Patents Examined by John R. Olszewski
  • Patent number: 9296291
    Abstract: An electric vehicle having an in-wheel motor drive system including: a wheel bearing unit rotatably supporting a drive wheel; a motor unit; and a reducer unit interposed between the motor unit and the wheel bearing unit, a motor torque command value Tmr being calculated from: (i) an estimate ^Te of external force influence on the drive wheel, which is estimated from the motor torque command value Tmr and a rotational frequency ?1 of a driven wheel; and (ii) a correction value Tc which is calculated from a rotational frequency ?2 of the drive wheel, an accelerator signal Tr and the estimate ^Tc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takayoshi Ozaki
  • Patent number: 9299261
    Abstract: This invention relates to a device and process for determining an airport runway state (12), as well as for using such data. The process includes: acquisition (A1) of measurement data pertaining to at least one physical size of an aircraft (10), during the take off or landing roll phase of the aircraft on said runway; obtaining (A2), using the data acquired, a plurality of estimated adhesion values “?” of the runway, corresponding to a respective plurality of taxiing moments of the aircraft; obtaining (A3), using the data acquired, a slip ratio value “s” of at least one of the aircraft's wheels for each said taxiing moment, so as to obtain (A4) a plurality of coupled data points [s,?]; and determination of a runway state by comparing (A5.2) the coupled data points [s,?] profile with at least one predetermined profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (SAS)
    Inventor: Logan Jones
  • Patent number: 9291261
    Abstract: The shift sequence for a transmission ratio change of a vehicle drive train is determined depending on an operating state of the vehicle drive train existing upon the actual transmission ratio of the transmission device. The operating state is characterized by various operating state quantities of the vehicle drive train, which represent input quantities of a model representing the vehicle drive train. Output quantities of the model supply at least one target value that determines the shift sequence in terms of characterization and application as input quantities of an optimization routine, by which a minimization of the functional connection of at least one target value is carried out. The torque characteristics representing the shift sequence of devices of the vehicle drive train are determined depending on the minimum of the functional connection of at least one target value, taking into account the limits of the operating state quantities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Eckehard Münch, Uwe Heitz, Mauro Zanella, Manfred Sieger, Jörg Geis
  • Patent number: 9292018
    Abstract: A detector detects positions of a moving body in a travel direction at a position shifted from a center of control of travel of the moving body in a direction different than the travel direction of the moving body. Positions of the center of control in the travel direction relative to the output of the detector is stored in a storage unit for at least a curved section of a travel route of the moving body, and the travel of the moving body is controlled by a controller, based on the positions of the center of control read out from the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Hanaka, Tetsuya Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9290184
    Abstract: A tire force modeling rig and method of obtaining data for use in optimizing cornering performance in a four-wheeled racing vehicle includes first measuring unsprung weight at each wheel. The vehicle is then positioned on the tire force modeling rig. The rig includes a first set of floating scales for recording the weight at each tire on a first side of the racing vehicle, a second set of fixed position scales for recording the weight at each tire on an opposing second side of the racing vehicle, and a mechanism to effect a horizontal force onto the racing vehicle. Scale readings at each wheel are recorded, after which a first horizontal force is applied to the vehicle. With the horizontal force applied, updated scale readings at each wheel are recorded. Collected data can then be used to ascertain optimal car setup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Inventor: David A. Diel
  • Patent number: 9290182
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, brake actuators configured to slow the vehicle in response to braking commands, and a transmission. The transmission includes a plurality of gear sets each having a plurality of nodes, an input member that is continuously connected to the engine and to a node of one of the gear sets, a reverse clutch, a binary clutch assembly, and a controller. The binary clutch assembly is connected at least to the same gear set as the input member, and is applied with the reverse clutch when entering a reverse gear state. The controller executes a method to transmit the braking commands to the brake actuators in response to a requested garage shift into a reverse gear state when the vehicle is rolling above a calibrated speed threshold, and thereby slows the vehicle until a calibrated target slip is achieved across the binary clutch assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Randall B. Dlugoss, John E. Marano
  • Patent number: 9286485
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, processors may operate to establish trust with trust point systems by performing a user authentication, a platform authentication, and an environment authentication. The processors may communicate information with the trust point systems in response to establishing trust. In certain embodiments, the trust point systems may cooperate to provide a variety of services, such as escorting, battery charging, vehicle security, and/or emissions reporting services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Seigo Kotani, Masato Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9283827
    Abstract: A portable terminal (300) transmits to a server (210) a request to start pre-air conditioning when the operations to begin pre-air conditioning are performed on the screen of the portable terminal (300). The server (210) predicts whether an air conditioning device (180) will begin cooling or heating on the basis of a set of vehicle location information stored in a vehicle information storage unit (214) and a set of temperature information acquired from a temperature information center, and transmits the prediction results to the portable terminal (300). As a consequence, it is possible to notify the cooling/heating state to a vehicle user in a timely manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Junichi Nishida
  • Patent number: 9283910
    Abstract: Provided is an object detection apparatus and an object detecting method for, with respect to an object detected by a radar, determining whether the object is an automobile and performing an appropriate collision determination based on a determination result. The apparatus comprises a radar device 1 which detects a target in a surrounding area of an own vehicle VM; a target processing section 21 which calculates, with respect to the detected target, information containing at least two of information indicating a position of presence, information indicating a moving direction, and information indicating a moving speed, of the target as target information; and a target determination section 23 which determines, based on the calculated target information, whether a target object is a bicycle depending on whether the target satisfies a predetermined condition, and which determines a risk of collision between the vehicle VM and the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Jun Tsunekawa
  • Patent number: 9280157
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a human transport device and associated system to transport a user within an active workspace. The human transport device may include a platform to support a user, an enclosure coupled to the platform to surround the user, a drive subsystem to power the human transport device, and a control unit to control the movement of the human transport device in coordination with active mobile drive units moving within the workspace. A system implementing one or more human transport devices may include a management module to direct the movement of the one or more human transport devices and designate one or more areas within the workspace as protected areas. Unauthorized objects may be prohibited from entering the protected areas while the human transport device may be allowed within the protected areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter R. Wurman, Michael T. Barbehenn, Matthew David Verminski, Michael Cordell Mountz, Dennis Polic, Andrew Edward Hoffman, James Raymond Allard, Eryk Brian Nice
  • Patent number: 9280899
    Abstract: A system and method provided on an ego-vehicle for assessing potential threats in a vehicle collision avoidance system, and/or to plan safety-allowed vehicle trajectories for vehicle path planning. The method includes detecting objects in a predetermined vicinity around the ego-vehicle, and determining the relative velocity or other measure between each detected object and the ego-vehicle. The method defines a virtual dynamic safety shield around each detected object that has a shape, size and orientation that is determined by predetermined properties related to the current state of traffic around the ego-vehicle. The method also defines an action grid around the ego-vehicle. The method assesses the threat level of a potential collision between each detected object based on how the shield for that object and the action grid interact. The interaction between the shields and the grid induces actions aimed at aborting collisions and allows for trajectory planning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Armin Biess, Ido Zelman, Mario Jodorkovsky
  • Patent number: 9273975
    Abstract: Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for determining the accuracy of map data. In one embodiment, map data and collected telematics data can be compared. The difference between the map data and the telematics data can be used to determine the accuracy of the map data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Mark J. Davidson
  • Patent number: 9273968
    Abstract: Track information generating devices, methods, and programs acquire a self-contained navigation track of a vehicle indicated by time-series pieces of self-contained navigation information, and acquire a GPS track that is a track of the vehicle indicated by time-series pieces of GPS information. The devices, methods, and compare the self-contained navigation track with the GPS track to acquire a first correction amount for obtaining the highest degree of coincidence between the self-contained navigation track and the GPS track and then correct the self-contained navigation information using a second correction amount that is smaller than the first correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Oohashi, Daisuke Sakaki, Yohei Ando
  • Patent number: 9275549
    Abstract: An in-vehicle apparatus and method generates a pseudo-travel locus that is used to perform a driving support control. The in-vehicle apparatus has a pseudo-locus generator for generating the pseudo-travel locus of a subject vehicle and a communication controller for controlling a transmitter to transmit the pseudo-travel locus of the subject vehicle. The pseudo-travel locus is generated from a travel locus of a lead vehicle and a current position of the subject vehicle. Therefore, a portion of the travel locus of the subject vehicle is similar to an actual travel locus of the subject vehicle. Thus, when the pseudo-travel locus is transmitted as a travel locus of the subject vehicle, nearby vehicles may perform a driving support control based on the pseudo-travel locus of the subject vehicle. As a result, the actual travel locus of the subject vehicle is not disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Motonori Ando
  • Patent number: 9268740
    Abstract: An external environment recognizing device for vehicle includes an image acquiring unit configured to acquire image obtained by picking up image of an area ahead of an own vehicle, a light-source extracting unit configured to extract light source from the acquired image, an own-vehicle-speed acquiring unit configured to acquire own vehicle speed, an oncoming-vehicle-presence-possible-region estimating unit configured to estimate oncoming vehicle presence possible region on the basis of own vehicle speed, and an oncoming-vehicle detecting unit configured to detect an oncoming vehicle on the basis of the oncoming vehicle presence possible region and the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehito Ogata, Yuji Otsuka, Shinya Ohtsuji
  • Patent number: 9266525
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a battery storing electric power generated by operating the engine, and an ECU allowing the engine to stop in the state where a remaining capacity of the battery is larger than a first threshold value. When the engine is started by a factor different from a reduction in the remaining capacity of the battery in the state where the remaining capacity of the battery is smaller than the first threshold value, ECU causes the engine to operate and causes the battery to be charged until the remaining capacity of the battery increases to a second threshold value which is larger than the first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Keita Sato
  • Patent number: 9266503
    Abstract: A vehicular control system includes a smart key carried by a user and operated by an embedded battery and a verification ECU mounted in a vehicle. A wireless communication is made between the smart key and the verification ECU. The smart key performs periodically a switchover of a detection sensitivity for detecting a transmission electric wave transmitted from the verification ECU between a normal sensitivity and a high sensitivity. The high sensitivity has a detection area of the transmission electric wave greater than a detection area of the normal sensitivity. The constant use of the high sensitivity is unnecessary to detect the transmission electric wave. This enables a reduction of the consumed electric current of the battery for detecting the transmission electric wave with the high sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenji Katou
  • Patent number: 9260002
    Abstract: An engine starting system and technique for transitioning from an electric drive mode to a hybrid drive made in a hybrid electric vehicle is disclosed. In an electric drive mode the torque demand of the hybrid electric vehicle is met by an electromechanical device. The starting technique includes slipping a clutch between the engine and electromechanical device with the vehicle in the electric drive mode to rotate the engine, disengaging the clutch so that the engine is fueled to obtain a speed that approximates a speed of the electromechanical device, and engaging the clutch to couple the engine and the electromechanical device to the drive shaft to meet driver torque demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Pinak J. Tulpule, Mahesh M. Kumar
  • Patent number: 9260003
    Abstract: If the temperature (Tig) of a switching element (25) in a source power supply circuit (24) of an electric motor (2) increases to be equal to or greater than a first predetermined value (?) while an electric vehicle (1) is in a stall state, a torque command for the electric motor (2) is reduced while a braking force command for a brake unit (10) is increased, and if the temperature (Tig) of the switching element (25) subsequently decreases to be equal to or less than a second predetermined value (?(<?)), the braking force command for the brake unit (10) is decreased while the torque command for the electric motor (2) is increased. The increment rate of the torque command for the electric motor (2) is varied in accordance with the degree of road gradient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masanori Matsushita, Naoki Fujishiro, Osamu Saito, Hidetoshi Kobori, Satoshi Matsushita
  • Patent number: 9261368
    Abstract: An approach is provided for linking the navigation and flashlight functions of a mobile device for guidance purposes. A coordination platform determines mapping information, navigation information, or a combination thereof associated with at least one device. The coordination platform determines at least one operational parameter for at least one flashlight component of the at least one device based, at least in part, on the mapping information, the navigation information, or a combination thereof. The coordination platform causes, at least in part, a configuration of the at least one flashlight component based, at least in part, on the at least one operational parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventor: Jerome Beaurepaire