Patents Examined by John Q. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9358985
    Abstract: A method and a device for controlling a drive unit of a vehicle are provided in which, starting from the comparison of a first acceleration variable, which is calculated at least from the operating state of the drive unit, and a second acceleration variable, an error is detected. The second acceleration variable includes a first component, in the direction of the vehicle longitudinal axis, and a second component, perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Volker Pitzal, Oliver Froehlich, Wolfram Gerwing, Martin Grosser, Franz Laermer, Udo Schulz, Thomas Proepper
  • Patent number: 9358886
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for configuring a user interface of a head unit of a vehicle by using a mobile terminal. The method includes steps of: (a) allowing the head unit of the vehicle to acquire information on at least one application stored at an executable state in the mobile terminal, if the mobile terminal is connected to the head unit; (b) allowing the head unit to decide a specific template interoperable with the application among multiple templates stored in the head unit by referring to the acquired information on the application; and (c) deciding a display mode of the specific template by referring to at least one piece of information on the number of acquired application and the driving state of the vehicle and displaying the acquired application on a screen of the head unit by using the decided display mode of the specific template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Obigo Inc.
    Inventors: Doe Yun Hwang, Shin Gyu Kang, Hyung Woon Song
  • Patent number: 9355319
    Abstract: A system for identifying road surface conditions includes a road surface measurement sensor attached to a vehicle and configured to generate a measurement signal for a road surface condition, and a controller. The controller is configured to digitalize the measurement signal received from the road surface measurement sensor, calculate a curvature pattern for the road surface condition based on the digitalized measurement signal, and compare the calculated curvature pattern with a pre-stored curvature pattern to identify the road surface condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Yoon Ho Jang, Kyoung Moo Min, Eun Jin Choi, Jin Hak Kim
  • Patent number: 9353856
    Abstract: A method provides for adapting shifts to be carried out in a transmission of a motor vehicle. The shifts are triggered by a transmission control unit and are is controlled and/or governed by the transmission control unit. An actual value corresponding to an acceleration of the motor vehicle is recorded by measuring instruments and is compared to a corresponding target value. On the basis of a deviation between the actual value and the target value, the carrying out of the subsequent shifts of the transmission control unit is adapted. The actual value corresponding to an acceleration of the motor vehicle is individually recorded for several consecutive shift stages of each shift, whereas the actual value in the individual shift stages is compared to the target value in the individual shift stages of the transmission control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSCAFEN AG
    Inventors: Rudolf Kalthoff, Jörg Kurth, Roland Mair, Thomas Jäger, Florian Schneider
  • Patent number: 9354076
    Abstract: A guiding server according to this application includes an image storing unit, a retrieving unit, and a generating unit. The image storing unit stores a signboard image of a signboard. The retrieving unit retrieves, from the image storing unit, a signboard image of a signboard on a way to a destination based on location information and destination information of a user terminal. The generating unit generates guiding information including the signboard image based on the retrieved signboard image, the location information and the destination information and transmits the guiding information to the user terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Iwasawa, Miki Hirai, Katsufumi Asai, Shinsuke Itoh
  • Patent number: 9346428
    Abstract: A system and method for determining when to deploy a vehicle safety system includes a processor and inertial sensor. The inertial sensor has a filtered output and an unfiltered or lightly filtered output. The unfiltered or lightly filtered output is in communication with the processor and provides inertial information relating to the vehicle. The filtered output of the inertial sensor is in communication with a vehicle stability control system. The processor is further configured to monitor the unfiltered or lightly filtered output of the inertial sensor and determine if the inertial information indicates that the vehicle has been involved in a collision. If the vehicle has been involved in a collision, the processor is configured to deploy a vehicle safety system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: AUTOLIV ASP, INC.
    Inventor: Dino Bortolin
  • Patent number: 9349295
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for transferring datalink-based information into an aircraft flight management system. When a datalink message is received in an aircraft, it is parsed into individual information elements. The operational impact of the received datalink message on the aircraft is determined from the individual information elements. A method of supplying pilot feedback regarding the received datalink message is determined from the determined operational impact. The pilot feedback regarding the received datalink message is supplied using the determined method. At least selected portions of the individual information elements are selectively transferred into the aircraft flight management system (FMS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Michael Christian Dorneich, Stephen Whitlow, William Rogers
  • Patent number: 9345194
    Abstract: A farm vehicle includes a crop gathering mechanism to convey harvested crop material to a crop flow path passing internally through at least part of the vehicle. The vehicle includes a vehicle data bus and a plurality of control modules operatively connected to the vehicle data bus and configured to monitor information on the vehicle data bus and to act according to such information. An electronic operator module is configured to monitor the states of operator controls and to broadcast information on the vehicle data bus specifying such states. Additionally, video cameras positioned within the vehicle face the crop flow path and are operably connected to a graphic display. A graphic display control module includes a processor configured to control the display of images on the graphic display for selective display of images from the video cameras based upon information from the vehicle data bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Jay David Schroeder, Daniel Lynn Renaud, John Michael King, Kevin Douglas McKee
  • Patent number: 9340209
    Abstract: A high-voltage system control device is used for a vehicle provided with a high-voltage system including a motor as a power source and a battery to supply electric power to the motor. The device includes: an inter-vehicle distance detection unit to detect an inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and an target such as a preceding vehicle; an automatic brake to automatically brake the vehicle according to the inter-vehicle distance; and a cut-off control unit to cut off the high-voltage system when the automatic brake is activated. When the vehicle is traveling at a high vehicle speed and the automatic brake is activated, the high-voltage system is cut off with a main relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Taichi Kishida
  • Patent number: 9339343
    Abstract: In one implementation, a method is disclosed in which a lock sensing mode is entered for a robotic surgical instrument. In the lock sensing mode, the degrees of freedom of movement in the robotic surgical instrument are switchably reduced. Further in the lock sensing mode, one or more end effectors of the robotic surgical instrument are switchably clamped together in the robotic surgical instrument. An increased level of torque may also be applied to the end effectors to increase a gripping force applied by the one or more end effectors in response to the reduced degrees of freedom of movement in the robotic surgical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Nitish Swarup, Scott E. Manzo
  • Patent number: 9334630
    Abstract: An everywhere risk detection apparatus for construction equipment is disclosed, which includes an IECU generating and outputting a prevent signal to a VECU if a moving object in an image input from a camera is positioned within a set radius (or area) from the equipment, and generates and outputs the prevent signal to the VECU if a distance between the moving object in the image input from the camera and the equipment is shorter than a set distance. Accordingly, the equipment is compulsorily stopped regardless of an operator's equipment operation, and thus the occurrence of an accident is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: VOLVO CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AB
    Inventor: Young-Don Kim
  • Patent number: 9335171
    Abstract: A travel trace storage apparatus includes a location detection device, a positioning trace generation device, a movement distance detection device, a travel direction detection device, a dead reckoning trace generation device for generating a dead reckoning trace, in which each vector determined by a vehicle movement distance and a vehicle travel direction is chronologically arranged, a correction positioning trace generation device for generating a correction positioning trace obtained by removing a location distant from the dead reckoning trace by a predetermined distance or more, a correction dead reckoning trace generation device for generating a correction dead reckoning trace obtained by correcting the dead reckoning trace, an absolute trace generation device for generating an absolute trace obtained by synthesizing the correction positioning trace and the correction dead reckoning trace, an absolute trace memory for storing the absolute trace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Iida, Ikuro Sato, Nobuhiro Mizuno
  • Patent number: 9330573
    Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for the automatic calculation and presentation of data on a display device alerting a pilot that a change in flight plan is desirable, possible and administratively compliant under air traffic control protocol. The methods and systems may automatically request the flight clearance over a data link or the pilot may override the data link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Ruy C. Brandao, Rosa Maria Nicole Weber, Willard R. True, Michael L. Olive, Christine Marie Haissig
  • Patent number: 9322353
    Abstract: An engine control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle is provided with a conversion angle detecting device, an angle determining device, an engine load calculating device and an engine control device. The conversion angle detecting device detects a rotational phase of a cam with respect to a crankshaft as a detected conversion angle of a variable valve operating mechanism of an engine. The angle determining device determines if the detected conversion angle is different from a starting conversion angle when the engine is started. The engine load calculating device calculates a requested load to be imposed on the engine based on the detected conversion angle if the detected conversion angle is different from to the starting conversion angle at a time the engine is started. The engine control device controls the engine in accordance with the requested engine load that was calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoto Ikeda, Ritsuo Satou
  • Patent number: 9322651
    Abstract: A sensor system having multiple sensors and having a grid generator projecting into space a relative navigation grid and a method of utilizing multiple airborne sensors operably coupled to an aircraft and coordinating the sensor outputs from the airborne sensors based on the determined spatial position of the multiple sensors and a method for utilizing multiple airborne sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Eric Daniel Buehler, David Kevin McCauley
  • Patent number: 9315104
    Abstract: A method for operation of a reference-speed-regulating cruise control and a reference-speed-regulating cruise control which demands from a vehicle engine system a reference speed vref which may differ from a chosen set speed vset. Adjustment of at least the set speed vset is allowed if the reference speed vref differs from the set speed vset, which adjustment is based at least partly on a current speed vpres of the vehicle and on input from a user of the reference-speed-regulating cruise control. Quick and simple user-controlled adjustment of the set speed vset is thus achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: SCANIA CV AB
    Inventors: Oskar Johansson, Maria Södergren, Fredrik Roos
  • Patent number: 9308912
    Abstract: A drive force control system capable of stabilizing behavior of a vehicle with a rapid control response. The drive force control system for a vehicle having a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels includes: a distribution mechanism, which distributes power outputted from a prime mover to a right wheel and to a left wheel of any one of the pairs of front and rear wheels, and which changes a ratio to distribute the power to the right wheel and the left wheel by engaging or disengaging an engagement mechanism; and at least two motors arranged individually for a right wheel and a left wheel of other pair of wheels to control drive forces for driving those right wheel and left wheel individually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshinori Maeda
  • Patent number: 9304000
    Abstract: A portable terminal executing an application program for realizing a predetermined function may not require a re-input operation of setting information and may reduce a restart time of the predetermined function by way of an in-vehicle apparatus. Specifically, the in-vehicle apparatus acquires and stores the setting information from the portable terminal. When a forced termination of the application program is detected, the in-vehicle apparatus transmits the setting information to the portable terminal after the application program is restarted by the portable terminal. The setting information from the in-vehicle apparatus enables the portable terminal to perform an auto-resetting process for redefining/resetting the setting information in order to resumes the application program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiko Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9304969
    Abstract: The present charging rate of a battery is accurately calculated. The calculation mode of the present charging rate is switched to a current integration mode during operation of a generator motor while the mode is switched to a voltage reference mode at a predetermined switchover timing. In the current integration mode, charge current of the battery is integrated and added to the initial charging rate and an integrated discharge current value is subtracted from the initial charging rate of the battery to calculate the present charging rate. In the voltage reference mode, the present charging rate is calculated based on a predetermined map and detected voltage of the battery. After calculation of the present charging rate according to the voltage reference mode, the calculation mode is restored from the voltage reference mode to the current integration mode and the suspension of operating the generator motor is cancelled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Doi, Masayuki Komiyama, Naoki Goto
  • Patent number: 9296373
    Abstract: A vehicle turn control system including: a running-condition-information acquisition unit which acquires running-condition information for a vehicle; a brake-manipulation-information acquisition unit which acquires information on manipulation for braking by a driver of the vehicle; and a brake control unit which performs brake control of the vehicle based on the information on manipulation for braking which is acquired by the brake-manipulation-information acquisition unit, and performs brake control for generation of a yaw moment in a body of the vehicle by use of a hydraulic system on the basis of the running-condition information which is acquired by the running-condition-information acquisition unit. The brake control unit imposes a limit on an amount of the brake control for generation of the yaw moment when the brake-manipulation-information acquisition unit acquires the information on manipulation for braking during execution of the brake control for generation of the yaw moment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Futamura, Takeshi Kojima, Kazutaka Ohmura