Patents Examined by Richard Camby
  • Patent number: 9311819
    Abstract: Maps are created that display representations of GPS data generated from a plurality of GPS devices. The GPS data received from the GPS devices is embodied as a representation having descriptive features that visually indicate the location, direction of travel, and speed of travel of the GPS device, and the representation is associated with a road segment on the map. The display of the GPS data from a plurality of GPS devices can be used for editing information about roads on maps and determining preferred routes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammed Waleed Kadous, Andrew Lookingbill, Joakim Kristian Olle Arfvidsson
  • Patent number: 9308934
    Abstract: A steering control system for a vehicle includes an electric motor, a torque sensor, an angular velocity sensor, and a control unit. The electric motor applies assist force to a turning operation of a steering wheel. The torque sensor detects a torque generated in a steering system including the steering wheel and varying with the turning operation. The angular velocity sensor detects an angular velocity generated in the steering system and varying with the turning operation. The control unit computes an assist control amount for the turning operation by using the torque and the angular velocity, and, when an abnormality occurs in a torque detection operation, increases a control amount computed by using the angular velocity among control amounts that constitute the assist control amount as compared to that when torque sensor operation is normal and executes drive control over the electric motor based on the assist control amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichiro Aoki, Satoru Mikamo, Naoki Yamano
  • Patent number: 9296387
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving operation of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, a method for transitioning between regenerative braking and engine braking is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Allen Doering, Alex O'Connor Gibson, Dennis Craig Reed, Adam Nathan Banker, David Oshinsky
  • Patent number: 9297665
    Abstract: A method and system for sending a destination point to a vehicle navigation system from a portable electronic device. The method and system include connecting one or more portable electronic devices to the navigation system. The method and system additionally include identifying a user classification category of one or more users that are operating the one or more portable electronic devices that are connected to the navigation system. Additionally, the method and system include sending the desired destination point from the one or more portable electronic devices to the navigation system based on the user classification category. The sending of the desired destination point occurs upon determining that the navigation system is locked out and includes the navigation system computing a navigational route to the desired destination point sent from the one or more portable electronic devices to the navigation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Justin E. Sinaguinan
  • Patent number: 9296421
    Abstract: A trailer target detection system includes a camera located on a vehicle and arranged to capture video images of a trailer towed by the vehicle. The system includes an image processor processing the video images to detect a gesture by a user indicative of position of target on the trailer and identifying location of the target based on the detected gesture. A vehicle trailer backup assist system includes a camera and an image processor for processing images to detect a gesture and determine a command based on the gesture. The processor controls backing of the trailer based on the command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Erick Michael Lavoie
  • Patent number: 9296385
    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: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey K. Runde, Stephen T. West
  • Patent number: 9299023
    Abstract: A method of generating a horizon for use by an ADAS of a vehicle involves using historical vehicle probe data to determine the likelihood that different outgoing paths are taken at a decision point along a currently traversed road segment, and deriving a probability that each path may be taken. The probability is based on historical paths taken by vehicles at the decision point as indicated by the vehicle probe data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: TomTom North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Kenneth Hoover Wilson
  • Patent number: 9296422
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, a system for determining target plausibility is comprised of an imaging device for imaging a scene and generating image data, sensors for generating hitch angle measurements, steering angle measurements, and vehicle speed measurements. A controller in communication with the imaging device and the sensors, wherein when a driving condition is satisfied, the controller calculates a hitch angle and selects a plausible target from the imaged scene based on the image data and the calculated hitch angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Erick Michael Lavoie
  • Patent number: 9297661
    Abstract: A wearable electronic device utilizes indicators on a display screen, such as tick marks positioned around the perimeter of the display, to point to the bearing of a desired location such as a nearest airport when GPS is enabled. The electronic device may be implemented as an aviation watch that comprises a display device having a screen including a plurality of indicators arranged proximal to a perimeter of the screen. The aviation watch determines a direction of an airport that is nearest in proximity to the location of the aviation watch and activates a subset of the plurality of indicators of the screen, the subset of the plurality of indicators providing a directional bearing to the airport determined to be nearest in proximity to the location of the aviation watch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Joseph E. Gepner, Thomas I. Loschen, Matthew C. Burch
  • Patent number: 9296483
    Abstract: The present application includes a distributed ice protection system that utilizes a distributed control system with a server/client communication protocol to prevent single point failures, reduce affected system loss when a failure occurs, improve required maintenance turn around time, and provide a tailorable, interactive, integrated, cross platform solution for a variety of aircraft ice protection requirements. The distributed ice protection system includes master servers and control modules that are compatible with a variety of aircraft platforms. The control modules interface with individual anti-ice and de-ice hardware components on the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Brandon J. Mancuso
  • Patent number: 9297662
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a complete vehicle ecosystem are provided. Specifically, systems that when taken alone, or together, provide an individual or group of individuals with an intuitive and comfortable vehicular environment. The present disclosure includes a system to recognize the drivers and/or passengers within the automobile. Based on the recognition, the vehicle may change a configuration of the automobile to match predetermined preferences for the driver and/or passenger. The configurations may also include the recognition of a unique set of gestures for the person. Further, the configuration can also include the tracking of health data related to the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: AutoConnect Holdings LLC
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 9290204
    Abstract: A hitch angle monitoring system and method are provided. A display shows an imaged scene of a hitch connection between a tow vehicle and a trailer. A processor is configured to superimpose an overlay on the imaged scene, wherein the overlay indicates a hitch angle position limit. A hitch angle position indicator is shown on the display and visually relates a current hitch angle position to the hitch angle position limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Erick Michael Lavoie
  • Patent number: 9292635
    Abstract: A system and method for collaborative vehicle crash planning employs a model-based approach for mitigating damage and injuries resulting from a vehicle collision. A real-time crash model is generated to determine an optimal crash sequence within a parallel computing environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James R. Kozloski, Timothy Michael Lynar, Clifford Alan Pickover, John Michael Wagner
  • Patent number: 9293142
    Abstract: A vehicular speech recognition system including multiple speech recognition apparatuses and a speech recognition controller is provided. The multiple speech recognition apparatuses are mounted to a vehicle. When speech recognition of an inputted speech is performed individually by the multiple speech recognition apparatuses to provide multiple results of the speech recognition, the speech recognition controller selects and adopts one result of the speech recognition from among the multiple results of the speech recognition based on contents of the multiple results of the speech recognition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryuichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9283932
    Abstract: To prevent the immobilizer for a trailer vehicle of a vehicle train from intervening when the trailer vehicle is moving in traffic, the electronic trailer braking system switches the vehicle service braking system into a “brake closed” or “brake released” state when the parking brake in the towing vehicle is actuated in closing direction or in release direction. The immobilizer is activated such that the electronic trailer braking system is only actuated by remote-control by a control device in order to switch the parking brake of the braking system permanently into the “brake closed” state when the trailer vehicle is decoupled from the vehicle train and is parked. The immobilizer is deactivated when the trailer vehicle is coupled to the vehicle train and the parking brake in the towing vehicle is engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH
    Inventors: Bjorn Bleckmann, Sven Gorczyca, David Kupka, Rainer Risse, Axel Stender
  • Patent number: 9266624
    Abstract: Systems and methods for movement of objects are provided. One system includes a plurality of vehicles configured to support the object, wherein each of the vehicles includes omni-directional wheels and a height adjusting device. The system also includes a control system in communication with the plurality of vehicles, wherein the control system is configured to transmit a signal to the plurality of vehicles instructing the plurality of vehicles to move the object in a predetermined direction along the floor. Each of the plurality of vehicles is configured to adjust at least one of a direction of movement using the omni-directional wheels or a height at which the object is supported while moving the part in the predetermined direction using the height adjusting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Dario Valenzuela, Eric Reid, Steven Best, Matthew Desjardien, Samuel Chew
  • Patent number: 9260015
    Abstract: An example contactor weld detection method for an electric vehicle includes detecting that a contactor is welded closed when the contactor is commanded closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Michael Gonzales, Debbi Callicoat, Masahiro Kimoto, Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush
  • Patent number: 9255565
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for using an engine laser ignition system to perform a visual inspection of an engine and diagnose various cylinder components and conditions based on engine positional measurements. Laser pulses may be emitted at a lower power level during an intake and/or exhaust stroke to illuminate a cylinder interior while a photodetector captures images of the cylinder interior. Additionally, laser pulses may be emitted at a higher power level to initiate cylinder combustion while the photodetector captures images of the cylinder interior using the light generated during cylinder combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Raymond Martin, Kenneth James Miller
  • Patent number: 9255921
    Abstract: Diagnostic system including a sensor device with a sensor for generating signals corresponding to a first operational condition, a control device with a timer and function for performance of measurements, and a signal transmission device. The system includes a device for determination of a second operational condition of the system component and configured where the sensor value of the signal transmission device corresponding to the first operational condition is furnished when the sensor value corresponding to a second operational condition of the transmission mechanism is higher or lower than a comparative value, and housing component of a lubricant container and a closure device for sealing an opening of the housing component from a lubricant present in the operational use thereof in an internal space thereof, having arranged therein: at least one sensor device including at least one sensor for determining the water content in the lubricant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Björn Dorr, Franz Nuscheler, Sumit Paul
  • Patent number: 9242646
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a fraction motor in a hybrid vehicle includes varying a traction motor torque in response to an engine cylinder misfire. The traction motor torque is varied to compensate for an engine torque shortfall due to the engine cylinder misfire, reducing a torque imbalance caused by the misfire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Wei Liang, Xiaoyong Wang, Rajit Johri, Mark Steven Yamazaki, Ryan Abraham McGee, Ming Lang Kuang