Patents Examined by Lail A Kleinman
  • Patent number: 10247574
    Abstract: A system and method for determining and displaying a minimum maneuverable altitude for an aircraft to turn back includes automatically processing aircraft characteristic data, aircraft flight trajectory data, and environmental/airport services data, in a processing system, to determine a rate of change of aircraft maneuverable altitude with respect to change in aircraft heading. At least the determined rate of change of aircraft altitude with respect to change in aircraft heading is processed, in the processing system, to determine the minimum maneuverable altitude at least engine out conditions. Terrain data is processed, in the processing system, to determine a terrain clearance height above which the minimum maneuverable altitude may be implemented. The minimum maneuverable altitude is rendered, on a display device, on the altitude tape, and a pseudo gate is rendered on the display device that represents a height above the terrain that corresponds to the minimum maneuverable altitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jaibir Singh, Sreenivasan Govindillam K., Raghu Shamasundar, Abneesh Singla
  • Patent number: 10244675
    Abstract: Autonomous mobile field robots may be used to maintain fields. An autonomous mobile field robot may perform soil mechanics with environment sensors at a sub-region and store the soil mechanics. The robot may further determine soil temperature of the sub-region and store the soil temperature. The soil mechanics and the soil temperature are sent to a monitoring server via a radio access network for storage and analysis. The parameters for the soil of the sub-region may be adjusted based on the soil mechanics of the sub-region with the chemicals from chemical storage units. The robot may return to a home station to refill one or more of the water or chemicals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Veritas FC LLC
    Inventor: Gavin LaRowe
  • Patent number: 10240931
    Abstract: A disclosed method includes computing, for each of a plurality of values of at least one type of error parameter, a distance traveled for each of a plurality of directions of travel. The method includes selecting, from the plurality of values of the at least one type of error parameter, a value that provides a greatest distance traveled for any of the plurality of directions of travel relative to the unselected ones of the plurality of values. The method further includes applying the selected value of the at least one type of error parameter to gyroscopic sensor data, and then determining navigation information based on the gyroscopic sensor data with the selected value of the at least one type of error parameter applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Sandeep Rao, Deric Wayne Waters
  • Patent number: 10239640
    Abstract: Predictive aircraft maintenance systems and methods are disclosed. Predictive maintenance methods may include extracting feature data from flight data collected during a flight of the aircraft, applying an ensemble of related classifiers to produce a classifier indicator for each classifier of the ensemble of classifiers, aggregating the classifier indicators to produce an aggregate indicator indicating an aggregate category of a selected component for a threshold number of future flights, and determining the performance status of the selected component based on the aggregate indicator. The classifiers are each configured to indicate a category of the selected component within a given number of flights. The given number of flights for each classifier is different. The threshold number of future flights is greater than or equal to the maximum of the given numbers of the classifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: James M. Ethington, Liessman E. Sturlaugson, James Schimert, Timothy J. Wilmering
  • Patent number: 10241508
    Abstract: Example systems and methods enable an autonomous vehicle to request assistance from a remote operator in certain predetermined situations. One example method includes determining a representation of an environment of an autonomous vehicle based on sensor data of the environment. Based on the representation, the method may also include identifying a situation from a predetermined set of situations for which the autonomous vehicle will request remote assistance. The method may further include sending a request for assistance to a remote assistor, the request including the representation of the environment and the identified situation. The method may additionally include receiving a response from the remote assistor indicating an autonomous operation. The method may also include causing the autonomous vehicle to perform the autonomous operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Nathaniel Fairfield, Joshua Seth Herbach, Vadim Furman
  • Patent number: 10234860
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and a device for safety driving. The method includes: acquiring riding data of a current user of a self-balancing vehicle; comparing the acquired riding data with riding data corresponding to a plurality of preset user levels; and determining a user level of the current user of the self-balancing vehicle according to a result of the comparing. The riding data includes one or more of the following data: a riding time, a riding distance, a shaking frequency, a shaking arc magnitude, and a shaking time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yan Xie, Tian Ren, Yue Cheng
  • Patent number: 10232931
    Abstract: Aerial vehicles may be operated with discrete sets of propellers, which may be selected for a specific purpose or on a specific basis. The discrete sets of propellers may be operated separately or in tandem with one another, and at varying power levels. For example, a set of propellers may be selected to optimize the thrust, lift, maneuverability or efficiency of an aerial vehicle based on a position or other operational characteristic of the aerial vehicle, or an environmental condition encountered by the aerial vehicle. At least one of the propellers may be statically or dynamically imbalanced, such that the propeller emits a predetermined sound during operation. A balanced propeller may be specifically modified to cause the aerial vehicle to emit the predetermined sound by changing one or more parameters of the balanced propeller and causing the balanced propeller to be statically or dynamically imbalanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Howard Lee Huddleston, Jr., Brian C. Beckman, Allan Ko
  • Patent number: 10228258
    Abstract: Determining top venues from aggregated user activity location data is disclosed, including: receiving a set of location data associated with user activities; determining a plurality of stop events using the set of location data associated with the user activities; and selecting a plurality of top venues based at least in part on the plurality of stop events. Furthermore, top venues associated with user activities can be used to detect group activities and/or tour activities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Strava, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Mach, Leo Romanovsky
  • Patent number: 10222802
    Abstract: A method for assisting a driver of a two-wheeled vehicle. The method includes sensing and evaluating a driving environment of the motorcycle as a function of a driving state of the motorcycle, especially an inclination of the motorcycle, in order to detect objects in the driving environment; determining a hazard potential as a function of the detected objects and the driving state; and warning the driver and/or triggering a driver assistance system and/or a vehicle safety system of the motorcycle as a function of the determined hazard potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Alfred Kuttenberger
  • Patent number: 10222797
    Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling operation of an autonomously navigating utility vehicle equipped with a prime mover to travel about a working area delineated by a boundary wire laid thereat in order to perform work autonomously, there are provided with a working region establishing unit that divides the working area into multiple regions by an imaginary boundary line designated by an operator and establishes a preferential working region in the working area, and a travel controlling unit that controls operation of the prime mover to make the vehicle travel autonomously in the preferential working region, discriminates whether the vehicle has reached the imaginary boundary line based on a detected vehicle position detector, and when the vehicle has reached the imaginary boundary line, controlling operation of the prime mover to make the vehicle turn toward inside of the preferential working region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Yamamura, Toshiaki Kawakami
  • Patent number: 10220878
    Abstract: A backing system for a vehicle-trailer unit includes an input device for providing a input used to determine a first and second requested hitch angle. The first hitch angle is disposed within a standard range of motion of the input device while the second hitch angle is disposed within a maximum range of motion, different from the standard range of motion. Movement of the input device in the standard range of motion limits the requested hitch angle to a first maximum value to prevent jack-knifing of the vehicle-trailer unit. However, movement of the input device in the maximum range of motion does not limit the actual hitch angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Herzog, Ibro Muharemovic
  • Patent number: 10217232
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to locally aligning features within a map. In one embodiment, a method includes segmenting map data that forms the map using a first grid to divide the map into a first set of tiles and a second grid to divide the map into a second set of tiles that are offset and overlap the first set of tiles. The method includes analyzing neighbor tiles in relation to a patch tile based, at least in part, on shared features between the patch tile and the neighbor tiles to identify external misalignments between one or more of the neighbor tiles and the patch tile. The neighbor tiles are from a different one of the first grid and the second grid. The method includes adjusting alignment of the neighbor tiles within the map according to the external misalignments for the neighbor tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Masahiro Harada
  • Patent number: 10207696
    Abstract: A transmission shift is timed for a hybrid electric powertrain as a function of a torque capacity of an electric machine relative to a shifting torque required to change gearings of a transmission. A vehicle is being propelled by the machine, with an engine stopped, when the shift is requested. If the machine has insufficient torque capacity to change transmission gearings, then the shift request is delayed until the engine has started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bernard D. Nefcy, Marvin P. Kraska, Daniel S. Colvin
  • Patent number: 10189482
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for controlling operation of a vehicle. Driver assistance system (DAS) data may be used for controlling one or more function of the vehicle via a driver assistance system. Driver profile data (DPD) is generated and/or received that includes training data from sensor monitoring of a driver's usage characteristics for at least one feature of a vehicle type during a driver-controlled mode of vehicle driving. The DPD is processed with the DAS data to determine if the DPD conform to a tolerance parameter of the DAS data. A driver profile data file may be created by overwriting the portions of the DAS data with the DPD conforming to the tolerance parameters. One or more functions on the vehicle may be controlled via the driver profile data file using the driver assistance system during one of a semi-autonomous and fully autonomous mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, AUDI AG
    Inventor: Markus B. Huber
  • Patent number: 10183676
    Abstract: A system for use in a vehicle for determining an indication of the type of terrain in the vicinity of the vehicle, the system comprising; means configured to receive sensor output data from at least one vehicle-mounted sensor (12, 22) which is configured to receive a reflected signal from the terrain; means configured to calculate at least two parameters from the sensor output data; means configured to convert the at least two parameters to a data point for a cluster model comprising a plurality of clusters of pre-determined data points, wherein each cluster corresponds to a different terrain type; and means configured to define to which one of the clusters the data point belongs, so as to determine an indication of the terrain type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Edward Hoare, Thuy-Yung Tran, Marina Gashinova, Aleksandr Bystrov, Mikhail Cherniakov
  • Patent number: 10183656
    Abstract: A road slope estimation system providing road grade information for vehicle automatic parking assist system includes synchronized filters for processing vehicle speed differentiation to obtain vehicle acceleration to be compared with chassis accelerometer signal. Road grade information is extracted based on the comparison of the two signals. The system includes a dynamic compensator module to minimize the chassis accelerometer signal disturbance caused by chassis dynamic response to vehicle motion. The system further includes a predictive filter to obtain the steady-state filter result during the filter transient stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Inventors: William Chin-Woei Lin, Yixin Chen, Ke Ding, Xiao He
  • Patent number: 10183679
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for controlling operation of a vehicle. Driver assistance system (DAS) data may be used for controlling one or more function of the vehicle via a driver assistance system. Driver profile data (DPD) is generated and/or received that includes training data from sensor monitoring of a driver's usage characteristics for at least one feature of a vehicle type during a driver-controlled mode of vehicle driving. The DPD is processed with the DAS data to determine if the DPD conform to one or more safety metrics. A driver profile data file may be created by weighing the portions of the DAS data with the DPD that do not conform with the safety metrics. One or more functions on the vehicle may be controlled via the driver profile data file using the driver assistance system during one of a semi-autonomous and fully autonomous mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, AUDI AG
    Inventor: Markus B. Huber
  • Patent number: 10179577
    Abstract: A method for controlling an emergency braking system of a motor vehicle having a stability control system when the stability control system is deactivated or placed in a reduced mode. The method includes the step of determining whether the stability control system is in a deactivated or reduced mode and keeping the automatic emergency braking system active even if the stability control system is deactivated or in a reduced mode. The system includes temporarily activating the stability control system if a hazardous situation exists requiring generation of an emergency braking command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stefan Kappes, Florian Schweter, Markus Jung
  • Patent number: 10160624
    Abstract: Object is to provide a travel facility in which a travel member, that became incapable of traveling due to a cause other than a power supply failure, can be moved to another location on a travel path. A second travel member, provided separately from the first travel member, includes an external signal generating portion for generating an external travel control signal to be sent to a first travel actuator and a connecting portion which can transmit the external travel control signal. The first travel member includes a first connecting portion which can receive the external travel control signal and can transmit the external control signal to the first travel actuator. A connecting member for receiving and transmitting the external travel control signal is removably connected to, and between, the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuya Murakami, Yoshinari Wada
  • Patent number: 10124780
    Abstract: Disclosed may be a method for controlling counter steering of a vehicle, which, in a counter steering section for controlling over-steer while a vehicle travels a curve, prevents lateral force from being decreased by maintaining a braking pressure according to an operation of an antilock braking system (ABS) for a vehicle wheel (a front axle curve-travelling outer wheel) of a counter steering target at an optimal slip level (before an improvement of a target slip), and improves steering performance by forming a linear yaw rate in a direction for counter steering without a delay in forming the yaw rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: In Yong Jung, Dong Hoon Kang, Sang Hyup Lee, Joon Sang Jo, Kyun Sang Park