Patents Examined by Richard Camby
  • Patent number: 9527415
    Abstract: A method for controlling the operation of an active suspension system for a motor vehicle passenger seat, where the active suspension system comprises an actuator that is constructed and arranged to place force on the seat in a first degree of freedom and a control system that is responsive to a sensor system that detects motor vehicle accelerations in at least the first degree of freedom, where the sensor system comprises an accident detection system that detects motor vehicle accident conditions, where the control system provides control signals that cause the actuator to exert a force on the seat in the first degree of freedom, wherein in normal active suspension operation mode the actuator is controlled to output forces that reduce acceleration of the seat so as to counteract motions of the seat in the first degree of freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Damian Howard
  • Patent number: 9524034
    Abstract: A communication control system for a vehicle having a steering member, having a controller and at least one switch carried on the steering member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Act-IP
    Inventor: Mouhamad Ahmad Naboulsi
  • Patent number: 9522732
    Abstract: A personal drone with much extended air time. A portable retractable-extendable clawed drone with automated perching function. Perching, landing on a target horizontal edge or a wire, a building trim, a lamp or sign, a shelf, almost any small horizontal edge with a little surface, for video streaming without using up power on hovering or flight, thus conserving power indefinitely. A veritable fly-on-the-wall multi-rotor drone having mechanical claws and automated perching function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Inventor: Walt Froloff
  • Patent number: 9516806
    Abstract: A method of mowing an area with an autonomous mowing robot comprises storing, in non-transient memory of the robot, a set of geospatially referenced perimeter data corresponding to positions of the mowing robot as the mowing robot is guided about a perimeter of an area to be mowed, removing from the set of perimeter data one or more data points thereby creating a redacted data set and controlling the mowing robot to autonomously mow an area bounded by a boundary corresponding to the redacted data set, including altering direction of the mowing robot at or near a position corresponding to data in the redacted data set so as to redirect the robot back into the bounded area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Yamauchi, Andrew Beaulieu, Paul Balutis
  • Patent number: 9517762
    Abstract: A control apparatus of the invention is applied to a three-cylinder internal combustion engine that is mounted in a vehicle and in which a first MG is connected to a crankshaft in a manner capable of transmitting power. When stopping the internal combustion engine, a vehicle control unit controls output torque of the first MG such that the internal combustion engine is stopped in a state where a preset particular cylinder is in a compression stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Kawai, Mitsumasa Fukumura, Hiroshi Sugimura, Satoshi Maeda
  • Patent number: 9517698
    Abstract: A system and method for recovering the optimum power level during regenerative mode is disclosed. Equations for determining the optimum regenerative power level receivable by an energy storage system, for example for any given deceleration event, are derived and disclosed. The equations consider various losses such as the efficiency of the electric motor generator in the generator mode, wind resistance, rolling resistance, transmission losses, engine losses, and losses in the energy storage system. Also disclosed is at least one embodiment of a procedure for controlling a hybrid drive system to achieve the optimum energy recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey K. Runde, Stephen T. West
  • Patent number: 9511763
    Abstract: A drive system for a hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a motor, a rotary shaft, an engine disconnect clutch, a motor disconnect clutch, an automatic transmission, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to, while either one of an engagement control and a rotation change control is being executed, when a request to execute the other one of the engagement control and the rotation change control has been issued, (a) delay a start timing of the other one of the engagement control and the rotation change control until execution of the one of the engagement control and the rotation change control is completed, and then (b) start execution of the other one of the engagement control and the rotation change control after execution of the one of the engagement control and the rotation change control has been completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shun Sato, Takahiko Tsutsumi, Masayuki Baba, Toshio Sugimura
  • Patent number: 9514362
    Abstract: A control method for a vehicle includes: predicting a position of an eye point of an occupant after a state of a vehicle seat is changed based on amount of adjustment of an adjusting mechanism due to change in state of the vehicle seat; determining whether or not the predicted position of the eye point is located within a measurement range of a camera member installed to a steering member; and if it is determined that the predicted position of the eye point is not located within the measurement range of the camera member, moving the measurement range of the camera member toward the predicted position of the eye point synchronously with the steering member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignees: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaru Sakata, Keisuke Toda, Minori Yamataka, Takeshi Enya
  • Patent number: 9511779
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate switching between autonomous and manual driving modes. In order to do so, the vehicle's computer may conduct a series of environmental, system, and driver checks to identify certain conditions. The computer may correct some of these conditions and also provide a driver with a checklist of tasks for completion. Once the tasks have been completed and the conditions are changed, the computer may allow the driver to switch from the manual to the autonomous driving mode. The computer may also make a determination, under certain conditions, that it would be detrimental to the driver's safety or comfort to make a switch from the autonomous driving mode to the manual driving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Douglas Cullinane, Philip Nemec, Manuel Christian Clement, Robertus Christianus Elisabeth Mariet, Lilli Ing-Marie Jonsson
  • Patent number: 9505429
    Abstract: There is provided an electric power steering apparatus capable of alleviating an impact force at the time of an end contact, while giving natural and smooth steering feeling to a driver without degrading the steering feeling. When steering angle (?s) is equal to or larger than a limit starting steering angle (?st), a voltage target value (Vt) of an electric motor (13) is limited, and an upper limit (current limiting value I_Lim) of a current command value (Iref) is set based on the limited voltage target value (Vt) and the motor rotation speed (N) by use of a motor output characteristic of the electric motor (13). Then, the electric motor (13) is driven and controlled based on a current command value (Iref_Lim) that has been limited with the current command value (I_Lim).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Wei, Masahiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 9505406
    Abstract: It divides the network communication protocol for the communication between automobile into a software protocol layer (L1), a signal protocol layer and a physical protocol layer wherein the software protocol layer is used for checking coding and decoding the data required to be sent and received by a system, and the signal protocol layer is used for performing combined coding of data package signals and basic light signal on data packages produced by the software protocol layer according to the protocol agreement, and the physical protocol layer is used for converting digital signals and light signals mutually. A device comprises a light receiving apparatus arranged at the head of the automobile and a light emitting device, which collects the operating status information of automobile, performs information exchange with surrounding automobiles through digital information, arranged at the tail of the automobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SHANGHAI KOITO AUTOMOTIVE LAMP CO., LTD
    Inventors: Shengyan Zhou, Jinlong Ao, Jingquan Li, Yuan Zhang
  • Patent number: 9499116
    Abstract: An occupant protection device for protecting an occupant in frontal and oblique crashes. The occupant protection device operates an airbag and switches a load limiting restraint load of the seat belt between a first load limit value and a second lower load limit value. A switching unit switches the restraint load based upon the physique of the occupant, and lateral acceleration or movement of the occupant during an impact. The second load value is set for a small physique occupant. The load value is switched from the first to the second load value after a predetermined time if the lateral acceleration or occupant movement falls below predetermined levels. For a large physique occupant with lateral acceleration or movement exceeding predetermined levels, the load limiter does not switch to the second load value after the predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventor: Tatsuo Tada
  • Patent number: 9499064
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle, provided with an electric power supply system and a supervisor for managing the power supply of the vehicle from the power supply system, which comprises an initialization step, carried out by the power supply system, said step triggering an update of a series of parameters of the supervisor, said assembly including at least one physical operating threshold of the power supply system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventors: Yann Chazal, Maria Agapios
  • Patent number: 9499242
    Abstract: Wakeboat hull control systems and methods are provided to monitor the orientation of the wakeboat hull in the surrounding water, and to automatically control wakeboat ballast components to achieve or maintain desired hull orientations. Systems and methods are provided to measure, store, and recall hull orientation. Systems and methods are also provided to enable automated action to improve the safety, automation, performance, convenience, and marketing advantage of wakeboat ballast systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Wake Touch LLC
    Inventor: Richard L. Hartman
  • Patent number: 9493929
    Abstract: A display system of an excavating machine including a work machine with a bucket and a main body part to which the work machine is attached, includes: a storage storing positional information of a design surface indicating a design land shape and outer shape information of the bucket; and a processor determining, among measurement reference points predetermined along an outer shape of a buttock part of the bucket for measuring a position, including at least a tip of the bucket, a measurement reference point closest to the design surface, based on information on a current position of the excavating machine, information on a posture of the main body part, information on a position of the tip of the bucket, and the outer shape information of the bucket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Kurihara, Daishi Iwanaga
  • Patent number: 9483863
    Abstract: A terrain mapping system is disclosed for use with an excavation machine at a worksite. The terrain mapping system may have a locating device mountable onboard the excavation machine and configured to generate a first signal indicative of a position of the excavation machine at the worksite, and a sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a load on the excavation machine. The terrain mapping system may also have a controller in communication with the locating device and the sensor. The controller may be configured to update a surface contour of the worksite contained in an electronic map based on the first signal as the excavation machine traverses the worksite, and to determine an amount of material moved by the excavation machine based on the second signal. The controller may also be configured to generate a representation of the material moved by the excavation machine in the electronic map when the excavation machine ceases to move the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques Clar, Michael Allen Taylor, Robert Jason McGee, Kyle Adam Edwards
  • Patent number: 9483804
    Abstract: A server system for the administration of sequences for agricultural working machines made up of parameterized process steps of working devices includes a server and database in which a sequence inventory of sequences is stored. Sequence identifiers are assigned to each of the sequences of the sequence inventory, which describe one or more process steps of the respective sequence. A network interface to a global communication network is included to receive connection requests from a client and establish a connection-oriented, bidirectional data channel between the server and the client. The server receives a selection criterion from the client via the data channel, determines a sequence from the sequence inventory on the basis of a comparison of the criterion with the sequence identifiers and transmits the determined sequence to the client via the data channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Losch, Markus Grevinga, Georg Eggenhaus, Victor Klueber, Eckehard Jeppe, Volker Brill
  • Patent number: 9481248
    Abstract: An embodiment provides a method, including: receiving input via a sensor positioned within a vehicle; determining, using the sensor input, a passenger is within the vehicle; and analyzing the input received via the sensor to selectively disable a feature of an information handling device within the vehicle. In some embodiments, different sets of instruments or features thereof may be selectively disabled depending on the presence of a driver and/or passenger. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: John Scott Crowe, Nathan J. Peterson, Amy Leigh Rose, Jennifer Lee-Baron
  • Patent number: 9481436
    Abstract: A shift control device of an outboard motor having an electrical shift device for switching a propulsion direction has a rotation switching unit electrically switching whether to drive the outboard motor for regular rotation or for counter rotation, and a rotation determination unit determining whether the outboard motor drives for regular rotation or for counter rotation. Desired performances can be obtained by the outboard motor for regular rotation and the outboard motor for counter rotation without complicating the operation even when the propulsion unit for regular rotation and the propulsion unit for counter rotation are made as a common unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Shomura, Hitoshi Matsumura, Masahiro Nanba
  • Patent number: 9481982
    Abstract: A Method for generating scaled terrain information while operating a bulldozer. The bulldozer may include a driving unit comprising a set of drive wheels, a motor connected to at least one of the drive wheels, a blade for altering the surface of the terrain, at least one camera for capturing images of the environment, the camera being positioned and aligned in a known manner relative to the bulldozer, and a controlling and processing unit. A method may include moving the bulldozer while concurrently generating a set of image data by capturing an image series of terrain sections with the at least one camera so that at least two images of the image series cover an amount of identical points in the terrain, and either applying a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithm or a stereo photogrammetry algorithm to the set of image data and thereby deriving terrain data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: HEXAGON TECHNOLOGY CENTER GMBH
    Inventors: Bo Pettersson, Benedikt Zebhauser