Abstract: A method for operating an, at least temporarily, unmanned aircraft or spacecraft wherein a flight procedure of the aircraft or spacecraft is carried out in controlled airspace using a previously cleared flight plan, wherein a C2 link is at least temporarily unavailable, and wherein at least one sensor device of the aircraft or spacecraft identifies a dangerous and/or emergency situation which makes it necessary to deviate from the cleared flight plan. To have available a method which makes it possible for an at least temporarily unmanned aircraft or spacecraft to react independently to particular dangerous and/or emergency situations and to avoid damaging events, a control device of the aircraft or spacecraft independently uses a wireless data link to a supervisory authority in order to agree to a changed flight plan containing at least one change.

Abstract: Consumption information associated with a user consuming video segments may be obtained. The consumption information may define user engagement during a video segment and/or user response to the video segment. Sets of flight control settings associated with capture of the video segments may be obtained. The flight control settings may define aspects of a flight control subsystem for the unmanned aerial vehicle and/or a sensor control subsystem for the unmanned aerial vehicle. The preferences for the flight control settings of the unmanned aerial vehicle may be determined based upon the first set and the second set of flight control settings. Instructions may be transmitted to the unmanned aerial vehicle. The instructions may include the determined preferences for the flight control settings and being configured to cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to adjust the flight control settings to the determined preferences.

Abstract: A railway safety critical application system substitutes commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and/or software for railway-domain specific product components yet is validated to conform to railway safety critical system failure-free standards. The safety critical system uses a pair of tasks executed on a controller of a COTS personal computer or within a virtual environment with asymmetric communications capability. Both tasks receive and verify safety critical systems input message data and security code integrity and separately generate output data responsive to the input message. The first task has sole capability to send complete safety critical system output messages, but only the second task has the capability of generating the output security code. A failure of any of systems hardware, software or processing capability results failure to transmit a safety critical system output message or an output message that cannot be verified by other safety critical systems.

Abstract: Arrangements related to operating an autonomous vehicle in view-obstructed environments are described. At least a portion of an external environment of the autonomous vehicle can be sensed to detect one or more objects located therein. An occupant viewable area of the external environment can be determined. It can be determined whether one or more of the detected one or more objects is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area. Responsive to determining that a detected object is located outside of the determined occupant viewable area, one or more actions can be taken. For instance, the action can include presenting an alert within the autonomous vehicle. Alternatively or in addition, the action can include causing a current driving action of the autonomous vehicle to be modified.

Abstract: A navigation satellite system includes a transmitter that transmits a first radio wave having a predetermined frequency, and an electronic device that calculates position coordinates of the electronic device by using a second radio wave from a GNSS satellite, and obtains position coordinates of the transmitter. The electronic device includes a receiver that receives the first radio wave from the transmitter and the second radio wave from the GNSS satellite, and a controller that calculates a distance between the electronic device and the transmitter based on the received first radio wave, and calculates position coordinates of the electronic device based on the received second radio wave.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus to provide a service using a sensor and image recognition in a portable terminal that supports Augmented Reality (AR). The method includes determining whether the portable terminal is parallel to ground using an acceleration sensor. When the portable terminal is parallel to the ground, either a map including nearby Point Of Interest (POI) information or constellation information is displayed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving historical pollution distribution data indicating a pollution distribution in a target area, determining a first searching path for a mobile pollution detecting device that prioritizes subareas in the target area that have not been recently searched relative to other subareas, determining a second searching path for the mobile pollution detecting device that prioritizes subareas in the target area that have a high measure of pollution relative to other subareas, determining whether an amount of the historical pollution distribution data exceeds a threshold amount, and transmitting a signal causing the mobile pollution detecting device to search the target area for pollution based on the first searching path when the amount of the historical pollution distribution data is less than the threshold amount or the second searching path when the amount of the historical pollution distribution data is greater than or equal to the threshold amount.

Abstract: A method for utilizing a trip history of a vehicle during a trip from an original position to a destination includes: (a) determining the original position; (b) comparing the original position to a mapping database covering the trip; (c) determining a road segment of the mapping database associated to the original position; (d) determining a current position during the trip; (e) comparing the current position to the mapping database; (f) determining a road segment of the mapping database associated to the current position; (g) setting the road segment as a link of the trip; (h) repeating (e)-(g) until the destination is reached; (i) determining the destination; (j) comparing the destination to the mapping database; (k) determining a road segment of the mapping database associated to the destination; and (l) representing the trip as connected links between the original position and destination, each link corresponding to a road segment.

Abstract: A method of determining the state of a pedal actuator system within a vehicle includes receiving a position sensor signal indicative of a position of an actuator pedal within the pedal actuator system, receiving a force sensor signal indicative of a compressive force applied to the actuator pedal, and determining, with a processor, a state of the actuator pedal based on the position sensor signal and the force sensor signal. The state of the actuator pedal is one of a normal operating state and a fault state.

Abstract: A method for operating a parked motor vehicle, including the following steps: monitoring a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle and/or surroundings of the motor vehicle with the aid of one or multiple motor vehicle-internal sensor(s); transmitting monitoring data which are based on the monitoring via a wireless communication network to a mobile terminal; in response to a receipt of a control command, transmitted from the mobile terminal via the wireless communication network, for controlling one or multiple component(s) of the motor vehicle, controlling the one or the multiple component(s) of the motor vehicle as a function of the control command, the one or the multiple motor vehicle component(s) being selected from the following group of motor vehicle components: a motor vehicle lighting system, a motor vehicle horn, a motor vehicle-internal sensor. A corresponding device, a motor vehicle, and a computer program, are also described.

Abstract: A positioning system for determining the position of a vehicle when driving into a charging station for charging an energy accumulator of the vehicle includes a vehicle-side marking having at least one marking property changing in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. A route-side sensor device measures a distance from the marking to the sensor device when the vehicle passes the sensor device and generates a distance signal indicating a distance from the marking to the sensor device in the transverse direction of the vehicle. The sensor device reads out the marking property in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and generates a longitudinal vehicle direction signal indicating the position of the marking and/or the vehicle relative to the sensor device in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. A charging station, a vehicle and a method for determining the position of a vehicle, are also provided.

Abstract: An automated system is provided that receives and utilizes travel related data from unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAVs”) and other sources (e.g., data aggregators, weather services, obstacle databases, etc.) for optimizing the scheduling and routing of deliveries by UAVs. The travel related data that is received from the sensors of UAVs and other sources may indicate the locations and characteristics of obstacles, weather, crowds of people, magnetic interference, etc., which may be evaluated and utilized for determining and updating flight plans for UAVs. In various implementations, the travel related data received from the sensors of a UAV may be combined with other travel related data and stored (e.g., at a central management system, in UAVs, etc.) for further analysis and use in determining UAV delivery schedules and related operations of materials handling facilities.

Abstract: A computer system for calculating traffic speed using sparse data. Sensors provide location data, over time, for a sampling of vehicles on the road network, such as a fleet of vehicles. This location data from a sampling of vehicles is sparse with respect to both road segments in the road network and time. From the location data, the computer system generates sample data associating speed of sampled vehicles on the road segments to points of time in a plurality of time slots. The computer system accesses other information that defines correlations among different road segments and among different time slots. The computer system derives at least an average vehicle speed for each road segment in the road network for at least the current time slot using the correlation data and the sparse sample data. The computer system can inter traffic volume from average vehicle speeds, and then compute environmental data.

Abstract: A vehicle operational diagnostics and condition response system includes at least an axle supporting a vehicle frame, a suspension disposed between and secured to each the vehicle frame and the axle, a load detection device interacting with the suspension and communicating with a system controller, wherein the system controller is supported by the vehicle frame, and a vehicle operational lighting system supported by the frame and communicating with the system controller. The vehicle operational lighting system is activated by the system controller in response to load detection data received by the system controller from the load detection device.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle support system, including a lighting network (100) having, a plurality of light units (106-1, . . . , 106-N) wherein at least one light unit includes at least one sensor type (110-1, . . . , 110-N), and a centralized or distributed controller (102, 105-1, . . . , 105-N), wherein a first light unit (106-1, . . . , 106-N) receives sensor data from its sensor type (110-1, . . . , 110-N), wherein the controller (105-1, . . . , 105-1) forms a local environmental perception of an area local to the first light unit (106-1, . . . , 106-N), using the received sensor data from light unit, and receives sensor measurement data from an autonomous vehicle relating to at least a portion of the area, and cross-validates the local environmental perception of the area and the sensor measurement data from the autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: A method of providing navigation instructions in a locked mode of a device is disclosed. The method, while the display screen of the device is turned off, determines that the device is near a navigation point. The method turns on the display screen and provides navigation instructions. In some embodiments, the method identifies the ambient light level around the device and turns on the display at brightness level determined by the identified ambient light level. The method turns off the display after the navigation point is passed.

Abstract: A computing device obtains environmental data, capability data corresponding to a vehicle, and a readiness criteria specifying a maximum time to transition the vehicle from an idle state to an active state. The computing device determines an action that satisfies the readiness criteria and protects the vehicle from a forthcoming environmental condition indicated by the environmental data. In particular, determining the action is based on the environmental data, the capability data, and the readiness criteria. The computing device outputs a control signal, to an actuator, that controls the actuator to mechanically orient part of the vehicle and/or part of a structure in which the vehicle is located to at least partly implement the action.

Abstract: A throttle control system and method for use with a vehicle. The throttle control system receives an input voltage from a vehicle throttle controller. The throttle control system prepares a throttle signal and provides the throttle signal to the throttle to force deceleration to a selected speed or constrain acceleration to a selected value. Preparing the throttle signal may follow detection of maximum threshold values of speed or input voltage. The maximum threshold values may be specific to the location of the vehicle. The throttle signal and the maximum threshold values may be defined with reference to the input voltage, vehicle speed, vehicle location, or other parameters. The throttle signal may force deceleration or constrain acceleration incrementally to mitigate loss of vehicle throttle controller responsiveness to driver commands. The throttle signal may be an output voltage provided to a vehicle electronic control module.

Abstract: An aftermarket vehicle head unit integration cartridge for use with an aftermarket head unit is provided. The aftermarket head unit preferably includes a dedicated slot for insertion of the cartridge. The cartridge preferably supports communication between a plurality of electronic components in the aftermarket head unit and a plurality of electronic components in the vehicle. The plurality of electronic components in the aftermarket head unit may include, for example, an audio processing system, a video processing system, an analog I/O and/or a digital I/O, and/or a plurality of electronic components. The plurality of electronic components in the vehicle may include an audio system, an analog I/O, a digital I/O/databus, and/or a steering wheel control unit. The cartridge may include a flashable memory for use in reconfiguring the cartridge. The cartridge may be configured to capture and condition the signals from at least one of the plurality of the vehicle-based electronic components.

Abstract: A system includes a mobile computer programmed to receive, from a vehicle computer, an instruction to proceed to a location and vehicle operation data from an in-vehicle communications network. The mobile computer is programmed to determine that a vehicle is ready to proceed to the location based on the operation data. The mobile computer is programmed to receive user input approving transitioning from a boarding state to a driving state. The mobile computer is programmed to then instruct the vehicle computer to actuate vehicle components to proceed to the location.