Patents Examined by Mussa Shaawat
  • Patent number: 11794676
    Abstract: Methods, computing systems, and technology for automated vehicle action generation are presented. For example, a computing system may be configured to receive context data associated with a plurality of user interactions with a vehicle function of a vehicle. The context data may include data indicative of a plurality of user-selected settings for the vehicle function and data indicative of observed conditions associated with the respective user-selected settings. The computing system may be configured to generate, using a machine-learned clustering model, a user-activity cluster for the vehicle function based on the context data. The computing system may be configured to determine an automated vehicle action based on the user-activity cluster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: MERCEDES-BENZ GROUP AG
    Inventors: Hassan Benqassmi, Maja Buhr, Chris Busenbark, Anusha Joshi, Jason Kamin, Mahmoud Khalil, Isabel Litton, Samina Reddy
  • Patent number: 11796422
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for testing aircraft engine that are not currently associated with a functional aircraft or systems. For testing, systems on the engine being tested are connected with the reciprocating systems (e.g., engine electronic controls, main and motive fuel) on a fully functional aircraft using conduits that have been extended to lengths enabling the connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Textron Innovations, Inc.
    Inventor: Billy David Avery
  • Patent number: 11787553
    Abstract: A method for regulating loading of an aircraft engine providing power to multiple loads, particularly ECS, comprising offloading selected power consuming loads according to a predetermined strategy when predetermined conditions are met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yonghua Zhu
  • Patent number: 11790793
    Abstract: Systems and methods for model based vehicle navigation are provided. In one embodiment, a navigation system: a strapdown navigation processor; a propagator-estimator filter, the navigation processor configured to input inertial sensor data and navigation corrections from the filter to generate a navigation solution comprising a vehicle velocity estimate and a vehicle attitude estimate; a vehicle physics model configured to perform calculations utilizing dynamics equations for a rigid body. The model inputs 1) vehicle state estimates from the navigation solution and 2) platform inputs indicative of forces acting on a vehicle platform. The model outputs a set of three orthogonal predicted translational acceleration measurements based on the inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Sally Ann Keyes, Dean Richard Wilkens, Dale F Enns
  • Patent number: 11767007
    Abstract: An electrical energy management system includes a first battery having a nominal operating voltage, a second battery having a charging voltage sufficiently close to the nominal operating voltage of the first battery such that the first battery can charge the second battery when the first battery and the second battery are electrically connected in parallel, a generator that is controllable to provide a variable output voltage, a starter motor, an electrical load, a plurality of switches each controllable to be in an open state or a closed state, and a controller that is configured to control the output voltage of the generator and to control the open or closed state of each of the plurality of switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Chandra S. Namuduri
  • Patent number: 11760480
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for sending information, method for receiving information, apparatus, device, and storage medium. The method can include an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operating in a first operation mode when the UAV is in an inactive state. Further, the method can include the UAV switching from the first operation mode to a second operation mode different from the first operation mode, and sending, by the UAV, information to an access network device, where the information being used for indicating a change of operation mode of the UAV. The method can further include determining, by the access network device, a second operation mode to which the UAV is switched according to the information, and controlling, by the access network device, the UAV by applying a control strategy corresponding to the second operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wei Hong
  • Patent number: 11760318
    Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, a system is provided that includes one or more first sensors, one or more second sensors, and a processor disposed onboard a vehicle. The first sensors are configured to at least facilitate obtaining first sensor data with regard to an external environment outside the vehicle. The second sensors are configured to at least facilitate obtaining second sensor data with regard to one or more eyes of a driver of the vehicle. The processor is configured to at least facilitate: determining a predicted gaze angle of the one or more eyes of the driver based on the external environment outside the vehicle, using the first sensor data; determining a measured gaze angle of the one or more eyes of the driver, using the second sensor data, and controlling one or more vehicle actions based on a comparison of the predicted and measured gaze angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Xiaofeng F. Song, Benjamin D. DiDonato
  • Patent number: 11756352
    Abstract: A pilot protection method includes: obtaining time-domain signals data of target element at a preset sampling frequency; fusing time-domain signals data of multiple first sampling periods to obtain first time-domain signals combination data; based on a machine learning model, determining whether a fault occurs in target element according to the first time-domain signals combination data; when it is determined that a fault occurs in target element according to the first time-domain signals combination data, based on the machine learning model, determining whether a fault occurs in target element in the second sampling period according to the second time-domain signals combination data. The second sampling period is the sampling period after determining a fault occurs; when it is determined that the same type of fault occurs in target element in multiple consecutive second sampling periods, the pilot protection system is controlled to perform the protection action on the target element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: GUANGDONG UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Ruiwen He, Ruisi Li, Yuan Jin, Yiyu Lin
  • Patent number: 11740633
    Abstract: Techniques are discussed for controlling a vehicle, such as an autonomous vehicle, based on occluded areas in an environment. An occluded area can represent areas where sensors of the vehicle are unable to sense portions of the environment due to obstruction by another object or sensor limitation. An occluded region for an object is determined, along with one or more visible regions proximate the occluded region. Entry and/or exit regions may be determined based on known directions of traffic and/or drivable surface boundaries. Based on a threshold speed, the vehicle can designate portions of the occluded region as pseudo-visible. Additionally, if a dynamic object traverses through the occluded region from the entry region, a portion of the occluded region may be considered pseudo-visible. Pseudo-visibility may also be determined based on movement of an occluded area. The vehicle can be controlled to traverse the environment based on the pseudo-visibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Max Gier, William Anthony Silva
  • Patent number: 11721217
    Abstract: A system for swarm communication for an electric aircraft fleet, wherein the system includes a plurality of electric aircrafts connected by a mesh network. The system further includes a computing device communicatively connected to the mesh network, wherein the computing device includes an authentication module configured to authenticate each electric aircraft and facilitate communication of a plurality of aircraft data between the plurality of electric aircrafts. The computing device includes a plurality of communication components, each assigned to an electric aircraft of the electric aircraft fleet, wherein each communication component is configured to transmit the aircraft data to the communication component of its assigned electric aircraft. The system further includes a cloud database configured to record the plurality of aircraft data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: BETA AIR, LLC
    Inventor: Herman Wiegman
  • Patent number: 11713027
    Abstract: A brake system for controlling the brake performance of a vehicle includes a brake, a control unit connected to one or more external condition sensors, and one or more brake performance sensors. The external condition sensors obtain parameters regarding conditions surrounding the vehicle, which are monitored by a driver assistance unit to estimate a probability value that the brakes should be applied to avoid a collision. The brake performance sensors obtain parameters regarding conditions of the brake. The control unit receives the obtained parameters from the external condition sensors and the estimated probability value and determines a surrounding threat level of the vehicle. The control unit receives the obtained parameters from the brake performance sensors and determines a brake performance level, and heats the at least one brake if the brake performance level is below a first level and the surrounding threat level is above a second level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: NINGBO GEELY AUTOMOBILE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CO.
    Inventors: Magnus Brandin, David Ekholm
  • Patent number: 11708178
    Abstract: A monitoring system for monitoring a kinematic coupling between an actuator and an element controlled by the latter includes a first sensor to detect the operative movement of the actuator. A second sensor is designed to detect the actual movement of the controlled element. A computer unit, based on the operative movement of the actuator, determines an anticipated movement of the controlled element and compares this anticipated movement with the actual movement of the controlled element. An error message is emitted when a value of the deviation between the anticipated movement and the actual movement exceeds a predefined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Inventor: Thomas Köhler
  • Patent number: 11710412
    Abstract: The invention discloses a method to support the trajectory planning considering both the flight trajectory and the visual images (VI) from air traffic control (ATC) system for air traffic controllers (ATCOs) (VI from ATC system for ATCOs), comprising the following steps: Step 1: acquire the VI and the flight trajectory to serve as the method inputs, and extract features of the VI and the relative position of the aircraft; Step 2: construct reinforcement learning-based methods to support the decision-making for flight path planning and conduct the training procedures of the models in the proposed method; Step 3: based on the optimized reinforcement learning-based methods, predict the required operation sequence to guide the flight to the target waypoint. The method of the invention can support the flight path planning for air traffic operation in a safe and efficient manner and is able to reduce the workload of air traffic controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Sichuan University
    Inventors: Yi Lin, Jianwei Zhang
  • Patent number: 11708062
    Abstract: A system and method of controlling components of a vehicle are disclosed. The method includes the steps of sensing a current position of a rear closure panel with a closure panel position sensor, sensing a speed of the vehicle with a speed sensor, and sensing a current environmental condition with an environmental precipitation sensor. The method also includes adjusting a degree of openness of at least one window as a result of the closure panel position sensor indicating that the rear closure panel is in an open position, the speed sensor indicating that a speed of the vehicle is greater than zero kilometers per hour (kph), and the current environmental condition that is indicated by the environmental precipitation sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Paul Kenneth Dellock, David Brian Glickman, David M. Diamond, Clayton Benjamin Ford, Alexander Douglas Long
  • Patent number: 11697512
    Abstract: A data recording and transmission method and system for use in balancing a propeller of an aircraft. The method comprises operating the propeller in-flight, receiving, during operation of the propeller in-flight, vibration data associated with the propeller, retrieving, from a non-volatile memory on-board the aircraft, configuration data associated with the propeller, and transmitting the vibration data and the configuration data to a data processing device configured to determine a balancing solution for the propeller based one the vibration data and the configuration data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Jennifer Erin Tsang, John Peter O'Malley, III, Peter Lee, Robert Wigny
  • Patent number: 11695275
    Abstract: Technologies are described herein to prioritize delivery of power to electrical components associated with a vehicle and an electrically powered accessory. A power distribution unit may assess real-time power needs for the electrical storage system associated with the vehicle and electrical storage device of the electrically powered accessory and direct incoming power to the electrical storage system associated with the vehicle and the electrical storage device of the electrically powered accessory based on a prioritization of various factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: THERMO KING LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Wayne Schumacher, Michael James Vanous, Mark D. Leasure, Nicholas Allan Cregan, Matt Srnec, Alessandro Silvestri
  • Patent number: 11693401
    Abstract: A method includes establishing a first wireless connection between a movable object and a first remote control device, and establishing a second wireless connection between the movable object and at least one second remote control device. The method also includes selecting, based on a determination that the first wireless connection is normal, a first control signal received from the first remote control device to control the movable object. The method further includes selecting, based on a determination that the first wireless connection is abnormal and that the second wireless connection is normal, a second control signal received from the at least one second remote control device to control the movable object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gang He, Chang Geng, Chaobin Chen
  • Patent number: 11691670
    Abstract: The turning radius of a differentially steered vehicle towing a trailer is controlled when turning so that its turning radius is greater than a minimum allowable turning radius. The turning radius may be autonomously adjusted using a controller to monitor the instantaneous rotational speed differential between the driven wheels and increase or decrease the relative speed between the wheels when the instantaneous rotational speed differential exceeds a threshold rotational speed differential, indicating a turn which is too tight. Alternately, the turning radius may be controlled by the vehicle's operator, who receives a signal from the controller indicating that the vehicle's turning radius is less than the minimum allowable. The operator may then take action to enlarge the turning radius using manual controls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey Brown Fay, II
  • Patent number: 11691631
    Abstract: An apparatus for estimating a friction coefficient of a road surface is provided. The apparatus includes a current sensor configured to measure a control current value of a rear wheel steering (RWS) motor, a stroke sensor configured to measure a stroke value indicating a movement amount of a rear wheel steering link, and a controller configured to estimate the friction coefficient of the road surface based on the control current value measured by the current sensor and the stroke value measured by the stroke sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Nam Han Kim
  • Patent number: 11693402
    Abstract: A flight management system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVS), in which the UAV is equipped for cellular fourth generation (4G) flight control. The UAV caches on-board a 4G modem, an antenna connected to the modern for providing for downlink wireless RF. A computer is connected to the modem. A 4G infrastructure to support sending via uplink and receiving via downlink from and to the UAV. The infrastructure further includes 4G base stations capable of communicating with the UAV along its flight path. An antenna in the base station is capable of supporting a downlink to the UAV. A control centre accepts navigation related data from the uplink. In addition, the control centre further includes a connection to the 4G Infrastructure for obtaining downlinked data. A computer for calculating location of the UAV using navigation data from the downlink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Inventor: Moshe Zach