Patents Examined by Marthe Marc-Coleman
  • Engine speed control apparatus and method for a hybrid vehicle
    Patent number: 9067600
    Abstract: A vehicle powertrain system has an engine, a damper and an electric machine configured to be selectively mechanically coupled with the engine via damper. The vehicle powertrain system also has at least one controller programmed to filter a frequency content of a speed or torque command for the electric machine corresponding to a resonant frequency of the engine, damper and electric machine to reduce resonance of the engine, damper and electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Wei Liang, Carol Louise Okubo, Thomas Chrostowski, Ming Lang Kuang
  • Lifting device efficient load delivery, load monitoring, collision avoidance, and load hazard avoidance
    Patent number: 9067767
    Abstract: A hook block sensor assembly is disclosed. In one embodiment, the hook block sensor comprises a housing configured to removably couple about a lifting hook of a lifting device, a first global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver coupled with the housing and configured for determining a hook block sensor assembly position in three dimensions, a load monitor coupled with the housing and configured for monitoring a load coupled with the lifting hook, including monitoring a load position and a load orientation of the load and a wireless transceiver coupled with the housing and configured for wirelessly providing information including the load position, the load orientation, and the hook block sensor assembly position, to a display unit located apart from the hook block sensor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventors: Kurtis L. Maynard, John F. Cameron
  • Hybrid vehicle propel-charge bias control method
    Patent number: 9067591
    Abstract: A hybrid-electric vehicle carries batteries for storing reserve electrical power. The batteries have a state of charge which is monitored by a control system. The state of charge indicates the amount of reserve electrical power available and, under some conditions, the rate at which reserve electrical power can be sourced as electric current. The vehicle further includes an internal combustion engine which can, depending upon vehicle configuration, be used to propel the vehicle, to drive an electrical machine to source electric current for storage, or to drive the electrical machine to source electric current to power a traction motor(s). The control system provides, in response to operator requests for propulsion and in response to the state of charge of the batteries, for allocating available power between propulsion and battery charging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Teik-Khoon Tan, Cheng Chen, Hyun-Sung Choi, Matthew David Hunkler
  • Autonomous mobile system
    Patent number: 9062980
    Abstract: An autonomous mobile system for a mobile body which moves while localizing itself in a space includes a shape detector and travel distance detector for measuring whether objects are present in set regions determined by dividing a three-dimensional space into a plurality of segments, a storage device into which map data is stored that indicates a region of the set regions that has been set as having a stationary object in the region, a determining section that determines, from frequency of the object detection by the shape detector during a predetermined time for each of the set regions, whether the object that has been detected in each set region is a stationary object or a moving object, and a localizer that localizes a vehicle by matching the region that the determining section has determined to have a stationary object in the region, and the map data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Hara, Akira Oshima, Ryoko Ichinose, Kenjiro Yamamoto
  • Terrain classification system for a vehicle
    Patent number: 9062983
    Abstract: A terrain classification system for a vehicle includes a sensor positioned to scan a surrounding terrain, the sensor providing a sensor signal representative of returns from scanning the surrounding terrain. The terrain classification system also includes a processing circuit configured to receive the sensor signal, classify the surrounding terrain using the sensor signal, evaluate a library of acoustic data to determine an expected acoustic signature that corresponds to the classified surrounding terrain, and create an acoustic cost map with the expected acoustic signature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Oshkosh Defense, LLC
    Inventor: Noah Zych
  • Embedded simulator method and related system
    Patent number: 9058749
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for correlation of received objects offering a valid presentation to an operator. The method correlates actual objects and simulated objects to offer a valuable training presentation environment to an operator. The method may receive a plurality of data streams including sensed data, simulated sensed data, and truth data to correlate among the plurality of data to determine if the data corresponds to a common object. Each of these data streams may be received from an off-board source via datalink or generated by an onboard simulation data source. The system correlates data received from an onboard source with data received from an off-board source to present the best available training scenario to the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason C. Wenger, Jaclyn A. Hoke, Brian R. Wolford, Alex Postnikov, Thomas Schnell
  • Communication system with personal information management and remote vehicle monitoring and control features
    Patent number: 9058705
    Abstract: A vehicle communication system includes a control unit in a vehicle, a vehicle data bus operable to transmit vehicle data to the control unit, and a mobile communication device having data network access. The mobile device has a self-contained mode in which the mobile communication device processes and displays the network data received via the data network and in which the control unit transmits the vehicle data to the mobile communication device. The mobile communication device also has an immersive mode in which the control unit processes the network data received via the data network and in which the control unit converts the vehicle data to audible speech and plays the audible speech in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: INTELLIGENT MECHATRONIC SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Otman A Basir, William Ben Miners
  • Hybrid vehicle
    Patent number: 9051886
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle which starts an engine safely by using a remote switch even when a charging plug is connected is provided. The hybrid vehicle can be charged from an external power source. The controller of the hybrid vehicle executes the following process, when an engine start request is received while the charging plug for supplying electric power from the external power source is connected to the vehicle. (1) Starting an engine if charging is not performed and a shift lever is at a parking position when a request for starting the engine (remote start request) is received from a remote switch outside the vehicle, and rejecting a remote start request if the shift lever is at a position other than a parking position. (2) Rejecting a request for starting the engine from a switch provided in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Nomura
  • Radar sensor for motor vehicles, in particular RCA sensor
    Patent number: 9046603
    Abstract: Radar sensor for motor vehicles, including a transmitting antenna in the form of a planar array antenna having multiple adjacent antenna elements, and including a power supply system for supplying the antenna elements with microwave power. The power supply system is designed for supplying each pair of directly adjacent antenna elements with microwave power in phase opposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Binzer
  • Apparatus for controlling motor system of environment-friendly vehicle and method thereof
    Patent number: 9045056
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a motor system of an environment-friendly vehicle includes a tilt angle sensor to measure a driving tilt angle of a vehicle; a hill hold determinator to calculate a real-time driving gradient of the vehicle in order to determine a hill hold situation based on tilt angle information from the tilt angle sensor; and a variable switching determination controller to calculate a command torque for a motor based on the real-time gradient calculated by the hill hold determinator and to determine a variable switching condition of an inverter based on the command torque, a motor speed and previous and current tilt angle information from the tilt angle sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Hong Geuk Park, Mu Shin Kwak, Sung Kyu Kim, Su Hyun Bae
  • Method and apparatus for generating route exceptions
    Patent number: 9046376
    Abstract: An approach for providing mapping information and route information based on exception information received from various users travelling within a common area is described. A navigation system processes travel information associated with one or more devices for comparison against predetermined route information. The navigation system also determines one or more exceptions based, at least in part, on the comparison. The predetermined route information, mapping information, or a combination thereof it then caused to be updated based, at least in part, on the processing of the one or more exceptions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
    Inventor: Marko Tuukkanen
  • Vehicle control apparatus
    Patent number: 9045138
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes a determination portion determining whether a vehicle is running by using a motor without using an engine or the vehicle is running by using both of the engine and the motor, a detection portion detecting a start-up request of the engine, a drive power calculation portion calculating a requested drive power in a case where it is detected that the vehicle is running by using the motor without using the engine and the start-up request is detected, and an engine start-up control portion driving a drive shaft by outputting the drive power by means of the motor at a start-up of the engine, the engine start-up control portion causing the vehicle to run by using both of the engine and the motor after the output of the drive power is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yo Shishido, Takeshi Tojo, Takahiro Misu
  • GPS-based traffic monitoring system
    Patent number: 9047765
    Abstract: A traffic information system for a vehicle comprises a transmitter and a global positioning system (GPS) associated with the vehicle that selectively generates location and vector data. A control module receives the location and vector data and wirelessly transmits the location and vector data using the transmitter when the vehicle is traveling on a first set of predetermined roads and does not transmit the location and vector data when the vehicle is traveling on a second set of predetermined roads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: MARVELL WORLD TRADE LTD.
    Inventor: Sehat Sutardja
  • Navigation system with fuzzy routing mechanism and method of operation thereof
    Patent number: 9043147
    Abstract: A method of operation of a navigation system includes: receiving an origin and a destination; receiving a route keyword for routing between the origin and the destination; identifying a via point matching the route keyword; calculating a keyword group locale based on the via point within a group distance threshold from a keyword group center; and calculating a travel route from the origin to the destination traversing the keyword group locale for displaying on a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: TELENAV, INC.
    Inventors: Yuan Chen, Gao Song
  • Travel assist apparatus and travel assist method
    Patent number: 9043045
    Abstract: A travel assist apparatus performs assist of warning or auxiliary for preventing departure of a vehicle in a lateral direction of the vehicle. A value of the estimated time to lane crossing at which assist is to be performed is varied in accordance with the velocity of the vehicle in the lateral direction. This enables selection of a value of the estimated time to lane crossing at which assist is to be performed that is suitable for the velocity of the vehicle in the lateral direction, enabling optimization of the timing of performing assist. Therefore, assist of warning or auxiliary is performed in an optimal way without bothering the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tasuku Usui
  • Travel direction determination method and system
    Patent number: 9020680
    Abstract: A method for determining a direction of travel for a following vehicle ensures that the following vehicle follows a path indicative of that of a target vehicle. The target vehicle extends in longitudinal (X) and lateral (Y) directions, the longitudinal direction (X) corresponding to an intended direction of travel of the following vehicle. The method may include determining a measured lateral offset (?Ymeasure) between the following and target vehicles. The method may also include measuring a lateral position change parameter corresponding to an actual performed, ongoing and/or impending lateral position change of the following vehicle, an actual performed, ongoing and/or impending lateral position change of the target vehicle, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Stefan Solyom, Martin Nordvall
  • Hybrid vehicle
    Patent number: 9014900
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes: an engine; a motor; a battery; a navigation system; and a controller configured to carry out navigation coordination traveling, the controller being configured to stop the navigation coordination traveling when a state of charge of the battery becomes lower than or equal to a first switching threshold, the controller being configured to resume the navigation coordination traveling when the state of charge of the battery becomes higher than or equal to a second switching threshold higher than the first switching threshold, the controller being configured to set a first predetermined state of charge for the first switching threshold when there is no regenerative travel section, and the controller being configured to set a second predetermined state of charge lower than the first predetermined state of charge when there is the regenerative travel section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Hokoi, Makoto Hirai
  • Electrically driven dump truck
    Patent number: 9014898
    Abstract: A vehicle control device 50, a controller 100, an inverter control device 30 and a steering control device 32 constitute a control device 200 which controls elevation of sliders 4Ra and 4La of power collectors 4R and 4L based on information detected by a trolley wire detecting device (camera) 15. The control device 200 calculates positional relationship between a slider and a trolley wire 3R/3L based on the information detected by the trolley wire detecting device. When the slider has deviated from a prescribed range for being in contact with the trolley wire, the control device executes control to prohibit an operation for elevating the sliders or to lower the sliders when the sliders have been elevated. With this configuration, an electrically driven dump truck capable of lightening the operating load on the driver during the trolley traveling is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinjiro Saito, Kichio Nakajima
  • Electro-hydraulic brake-by-wire system and method
    Patent number: 9002608
    Abstract: An electro-hydraulic brake-by-wire system includes a brake pedal, an electronic booster coupled to the brake pedal, a master cylinder coupled to the electronic booster, at least one front hydraulic brake disposed in fluid communication with the master cylinder, at least one electronic control unit connected to the brake pedal and at least one rear electronic brake connected to the at least one electronic control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Dale Scott Crombez
  • System and method for determining a slack condition of a vehicle system
    Patent number: 8996293
    Abstract: A method for determining a slack condition of a vehicle system includes determining when each of first and second vehicles reaches a designated location along a route. The method also includes communicating a response message from the second vehicle to the first vehicle responsive to the second vehicle reaching the designated location, calculating a separation distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on a time delay between a first time when the first vehicle reached the designated location and a second time when the second vehicle reached the designated location, and determining a slack condition of the vehicle system based on the separation distance. The slack condition is representative of an amount of slack in the vehicle system between the first and second vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jared Klineman Cooper, Robert James Foy, Eugene Smith, John Welsh McElroy, Frank Wawrzyniak