Patents Examined by Jorge Peche
  • Patent number: 8135504
    Abstract: A method is disclosed that resolves a long-standing seafaring problem of how close to the wind to sail. Sailboats need a convenient way to determine the optimal heading to minimize the Tacking Time to Destination (TTD). Unlike Velocity Made Good (VMG), the method disclosed here allows route planning before the trip, predicts travel time on different points of sail, allows comparison of the optimal tacking routes, and also plots the different routes so that it is inherently obvious that a particular tacking angle is longer and more off-course but will arrive sooner because of the speed on that heading. These principles can be implemented with manual dials that define the distance and speed, to calculate the relative or actual travel time on a leg without using electronics. Software is also described that visually illustrates the current and optimal headings by calculating Tacking Time to Destination before departure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Inventor: Craig Summers
  • Patent number: 8131459
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for distinguishing between LOCATION REPORT messages to avoid ambiguities. Therefore, a value of an information element of request type is returned by a radio network controller, depending on an intended receiver of the location information. A control node receiving the information element value analyses said value and determines the receiver depending on the result of said analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventors: Enrico De Luca, Alessandro Lala, Martin Israelsson, Anders Molander, Maurizio Iovieno, Árpád Kormos
  • Patent number: 8131405
    Abstract: An adaptive guidance system (AGS) regulates the altitude and heading of a parasail to arrive at a target at a prescribed altitude. Since the altitude profile depends both on unknown wing loading, and wind magnitude and direction, the AGS estimates the glide slope and wind on the fly and provides a command to a stability augmentation system (SAS) that results in the desired glide slope and heading by performing a sequence of maneuvers and sensing the response. According to one embodiment, the SAS operates in the linear region and includes a PID controller that uses the difference between the actual heading and heading command to create an actuator output. The actuator output is limited by a position/rate limiter that imposes the physical limitations of the response time of the actuator/servos and position limits to prevent entering the nonlinear region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: ATAIR Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel J. Preston
  • Patent number: 8126609
    Abstract: A vehicle driving assist system calculates a risk potential indicative of a degree of convergence between a host vehicle and a preceding obstacle. Then, the system performs a driver notification operation that produces a driver notification stimulus based on the risk potential such as decreasing the driving force exerted against the vehicle as the risk potential increases and increasing an actuation reaction force exerted on the accelerator pedal during its operation as the risk potential increases. If a failure is detected in a reaction force generating device serving to add a reaction force to the accelerator pedal in accordance with the risk potential, then the system corrects an engine torque characteristic such that the engine torque does not increase even if the accelerator pedal is depressed to suppress an odd feeling in the vehicle performance by the driver when a failure occurs in the reaction force generating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Kimura, Yosuke Kobayashi, Yukinori Nishida
  • Patent number: 8126601
    Abstract: A system and method for predicting a route to be authorized by a dispatcher for a vehicle to travel on a route network comprises a computer system that has a database having stored data relative to interconnecting route segments that make up the route network. Data relative to the origination location and the destination location is input into the computer system. The processor accesses the database and generates a predicted route with an origination location and destination location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin Kapp, Eric Vorndran, Daniel Pagano, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar
  • Patent number: 8116930
    Abstract: A dynamic diagnostic plan generator arranges diagnostic test procedures related to a vehicle symptom or operational problem in a sequence based on a probabilistic Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). The diagnostic plan generator also tracks a vehicle state, and provides instructions for test preparation steps and instructions for performing the diagnostic test procedures. The plan generator further generates schematic illustrations of the diagnostic test procedures, and creates a diagnostic data structure containing information related to the diagnostic test procedures. In addition, the diagnostic plan generator sends and receives information regarding actual failure mode occurrences, for example, to and from a central database. Furthermore, the diagnostic plan generator facilitates the creation of failure mode tests by an expert diagnostics author.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: SPX Corporation
    Inventors: Olav M. Underdal, Harry M. Gilbert, Oleksiy Portyanko, Randy L. Mayes, Gregory J. Fountain, William W. Wittliff, III
  • Patent number: 8112220
    Abstract: A computer controlled system for managing traffic signals at the intersection of at least two traffic lanes to avoid collisions between motor vehicles in intersecting lanes. An implementation for controlling traffic signals at the intersection to permit vehicles in each of the intersection traffic lanes a time period to pass through the intersection, detecting the presence of a vehicle in the intersection beyond the permitted time period, and responsive to a detection of the presence of the vehicle, controlling the traffic signals to stop other vehicles from passing through the intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Paolini, Yvenne Patrice Stoetzel, Cristi Nesbitt Ullmann
  • Patent number: 8108069
    Abstract: A robotic instrument system and method, comprising at least two instrument drive assemblies each detachably coupled to a respective instrument assembly. Each instrument assembly comprising an elongate, flexible guide instrument configured to be inserted into a patient's body. The instrument drive assemblies comprise one or more motors configure to operate a respective instrument assembly. One or more controllers are operatively coupled to the instrument drive assemblies. The method comprises maneuvering a distal end of each of the respective guide instruments into a patient's heart by actuating the respective drive assembly performing a procedure controlled by the one or more controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Hansen Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory J. Stahler, Frederic H. Moll
  • Patent number: 8103381
    Abstract: A laser processing robot control system is provided with a robot, a laser beam scanning device and a robot controlling apparatus. The laser beam scanning device is movable in a three-dimensional direction with respect to the robot to scan a laser beam on a workpiece. This system selectively positions the robot and the laser beam scanning device to a prescribed position, and controls the laser beam scanning device to scan the laser beam at a processing spot in a scan pattern based on a detected posture of the robot and the scan pattern retrieved from the robot controlling apparatus. The teaching operations for positioning the robot and the laser beam scanning device to the prescribed position are performed independently of the teaching operations for controlling the scanning of the laser beam at the processing spot in the scan pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiromitsu Fukawa
  • Patent number: 8099188
    Abstract: An industrial robot for moving an object in space. A platform is arranged for carrying the object. A first arm is arranged for influencing the platform in a first movement. The first arm includes a first actuator and three links. Each link includes an outer joint connected to the platform and an inner joint connected to the first actuator. A second arm is arranged for influencing the platform in a second movement. The second arm includes a second actuator and two links. Each link includes an outer joint connected to the platform and an inner joint connected to the second actuator. A third arm is arranged for influencing the platform in a third movement. The third arm includes one link including an outer joint connected to the platform. At least one of the links is arranged with an adjustable length and includes a linear actuator for controlling the length of the link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: ABB AB
    Inventor: Torgny Brogardh
  • Patent number: 8090535
    Abstract: An azimuth processing device is designed for outputting azimuth data based on measurement data sequentially output from a compass sensor. In the device, an accumulation section selectively accumulates substantially new pieces of the measurement data. An offset data updating section updates offset data of the compass sensor based on plural pieces of the measurement data accumulated by said accumulation section. An azimuth data output section outputs the azimuth data based on substantially newest measurement data and the offset data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Sato, Kiyoshi Yamaki, Masayoshi Omura, Chihiro Osuga, Satoshi Nihashi, Tetsuya Mabuchi
  • Patent number: 8078392
    Abstract: There is provided with an ECU for estimating an unburned fuel amount (HC) emitted from an engine after fuel combustion or a temperature of a DPF based upon a required engine operating condition as a control target value. An exhaust gas temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of an exhaust gas emitted directly from the engine is provided. A program for compensating for an estimation error in regard to an estimation value of the unburned fuel amount estimated from the required engine operating condition, that is, an operating condition difference amount between the required engine operating condition and an actual engine operating condition, based upon an engine exhaust gas temperature detected from the exhaust gas temperature sensor is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeto Yahata, Shinichirou Okugawa, Tsutomu Soga
  • Patent number: 8065083
    Abstract: An azimuth processing device is designed for outputting azimuth data based on measurement data sequentially output from a compass sensor. In the device, an accumulation section selectively accumulates substantially new pieces of the measurement data. An offset data updating section updates offset data of the compass sensor based on plural pieces of the measurement data accumulated by said accumulation section. An azimuth data output section outputs the azimuth data based on substantially newest measurement data and the offset data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Sato, Kiyoshi Yamaki, Masayoshi Omura, Chihiro Osuga, Satoshi Nihashi, Tetsuya Mabuchi
  • Patent number: 8065081
    Abstract: Data is shared between a vehicle mounted navigation device and a vehicle mounted user interface device and among a plurality of vehicle mounted user interface devices. In a first location free display that allows a plurality of users to separately have access to the navigation device, external data obtained from the navigation device or from another location free display and its own user data are saved and managed, and shared with the navigation device and the another location free display. It is possible to utilize the external data not owned by itself or the user data of another person with the navigation device or the another location free display and perform a navigation process in an inner space of the vehicle efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Kugumiya, Isao Watanabe, Keisuke Ishii
  • Patent number: 8050861
    Abstract: A road map is provided which allows a determination to be intuitively rendered whether a course contains an increased number of upward slopes or downward slopes as viewed in the direction of the course. The direction of the course is set up across roads indicated on the map, and the upward slopes and the downward slopes located along the course are indicated in different colors. For example, the direction of the course is set up on the map by a starting point and destinations. A gentle upward slope is indicated by a red color of a low thickness, a medium upward slope is indicated by a red color of a medium thickness and a sharp upward slope is indicated by a red color of a high thickness. On the other hand, a gentle downward slope is indicated by a blue color of a low thickness, a medium downward slope is indicated by a blue color of a medium thickness and a sharp downward slope is indicated by a blue color of a high thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Inventor: Kazuharu Seki
  • Patent number: 8046141
    Abstract: An automatic gear shifting control device of a vehicle can execute an automatic gear shifting control in response to a larger rotational speed. The automatic gear shifting control device includes a gear shifting control instruction part that executes an automatic gear shifting operation of an AMT in response to at least vehicle-speed information. First and second sensors detect rotational speed of front and rear wheels. A rotational-speed-difference detector detects the difference in rotational speed between the front and rear wheels based on information from the first and second sensors. The control part is configured to execute an automatic gear shifting control in response to the vehicle-speed information calculated based on the larger rotational speed out of the rotational speed of the front wheel and the rotational speed of the rear wheel when the difference in rotational speed is detected by the rotational-speed-difference detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nedachi, Takashi Ozeki, Yoshiaki Tsukada, Hiroyuki Kojima
  • Patent number: 8036781
    Abstract: A driving assisting for calculating risk potential by considering a response delay by the driver and transmitting information related to the risk potential to the operator in a haptic manner. A controller is provided to estimate the response delay based on an operation performed by the operator. Based on the estimated response delay, the controller calculates a future position at which the risk potential is to be calculated. The longer the response delay, the remoter the future position is. The shorter the response delay, the nearer the future position is. The calculated risk potential at the future position may be transmitted to the operator via a pressing force from one of right and left side portions of a driver's seat occupied by the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Egami
  • Patent number: 8036820
    Abstract: When a change occurs between a previous traffic condition based on traffic information provided previously and the current traffic condition, a control unit of a vehicle-mounted device performs control such that traffic information is acquired from an external device via wireless communication. A comparison of current vehicle traveling conditions and previous vehicle traveling conditions can also be used to determine whether traffic information should be updated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Manabu Sera
  • Patent number: 8027756
    Abstract: Systems, computer program products, and methods for displaying navigation performance based flight path deviation information during the final approach segment to a runway and during landing of non-precision flight modes are provided. Improved graphical depictions of navigation performance based flight path deviation information provide pilots and flight crew members with clear, concise displays of the dynamic relationship between ANP and RNP, mode and aspect of flight and related procedures, intersecting flight paths, and current actual flight path deviation from a predefined flight path during the final approach segment to a runway and during landing. For example, an enhanced IAN display may include NPS-type deviation scales to show RNP/ANP relationships and predetermined RNP markers to alert the pilots and flight crew members that the FMC has transitioned from an NPS display for RNAV (LNAV/VNAV) flight procedures to an enhanced IAN display for a non-precision (non-xLS) approach and/or landing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Robert B. Davis, Daniel J. Boorman, L. Kirk Gagnon, William L. Goodman, Alan R. Jacobsen, William A. Miller, James E. Mitchell, Victor A. Riley, William F. Royce, William D. Tafs
  • Patent number: 8024083
    Abstract: A vehicular diagnostic communications system, and components thereof, are provided for an apparatus and technique for communicating vehicular diagnostic information over a cellphone network. The system includes a code reader having a vehicle diagnostic port connector for receiving vehicle diagnostic information from the vehicle diagnostic port. The code reader also has a local connectivity network circuit for communicating vehicle diagnostic information between the vehicle diagnostic port connector and a local connectivity circuit. A cellphone is arranged in communication with the local connectivity network for communicating vehicle diagnostic information between the code reader and a cellular telephone network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Inventor: Ieon C. Chenn