Patents Examined by Marthe Marc-Coleman
  • Patent number: 9403417
    Abstract: A method for preconditioning a vehicle includes the steps of obtaining a temperature inside the vehicle and remotely starting an engine of the vehicle, an environmental control system of the vehicle, or both, if the temperature inside the vehicle is within a predetermined range of temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: David T. Proefke, Clark E. McCall, William A. Biondo
  • Patent number: 9394670
    Abstract: Provided is a construction machine comprising an energy recovery device for recovering hydraulic fluid energy from a hydraulic actuator and being capable of achieving excellent operability even when the power of the prime mover is changed. The construction machine comprises an engine 1, a hydraulic pump 2, a plurality of hydraulic actuators 31-34, a plurality of control valves 41-44, a plurality of operating devices 71-74, an energy recovery device 80, an operation mode selector switch 76, an engine revolution speed dial 77, a pressure sensor 75, and a controller 90 which controls the flow rate of hydraulic fluid recovered by the energy recovery device based on input signals from the operation mode selector switch, the engine revolution speed dial and the pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Hijikata, Kouji Ishikawa, Takatoshi Ooki, Shinya Imura
  • Patent number: 9392743
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle platform and system for selectively performing an in-season management task in an agricultural field while self-navigating between rows of planted crops, the autonomous vehicle platform having a vehicle base with a width so dimensioned as to be insertable through the space between two rows of planted crops, the vehicle base having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is pivotably coupled to the second portion, and each of portion is operably coupled to at least one ground engaging wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: RowBot Systems LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Camacho-Cook, John E. Bares, Kent Cavender-Bares
  • Patent number: 9387839
    Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a large animal collision vehicle safety apparatus and method. At least one sensor detects a first acceleration in a longitudinal direction of a host vehicle. A first determination signal is generated from the detected acceleration. At least one further sensor detects a second acceleration in a vertical direction, and/or at least one still further sensor detects an angular velocity about an axis extending in a lateral direction of the host vehicle. A second determination signal is generated from the detected acceleration in a vertical direction. A third determination signal is generated from the detected angular velocity. Judging means judge whether the vehicle has suffered a large animal collision through at least comparing the first, second and/or third determination signals with preset reference signals. Braking intervention of the host vehicle is triggered when the vehicle is judged to have suffered a large animal collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter Hardaa, Paer Nilsson
  • Patent number: 9387755
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling charging of a hybrid vehicle are provided. The method includes generating a request to charge a battery by driving a hybrid starter generator (HSG) with power of an engine in an electric vehicle (EV) mode of the hybrid vehicle. In addition, the method includes decreasing torque of the engine to HSG charging engine torque, maintaining the torque of the engine at the HSG charging engine torque, and shifting torque of the HSG into charging-target HSG torque. A pressure of a clutch disposed between the engine and a driving motor of the vehicle is released to interrupt transference of power from the engine to the driving motor. The battery is then charged with power output from the HSG while the HSG is rotating by driving power output from the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Sang-Jun Kim
  • Patent number: 9384666
    Abstract: A method of controlling autonomous or driverless vehicles in a specific control zone or in a convoy is disclosed. The vehicles enter the zone or form a convoy and come under the control of a zone authority or escort vehicle that coordinates the movements of the vehicles until they leave the zone or convoy. Escort vehicle communicate with central control facilities, each other or escorted vehicles. The behavior of the escorted or controlled vehicles is modified to insure that it matches a set of rules established by the zone authority. Possible zones include parking areas, indoor passages and areas with security concerns. The zone authority or escort vehicle may simultaneously control multiple autonomous vehicles and possible additional driver operated vehicles. Messages establishing control or providing continuing administration of rules or movements of escorted or controlled vehicles may be delivered by any type of communications link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Inventor: Thomas Danaher Harvey
  • Patent number: 9381877
    Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle having one or more electrical systems/devices, wherein the systems/devices are operable in at least two different modes. In a normal mode, a vehicle key is required for activation of at least one of the electrical devices. After enabling of a presentation mode, activation of the at least one device is possible without use of the vehicle key. The presentation mode is optimized for use in a dealership, where certain electrical/electronic functions of the vehicle should be available for use by a potential buyer without the requirements of a dealership employee being present with the vehicle key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lukas Preusser, Nils David Schloesser
  • Patent number: 9382003
    Abstract: Modern farming is currently being done by powerful ground equipment or aircraft that weigh several tons and treat uniformly tens of hectares per hour. Automated farming can use small, agile, lightweight, energy-efficient automated robotic equipment that flies to do the same job, even able to farm on a plant-by-plant basis, allowing for new ways of farming. Automated farming uses unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are equipped with detachable implements and reservoirs and that we call “aerial farm robots.” Automated farming uses high-precision GPS and other precision positioning and vision technology to autonomously and precisely perform crop dusting, planting, fertilizing and other field related farming or husbandry tasks. The subsystems for the control, refill, recharge and communication subsystems of the aerial farm robots are part of the overall automated farming system, and can autonomously handle most of the husbandry tasks on a farm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Bee Robotics Corporation
    Inventors: Harm Burema, Anatoly Filin
  • Patent number: 9381933
    Abstract: A manually propelled vehicle includes a main body part comprising a wheel and a motor that drives the wheel when a user pushes the main body part in an advancing direction, and a mounting unit to be carried by the user and that communicates with the main body part. The mounting unit comprises a first motion sensor comprising an acceleration sensor in three orthogonal directions, and the main body part controls a drive of the motor based on a detection result of the first motion sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuo Masaki
  • Patent number: 9382693
    Abstract: A hydraulic excavator is provided with an arm cylinder, an arm switching valve, a sixth pilot pressure control valve, a sixth electromagnetic proportional valve, a sixth upstream pilot flow path, a sixth hydraulic pressure sensor, and a control section. The control section selects at least one item of current value information from a plurality of items of current value information on the basis of a hydraulic pressure that is detected by the sixth hydraulic pressure sensor. The control section is configured to set a current value of a current that is output to the sixth electromagnetic proportional valve on the basis of the current value information that is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Takeo Yamada, Tomohiro Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 9377319
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a data processing method comprises obtaining a present location value indicating a present location of a computing device and event data indicating an event location and an event time; determining a route of travel between the present location and the event location for a mode of transportation from the present location to the event location; determining one or more route segments in the route of travel; determining one or more estimated journey times respectively for each of the route segments; adding one or more padding time values to each of the route segments; determining a total travel time based upon the journey times and the padding time values for all of the route segments; determining a recommended time to leave based upon a current time and a difference between the event time and the total travel time; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Scott San Filippo, Arshad Tayyeb, Spencer Murray, Kevin Cheng, Jason Lebrun
  • Patent number: 9376072
    Abstract: A motor vehicle electronic computer (10), includes: an electrical power supply device (11) supplying a first regulated electrical voltage V1 and a second regulated electrical voltage V2 greater than V1; control peripherals (13) of the vehicle actuators (30); and a processor (12) connected to the first electrical voltage source, controlling the control peripherals. The computer includes at least one control peripheral (14), including an output switch (141) having to be supplied with an electrical voltage of value V2, and a voltage step-up circuit (140) supplying, on an output port (140b), an electrical voltage of value V2 for the power supply of a control circuit (142) of the output switch from an electrical voltage, on an input port (140a) of the voltage step-up circuit, of a lower value than the value V2. A vehicle including such an electronic computer (10) is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Jacques Rocher
  • Patent number: 9366011
    Abstract: A work machine management device includes: a receiving unit that receives, from a work machine, sensor data indicating states of various sections of the work machine, and alarm data indicating that the work machine has determined that an abnormality has occurred in the work machine; and an operating level classifying unit that, based on the sensor data received by the receiving unit, classifies an operating state of the work machine as being any one of a plurality of predetermined operating levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Corporation Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuki Kubota, Hiroyuki Adachi, Shohei Kamiya, Yutaka Watanabe, Hiroshi Sazanami, Masashi Shoji
  • Patent number: 9365201
    Abstract: A device, system, and method for controlling transmission torque to provide hill ascent and/or descent assistance to a vehicle includes applying a clutch hold pressure to one or more clutches of a transmission to lock an output shaft of the transmission to resist roll-back of the vehicle. The clutch hold pressure is determined as a function of the tractive effort of the vehicle and is applied based on one or more of a transmission output speed signal, an engine throttle signal, and a vehicle brake signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Jared S. Shattuck, Jeffrey E. Shultz, Peter G. York
  • Patent number: 9368027
    Abstract: In one embodiment, traffic data that originates from sensors, cameras, or observations is analyzed. The traffic data is associated with multiple repeating time epochs or intervals. The traffic data is divided into clusters using a clustering technique. The traffic data may be collected on specific days such as holidays. The holiday traffic data may be divided data into clusters and a dominant traffic pattern cluster that represents a holiday classification is identified. The dominant traffic pattern cluster is stored in a traffic prediction model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Dongwook Jang, Praveen Arcot, Marcus Ernster
  • Patent number: 9365152
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle lamp control apparatus including a receiver and a controller. The receive receives an output value of an inclination sensor and a signal output from at least one of a foot brake sensor, a parking brake sensor and a shift position sensor. A total angle which is an inclination angle of a vehicle with respect to a horizontal plane can be derived from the output value of the inclination sensor. The controller adjusts an optical axis angle of a vehicle lamp using the output value of the inclination sensor. The controller outputs an adjustment signal to adjust the optical axis angle of the vehicle lamp in response to change in the total amount when the vehicle is static, except for non-static load change caused by changeover in at least one of a foot brake, a parking brake and a shift position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kasaba, Masashi Yamazaki, Atsushi Toda
  • Patent number: 9365203
    Abstract: Methods of controlling a prime mover and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) are described. The CVT has a group of spherical power adjusters. Each power adjuster has a tiltable axis of rotation. The methods may include optimizing a vehicle having a drive motor and a continuously variable transmission. The CVT has a plurality of spherical power adjusters, each power adjuster having a tiltable axis of rotation. The methods may include optimizing a drive system having a prime mover and a continuously variable transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLC
    Inventors: Cyril Keilers, David Lynn Rogers, Eric Diehl, Austin Orand, Mark Edward Bartholomew, Christopher M Vasiliotis, Loren T McDaniel, Jeremy Carter
  • Patent number: 9358993
    Abstract: A method optimizes operation of an electrically driven rail vehicle on a predefined route. In order to optimize the known method even further, the costs of the electrical energy which is fed into the route and/or the environmental loading are sensed during the generation of the electrical energy which is fed into the route. The method of locomotion of the rail vehicle on the route is set taking into account the level of the costs of the electrical energy and/or the environmental loading in the generation of the electrical energy for the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Roland Porsch
  • Patent number: 9352635
    Abstract: A method of controlling an electric vehicle having an HVAC system configured to condition a passenger cabin of the electric vehicle, and one or more batteries configured to provide energy to the HVAC system, may include controlling an output of the HVAC system based on one or more of a charging state of the one or more batteries, a state of charge of the one or more batteries, and an ambient temperature outside of the electric vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Seneca A. Schepmann, Robert Clippard, Tim Stafford
  • Patent number: 9346487
    Abstract: The apparatus herein provided includes a plurality of systems including driving circuits (20a, 20b) for driving motor coils (3a, 3b) corresponding thereto, and a control unit (10) for controlling control values of the driving circuits (20a, 20b), wherein, when a fault occurs in at least one of the plurality of systems including the motor coils (3a, 3b), the control unit (10) decreases a control value of a system(s) in which the fault occurs from an ordinary time control value or stops the drive by the system(s) in which the fault occurs, and also increases a control value of another system(s) in which the fault does not occur to more than an ordinary time control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Kimpara, Akihiko Mori, Masaki Matsushita, Jiro Okada