Patents Examined by Michael Fouche
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Patent number: 9284044Abstract: The invention concerns a device for the active control of a force feedback for a control device, comprising a calculator, a position sensor (3) configured to provide the calculator with an effective position signal (Pm) of the control device, and an actuator (2) ensuring the displacement of the control device at the command of the calculator, the calculator being configured to use the effective position signal and modulate a setpoint current (lc) delivered to the actuator to ensure the position feedback of the displacement of the control device, characterized in that the calculator is further configured to create at least one saturation terminal (Bsat+, Bsat?) according to a predetermined function of the value of the effective position signal of the position/force law kind, and to saturate the setpoint current using the at least one saturation terminal.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2013Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: SAGEM DEFENSE SECURITEInventors: Geoffrey Beggiora, Jerome Piaton, Guillaume Mercier, Yann Vendenbaviere
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Patent number: 9248822Abstract: A variable control apparatus and method of the amount of regenerative braking of a vehicle using a paddle shift are provided. The method includes sensing, by a controller, positive (+) and negative (?) shifting in a manual mode based on a signal from a shift-operating unit during regenerative braking with a drive (D) gear engaged while the vehicle travels. A regenerative braking torque map that corresponds to a selected gear is selected based on the signal from the shift-operating unit. In addition, regenerative braking of a driving motor is adjusted based on the torque value calculated from the selected regenerative braking torque map.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2013Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventor: Baro Hyun
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Patent number: 9243914Abstract: Passively measured NEO bearings are used to augment an existing navigation system on-board the platform to correct the position estimate generated by the navigation system. The technology provides only a position correction based on passive NEO sightings but is applicable to a wide variety of platforms with different maneuvering profiles and update requirements. The technology directly calculates a position error based on the current position estimate and the passively measured and estimated bearings to three or more NEOs and provides the position error to the navigation system as a correction to the position estimate. The estimated bearings are computed from the current position estimate and the known orbits of the NEOs. The position error may be calculated from a single observation of multiple NEOs, allowing for frequent updates as needed and placing no restriction on platform maneuverability.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2014Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventors: David G. Garrett, Chris E. Geswender, Leonard D. Vance
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Patent number: 9239247Abstract: A system and method for allowing access to an aircraft network data processing system on an aircraft. A data processing device receives an expected measurement of software on the data processing device. The expected measurement is generated by a device other than the data processing device. The data processing device identifies an actual measurement of the software on the data processing device. The data processing device is connected to the aircraft network data processing system on an aircraft. The expected measurement and the actual measurement are sent from the data processing device to the aircraft network data processing system to determine whether the data processing device is allowed to access the aircraft network data processing system. The data processing device accesses the aircraft network data processing system in response to a determination that the data processing device is allowed to access the aircraft network data processing system.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2011Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Ian Gareth Angus, Steven Craig Venema
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Patent number: 9229451Abstract: An amorphous robot includes a compartmented bladder containing fluid, a valve assembly, and an outer layer encapsulating the bladder and valve assembly. The valve assembly draws fluid from a compartment(s) and discharges the drawn fluid into a designated compartment to displace the designated compartment with respect to the surface. Another embodiment includes elements each having a variable property, an outer layer that encapsulates the elements, and a control unit. The control unit energizes a designated element to change its variable property, thereby moving the designated element. The elements may be electromagnetic spheres with a variable polarity or shape memory polymers with changing shape and/or size. Yet another embodiment includes an elongated flexible tube filled with ferrofluid, a moveable electromagnet, an actuator, and a control unit. The control unit energizes the electromagnet and moves the electromagnet via the actuator to magnetize the ferrofluid and lengthen the flexible tube.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2014Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationInventor: Arthur T. Bradley
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Patent number: 9221450Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle having an electric machine for driving the vehicle and a brake system. Electric energy can be recovered from a movement of the vehicle by the electric machine. In the method, a state of the brake system of the vehicle is determined, and an actuation of a brake pedal of the vehicle is detected. A brake pressure of the brake system and an energy recovery by the electric machine are adjusted dependent on the state of the brake system and the actuation of the brake pedal.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2012Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AGInventors: Frank Borchers, Frank Stebner
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Patent number: 9207676Abstract: A system for guiding an automated guided vehicle (AGV) is provided. The system includes a guidance path, an AGV, an image capturing apparatus and an operation unit. The guidance path guides the AGV. The AGV moves on the guidance path and is guided by the guidance path. The AGV moves in a vision guidance region after departing from the guidance path. The image capturing apparatus captures a vision guidance region associated image. The vision guidance region associated image at least includes an image of the vision guidance region. The operation unit determines whether the AGV departs from the guidance path, and calculates position information of the AGV in the vision guidance region. When the AGV departs from the guidance path, the operation unit guides the AGV according to the vision guidance region associated image.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2012Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTEInventors: Cheng-Hua Wu, Yu-Lun Ho, Yueh-Ju Pu, Ching-Yi Kuo, Jwu-Sheng Hu
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Patent number: 9181681Abstract: The working vehicle may include a working apparatus in which an attachment is attachably mounted, a flow rate limitation setting means to set the maximum flow rate of hydraulic oil, an engine revolution sensor, a cam plate angle sensor, a valve opening degree sensor to measure a present flow rate of the hydraulic oil, a switching valve to switch between a single acting type and a double acting type, a display, a main controller to connect the flow rate limitation setting means, the engine revolution sensor, the cam plate angle sensor, the valve opening degree sensor, the switching valve, and the display apparatus. The maximum flow rate and the present flow rate, which are set by the flow rate limitation setting means, may be simultaneously displayed on the display apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2011Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.Inventors: Kohei Okazaki, Nagahiro Ogata, Mitsuhiro Takahashi
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Patent number: 9177483Abstract: A guiding method for aircraft docking process, which is used to detect an aircraft when docking to a stop line along a J-line on apron, includes steps as followed. According to response distances of different positions from a laser scanner, a distance between the aircraft and the stop line and offset angle during the docking process are detected. To show the distance and offset angle on a data display panel as guiding reference when a pilot of the aircraft operates the aircraft. The guiding method further has a waiting stage, a positioning stage, and a distinguishing stage and a guiding stage.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2013Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: Unibase Information Corp.Inventor: Cheng-Hsiang Lin
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Patent number: 9152526Abstract: A method and system for estimating the state of health of an object sensing fusion system. Target data from a vision system and a radar system, which are used by an object sensing fusion system, are also stored in a context queue. The context queue maintains the vision and radar target data for a sequence of many frames covering a sliding window of time. The target data from the context queue are used to compute matching scores, which are indicative of how well vision targets correlate with radar targets, and vice versa. The matching scores are computed within individual frames of vision and radar data, and across a sequence of multiple frames. The matching scores are used to assess the state of health of the object sensing fusion system. If the fusion system state of health is below a certain threshold, one or more faulty sensors are identified.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2012Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Shuqing Zeng, Yilu Zhang, Bakhtiar Brian Litkouhi, Mutasim A. Salman
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Patent number: 9139289Abstract: A method is disclosed for automatic monitoring of a flight management assembly of an aircraft implementing air operations necessitating guaranteed navigation and guidance performance, wherein flight path data generated by first and second flight management systems respectively, are compared in order to check their consistency; first and second flight management systems transmit their flight path data to a third flight management system; the third flight management system receives a current position of the aircraft, calculates deviations between this current position and a flight path depending on the flight path data received from the first and second flight management systems, which it utilizes only if they are identical, and calculates, according to these deviations, guidance commands for slaving onto this flight path. Monitoring can compare deviations and guidance commands received from the first second and third flight management systems in order to be able to detect an inconsistency between them.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2012Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (S.A.S.)Inventors: Sylvain Raynaud, Arnaud Nicolas
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Patent number: 9118201Abstract: A control system includes a first switching module and a second switching module. The second switching module is operably connected to the first switching module. The control system is configured to be selectably connected to at least two of an energy dissipation system, an external energy storage system, or an internal energy storage system. When the control system is selected for electrical communication with one of the at least two of an energy dissipation system, external energy charging system, or internal energy storage system, the first and second switching modules control the path of a current distributed through the one of the at least two of an energy dissipation system, external energy charging system, or internal energy storage system.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2012Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Ajith Kuttannair Kumar
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Patent number: 9114824Abstract: A steering system includes: a steering member that is provided on a vehicle and that is used for a steering operation; an actuator that assists the steering operation of the steering member; and a steering control device that executes returning operation assist control in which the actuator is controlled to assist a returning operation for returning the steering member to a neutral position, the returning operation corresponding to a turning operation for turning the steering member from the neutral position, and that determines a returning operation time at the time of executing the returning operation assist control on the basis of a steering operation amount of the steering member at the time of the turning operation.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2012Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keisuke Takeuchi, Yoji Kanehara, Toshio Tanahashi, Yoshimitsu Agata, Tomohide Kawasaki
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Patent number: 9102226Abstract: A motor drive apparatus for a vehicle is provided which can prevent its transmission and motor from being rotated by vehicle wheels, and which allows quick gear change. This apparatus includes an electric motor (10), a first shaft (21) driven by the electric motor (10), a second shaft (22), first and second reduction gear trains (23 and 24) disposed between the first and second shafts (21 and 22). Two-way roller clutches (30A and 30B) are mounted between a first output gear (23b) of the first reduction gear train (23) and the second shaft (22) and between a second output gear (24b) of the second reduction gear train (24) and the second shaft (22), respectively. Gear changes are made by selectively engaging and disengaging the two-way roller clutches (30A and 30B) with a speed changing mechanism (50).Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2010Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: NTN CorporationInventor: Tomoaki Makino
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Patent number: 9096144Abstract: A power supply and control system for electrically powered shuttle-trains incorporates at least one shuttle train having a motor and a generator. A first plurality of track segments has associated synchronous power modules exchanging power synchronously with a power grid through a plurality of power supply rail segments connectable to the motor or generator. A second plurality of track segments has associated variable frequency power modules exchanging power through a second plurality of power supply rail segments connectable to the motor or generator. Isolation segments separate adjacent power supply rail segments. A control system interconnected to the variable frequency power modules controls the frequency of each variable frequency power module based on the location of the shuttle train.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2012Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: ADVANCED RAIL ENERGY STORAGE, LLCInventors: William R. Peitzke, Matthew B. Brown
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Patent number: 9092308Abstract: An output control apparatus for an onboard image display apparatus controls output of a signal to be supplied to the image display apparatus mounted in a vehicle, is connectable to a mobile information terminal, and receives image information transmitted from the mobile information terminal to output the received image information. The output control apparatus includes at least two connection units via which the mobile information terminal is connected to the output control apparatus, and a detection unit configured to detect a single terminal connection state in which a single mobile information terminal is connected to the output control apparatus via both of the two connection units. Information received through the two connection units is output on condition that the detection unit detects the single terminal connection state when the vehicle is in a predetermined non-stop state.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2012Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Atsuyuki Suzuki, Shinichiro Goto, Junichi Hirose
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Patent number: 9052013Abstract: A method is described for controlling an automatic transmission of a vehicle during deceleration arising from a force resisting forward movement arising from an incline grade and a vehicle mass. The force of resistance to forward movement is determined at least based upon the incline grade. A destination gear is calculated based upon a set of gear-specific output curves and the force of resistance. The destination gear is compared to a current gear within which the machine is operating. The programmed controller executes an early downshift schedule when the destination gear is at least two positions lower than the current gear, thereby initiating a series of downshifts of the automatic transmission from the current gear to the destination gear. During each gear shift performed according to the early downshift schedule, shifting occurs at a cross-over point between output curves of current and next lower gears.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2012Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: James W. Landes, Jacob Kunowski
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Patent number: 9050998Abstract: A travel control device for a vehicle has a steered angle varying device 14 or a by-wire type steering device 96 which modifies a relationship of steered angle of steerable wheels to steering operation amount by a driver. When the control device decides that vehicle trajectory control is to be initiated or renewed, it calculates a target steered angle of the steerable wheels for driving the vehicle along a target trajectory which is required for the vehicle to arrive at a target arrival position in a target traveling direction on the basis of steering operation amount by a driver and vehicle speed at a time point of the decision. The control device controls the steered angle of the steerable wheels according to the target steered angle in feed-forward or feed-back manner.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2011Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takeshi Goto, Yoji Kunihiro, Junro Yamamoto, Mitsuyuki Ouchi, Shuji Fujita, Keitaro Niki, Tomihide Masuda
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Patent number: 9050904Abstract: A shift range switcher includes a motor for switching a shift range and a controller for energizing the motor. The controller estimates temperatures of the motor and controller. The controller adds to the estimated controller temperature a value corresponding to heat generation in the controller due to energization of the motor. The controller subtracts from the estimated controller temperature a value corresponding to heat release from the controller due to de-energization of the motor. The controller adds to the estimated motor temperature a value corresponding to heat generation in the motor due to the energization. The controller subtracts from the estimated motor temperature a value corresponding to heat release from the motor due to the de-energization. The controller prohibits or restricts operations of the controller and the motor when at least one of the controller and motor estimated temperatures reaches an allowable temperature limit.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2012Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Fuminori Suzuki, Jun Yamada, Seiji Nakayama
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Patent number: 9020720Abstract: A vehicle includes a friction clutch located between an engine and a driving wheel; a clutch actuator arranged to disengage and engage the friction clutch; a clutch actuator control section arranged and programmed to control the clutch actuator; a slip detection section arranged to detect a slip of the driving wheel; and an engine control section arranged and programmed to decrease an output of the engine when the slip of the driving wheel is detected by the slip detection section. When the friction clutch is in a half clutch state and the slip of the driving wheel is detected at the time of starting of the vehicle, the clutch actuator control section controls the clutch actuator so as to change a pushing force of the friction clutch and thus to keep the rotation speed of the engine at a fixed level.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2012Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kengo Minami