel Marinus Van De Sluis
  • Patent number: 9938673
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a paving machine including a tractor, a screed assembly coupled to the tractor, and an auger coupled to the tractor and disposed between the tractor and the screed assembly. The paving machine includes an actuator coupled to the auger and the tractor. The actuator is configured to move the auger relative to a ground surface. The paving machine includes a sensor coupled to the tractor and configured to detect an obstruction on the ground surface. The paving machine includes a controller in communication with the actuator and the sensor. The controller is configured to receive a signal from the sensor assembly indicative of the obstruction. The controller is further configured to control the actuator to raise the auger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Jacob R. Ellwein
  • Patent number: 9925956
    Abstract: A remote function control system is for a vehicle including a data bus extending throughout the vehicle and coupled to a plurality of vehicle devices, and a wired vehicle electrical power system. A wireless data bus device may be coupled to the power system and include a wired interface coupled to the data bus, and a first wireless device coupled to the wired interface. A remote function device may be coupled to the power system and include a second wireless device to wirelessly communicate with the first wireless device, a third wireless device to wirelessly communicate with a remote control device, and a controller to permit communication between the remote control device and a vehicle device(s) coupled to the data bus. A wireless security sensor may be positioned within the vehicle and coupled to the power system, with the sensor being configured to wirelessly communicate with the second wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: OMEGA PATENTS, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Flick
  • Patent number: 9919640
    Abstract: According to at least one exemplary embodiment, a system and method for synchronizing and controlling at least one dolly may be provided. The system may include at least one dolly, a power unit, and a control device, all communicatively coupled via at least one network. Dolly coordinates and steer points for a load may be recorded. Adjustments to the dolly may be made based on desired changes to the orientation of the steer points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Inventors: Mark Allen Buckingham, Jamin Ray Buckingham
  • Patent number: 9919682
    Abstract: A remote function control system is for a vehicle including a data communications bus extending throughout the vehicle and coupled to a plurality of vehicle devices, and a wired vehicle electrical power system. The system may include a remote function device coupled to the data communications bus and including an interior wireless device to wirelessly communicate within the vehicle, an exterior wireless device to wirelessly communicate with a remote control device away from the vehicle, and a controller coupled to the interior and exterior wireless devices to permit communication between the remote control device and at least one vehicle device coupled to the vehicle data communications bus. The system may further include a wireless security sensor positioned within the vehicle and coupled to the wired vehicle electrical power system, with the wireless security sensor being configured to wirelessly communicate within the vehicle to the interior wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: OMEGA PATENTS, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Flick
  • Patent number: 9904291
    Abstract: A method and a system for controlling an emergency descent of an aircraft. The system (1) includes a unit (2) for detecting an emergency situation, a unit (11) for calculating a usual emergency descent command, a unit (12) for calculating a limited emergency descent command, a selection unit (14) configured for selecting the usual emergency descent command or, if application conditions are met and if the limited descent command is less than said usual emergency descent command and greater than a regulation emergency descent command, selecting the limited emergency descent command, and a unit (4) for application, to the aircraft, of the selected emergency descent command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Florent Lanterna, Thierry Bourret, Jean Muller
  • Patent number: 9881022
    Abstract: A device receives a request for a flight path, for a UAV, from a first location to a second location, and calculates the flight path based on the request for the flight path. The device determines network requirements for the flight path based on the request, and determines scores for multiple networks with coverage areas covering a portion of the flight path. The device selects a particular network, from the multiple networks, based on the network requirements for the flight path and based on the scores for the multiple networks. The device causes a connection with the UAV and the particular network to be established, and generates flight path instructions for the flight path. The device provides, via the connection with the particular network, the flight path instructions to the UAV to permit the UAV to travel from the first location to the second location via the flight path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Gurpreet Ubhi, Ashok N. Srivastava, Douglas M. Pasko, Hani Batla, Igor Kantor
  • Patent number: 9868449
    Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to an embeddable motion sensory control device that detects gestures in a three dimensional (3D) sensory space within a vehicle cabin, detecting a gesture in the 3D sensory space and interpreting the gesture as a command to a (sub) system of the vehicle under control, and issuing the command when appropriate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Leap Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: David S. Holz, Hua Yang, Robert Samuel Gordon, Neeloy Roy, Justin Schunick, Paul A. Durdik
  • Patent number: 9862364
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure involve a collision mitigated braking system employed in vehicles operating in a self-driving (autonomous) mode. Collision mitigated braking provides redundancy to the vehicle's main driving system in emergency situations. The collision mitigated braking system is configured to cause the vehicle to come to a stop when an imminent collision is perceived and the main driving system has not initiated a braking maneuver. A perception component employs information received from vehicle sensors, analyzing the sensor data to identify nearby objects of interest that are determined to be in the vehicle's path or that could otherwise collide with the vehicle. A control component evaluates the objects of interest to determine whether immediate braking is required. If this is the case and the main driving system has not begun to brake, the control component causes the vehicle to perform immediate braking to avoid a possible collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: Nathaniel Fairfield
  • Patent number: 9857776
    Abstract: A rotational signal of a generation source of a control object is detected and, when a rotational speed (frequency) varies, convergence values of filter coefficients of adaptive filters 33, 34 based on a previous control result corresponding to the frequency stored in a control device 11 are retrieved and set to the adaptive filters 33, 34 as initial values. The adaptive filters 33, 34 are updated by using the initial values of filter coefficients and output a control signal y(t) to an ACM (actuator) 3a. LMS arithmetic units 37, 39 read a reference signal calculated from the rotational signal and an acceleration signal (error signal) e(t) detected by a sensor 9 and carry out processing for updating the filter coefficients of the adaptive filters 33, 34. The adaptive filters 33, 34, based on updated filter coefficients, output the control signal y(t) to the ACM 3a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirokazu Watai, Kazutomo Murakami
  • Patent number: 9858824
    Abstract: A system for determining a flight plan based on internet connectivity includes at least one processor coupled with a non-transitory processor-readable medium storing processor-executable code for causing the at least one processor to receive internet connectivity data for a plurality of airspace regions, where the internet connectivity data is indicative of an internet connectivity characteristic; and determine a flight plan for an aircraft through at least one region of the plurality of airspace regions based on the internet connectivity characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott J. Zogg, Steven D. Acheson, Kevin M. Kronfeld, Jaclyn A. Hoke, Kevin J. Delaney, David J. Weiler
  • Patent number: 9834307
    Abstract: Embodiments include one or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft capable of persistent station-keeping having one or more electromagnetic (IR/Visual/RF) sensor elements or suites for purposes of survey and/or signal gathering. Embodiments include one or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft capable of persistent station-keeping having a directable laser. Embodiments include a group of four or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft configured as GPS repeaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventor: Edward Oscar Rios
  • Patent number: 9828060
    Abstract: A method may include determining whether a sweat sensor is available. E-assist may be provided when a sweat sensor is not available by determining a sweat threshold and determining whether the sweat threshold is surpassed. When a sweat sensor is available, e-assist may be provided when the sweat sensor senses sweat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Prakash Murugesan, Norman J. Weigert, Mark A. Manickaraj, Jarvis Chau
  • Patent number: 9821791
    Abstract: The invention relates to a controller (140) for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), the controller (140) being operable to control a HEV to assume a HEV mode of operation in which each of a plurality of actuators (121, 123) of a HEV is controlled to assume a prescribed operational state, the controller being configured to control a HEV to assume an operational mode responsive to data in respect of a route of a journey to be made by a HEV, a route comprising at least one route segment, the controller (140) being configured to determine a target state of charge of an energy storage device (150) of a HEV for each said at least one route segment being a state of charge of an energy storage device (150) that is to be achieved at the end of said at least one segment responsive to the data in respect of a route, the controller (140) being further configured to control the HEV to achieve the target state of charge at the end of said at least one segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventor: Clement Dextreit
  • Patent number: 9816823
    Abstract: A technique for updating road maps is disclosed. A number of GPS traces can be matched with a number of roads in a map. Matched GPS traces may be processed by a matched segment module to produce proposed changes to the map. The map can be updated using a map updating module based on the proposed changes from the matched segment module. Unmatched GPS traces may be processed by an unmatched segment module to produce proposed changes to the map. The map can be updated using a map updating module based on the proposed changes from the unmatched segment module. The proposed changes to the map may include metadata defining new roads in the map, new intersections in the map, updates to turn restrictions in the map, updates to the allowable directional traffic flow on the roads within the map, updates to road closures in the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventors: Yin Wang, George Forman, Xuemei Liu
  • Patent number: 9810190
    Abstract: A powertrain system is described, and includes an internal combustion engine and an electric machine configured to generate propulsion torque responsive to a driver torque request. A method for operating the powertrain system includes determining, in response to a request to execute an engine autostart operation, whether a driveline torque sag may occur. The method further includes forgoing executing the engine autostart operation when it is determined that a driveline torque sag will occur during the execution of the engine autostart operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Meng Wang, Anthony Christman, Poh Fong Chin, John Janczak, Anthony H. Heap, Kee Yong Kim, Bryan J. Morton, Goro Tamai
  • Patent number: 9812014
    Abstract: A system for assisting vehicle driving includes a processor executing a process of assisting vehicle driving; and a memory. The process includes communicating with vehicles to obtain the travel information, storing the travel information in the memory; estimating a target stop position where the vehicle should stop based on the travel information; transmitting the target stop position to the vehicles-obtaining an index indicating at least one of repeatability of driving behavior of a driver, proximity of the behavior to an average value of others, and fuel consumption, determining a first driver corresponding to the index indicating a value less than a value determined based on the travel information of others; and eliminating a stop position information form the travel information stored in the memory, the stop position information indicating a stop position based on the travel information of the vehicle driven by the first driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirotada Otake
  • Patent number: 9802633
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to ground transportation systems, and more particularly to a fixed guideway transportation system that achieves a superior ratio of benefits per cost, is lower in net present cost and thus more easily justified for lower density corridors, and can provide passenger carrying capacities appropriate for higher density corridors serviced by mass rapid transit systems today.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: CYBERTRAN INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Eugene Iwao Nishinaga, Kevin Kohei Nishinaga, Neil Sinclair, Harry Burt, Dexter Vizinau
  • Patent number: 9796412
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus with a good steering feeling that includes a function for getting out from restraint of a lateral flow or a one-sided flow, and enables acquisition of a better effect that a driver's load is reduced in the lateral flow or the one-sided flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Toru Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 9783196
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus for implementing inter-vehicle distance control of a vehicle carrying the apparatus behind a preceding vehicle. In the apparatus, an offset storage is configured to calculate an offset that is a difference between detected distances to first and second targets, and store the offset associated with the first target forward of the second target. The inter-vehicle distance control may be implemented based on a distance calculated by subtracting the offset from the detected distance to the first target. An offset updater is configured to determine whether or not a relative distance between the first and second targets has increased or decreased, and when the relative distance between the first and second targets has increased or decreased, update the offset stored by the offset storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Youhei Masui, Minoru Nakadori