Patents Examined by Lindsay M Browder
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Patent number: 8321076Abstract: A system for controlling an aerospace vehicle using on-line inertia estimation may include an attitude sensor to measure an attitude of the aerospace vehicle. The system may also include a processor on board the aerospace vehicle. An inertia estimator operable on the processor may generate an on-line inertia estimate of the aerospace vehicle. A rate and attitude estimator operable on the processor may determine an angular position and angular velocity of the aerospace vehicle using the attitude measurement of the aerospace vehicle and the on-line inertia estimate for controlling movement and orientation of the aerospace vehicle without any rates of rotation of the aerospace vehicle being required.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2009Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Manu Sharma, Qinghong W. Wang
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Patent number: 8315799Abstract: A computer implemented method, system and/or computer program product confirm an orally entered address to a mobile navigation device. The mobile navigation device receives a global positioning system (GPS) root address component from a GPS. The GPS root address component is a text name of a root location at which a mobile navigation device is currently located. The mobile navigation device receives an orally entered address that comprises an oral root address component and an oral subunit component of the oral root address component. In response to the converted root address component matching the GPS root address component, the orally entered address is partitioned into the oral subunit component and the oral root address component, and any additional speech-to-text conversion of the orally entered address after the oral root address component is terminated.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2010Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Neal J. Alewine, John W. Eckhart, Peder A. Olsen, Kenneth D. White
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Patent number: 8301353Abstract: A vehicle motion control device and method computes a size of a using friction circle in each of wheels by multiplying a size of an each wheel friction circle indicating a maximum generating force in each of the wheel tires by a previously computed each wheel using percentage, computes the each wheel tire generating force and the each wheel using percentage indicating a rate with respect to an upper limit value of a ?-using efficiency in each of the wheels, and controls a vehicle motion in such a manner that the computed each wheel tire generating force is obtained on the basis of the computed each wheel tire generating force, thereby minimizing an upper limit of the ?-using efficiency in each of the wheels.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2007Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, JTEKT CorporationInventors: Eiichi Ono, Yoshikazu Hattori
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Patent number: 8290661Abstract: Disclosed is a simulation test system and method for testing a vehicle electronic component capable of easily testing performance of the electronic component anytime regardless of location without repeating the same driving test.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2008Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventors: Jin Gon Han, Joon Sang Kim, Myung Sung Choi, Sung Hwan Jang
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Patent number: 8280599Abstract: A vehicle control device where, the transmission apparatus is provided with a state in which the rotational driving force is not transmitted from the output member to the input member when a first engaging element is engaged; the vehicle control device is provided with a control unit that controls the transmission apparatus to engage the first engaging element by a hydraulic pressure from the electric pump for implementing the state in an idle stop state in which the vehicle is in a moving state and the engine is stopped; in a case where a travel speed of the vehicle is not greater than a predetermined release threshold value, the first engaging element is engaged by the hydraulic pressure from the electric pump; and in a case where the travel speed of the vehicle is greater than the predetermined release threshold value, all of the engaging elements are released.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2010Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takehiko Suzuki, Kyosuke Komizo, Takahiro Sekii, Yasuhiko Kobayashi
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Patent number: 8260534Abstract: A vehicle occupant information controller includes a fuel volume determining section, a fuel economy determining section, a first distance determining section, a traveled distance determining section and a second distance determining section. The first distance determining section determines a first obtainable travel distance based on a remaining fuel volume from the fuel volume determining section and a fuel consumption rate from the fuel economy determining section. The traveled distance determining section determines a vehicle traveled distance between two locations.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2010Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.Inventors: Chris Henderson, Daryl Smith
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Patent number: 8249805Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically updating information on favorite places upon change of home address. The method includes the steps of: checking data received by the navigation system to detect whether the old home address of a user has been changed to the new home address; searching for favorite places around the new home address equivalent to that around the old home address; determining whether the updating of the favorite places should be conducted automatically or upon instruction by the user; updating the favorite places by replacing the favorite places for the old home address with the equivalent favorite places for the new home address; and repeating the above steps every time when there is a change in the home address.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2008Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.Inventors: Andrew de Silva, Jianning Zhuang, Jose Mazas, Alex Panganiban
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Patent number: 8244408Abstract: A vehicle is configured to execute an autonomic lane change maneuver and is equipped with a spatial monitoring system. Each of a plurality of objects located proximate to the vehicle is monitored. Locations of each of the objects are predicted relative to a projected trajectory of the vehicle. A collision risk level between the vehicle and each of the objects is assessed.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2009Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Jin-Woo Lee, Jeremy A. Salinger, Xingping Chen
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Patent number: 8224560Abstract: An eco-drive support device that notifies a driver of the eco-friendliness of a vehicle driving operation being performed by the driver includes: an operating unit that calculates eco-drive support information that indicates the eco-friendliness of the vehicle driving operation being performed by the driver; and a notification control unit that controls a notifying unit to notify the driver of the eco-drive support information, if there is a request from an input unit for notification of the eco-drive support information. In this device, the notification control unit controls the notifying unit to notify the driver of the eco-drive support information though there is not a request from the input unit for notification of the eco-drive support information, if a predetermined condition for providing the eco-drive support information is satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2008Date of Patent: July 17, 2012Assignees: Fujitsu Ten Limited, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yutaka Motonaga, Kan Saito
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Patent number: 8219266Abstract: Disclosed is a method and device for attenuating lateral effects on an aircraft due to turbulence encountered by the aircraft during flight. The lateral effects are attenuated by applying a roll control order to control a first controllable movable member that acts on aircraft roll and minimizes aircraft roll-wise disturbances due to wind, and a yaw control order that controls a second controllable movable member to act on aircraft yaw. The roll and yaw control orders are calculated based on a sideslip value of the aircraft, while the yaw control order is calculated as a function of the roll control order to compensate for aircraft lateral effects due to turbulence, as well as lateral effects due to application of the roll control order to the first movable member.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2009Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: Airbus Operations SASInventors: Stephane Puig, Romeo Byzery
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Patent number: 8209081Abstract: A method for compensating for wheel speed and acceleration calculation errors comprising the steps of collecting a wheel speed signal, creating at least one compensation factor for the wheel speed signal, correlating each compensation factor with a rotational position of the wheel, modifying each compensation factor individually based on variations in calculations made from the information collected according to the rotational position of the wheel, and calculating wheel speed and acceleration using the at least one compensation factor applied according to the rotational position of the wheel from which the wheel speed signal is collected.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2009Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Ford Global TechnologiesInventor: John Patrick Joyce
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Patent number: 8190363Abstract: When a vehicle enters a facility off a road on which the vehicle is traveling, information pertaining to an entry direction into the facility is sent to a probe center as probe information, and a current driving level of the host vehicle is identified. Meanwhile, the probe center that received the probe information calculates a right-turn entry percentage for facilities based upon the received probe information, and sets an entry difficulty level of the facilities based upon the calculated right-turn entry percentage. A vehicle to which information pertaining to the entry difficulty level of a set facility was distributed from the probe center is structured so as to perform driving support based upon the information pertaining to the entry difficulty level of the facility.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2009Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Tomita, Takahiro Miyachi
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Patent number: 8180540Abstract: A continuously variable transmission can have one or more rotatable output shafts, rotatable non-output shafts, continuously variable transmission elements selectively interconnecting at least one non-output shaft and one output shaft so as to permit variation of a transmission ratio therebetween. The transmission can also have one or more control elements for controlling the instantaneously prevailing ratio of the transmission including a sensor device for sensing the rotational position of a non-output shaft, and a processing device for determining the rotational position of the sensed, non-output shaft at a chosen instant. The processing device is connected to control elements to cause variation of the transmission ratio so that the output shaft attains a desired rotational position at a chosen instant.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2009Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: CNH America LLCInventors: Riccardo Morselli, Paolo Ferracin, Alberto Berselli, Massimo Ronchetti, Sara Bonacini, legal representative
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Patent number: 8140215Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing non-authoritative observational data during a coordinated operation, such as a military mission. Actuation of a trigger control initiates a retrieval procedure for collecting observational data from at least one system incorporated in a vehicle. Categories associated with an observational event may be selected to classify the observational data, and the selected category may be stored with the observational data in a memory. The observational data may be stored in the memory as one or more data structures called “tags.” A tag may be transmitted in real time to one or more operators in the coordinated operation via a wireless network. Stored observational information may be reviewed and edited by an operator to add additional annotations to a tag. A secondary review by supervising personnel may determine if the non-authoritative tag should be added to an authoritative source used for planning of future missions.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2008Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventors: Daniel R. Paquette, James C. Rosswog
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Patent number: 8140249Abstract: Method for encoding messages which are to be transmitted, method for decoding messages, and receiver for receiving and evaluating messages, in particular traffic messages, wherein the messages include message contents, and wherein a message contains at least one reference to an additional supplementary message which is to be transmitted separately and contains supplementary message contents.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2006Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Matthias Hessling, Michael Laedke, Jens Zombetzki
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Patent number: 8135532Abstract: A method for controlling a powertrain system includes monitoring a state-of-charge of the energy storage device and determining a first set of electric power limits and a second set of electric power limits based on the state-of-charge of the energy storage device. The method further includes providing a power range for opportunity charging and discharging of the energy storage device based on the first set of electric power limits. The method further includes providing a power range for controlling output power of the energy storage device based on the second set of electric power limits.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2008Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Daimler AG, Chrysler LLC, Bayerische Motoen Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Anthony H. Heap, William R. Cawthorne, Wilfried Brunssen
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Patent number: 8116938Abstract: A first observer gain of an actual damping force estimating observer 21 calculates a dynamic characteristic compensating signal, and a second observer gain of an actual vehicle model state amount estimating observer 23 calculates a vehicle model compensating signal, from an output deviation corresponding to a difference between a sprung speed (observation output) provided from a vehicle 2 and an estimated sprung speed (estimated observation output) provided from a vehicle approximation model of the actual vehicle model state amount estimating observer 23. The dynamic characteristic compensating signal is input into a dynamic characteristic providing unit of the actual vehicle model state amount estimating observer 23, and is used for adjustment of the setting of the dynamic characteristic providing unit. Therefore, it is possible to curb time lag occurrence in a control, and thereby perform a vibration control with improved accuracy.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2009Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignees: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd., Kobe UniversityInventors: Noriaki Itagaki, Nobuyuki Ichimaru, Takahide Kobayashi, Tatsuya Gankai, Takanori Fukao
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Patent number: 8108072Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a method for a robotic system is disclosed to track one or more robotic instruments. The method includes generating kinematics information for the robotic instrument within a field of view of a camera; capturing image information in the field of view of the camera; and adaptively fusing the kinematics information and the image information together to determine pose information of the robotic instrument. Additionally disclosed is a robotic medical system with a tool tracking sub-system. The tool tracking sub-system receives raw kinematics information and video image information of the robotic instrument to generate corrected kinematics information for the robotic instrument by adaptively fusing the raw kinematics information and the video image information together.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2007Date of Patent: January 31, 2012Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Wenyi Zhao, Christopher J J Hasser, William C. Nowlin, Brian D. Hoffman
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Patent number: 8103421Abstract: When a release control is executed while a service brake is operating, a parking brake control device continues the release control until a first predetermined time passes even if the pressing force for moving a friction material becomes a target value, wherein the first predetermined time is a time period which is longer than a time period which it is supposed to take until the negative influence of the service brake vanishes.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2009Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazuma Kondo, Takashi Watanabe, Masaki Ninoyu
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Patent number: 8055445Abstract: An improved probabilistic lane assignment method for detected objects in the scene forward of a host vehicle. Road/lane model parameters, preferably including an angular orientation of the host vehicle in its lane, are estimated from host vehicle sensor systems, taking into account measurement uncertainty in each of the constituent parameters. A probabilistic assignment of the object's lane is then assessed based on the road/lane model parameters and object measurements, again taking into account measurement uncertainty in both the road/lane model and object measurements. According to a first embodiment, the probabilistic assignment is discrete in nature, indicating a confidence or degree-of-belief that the detected object resides in each of a number of lanes. According to a second embodiment, the probabilistic assignment is continuous in nature, providing a lateral separation distance between the host vehicle and the object, and a confidence or degree-of-belief in the lateral separation distance.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2008Date of Patent: November 8, 2011Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Jan K. Schiffmann, David A. Schwartz