Patents Examined by Majdi Alsomiri
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Patent number: 8401748Abstract: In a method for influencing the traction force during shifting operations of a manual transmission in vehicles having at least two drive axles, the drive system of the first axle is activated in such a way that the interruptions in traction force occurring at the second axle during shifting operations of the manual transmission are at least partially compensated for.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2008Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Thomas Huber
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Patent number: 8392076Abstract: In a control of a vehicular automatic transmission, an engaging device provided in a power transmission path between an engine and driving wheels is brought into a slipping state or a release state when a certain neutral control condition is satisfied while a shift lever is placed in a running position, the engaging device is engaged so as to increase a torque transmission capacity thereof when a certain neutral control cancellation condition is satisfied during neutral control under which the engaging device is in the slipping state or the release state, and an engaging pressure of the engaging device is held at a constant pressure level for a given period of time when an accelerator pedal is depressed while the engaging device is engaged so as to increase the torque transmission capacity thereof.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2010Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Nobufusa Kobayashi, Yoshio Hasegawa, Naoto Komeno, Norihiro Tsukamoto
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Patent number: 8384535Abstract: A system and method is provided for controlling the operation of notifying drivers of the fluid level. Primary and secondary keys are adapted to be associated to primary and secondary drivers. A key ignition device is positioned on the primary and secondary keys and generates driver status signals. A fluid level sensing device is operable to generate a fluid level signal indicative of the fluid level. A controller is coupled to the fluid level sensing device and the key ignition device. The controller determines whether the driver of the vehicle is the primary or secondary driver in response to the driver status signals. The controller notifies the primary or secondary driver of the fluid level in response to the fluid level signal. The controller selectively controls the operation of notifying the primary or the secondary driver based on whether the driver is the primary or secondary driver.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2012Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Thomas Lee Miller, Matthew J. Dalebout, Andrew D. Sarkisian, Anthony Dwayne Cooprider, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Kevin Thomas Hille, Karl William Wojcik, Terry Thomas Cwik, Brian Bennie, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Scott Alan Watkins
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Patent number: 8386119Abstract: A vehicle driving operation support apparatus for a vehicle, includes a sensing section to sense a traveling condition of the vehicle including a surrounding condition inclusive of an obstacle around the vehicle, and a control section to calculate a risk potential for the vehicle in accordance with the traveling condition. The control section performs a support control to support the driver in accordance with the risk potential, and performs an assist control to restrain disturbance (such as vibration from a road) transmitted to the driver in accordance with the risk potential.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2010Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yosuke Kobayashi, Yoshifumi Takigawa, Toshiyuki Murata, Satoshi Tange, Tomoaki Oida, Taku Suzuki, Yuwun Chai, Motoaki Hosaka, Hironobu Kikuchi, Takeshi Kimura
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Patent number: 8364356Abstract: A method of altering a drive parameter of a machine having a drive system that is configured to operate a left side of the machine independently of the right side of the machine. The method includes entering, by a user, a drive parameter alteration mode by actuating a first input, and actuating a second input to alter one or more parameters associated with a controller of the machine.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2012Date of Patent: January 29, 2013Assignee: Clark Equipment CompanyInventors: Christopher L. Young, Jason L. Magnuson, Spencer L. Mindeman
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Patent number: 8364387Abstract: A route search device includes: a parameter calculator for calculating a parameter of each section in a route; a driving repetition information obtaining element for obtaining driving repetition information in each section from an external server; a parameter changing element for increasing a parameter of first one of the sections when a driving repetition of the first one of the sections is smaller than a first parameter threshold; and a route search element for searching the route to minimize a total of parameters of the sections in the route.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2009Date of Patent: January 29, 2013Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Daisuke Tomita
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Patent number: 8359155Abstract: A motor vehicle includes a vehicle driving operation support system. The vehicle driving operation support system senses an environment surrounding the motor vehicle; senses a traveling condition of the motor vehicle; calculates a risk potential of the motor vehicle on a basis of the sensed environment and the sensed traveling condition; controls the motor vehicle on a basis of a control setpoint. The vehicle driving operation support system sets on a basis of the calculated risk potential the control setpoint to a provisional setpoint effective for reducing the risk potential; senses driver's operation in reaction to the controlling operation with the control setpoint set to the provisional setpoint; and sets the control setpoint to a normal setpoint on a basis of the sensed driver's operation.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2010Date of Patent: January 22, 2013Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Kimura, Genpei Naito, Tomohiro Yamamura, Satoshi Tange, Taku Suzuki, Yosuke Kobayashi, Toshiyuki Murata, Tomoyuki Kashiwaya, Yuya Takeda
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Patent number: 8355851Abstract: A vehicle cruise control apparatus includes a vehicle speed adjusting device that adjusts a vehicle speed to a set target vehicle speed, a brake operation detecting device that detects brake operation performed by a driver, and a first controller that controls the vehicle speed adjusting device based on a target driving force that maintains a vehicle in a stopped condition, when the brake operation performed by the driver is detected.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2008Date of Patent: January 15, 2013Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Gen Inoue, Katsuyuki Kawai, Hiroyuki Sawada, Ichiro Kitaori, Yasuhito Ishida
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Patent number: 8335591Abstract: A robot apparatus has a multi-link structure including a plurality of links and joints serving as link movable sections, and in which at least some of the links are driven by combination of position control and force control. The apparatus includes: position controller performing position control on the links, which are driven by position control and force control; position controller with force constraint placing the force control before the position control so as not to cause a magnitude of an external force to exceed a set value; force controller performing the force control on the links; and integrated force/position controller controlling driving of the joints by switching the position controller, the position controller with force constraint, and the force controller, and unifying the position control and the force control.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2008Date of Patent: December 18, 2012Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Taro Takahashi
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Patent number: 8332070Abstract: A robotic controller using schemata, the schemata being a set of parameterized sequences of motor commands in order to make a robot to achieve a set goal, the parameters of the sequences being gained from the state variables of the robotic controller, a robotic controller comprising an interface for supplying sensory input to the robotic controller. A schemata state memory (1) structure supplied with either input from a schemata recognition module (4) or input from an inverse model module (2) or combinations of them. An inverse model module (2) for generating motor commands based on state variables and stored schemata, a forward model module (3) for predicting state variables based on state variables and stored schemata, and a schemata recognition module (4) for selecting a schemata based on supplied state variables of the robot controlled by the robotic controller.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2009Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: Honda Research Institute Europe GmbHInventors: Claudius Gläser, Frank Joublin
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Patent number: 8328143Abstract: A method and system for reducing, in a centralized train control system, the portion of a centralized server application that is considered vital while not reducing the overall vitality of the system.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2009Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventors: Robert B. Groves, Jr., Richard A. Allshouse
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Patent number: 8315765Abstract: In a method for reducing the rollover risk in vehicles, at least one state variable which characterizes the transverse dynamics of the vehicle is ascertained and is used as the basis for an intervention into the steering system and the braking system which stabilizes the vehicle. A multivariable control is carried out in which two control loops are superimposed, the first control loop being based on control of the yaw rate and the second control loop being based on control of the transverse acceleration. The steering system as well as the braking system may be adjusted via the first and second control loops.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2008Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Manfred Gerdes, Frank Niewels, Sylvia Futterer, Peter Ziegler
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Patent number: 8315750Abstract: The invention relates to a method for improving the propulsion efficiency of vessels. The improvement is obtained by utilizing wave induced variations in propeller inflow, i.e. the speed of water flowing towards the propeller. The wave induced water speed variation is used to calculate the propeller speed in a way so that the propeller speed is optimal with respect to the total propulsion efficiency. The optimal propeller speed is determined by solving an optimization problem formulated as the maximization of the ratio of energy delivered by the propeller and the energy delivered to the propeller. The method may be used for vessels with one or more propellers.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2008Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Assignee: Propeller Control ApSInventors: Mogens Blanke, Luca Pivano
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Patent number: 8295978Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for cooperation of multiple mobile robots and a method thereof that allow the multiple mobile robots to cooperatively execute one complicated task. The system and method can use centralized control architecture, create robot cooperation application codes on the basis of conceptual behavior units without depending on actual physical robots, and dynamically bind behavior units used to create the robot cooperation application at the time of executing the robot cooperation application to actual functions of the robots, thereby actively adjusting to changes in a dynamical environment, such as a change in the types, the number, and the functions of robots for cooperation.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2009Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research InstituteInventors: Joonmyun Cho, Hyoungsun Kim
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Patent number: 8292784Abstract: In a vehicle control device, a brake feedback control unit calculates a brake feedback torque Tfb-BK using a PID control model when a current state is a brake feedback use state. The brake feedback control unit stops the calculation of the brake feedback torque Tfb-BK when the current state is a brake feedback limitation state, and stores as an output value the brake feedback torque Tfb-BK that is output at a brake limitation start timing. At a brake limitation release timing, the brake feedback control unit restarts the feedback control using the stored brake feedback torque Tfb-BK as an initial value. The brake mechanism can thereby generate a predetermined brake torque of not more than 0 [N·m] immediately after the brake limitation release timing.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2009Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Motoaki Umakoshi, Shotaro Fukuda, Hajime Kumabe, Masayoshi Takeda, Yukio Mori
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Patent number: 8280589Abstract: A secondary-control-system power supply line is provided to supply electricity from a secondary power supply apparatus to an electronic control apparatus. When a primary power supply voltage becomes equal to or lower than a primary power supply determination voltage, a power supply control section turns a step-down switching element on and off to thereby supply electricity from the secondary power supply apparatus to the electronic control apparatus. When a secondary power supply voltage becomes equal to or lower than a secondary power supply determination voltage, the power supply control section turns a secondary power supply relay off so as to stop the supply of electric power from the secondary power supply apparatus to a motor drive circuit, and continues the supply of electric power to the electronic control apparatus. Thus, resetting of a microcomputer of the electronic control apparatus, which would otherwise occur due to a drop in the power supply voltage, is prevented.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2008Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takashi Iwasaki
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Patent number: 8271133Abstract: An apparatus, method, and medium for sensing a slip in a mobile robot is provided. The apparatus for sensing a slip in a mobile robot includes a driving motor control unit to control a driving motor that rotates a plurality of driving wheels of the mobile robot, a first rotation sensor to sense a first rotation angle of the mobile robot by using the difference between traveling distances of the plurality of driving wheels, a second rotation sensor to sense a second rotation angle of the mobile robot by sensing a rotation of the mobile robot, and a slip-sensing unit to sense the slip of the mobile robot by comparing the first rotation angle with the second rotation angle. The driving motor control unit controls the driving motor to travel straight in a specified pattern.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2008Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jun-ho Park, Woo-yeon Jeong
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Patent number: 8261682Abstract: A boat trim tab system having an automatic controller for positioning trim tabs to perform user selected preset functions or maintain previously used positions in response to real time operating conditions. The system is intended to be a stand alone system that is installed on a boat using a master control module to operate the trim tabs and a manual keypad to provide a user interface to the master control module. The system gathers real time data from a variety of onboard sources and uses the data to determine the optimal position of the trim tabs to enhance boat performance.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2009Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Inventor: Richard DeVito
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Patent number: 8260507Abstract: A method, information processing system, and computer program storage product apply agrochemicals to plants. A set of user defineable agrochemical application parameters are wirelessly received from a user. A set of data is received from a multiplicity of plant sensors. The set of data includes at least positional data associated with a multiplicity of plants with respect to a set of agrochemical applicators. At least speed data associated with a vehicle coupled to the set of agrochemical applicators is received. The set of agrochemical applicators is instructed to apply one or more agrochemicals to at least one plant in the multiplicity of plants based at least on the set of user defineable agrochemical application parameters that has been wirelessly received, the set of data from a multiplicity of plant sensors, and the speed data. The set of agrochemical applicators apply the one or more agrochemicals to at least one plant.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2009Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.Inventors: Arnold Walter Schumann, Howard Kevin Hostler
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Patent number: 8249770Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) employing a hybrid system using both an internal combustion engine and a second motor/generator as a propelling power source for vehicle propulsion, and also employing a first generator driven by the engine for power generation, an integrated HEV control system is provided to control the engine, and the first and second motor/generators. The integrated HEV control system is also operable for detecting the presence of system failures and thereafter selecting at least one remedial action responsive to the system failures such that the system failures are corrected or minimized. The selected remedial action is also verified as being appropriate, monitored and thereafter executed.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2008Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Chrysler Group LLCInventor: Michael Bennewitz