Patents Examined by Mary Cheung
  • Patent number: 10093405
    Abstract: The present application relates generally to a control arrangement for controlling at least two azimuthing propulsion units of a ship. The control arrangement comprises a crash stop activation member for activating a crash stop procedure, after which the crash stop procedure is executed in which the orientation and propulsion speed of the azimuthing propulsion units are controlled until the propagation speed of the ship has at least been reduced from the moment when the crash stop procedure was activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Niko Ostrow, Risto Gylden
  • Patent number: 10059208
    Abstract: A braking control apparatus for a vehicle, the vehicle including a drive regeneration imparting device (10) and a hydraulic braking system (20), the drive regeneration imparting device being configured to impart a driving force or a regenerative braking force to the vehicle, the hydraulic braking system being configured to impart a hydraulic braking force to the vehicle by adjusting a hydraulic pressure in a wheel cylinder provided in a wheel, the braking control apparatus includes: an electronic control unit (100) configured to, when the hydraulic braking force is reduced based on a reduction in brake operation amount that is an operation amount of a brake operation member, execute a correction process, the correction process being a process of reducing the regenerative braking force that is being imparted to the vehicle by the drive regeneration imparting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Okano, Daisuke Nakata, Yusuke Kamiya
  • Patent number: 10048690
    Abstract: A method of controlling two or more propulsion devices on a marine vessel includes receiving a vessel speed, determining that the vessel speed is below a first vessel speed threshold, receiving an operator thrust demand, and determining that the operator thrust demand is below a first demand threshold. At least one of the two or more propulsion devices is then turned off, and a thrust output of at least one remaining propulsion device is adjusted based on the operator thrust demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Hilbert, Brian J. Fregonese, Christopher R. Jenks
  • Patent number: 9875502
    Abstract: A central computer system is configured to simultaneously task various ones of a plurality of motorized transport units to temporarily attach to a corresponding mobile item container and to move the temporarily-attached mobile item container in a retail shopping facility in correspondence to the movement of an authorized consumer while also receiving and analyzing video input provided by video cameras that are included with at least some of the motorized transport units to identify security and safety anomalies in the retail shopping facility. By one approach, the central computer system identifies security and safety anomalies in the retail shopping center by characterizing contents of images as being either expected or unexpected and as being either potentially harmful or not potentially harmful. So configured the central computer system is able to not only identify anomalies but assess a degree of threat posed by a given anomaly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Kay, Donald R. High, Michael D. Atchley
  • Patent number: 9845088
    Abstract: The invention relates to a torque overlay device for use in a hybrid drive system for motor vehicles having an internal combustion engine, an electric motor and the torque overlay device, wherein a torque of the internal combustion engine and of the electric motor are overlaid using the torque overlay device. The torque overlay device is connected, on the output side, to a driven element of the vehicle, and includes a first and a second torque input and a torque output, as well as a first transmission device and a second transmission device. The electric motor can be coupled to the first torque input in a torque-resistant manner, and the internal combustion engine can be coupled to the second torque input in a torque resistant manner, where the first torque input is connected to the first transmission device and the second torque input is connected to the second transmission device, both in a torque-resistant manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bernhard Hoess, Robert Huber, Simon Rogge, Falk Prignitz
  • Patent number: 9836976
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in traversing a vehicle transportation network may include a host vehicle receiving a remote vehicle message including remote vehicle information, identifying host vehicle information, determining a relative position code indicating whether an expected path for the remote vehicle and an expected path for the host vehicle are convergent, determining a remote vehicle dynamic state code based on the remote vehicle information, determining a host vehicle dynamic state code based on the host vehicle information, identifying an expected passing lane collision condition based on the relative position code, the remote vehicle dynamic state code, the host vehicle dynamic state code, and a current acceleration rate for the host vehicle, in response to identifying the expected passing lane collision condition, identifying a vehicle control action, and traversing a portion of the vehicle transportation network in accordance with the vehicle control action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal Probert, Roy Goudy, Jeremy Chambers, Andrew Christensen
  • Patent number: 9827666
    Abstract: A robot system with a robot that has a camera and a remote control station that can connect to the robot. The connection can include a plurality of privileges. The system further includes a server that controls which privileges are provided to the remote control station. The privileges may include the ability to control the robot, joint in a multi-cast session and the reception of audio/video from the robot. The privileges can be established and edited through a manager control station. The server may contain a database that defines groups of remote control station that can be connected to groups of robots. The database can be edited to vary the stations and robots within a group. The system may also allow for connectivity between a remote control station at a user programmable time window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: John Cody Herzog, Blair Whitney, Yulun Wang, Charles S. Jordan, Marco Pinter
  • Patent number: 9830656
    Abstract: A method conducting financial transactions over a computerized network, which includes conducting awareness propagation such that capital movement over a participant system-network is optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Inventor: Zachary Pessin
  • Patent number: 9818237
    Abstract: An information collection system includes an on-vehicle device and a server, wherein the on-vehicle device includes a first transmission signal transmitting part configured to transmit a first transmission signal to the server when the vehicle event is detected, and an upload executing part configured to transmit the vehicle event data to the server when the upload demand is received. The server includes a determining part configured to determine, based on the determination purposes information, when the first transmission is received, whether the information acquisition condition is met, an upload demanding part configured to transmit the upload demand to the on-vehicle device when it is determined that the information acquisition condition is met, and a vehicle event data receiving part configured to receive the vehicle event data transmitted from the on-vehicle device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Motomi Iyoda, Kenichi Ohue, Takashi Kojima
  • Patent number: 9783145
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in traversing a vehicle transportation network may include a host vehicle receiving a remote vehicle message including remote vehicle information, identifying host vehicle information, determining a relative position code indicating whether an expected path for the remote vehicle and an expected path for the host vehicle are convergent based, determining a remote vehicle dynamic state code based on the remote vehicle information, determining a host vehicle dynamic state code based on the host vehicle information, identifying an expected rear-end collision condition based on the relative position code, the remote vehicle dynamic state code, and the host vehicle dynamic state code, in response to identifying the expected rear-end collision condition, identifying a vehicle control action based on the host vehicle dynamic state code, and traversing a portion of the vehicle transportation network in accordance with the vehicle control action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Heather Konet, Roy Goudy, Neal Probert, Jeremy Chambers, Andrew Christensen
  • Patent number: 9777466
    Abstract: A maintenance device for a construction machine includes: an abnormality detection means for detecting abnormality of an apparatus installed on the construction machine; an abnormality information output means for outputting abnormality information about the apparatus detected by the abnormality detection means; and a maintenance mode setting means for setting a maintenance mode for performing a maintenance work of the apparatus, wherein the abnormality information output means for eliminating negation or output of the information, if any abnormality of the apparatus is detected in a state in which the maintenance mode is set by the maintenance mode setting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taiki Aizawa, Yuichiro Morita, Koichi Shibata
  • Patent number: 9764717
    Abstract: A slope-descending speed control device 10 for a vehicle configured to control a vehicle deceleration so that an actual vehicle speed conforms to a target vehicle speed in accordance with a target deceleration Gxbt of a PID feedback control executed in accordance with a difference between a target vehicle speed Vxt and an actual vehicle speed Vx. In a situation where an actual vehicle speed is higher than a target vehicle speed, with a component in a hill-descending direction of gravitational acceleration of the vehicle at a time point when a condition for starting a slope-descending speed control is satisfied being a reference gravitational acceleration Gxd0, when a difference between a component Gxd in a hill-descending direction of gravitational acceleration and the reference gravitational acceleration Gxd0 is between upper and lower reference values, a target deceleration Gxbti of the integral term is not integrated to restrain its increase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Taisuke Yasutomi, Takemi Murayama, Hideki Kato
  • Patent number: 9766620
    Abstract: A self-propelled device is provided including a drive system, a spherical housing, and a biasing mechanism. The drive system includes one or more motors that are contained within the spherical housing. The biasing mechanism actively forces the drive system to continuously engage an interior of the spherical housing in order to cause the spherical housing to move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Sphero, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian H. Bernstein, Adam Wilson
  • Patent number: 9760899
    Abstract: New and improved methods and systems for modeling the performance of selected company metrics. Multiple, non-traditional sets of objective data along with mathematical analytical techniques are used to provide transparency and visibility into company performance relating to the particular metrics. Company inflection points and changes in strategy may be identified. The performance of a company and/or the performance of a selected industry or industry sector may be analyzed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: M SCIENCE LLC
    Inventors: Anthony Berkman, Seth Goldstein, Justin A. Jones
  • Patent number: 9744968
    Abstract: An object recognizer of an image processing apparatus separately extracts a first feature point and a second feature point of a first line segment and a second line segment of which a variation is equal to or greater than a variation threshold value and the first feature point and the second feature point of the first line segment and the second line segment of which the variation is smaller than the variation threshold value, and determines a corresponding point in a second captured image corresponding to the first feature point of the first line segment of which the variation is equal to or greater than the variation threshold value as the second feature point of the second line segment corresponding to the first line segment of which the variation is equal to or greater than the variation threshold value to recognize an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ruiko Miyano
  • Patent number: 9744668
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for spatiotemporal reservations for robots. In various implementations, a sequence of spatial regions of an environment, and a sequence of respective time intervals that are reserved for a robot to operate within the sequence of spatial regions, may be reserved for the robot. A default path through the sequence of spatial regions may be identified. During traversal of the default path, it may be determined that the default path will be unpassable by the robot through a given spatial region during a given time interval reserved for the robot to operate within the given spatial region. Thus, an alternative path through the given spatial region that is traversable by the robot during the given time interval may be identified. The robot may then be traversed along the alternative path through the given spatial region within the given time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: X DEVELOPMENT LLC
    Inventors: Jared Russell, Julian Mac Neille Mason, Kurt Mauro Dresner
  • Patent number: 9744942
    Abstract: A double-security anti-theft emergency switch, specially suitable for batteryless race motor vehicles comprising a fixed assembly integral with the vehicle and cooperating with a movable key which is tied up to the driver by means of an even partially elastic lace, is disclosed. The double security is bound to the presence of a first normally closed switch whose opening, via the movable key, is necessary to disconnect the ignition circuit of the motorcycle from ground and to allow the engine to start-up, so as to produce the electrical power necessary for an RFID system to monitor a transponder comprised in the movable key. Should the outcome of this transponder test be unsuccessful, a second normally open switch would be closed and would ground the ignition circuit of the engine and lock the motorcycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Betamotor S.P.A.
    Inventors: Lapo Bianchi, Jacopo Fiaschi
  • Patent number: 9747733
    Abstract: Digital recording and replay system for an aircraft, comprising a Mission Computer with an Operational Flight Program for generating instrument data for onboard instruments of the aircraft; a Mission Data Recorder connected to said Mission Computer for recording said instrument data; and a Mission Debriefing System; wherein the Mission Debriefing System is configured to reproduce the onboard instruments of the aircraft based on instrument data retrieved from the Mission Data Recorder. Method for reproduction of onboard instrumentation of an aircraft, comprising the steps of connecting a Mission Data Recorder to a Mission Computer of an aircraft having an Operational Flight Program for generating instrument data for onboard instruments; recording instrument data; providing a Mission Debrief System and causing it to reproduce the onboard instruments of the aircraft based on instrument data retrieved from the Mission Data Recorder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Pilatus Flugzeugwerke AG
    Inventors: Daniel O'Connor, Bruno Cervia, Robert Milns, Paul Gibson
  • Patent number: 9744874
    Abstract: An electric vehicle includes: a vehicle drive apparatus configured to receive electricity to generate vehicle drive power and to generate electricity; a secondary battery that selectively receives and outputs electricity from/to the vehicle drive apparatus; a current sensor that selectively detects (a) an electric current to be input into the secondary battery and (b) an electric current output from the secondary battery; and an electronic control unit configured to control charging and discharging of the secondary battery, and configured to calculate, using a detected value from the current sensor, an evaluation value indicating a degree of deterioration of the secondary battery due to non-uniformity in salt concentration in the secondary battery caused by charging and discharging of the secondary battery. The electronic control unit is configured to execute a capacity-raising control in which a remaining capacity of the secondary battery is raised when the evaluation value reaches a prescribed threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Obata, Teruo Ishishita, Koichiro Muta, Hideki Kamatani
  • Patent number: 9731719
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus is mounted to an own vehicle and controls the own vehicle such that an inter-vehicle distance between a preceding vehicle and the own vehicle becomes a reference distance. The vehicle control apparatus acquires passing suitability information indicating whether or not the own vehicle is able to pass the preceding vehicle. When the own vehicle is not able to pass the preceding vehicle, the vehicle control apparatus corrects the inter-vehicle distance by adding a correction distance to a reference distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Niino, Shotaro Fukuda, Takahiro Narita, Masao Oooka