Patents Examined by Michael Berns
  • Patent number: 10846954
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and an apparatus for monitoring a vehicle. The method includes receiving, by a monitoring device, a monitoring request from a vehicle-mounted device, wherein the monitoring request includes location information of the vehicle, and the vehicle-mounted device sends the monitoring request when detecting a collision of the vehicle; adjusting at least one of a direction and a focal length of a lens based on the location information of the vehicle; collecting environment data of the vehicle via the adjusted lens; and storing the environment data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tao Chen, Ke Wu, Huayijun Liu
  • Patent number: 10830604
    Abstract: A method of detecting the closure of a navigable element forming part of a network of navigable elements within a geographic area. A server obtains positional data relating to the movement of a plurality of devices along the navigable element with respect to time. The positional data is used to determine an elapsed time since a device was last detected on the navigable element, and the determined elapsed time is compared to an expected time interval between consecutive devices being detected on the navigable element. The navigable element is identified as being potentially closed, subject to one or more optional validation steps, when the determined elapsed time exceeds the expected time interval, e.g. by a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: TOMTOM GLOBAL CONTENT, B.V.
    Inventors: Arne Kesting, Nikolaus Witte, Jean-Claude Mattelaer
  • Patent number: 10832581
    Abstract: A system, computer-readable medium, and a method including obtaining flight data for a specific aircraft for a prescribed flight; obtaining current sample measurements of at least one state or output of the specific aircraft; performing based on the obtained flight data, the current measurements or outputs, and a mathematical model accurately representing an actual operational performance of the specific aircraft and providing a predictive indication of a future performance of the specific aircraft, a control optimization to determine a cost-optimal control input for the prescribed flight; adjusting, in response to a consideration of actual operational characteristics of the specific aircraft, the optimized control input; and transmitting the adjusted optimized control input to the specific aircraft to operate the specific aircraft to minimize the direct operating cost for the prescribed flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Eric Richard Westervelt, Mark Lawrence Darnell, Reza Ghaemi, David Lax
  • Patent number: 10814906
    Abstract: A method for operating a steering assist system of a motor vehicle, in which during a steering movement of the driver while driving the vehicle a steering assistance is determined. The steering assistance provided by an electro-hydraulic or electro-mechanical drive and may depend on the vehicle speed. The steering assistance providing a supportive force or a supporting moment to the steering system, wherein the provision of the steering assistance depends on the result of a judgment of whether there is a discrepancy between the determined steering assistance and the driver's steering intention based on a steering movement of the driver and a current value at least one steering parameter. A discrepancy exists between the steering assistance and the driver's intention to drive when a current value of a steering parameter exceeds a predetermined limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Schiebahn, Helmuth Bosch, Peter W. A. Zegelaar
  • Patent number: 10814864
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for mobile device tethering for a remote parking assist system of a vehicle. An example vehicle includes first and second wireless modules and a processor. The processor calculates trajectories of the vehicle and a mobile device and estimates a location of the mobile device. When the mobile device is within a threshold distance of the vehicle, the processor polls a key fob at an interval based on a comparison of the trajectories and estimate a location of the key fob. When the key fob is within the threshold distance, the processor enables autonomous parking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Vivekanandh Elangovan, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Patent number: 10807590
    Abstract: The control device of a four-wheel drive vehicle is applied to a four-wheel drive vehicle having a differential restriction device which can change a differential restriction degree between a front wheel rotary shaft and a rear wheel rotary shaft, a braking device can separately change a braking force of the front wheels and a braking force of the rear wheels. The control device determines whether a specific state which has a high possibility that a state where a rear wheel slip ratio becomes larger than a front wheel slip ratio is generated occurs assuming that the differential restriction degree is set to a first degree when the differential restriction degree is set to a second degree so as not to allow the differential operation and change the differential restriction degree from the second degree to the first degree when it is determined that the specific state has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryochi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10800455
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for detecting a vehicle's turn signal status for collision avoidance during lane-switching maneuvers or otherwise. A method includes detecting, at a first vehicle, a presence of a second vehicle in an adjacent lane. The method includes identifying, in an image of the second vehicle, a sub-portion containing a turn signal indicator of the second vehicle. The method includes processing the sub-portion of the image to determine a state of the turn signal indicator. The method also includes notifying a driver or performing a driving maneuver, at the first vehicle, based on the state of the turn signal indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ashley Elizabeth Micks, Harpreetsingh Banvait, Jinesh J Jain, Brielle Reiff, Sneha Kadetotad
  • Patent number: 10794709
    Abstract: An apparatus of compensating for a sensing value of a gyroscope sensor, a system having the same, and a method thereof are provided. The apparatus includes a gyro bias compensator that eliminates a gyro bias from the gyro sensing value, which is received from a gyroscope sensor, through map matching between a detailed map and vehicle surrounding data which is acquired, and a gyro scale factor compensator that calculates a gyro scale factor by calculating a heading angle variation of a road, on which a vehicle is traveling, by using the detailed map when the vehicle is turning, and compensates for the gyro sensing value by using the calculated gyro scale factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Min Wook Seo
  • Patent number: 10787234
    Abstract: A data capture device and a data capture system are provided. The data capture device is configured to navigate along an elongate structure. The data capture device includes a surface scanner, for scanning a surface of the elongate structure; and a sensor, for capturing data relating to the elongate structure. The surface scanner and the sensor are configured to capture data relating to a common region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Hegel Industrial Solutions Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Darren James Foster
  • Patent number: 10762782
    Abstract: A method includes receiving data corresponding to spaces situated in a street section, the data being ascertained by at least one ascertaining vehicle driving through the street section and including information corresponding to a beginning edge of at least one object and a ending edge of at least one second object, determining boundaries of at least one space in which parking is permitted based on the received data, and generating a display representation of the boundaries of the at least one space in which parking is permitted. The method includes receiving the data and determining the boundaries, for example, each time an ascertaining vehicle drives through the street.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Georgiy Shurkhovetskyy, Carlos Cunha, Ruobing Chen, Philipp Mayer, Manuel Maier
  • Patent number: 10737805
    Abstract: Methods and systems for platform-specific maintenance software configuration are provided. The system providing: a maintenance engine embedded in a flight control system of a platform of a plurality of platforms; and an image building engine at a ground system, configured to process fault data and generate therefrom a binary image file (BIF); and wherein the maintenance engine is configured to: receive and execute the BIF to obtain the fault data pertaining to operation of the platform; establish an authenticated wireless communication link to the image building engine; and transmit the fault data to the image building engine via the authenticated wireless communication link; and the image building engine is configured to: generate the BIF responsive to processing the fault data with maintenance software and a user input; and upload the BIF to a cloud server. The maintenance engine receives the BIF from the cloud via the authenticated wireless communication link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Nagaraj Sham, Anil Kumar Pandit, Senthil Rajan Subramanian, Shivkumar Ramachandran
  • Patent number: 10692311
    Abstract: A device for recording user operation data for a remotely controlled vehicle includes a memory off-board the remotely controlled vehicle and a housing receiving the memory. The memory is configured to record user operation data comprising outgoing operation commands that affect operation of the remotely controlled vehicle. The outgoing operation commands are received via a remote controller of the remotely controlled vehicle and transmitted to the remotely controlled vehicle. The housing is removable from the remote controller and more resistant to destruction than the rest of the remote controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ming Gong, Jin Dai, Hao Cui, Xiaodong Wang, Han Huang, Jun Wu, Wei Fan, Ning Ma, Xinhua Rong, Xingsen Lin
  • Patent number: 10678249
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for intersection control includes detecting an uncontrolled intersection ahead of the first vehicle travelling along a first road. The uncontrolled intersection includes an entry to a second road. The method includes detecting a start point of the entry and an end point of the entry with respect to the first vehicle using curb detection. The method includes predicting intent of a second vehicle to traverse through the entry, and controlling the first vehicle to allow the traversal through the entry by the second vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuowei Yang
  • Patent number: 10676081
    Abstract: A driving control apparatus includes: a movement control unit that controls movement of a vehicle in accordance with a first movement path indicating a movement trajectory to a first target position that is a movement destination of the vehicle; and a movement path calculating unit that calculates a second movement path as a movement path to a second target position from a position after the vehicle moves from a current position of the vehicle for a predetermined period of time along the first movement path, wherein the movement control unit controls movement of the vehicle to the second target position in accordance with the second movement path after causing the vehicle to move along the first movement path for the predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Motokatsu Tomozawa, Norio Imai, Yusuke Kiyokawa, Masaya Kato, Yuichi Ukai
  • Patent number: 10668904
    Abstract: A deflection control apparatus is provided with: a determinator configured to determine whether or not a vehicle is about to depart from a driving lane; and a controller programmed to perform a deflection control for controlling a braking apparatus to supply a fluid pressure to at least one of brake mechanisms corresponding to a front wheel and a rear wheel on a side opposite to a departure direction of the vehicle. The controller is programmed to control the braking apparatus to supply the fluid pressure to the brake mechanism that is close to a fluid pressure source, out of the brake mechanisms corresponding to the front wheel and the rear wheel on the opposite side, on condition that a motion state corresponds to a regular-use area of the braking apparatus, if it is determined that the vehicle is about to depart from the driving lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masayuki Ikeda, Akira Nagae, Ryo Inomata, Hironori Ito
  • Patent number: 10668936
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a processor and a system for train assistance tracking and early-warning. The processor includes a synthesis analysis unit configured to perform a synthesis logic analysis on information ahead of a train based on a preset logic synthesis rule; and an identification unit configured to identify an abnormal condition within a predetermined distance ahead of the train according to an analysis result, wherein the abnormal condition includes an appearance of any one or more of a signal machine, an obstacle, or a track turnout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Traffic Control Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Chunhai Gao
  • Patent number: 10663313
    Abstract: Systems and methods for generating return journey notifications include obtaining a request for navigational directions to a target destination. An outbound journey route from an initial location to the target destination can be determined, wherein the outbound journey route includes an estimated outbound journey time. A return journey route from the target destination to a return destination can be determined, wherein the return journey route includes an estimated return journey time. The outbound journey route and/or return journey route can be determined at least in part from one or more of current traffic conditions or historical traffic conditions. One or more notifications regarding the return journey route can be generated when comparing the estimated outbound journey time to the estimated return journey time results in a determination that one or more predetermined criteria are met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Sharifi, Jakob Foerster
  • Patent number: 10654564
    Abstract: An aircraft assembly having a first region, a second region spaced from the first region by a flexible region, and a deflection sensor. The first region has greater positional stability than the second region such that the second region deflects further from its default position than the first region during in-use loads. The deflection sensor includes a first gyroscope at the first region to generate a first signal representing rotation of the first region about one or more orthogonal axes, and a second gyroscope at the second region to generate a second signal representing rotation of the second region about the one or more axes. The second gyroscope is synchronised in time with the first. A controller subtracts one of the first and second signals from the other to obtain a differential signal representing deflection of the second region relative to the first due to flexing of the flexible region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Safran Landing Systems UK LTD
    Inventors: Valerijan Cokonaj, Laura Collett
  • Patent number: 10659530
    Abstract: Embodiment includes of a method and a system of network based operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle is disclosed. One system includes a drone user machine, a drone control machine, and a drone control console. The drone control machine is interfaced with the drone user machine through a network, and the drone control machine is interfaced with a drone through the drone control console. The drone control machine operates to receive user commands from the drone user machine through the network, generate drone control commands which are provided to the drone control console for controlling the drone, wherein the drone control commands are generated based on the user commands, receive video from the drone control console that was generated by a camera located on the drone, and communicate the video to the drone user machine over the network, wherein the video is displayed on a display associated with the drone user machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: CAPE MCUAS, INC.
    Inventors: Gabriel Charalambides, Richard Stephen Pasetto, Thomas Finsterbusch, Andrej Finsterbusch, John David Stockford, Alexander Loo, Anthony Rizk
  • Patent number: 10625728
    Abstract: A method for managing a vehicle brake system includes collecting sensor data from one or more sensors in or around the vehicle, calculating brake effectiveness values based on the sensor data, calibrating the brake effectiveness values based on environmental context data associated with the vehicle, accumulating the calibrated brake effectiveness values as a dataset, generating a prediction curve or formula based the dataset, and scheduling a maintenance alarm for the brake system based on the brake effectiveness values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hao Chen, Ya Bin Dang, Qi Cheng Li, Jian Wang