Patents Examined by John Q. Nguyen
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Patent number: 9275503Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the communication of vehicle data, diagnostics and related information with a network remote from the vehicle, and more particularly to communications and storage of vehicle data in the cloud. In one or more preferred embodiments, vehicle information is securely gathered from a vehicle, processed in accordance with instructions and a profile set remotely, and stored at a remote data store, where remote access to such information can be accommodated through applications, smartphones and other remote devices.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2012Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: AERIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.Inventors: Yixiang Chen, Drew S. Johnson, Andrew Durrer, Michael Garner
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Patent number: 9272771Abstract: An onboard flight management system in an aircraft comprises means for continuously calculating first geolocation data, from data received from at least one external geolocation device, comprising a current position and future positions of an aircraft along a trajectory sequenced in several portions and comprising second data comprising demands required by an international navigation procedure called “Required Navigation Performance”, or RNP, for all the portions of the trajectory. The management system additionally comprises a means for displaying first and second data all the way along the trajectory, the first and second data being represented graphically and simultaneously on the said display means in order to enable the pilot to anticipate the flight characteristics for the aircraft and make them converge toward the required demands of the next trajectory portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2013Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: ThalesInventors: Norbert Baloche, Bertrand Barnetche, Michel Roger
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Patent number: 9275008Abstract: An active device of a vehicle, for example a seat belt tensioner, is triggered by reference to an estimated vehicle roll rate exceeding a threshold roll rate. The estimated vehicle roll rate may be conditioned according to vehicle speed, and is determined from inputs of vehicle lateral acceleration, steering wheel angle, and steering wheel speed.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2012Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover LimitedInventor: Paul Bunker
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Patent number: 9266445Abstract: A method for dynamic control of an electric vehicle operable based on a throttle value received from a throttle and a default throttle map correlating default output values with throttle values, the method including: determining a user parameter; detecting a condition indicative of perturbation; in response to detecting the condition indicative of perturbation, determining a replacement output value for a first throttle value based on the user parameter; and controlling vehicle operation to meet the replacement output value in response to receipt of the first throttle value.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: February 23, 2016Assignee: Boosted Inc.Inventors: Sanjay Dastoor, John Ulmen, Salomon Trujillo, Matthew Tran
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Patent number: 9262817Abstract: An environment estimation apparatus includes an image area dividing unit for dividing a camera image taken with a vehicle camera into a plurality of image areas, a camera image information extracting unit for extracting, from an image area that has the sky taken and is acquired from among the plurality of image areas undergoing the division by the image area dividing unit, image information indicating features of the image area, and an environment estimation unit for estimating, from the image information extracted by the camera image information extracting unit, the weather or intensity of light of a surrounding environment by referring to corresponding data indicating the correspondence between the features of the image area and the weather or the intensity of light of the surrounding environment.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2010Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATIONInventor: Tatsuya Mitsugi
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Patent number: 9261370Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and storage medium associated with navigation service are disclosed. In various embodiments, a method may include collecting, by a client mobile device, ambient barometric pressure information at a current location of the client mobile device. The method may further include providing, by the mobile device, contemporaneous navigation assistance to a user of the mobile device or for a user of the mobile device, assisted by a remote navigation assistance service. Assistance by the remote navigation service is associated with determining the current elevation level, based at least in part on ambient barometric pressure information collected by the client mobile device and by one or more crowdsourced mobile devices at the current location. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2011Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Rajesh Poornachandran, Lakshman Krishnamurthy, Uttam Sengupta, Rajsekaran Andiappan
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Patent number: 9254910Abstract: The device (1) comprises means (15) for computing deviations of a flight parameter with respect to a reference flight plan, by taking account of predictions, respectively for a plurality of flight data representing different origins, and display means (5) for simultaneously presenting the set of said deviations on a screen (6) of the flight deck of the aircraft, each time indicating the corresponding origin.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2013Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: Airbus Operations (SAS)Inventors: Jean-Claude Mere, Olivier Babando, Mauro Marinelli, Julien Dramet
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Patent number: 9255808Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for route planning. The system is arranged to be mounted on a moving object. The system comprises a route planning module arranged to plan a route of the object upon request, wherein occasions of being visible from any point in the map within a shooting range during a predetermined time period is minimized. The system is characterized in that the route planning module is arranged to determine areas in the 3D map in which the object will be exposed to a potential threat during a predetermined time period based on line of sight calculations, and determining a re-planned route avoiding said potential threat areas.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2011Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: SAAB ABInventors: Ingmar Andersson, Magnus Brege
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Patent number: 9254757Abstract: On a display, a running power determined in accordance with an accelerator position or the like is displayed. When the hybrid vehicle is controlled in a CS mode, the running power is displayed together with eco-acceleration power greater than a first engine starting power. When the hybrid vehicle is controlled in a CD mode, the running power is displayed together with a second engine starting power in place of the eco-acceleration power. The engine is stopped when the running power is smaller than the first engine starting threshold value in the CS mode. The engine is driven when the running power is equal to or greater than the first engine starting threshold value in the CS mode. The engine is stopped when the running power is smaller than a second engine starting threshold value in the CD mode. The engine is driven when the running power is equal to or greater than the second engine starting threshold value in the CD mode.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2009Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masaya Yamamoto, Yujin Gotoda, Koji Nomura, Takeshi Torii
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Patent number: 9257048Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing a landing site for an aircraft is presented. The landing site is selected from a group of landing sites. A description is communicated to a platform about a state of the aircraft along a route of the aircraft over time to the landing site. The aircraft is flown to the landing site using the description of the state of the aircraft along the route of the aircraft over time.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2013Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Brad W. Offer, Paul Clark Parks, Alan Eugene Bruce, Charles B. Spinelli, Travis S. Reid
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Patent number: 9254854Abstract: A method and a device for determining a train length of a plurality of coupled railroad traction vehicles, each having a vehicle device with an ID specific to the railroad traction vehicle, include determining the train length of arbitrarily long train sets in a secure and simple signaling manner by having vehicle devices determine if the railroad traction vehicle is coupled on one side or both sides by evaluating coupling contacts. The IDs of all of the coupled railroad traction vehicles or ID pairs indicating adjoining relationships of railroad traction vehicles directly coupled to one another are successively transmitted to a particular vehicle device by digital I/O connections between the vehicle devices. The device determines the train length as a function of received IDs or ID pairs.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2011Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Christian Bode, Karsten Rahn
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Patent number: 9255639Abstract: In vehicles designed to pick up and process crops, drive units affect the ground drive, which is an all-wheel drive, which acts on all of the wheels and/or track roller unit in contact with the ground, electronic controls and actuators perform the control and regulation of the drive units, and control units that control the drive torque at the wheels are used to obtain good traction and minimal slippage of the wheels on the ground. To control the drive torques, sensors are used at particular points, the signals and data of which are processed by the control device in order to predetermine a torque or intake volume requirement. The preselection of torque in the control results in the intake volume of the hydraulic drive motor being regulated. By specifying the intake volume required, it is possible to obtain optimal traction at one or more drive wheels, and to prevent undesired slippage of any one drive wheel in advance.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2008Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbHInventors: Heinrich Dueckinghaus, Manfred Gersmann
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Patent number: 9255809Abstract: The techniques introduced here include a method for estimating a travel time between an origin and a destination. The method comprises determining a plurality of travel options from the origin to the destination. Further, each travel option is divided into a plurality of serial travel segments such that the travel segments serially connect the origin to the destination. For each of the travel options, the method further comprises estimating a time of travel in each of the travel segments. The estimated time of travel in a given travel segment is a function of both the nature of travel service associated with the segment and the one or more second user preferences associated with a travel service used in the segment. The method further comprises calculating, for each of the travel options, the total estimated travel time as a function of estimated travel times associated with each of the travel segments.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2012Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: Global Eagle Entertainment Inc.Inventor: Joshua Benegal Marks
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Patent number: 9254866Abstract: A method of controlling steering of a vehicle through setting wheel angles of a plurality of modular electronic corner assemblies (eModules) is provided. The method includes receiving a driving mode selected from a mode selection menu. A position of a steering input device is determined in a master controller. A velocity of the vehicle is determined, in the master controller, when the determined position of the steering input device is near center. A drive mode request corresponding to the selected driving mode to the plurality of steering controllers is transmitted to the master controller. A required steering angle of each of the plurality of eModules is determined, in the master controller, as a function of the determined position of the steering input device, the determined velocity of the vehicle, and the selected first driving mode. The eModules are set to the respective determined steering angles.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2013Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationInventors: Andrew D. Dawson, William J. Bluethmann, Chunhao J. Lee, Robert L. Vitale, Raymond Guo, Venkata Prasad Atluri
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Patent number: 9248725Abstract: A panoramic vehicle sunroof system is provided. The panoramic sunroof system has a movable roof panel operable to define a sunroof opening extending generally from a front pillar to a rear pillar. A sunroof controller is configured to receive input indicative of vehicle speed and automatically control movement of the panel. The sunroof controller commands movement of the roof panel from a first open position to a second open position having an opening distance less than in the first position when speed exceeds a threshold. In the second position, wind noise is reduced.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2012Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jeffrey Comfort, Bryan Underwood, Artem Poliakov
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Patent number: 9251502Abstract: A maintenance system for a fleet of aircraft and a method of planning maintenance for a fleet of aircraft that includes identifying a maintenance schedule having at least one routine maintenance action for an aircraft to be maintained, generating a non-routine maintenance task schedule comprising non-routine maintenance tasks, and generating a combined schedule comprising a combination of the maintenance schedule and the non-routine maintenance task schedule.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2012Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LLCInventor: Steve John Schoonveld
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Patent number: 9250083Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to determining position of a motorized vehicle using wireless techniques. Methods, apparatus and systems are disclosed. A method can include: receiving absolute positioning data; receiving, from a mobile device, at least one of gyroscope data and odometry data; receiving, from a vehicle, at least one of gyroscope data and odometry data; initializing at least a heading to determine a relative path, wherein the relative path is based at least in part on the received data from the mobile device and the vehicle, wherein the received data comprises gyroscope data and odometry data; and shifting the relative path to an estimated path, wherein the estimated path is based at least in part on the absolute positioning data.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2013Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventors: Joseph Czompo, Benjamin A. Werner, Vesa Veikko Ruuska, William James Morrison
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Patent number: 9248794Abstract: Embodiments of apparatus and methods for configuring user customizable operational features of a vehicle are described. In embodiments, an apparatus may include a communication module configured to be disposed in the vehicle, and communicate with a mobile device a user. The apparatus may further include a controller configured to be disposed in the vehicle and coupled with the communication module, to obtain from the mobile device, one or more preferences of the user for one or more user customizable features of the vehicle, and adjust the one or more user customizable operational features of the vehicle based at least in part on the one or more preferences of the user obtained. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2013Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: INTEL CORPORATIONInventors: Sherry S. Chang, Jason Martin, Abhilasha Bhargav-Spantzel, Hormuzd M. Khosravi, Craig T. Owen
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Patent number: 9241769Abstract: A surgical instrument is provided, including: at least one articulatable arm having a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one joint region disposed between the distal and proximal ends; an optical fiber bend sensor provided in the at least one joint region of the at least one articulatable arm; a detection system coupled to the optical fiber bend sensor, said detection system comprising a light source and a light detector for detecting light reflected by or transmitted through the optical fiber bend sensor to determine a position of at least one joint region of the at least one articulatable arm based on the detected light reflected by or transmitted through the optical fiber bend sensor; and a control system comprising a servo controller for effectuating movement of the arm.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2011Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: David Q. Larkin, David C. Shafer
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Patent number: 9243929Abstract: A method is provided for recommending a fuel purchase plan along a route to a selected destination. The method includes obtaining a fuel tank size, amount of fuel in the tank, and a fuel efficiency for an automobile. The method further includes accepting user entry of a destination for traveling in the automobile, automatically identifying a current location and determining a route to the destination. For each of a plurality of refueling stations along the route, the method acquires a location of the refueling station and a current fuel price being offered at the refueling station. The method then provides output recommending one or more refueling stations at which to stop and a quantity of fuel to purchase at each of the one or more refueling stations in order to reach the destination without running out of fuel and minimizing the price of fuel purchased.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2013Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Jennifer L. Burlingham, Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Christine M. Stamm-Nettleship, LaLecha J. Watkins