Patents Examined by Jelani Smith
  • Patent number: 9766340
    Abstract: GPS correction method comprising providing benchmark GPS devices located respectively at a priori known stationary benchmark points within respective geographical zones, the stationary benchmark points having corresponding benchmark GPS coordinates; providing a benchmark database storing data mapping the GPS devices to the benchmark GPS coordinates of their respective stationary benchmark points and their respective geographical zones; receiving first GPS coordinates associated to objects within the geographical zones and second GPS coordinates associated to the stationary benchmark points measured at a same time period, the first GPS coordinates being transmitted by the benchmark GPS devices and the second GPS coordinates being transmitted by GPS devices associated to the objects; and generating corrected GPS coordinates of the object by measuring a deviation between the benchmark GPS coordinates and the second GPS coordinates and using the deviation for correcting the first GPS coordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Inventor: Salem Ali Bin Kenaid
  • Patent number: 9766336
    Abstract: Obstructions in a path of a vehicle may be determined by recording a plurality of measurements while the vehicle is traveling through a geographic area. The plurality of measurements may involve a velocity of the vehicle, positions relative to the vehicle of a plurality of objects in the geographic area. Also, a path of a vehicle may be determined. An obstruction in the path may be detected as an object of the plurality of objects that is in the path. Also, the obstruction may be determined to be a stationary obstruction as a function of the velocity of the vehicle and multiple positions of the obstruction relative to the vehicle measured over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Vishisht Vijay Gupta, Michael Prados
  • Patent number: 9766083
    Abstract: In an automatic vehicle position control system, such as a satellite-based agricultural implement steering system, the satellite-based steering information is adjusted with information obtained from one or more path sensors to facilitate the automatic nudging of the vehicle to take account of inaccurate tracking of the agricultural implement relative to its tractor, terrain variations, and inaccuracies in the satellite-based steering system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Trimble Inc.
    Inventors: John William Peake, Arthur F. Lange
  • Patent number: 9766625
    Abstract: Methods for personalized driving of autonomously driven vehicles include: (a) downloading at least a portion of a driving profile to a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is configured for autonomous driving and wherein the driving profile is associated with a specific driver; and (b) executing one or a plurality of operating instructions prescribed by the driving profile, such that the vehicle is operable in a driving style imitative of the specific driver. Apparatuses for personalized driving of autonomously driven vehicles are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Vladimir Boroditsky, Leon Oliver Stenneth, James Adeyemi Fowe, Gavril Adrian Giurgiu
  • Patent number: 9761133
    Abstract: A method comprising determining speed-time cluster application histogram data set for a link segment that comprises a plurality of speed-time cluster application histogram data elements, each speed-time cluster application histogram data element identifying a speed-time cluster and an applicable duration of the speed-time cluster for the link segment throughout a histogram duration, for each speed-time cluster application histogram data element, determining a free-flow speed that is representative of a non-congestion speed indicated by the speed-time cluster, determining a historically normalized free-flow speed for the link segment that is a weighted average of the free-flow speed determined for each speed-time cluster application histogram data element weighted by the applicable duration of the speed-time cluster application histogram data element, and identifying a transit speed of the link segment as being the historically normalized free-flow speed is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventor: Jane Macfarlane
  • Patent number: 9759313
    Abstract: A recreational vehicle is provided including a power source, such as an engine or an electric motor, and a transmission having a variable gear ratio. A sub-transmission coupled to an output of the transmission includes a plurality of selectable gear configurations including at least one of a forward gear, a neutral gear, a reverse gear, and a park gear. An electronic controller is operative to electronically control the gear configuration of the sub-transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen L. Nelson, Donovan L. Fredrickson, David J. Koenig, Ryan D. Carlson, Aaron D. Deckard
  • Patent number: 9746392
    Abstract: Systems and methods to determine navigation states of a platform are disclosed. An example system includes a first processing node to determine a first aeroelastic navigation state of a platform at a first structural location of the platform with respect to a first aeroelasticity reference, a second processing node to determine a second aeroelastic navigation state of the platform at a second structural location of the platform with respect to the first aeroelasticity reference or a second aeroelasticity reference, and a storage device to store a platform navigation state based on at least one of the first or second aeroelastic navigation states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Harris O. Hinnant, Jr., Darin W. Brekke
  • Patent number: 9746070
    Abstract: A recreational vehicle is provided including a power source, such as an engine or an electric motor, and a transmission having a variable gear ratio. A sub-transmission coupled to an output of the transmission includes a plurality of selectable gear configurations including park gear and at least one of a forward gear, a neutral gear and a reverse gear. An electronic controller is operative to electronically control the gear configuration of the sub-transmission in response to a set of conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew P. McGuire, Cole A. Sytsma, Brian D. Krosschell
  • Patent number: 9744873
    Abstract: A method for charging a battery of a vehicle including at least one electric power train, the battery adapted to supply electrical energy to the electric power train, includes: predicting a charging location for charging the battery after at least one next trip of the vehicle; and transmitting the charging location to a power grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AG, AUDI AG
    Inventors: Jessica Riley, Jaime Camhi, Mario Tippelhofer, Karric Kwong
  • Patent number: 9746338
    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: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Boris Smus, Antonio Bernardo Monteiro Costa
  • Patent number: 9738279
    Abstract: The invention relates to determining a lane course with the aid of a plurality of recorded routes of vehicles using a compensation curve. Each of the plurality of recorded routes includes individual position indications in an order of passing during a respective journey. The method includes selecting a route from the plurality of recorded routes, determining a number of checkpoints for the compensation curve based on the selected route, and determining an initial compensation curve based on the number of checkpoints and the selected route from the plurality of routes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas von Eichhorn, Peter Zahn
  • Patent number: 9738273
    Abstract: In a host controller included in a vehicle control apparatus, a generator-torque-command generating unit monitors an abnormal operation of the engine on the basis of an engine power generation command and a detection signal of a rotating speed detector, switches, when the abnormal operation of the engine is detected, a generator torque command to the lowest value of a torque command value for abnormal time set in advance as the generator torque command, thereafter, gradually increases the generator torque command, and, after recording, as a torque limit value, the magnitude of the generator torque command (a torque command value for abnormal time 3) at the time when the abnormal operation of the engine is detected again, switches the generator torque command to a torque command value for abnormal time (a torque command value for abnormal time 2) having a value smaller than the torque limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuruki Okada, Hisanori Yamasaki, Keita Hatanaka, Yasuhiko Wada
  • Patent number: 9738272
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a hybrid vehicle having an engine and an eMachine coupled by a clutch using a hybrid controller is presented. The method determines an idle fuel rate of the engine, determines a hybrid efficiency index for the hybrid vehicle, determines an expected energy storage rate increase for an operating condition where the engine is decoupled from a vehicle transmission using said clutch, multiplies the expected energy storage rate increase by the hybrid efficiency index to determine an expected fuel rate reduction of the engine in the operating condition; and decouples the engine from the vehicle transmission using the clutch if the expected fuel rate reduction is greater than the idle fuel rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen T. West, Aaron Rues
  • Patent number: 9733092
    Abstract: To acquire a direction error of a vehicle so that a more appropriate result is acquired in subsequent processing, a vehicle position detection device includes: a start/end point calculation part for acquiring a turning start point on a pre-turning link, and acquiring a turning end point on a post-turning link; a virtual link generation part for acquiring a virtual link connecting between the turning start point and the turning end point; a link direction calculation part for calculating a virtual link direction that is a direction at a predetermined position on the virtual link; and an error calculation part for using the virtual link direction to calculate a direction error of a vehicle direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Okada
  • Patent number: 9731735
    Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods that provide a higher degree of precision and a greater coordination of vehicle movement than is possible in conventional systems. A control system is designed to enforce vehicle movement along a route to a position versus time trajectory. The control system includes control equipment on the vehicle that reports its location on the track periodically. The controlling computer receives the report, and knowing where the vehicle should be and how fast it should be traveling at that point in time via a run definition table prepared for the route, calculates a position and velocity error, then calculates and sends a tractive effort adjustment command to the vehicle that attempts to reduce the position and velocity error. The invention includes a method for providing an estimated force command for a given target velocity and acceleration that can be used in the overall control methodology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Cybertran International Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene Iwao Nishinaga, Kevin Kohei Nishinaga, Mark Lee
  • Patent number: 9733093
    Abstract: Disclosed is a feature for a vehicle that enables taking precautionary actions in response to conditions on the road network around or ahead of the vehicle. A database that represents the road network is used to determine locations where a potentially hazardous condition exists. Then, precautionary action data is added to the database to indicate a location at which a precautionary action is to be taken relating to the hazardous condition. A precautionary action system installed in a vehicle uses this database, or a database derived therefrom, in combination with a positioning system to determine when the vehicle is at a location that corresponds to the location of a precautionary action. When the vehicle is at such a location, a precautionary action is taken by a vehicle system as the vehicle is approaching the location where the potentially hazardous condition exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventor: Robert Denaro
  • Patent number: 9731714
    Abstract: A vehicle apparatus used in a vehicle measures a first elapsed time after completion of a parking operation by which the vehicle is parked in a parking region, and prohibits movement of the vehicle to adjust the parking position when the first elapsed time reaches a first predetermined time before receipt of a instruction signal by the receiver Accordingly, it is possible to improve safety by preventing the vehicle from moving out of a parking position even if the moving part is erroneously operated when the predetermined time elapses after the completion of parking operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED
    Inventor: Takechika Kiriya
  • Patent number: 9733660
    Abstract: A control device which performs at least MPPT control of output of a solar cell mounted in a vehicle includes a determination unit that determines whether the vehicle is in a travelling state or a stationary state. Different methods are applied when the vehicle is determined to be in the travelling state and in the stationary state respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya Miyoshi, Seigen Maeno, Kenichi Okumura
  • Patent number: 9726510
    Abstract: A method for navigation includes receiving in a mobile computing device (24) a designation of an origin (32, 92) and a destination (34, 94) of an itinerary of a user of the device. An optimal primary route (96) is computed from the origin to the destination. Multiple points of interest (40, 98, 100) are identified in proximity to the optimal primary route. A respective first optimal sub-route (42) is computed between the origin and each of the points of interest, and a respective second optimal sub-route (44) is computed between the destination and each of the points of interest. One or more alternative routes (102, 104) from the origin to the destination via one or more of the points of interest are presented to the user on the mobile computing device, by combining the respective first and second optimal sub-routes computed for the one or more of the points of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Omer Shmuel Peri, Ronen Aharon Soffer, Amir Yissachar, Noam Sagi
  • Patent number: 9728091
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present invention are provided to generate a plurality of flight trajectories that do not conflict with other aircraft in a local area. Interventions by an air traffic control system help prevent collisions between aircraft, but these interventions can also cause an aircraft to substantially deviate from the pilot's intended flight trajectory, which burns fuels, wastes time, etc. Systems and methods of the present invention can assign a standard avoidance interval to other aircraft in the area such that a pilot's aircraft does not receive an intervention by an air traffic control system. Systems and methods of the present invention also generate a plurality of conflict-free flight trajectories such that a pilot or an automated system may select the most desirable flight trajectory for fuel efficiency, speed, and other operational considerations, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Double Black Aviation Technology L.L.C.
    Inventor: Richard Shay