Patents Examined by Mahmoud S Ismail
  • Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program
    Patent number: 11230290
    Abstract: A vehicle control device (1) includes an automated driving control unit (100) configured to execute automated driving of a vehicle and an acquisition unit (124) configured to acquire movement states in a running direction and a lateral direction of the vehicle. The automated driving control unit is configured to execute the automated driving such that the movement states which have been acquired by the acquisition unit before the automated driving has been started are maintained in a predetermined time or a predetermined distance when automated driving has been started by switching from manual driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Ishioka, Akira Mizutani, Toru Kokaki
  • Dynamic routing for self-driving vehicles
    Patent number: 11231286
    Abstract: A system can analyze a sensor view of a surrounding area of a self-driving vehicle (SDV). Based on analyzing the sensor view, the system can determine that a decision point along a current route of the SDV exceeds a predetermined risk threshold, and diverge the SDV from the current route based at least in part on the decision point exceeding the predetermined risk threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony Stentz, Bryan Nagy
  • Autonomous vehicle mode regulator
    Patent number: 11231709
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle mode regulator system and method comprise transmitting authorization signals from autonomous driving infrastructure on a roadway to a controller module to authorize or inhibit operation of a vehicle in different levels of automation. The controller module controls the level of automation under which the autonomous driving system of the vehicle operates based on the signals received from the autonomous driving infrastructure. In this regard, the controller module can prevent the autonomous driving system of the vehicle from operating in certain levels of automation unless appropriate authorizations signals are received. Similarly, the controller module can permit or even require operation of the vehicle in certain levels of automation upon receipt of certain authorization signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Inventors: Arnold Chase, William Chase
  • Differential arrangement and method of influencing the overall torque of a shaft using a differential arrangement
    Patent number: 11231097
    Abstract: A differential arrangement having a gear stage that includes at least one input element and at least two output elements is provided. The at least one output element is connected to at least one electrical device in order to distribute torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Matthias Lang, Rainer Gugel, David Mueller
  • System for modifying a spot location
    Patent number: 11226627
    Abstract: A system for moving material from a first location to a second location includes a planning system to identify an initial spot location. A perception sensor is configured to generate perception signals indicative of whether an obstacle is in the path between a material carrying machine and the initial spot location. An alternate spot location is determined if an obstacle is in the path and a propulsion command is generated to move the material carrying machine from the current pose to the alternate spot location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Global Mining LLC
    Inventors: Andrew J. Vitale, Bryan J. Everett, Mark H. Banham, Craig L. Koehrsen
  • Dynamically arming a safety mechanism on a delivery drone
    Patent number: 11226619
    Abstract: A system and method for dynamically operating a drone safety system of a delivery drone. The method includes: receiving at least one terrain map; receiving a delivery request, wherein the delivery request includes a destination location and a delivery time; analyzing the received at least one terrain map and the delivery request to generate a navigation plan, wherein the navigation plan include a plurality of segments, wherein each of the plurality of segments include at least source coordinates, destination coordinates, an operation instruction to operate a drone safety system in case of failure of a delivery drone; and sending the navigation plan to the delivery drone for execution of the navigation plan at least in case of failure of the delivery drone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: FLYTREX AVIATION LTD.
    Inventors: Yariv Bash, Amit Regev
  • Steering control apparatus
    Patent number: 11214304
    Abstract: Inverter circuits are provided for motor winding sets, respectively. Control units are provided for the motor winding sets to generate control signals related to driving of the inverter circuits and control currents flowing through the motor winding sets, respectively, thereby controlling driving of a motor. The control mode includes a manual steering mode for controlling the motor according to a steering operation on a steering wheel by a driver and an automatic steering mode for controlling the motor independently of the steering operation on the steering wheel by the driver. The control units are capable of switching the control modes and differentiate the current control according to the control mode. By making the current control different according to the control mode, it is possible to attain optimal characteristics which correspond to each control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsuko Oka, Nobuyori Nakajima, Go Endoh, Koichi Nakamura, Yosuke Ogi
  • Method for triggering safety functions
    Patent number: 11214212
    Abstract: A method for triggering at least two safety functions from a predefined plurality of safety functions in a motor vehicle, including a) recognizing a trigger signal for one first safety function, and b) generating a trigger signal for at least one second safety function, if according to step a) the trigger signal for the first safety function has been recognized, the first safety function being of a first function type and at least one of the second safety functions being of a second function type differing from the first function type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Florian Oesterle, Heiko Freienstein, Joerg Moennich
  • Moving traffic obstacle detection and avoidance
    Patent number: 11209825
    Abstract: The disclosure provides systems and methods for detecting and managing moving traffic obstacles. In embodiments, a database of historical and potential moving traffic obstacles is generated from vehicle sensor data. The database includes vehicle manoeuvre data and characterizations thereof. The database is used to map moving traffic obstacle locations such that driving aids and autonomous vehicles can account for such obstacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tierra Bills, Reginald Bryant, Xiangzhu Long, Aisha Walcott, John Wamburu
  • Vehicle control device
    Patent number: 11208105
    Abstract: An engine ECU includes a traveling control unit configured to bring a clutch device into a disconnection state to perform inertial traveling of a vehicle according to satisfaction of predetermined inertial traveling implementation conditions and configured to bring the clutch device into a connection state to cancel an inertial traveling state and perform regenerative power generation according to satisfaction of predetermined regenerative power generation implementation conditions during the inertial traveling, and a required power calculation unit configured to calculate required power of the vehicle; and the traveling control unit selectively performs the inertial traveling or the regenerative power generation an ISG based on the required power calculated in a state in which the inertial traveling implementation conditions are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Tada, Akira Kato
  • Slip detection for robotic locomotion
    Patent number: 11203385
    Abstract: An example method may include i) determining a first distance between a pair of feet of a robot at a first time, where the pair of feet is in contact with a ground surface; ii) determining a second distance between the pair of feet of the robot at a second time, where the pair of feet remains in contact with the ground surface from the first time to the second time; iii) comparing a difference between the determined first and second distances to a threshold difference; iv) determining that the difference between determined first and second distances exceeds the threshold difference; and v) based on the determination that the difference between the determined first and second distances exceeds the threshold difference, causing the robot to react.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Blankespoor, Alex Perkins, Marco da Silva
  • Methods and systems for controlling propulsion of a marine vessel to enhance proximity sensing in a marine environment
    Patent number: 11198494
    Abstract: A propulsion control system for a marine vessel includes a plurality of propulsion devices steerable to propel the marine vessel, at least one proximity sensor that determines a relative position of the marine vessel with respect to an object, wherein the at least one proximity sensor has a field of view (FOV). A controller is configured to identify a trigger condition for expanding the FOV of the at least one proximity sensor and control thrust and/or steering position of at least one of the plurality of propulsion devices to expand the FOV of the at least one proximity sensor by inducing a roll movement or a pitch movement of the marine vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Eric Derginer, Aaron J. Ward, Travis C. Malouf
  • Controlling sunshades in an autonomous vehicle
    Patent number: 11192430
    Abstract: A method for controlling a sunshade of an autonomous vehicle is presented. The method includes determining that current conditions satisfy an activation condition. The method also includes predicting whether a driver will enable a manual mode during the current conditions. The method further includes activating a first sunshade in response to the satisfied activation condition regardless of whether the driver will enable the manual mode. The method still further includes activating a second sunshade in response to the satisfied activation condition when the driver will not enable the manual mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Kentaro Ichikawa, Junya Ueno
  • Systems and methods for automated stopping and/or parking of autonomous vehicles
    Patent number: 11192543
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for automated parking of autonomous vehicles are provided herein. An example method includes receiving, by an automated driving system of an autonomous vehicle, a pull over request during a trip to a destination; initiating, by the automated driving system, a pull over sequence, the pull over sequence including determining if the autonomous vehicle is within a pre-determined distance from the destination; stopping the autonomous vehicle when the autonomous vehicle is within the pre-determined distance; and when the autonomous vehicle is not within the pre-determined distance, initiating a parking sequence to park the autonomous vehicle at a nearest available parking location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tyler Glenn, Shadi Jammoul, Levasseur Tellis, Gerald H. Engelman
  • Travel plan correction device and travel plan correction method
    Patent number: 11175662
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to correct a travel plan of a vehicle so as to cause a self-vehicle to move to a relative position with lower travel risk. A travel plan correction device in accordance with the present invention includes a risk calculation section setting unit for setting a risk calculation section, a risk calculation unit for calculating a travel risk value, on the basis of a relative position between a target area and a surrounding vehicle and travel control information of the surrounding vehicle, a risk reduction section extraction unit for extracting a section whose travel risk value is lower than that at a traveling spot, out of the risk calculation section, as a risk reduction section, and a travel plan correction unit for correcting the travel plan so as to cause the self-vehicle to move to the risk reduction section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kimihiko Izaki, Mitsuo Shimotani, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Yoshinori Ueno, Tadashi Miyahara, Naohiko Obata
  • Electric efficiency prediction method for electrically powered vehicle, server, and electrically powered vehicle
    Patent number: 11175143
    Abstract: An electric efficiency prediction method for a vehicle includes: the first step of obtaining “object vehicle information” showing information about a status of use of a vehicle that is an electrically powered vehicle; and the second step of, for each link connecting nodes virtually set on an expected traveling route of the vehicle, by using the object vehicle information, correcting an electric efficiency actual value of electric efficiency collected from each of a plurality of vehicles to calculate an electric efficiency predicted value in each link for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Sakuma, Shuhei Yamamoto, Munehiro Kamiya, Hideo Hasegawa, Shinji Kurachi, Tomoya Shimizu
  • Enhanced traction control for industrial vehicle
    Patent number: 11167967
    Abstract: A traction control system for a pallet truck includes a traction motor, an operator controlled input device configured to selectively accelerate the pallet truck in both a forward direction of vehicle travel and a reverse direction of vehicle travel, and an operator controlled actuation device configured to place the pallet truck in an auxiliary mode of operation. A vehicle controller may monitor a speed of the pallet truck and, in response to receiving an actuation signal, command the traction motor to maintain the speed of the pallet truck at an intermediate rate of travel without actuation of the operator controlled input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: HYSTER-YALE GROUP, INC.
    Inventor: Matthew K. Hoffman
  • Apparatus and method for controlling driving of vehicle
    Patent number: 11163306
    Abstract: A driving controlling apparatus and method of a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a navigation device providing a guide route and a travelable route and a controller. The controller is configured to determine one of the guide route and the travelable route as a driving control target depending on a result of determining whether to deviate from the guide route and a result of determining whether the guide route is set on a pocket-shaped off ramp and the vehicle is driving on an outermost lane of a road on which the vehicle is currently driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sung Woo Choi, Sung Yoon Yeo, Young Min Han, Seung Geon Moon
  • Thrust allocation using optimization in a distributed flight control system
    Patent number: 11155356
    Abstract: Thrust values for motors in an aircraft are generated where each flight controller in a plurality of flight controllers generates a thrust value for each motor in a plurality of motors using an optimization problem with a single solution. Each flight controller in the plurality of flight controllers passes one of the generated thrust values to a corresponding motor in the plurality of motors, where other generated thrust values for that flight controller terminate at that flight controller. The plurality of motors perform the passed thrust values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
    Inventor: Tim Allan Wheeler
  • Controlling mechanical vibrations
    Patent number: 11150675
    Abstract: Mechanical vibrations are generated on a frame of an aerial vehicle as a response to operation of the aerial vehicle, such as rotation of motors and/or propellers. Likewise, environmental conditions, such as wind, humidity, etc., may also cause vibrations on the frame of aerial vehicles. These vibrations may be destructive to the aerial vehicle, impact stability of the aerial vehicle, and/or result in audible sounds. Disclosed are systems and methods for measuring and/or predicting the vibrations on the frame of the aerial vehicle, generating anti-vibrations, and outputting those anti-vibrations such that the anti-vibrations modify vibrations on the frame of the aerial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian C. Beckman, Scott A. Green