Patents Examined by Richard M. Camby
  • Patent number: 11035682
    Abstract: Implementations of various methods and systems to transform navigation routes with two waypoints or a destination waypoint or a series sequence of waypoints into objects which are communities to which user(s) may subscribe, friend, follow or be a member of the community. The present disclosed invention relates to combining the concepts of objected oriented programming and navigation systems and social networking and transportation as a fungible asset class or transportation as an open market.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: SimpsX Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Erik M Simpson
  • Patent number: 11029985
    Abstract: A processing system for an unmanned vehicle (UV) such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is provided. The processing system comprises a first processing unit of an integrated circuit and a second processing unit of the integrated circuit. The processing system comprises a first operating system provisioned using the first processing unit. The first operating system is configured to execute a first vehicle control process. The processing system comprises a virtualization layer configured using at least the second processing unit, and a second operating system provisioned using the virtualization layer. The second operating system is configured to execute a second vehicle control process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC
    Inventors: Braeton Taylor, Stefano Angelo Mario Lassini, Brent Dale Hooker
  • Patent number: 11029698
    Abstract: A method for tracking movement and turning angle of a mobile robotic device using two optoelectronic sensors positioned on the underside thereof. Digital image correlation is used to analyze images captured by the optoelectronic sensors and determine the amount of offset, and thereby amount of movement of the device. Trigonometric analysis of a triangle formed by lines between the positions of the optoelectronic sensors at different intervals may be used to determine turning angle of the mobile robotic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: AI Incorporated
    Inventor: Ali Ebrahimi Afrouzi
  • Patent number: 11030802
    Abstract: A dynamic map update device includes a processor configured to: acquire a captured image from a plurality of vehicles, each of the plurality of vehicles having a camera configured to capture surroundings, the captured image being captured by the camera; update a dynamic map of a predetermined area based on the captured image; vary an update frequency of the dynamic map depending on a position among a plurality of positions in the predetermined area; and acquire the captured image from the plurality of vehicles according to the update frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Saeko Miyaoka, Koji Taguchi, Masato Endo
  • Patent number: 11027812
    Abstract: A method for a propulsion arrangement (101) for providing propulsive power to a marine vessel (1), the method comprising the steps of: —determining (S1) whether the vessel (1) is running by means of the propulsion arrangement at a constant vessel speed, —storing (S3) a value (V1) of the constant vessel speed, —detecting (S4) a value (n1) of a rotational speed of a rotatable part (102) of the propulsion arrangement while the vessel is running at the constant vessel speed, —storing (S5) the detected rotational speed value, —subsequently controlling (S6) the propulsion arrangement so as to change the vessel speed, —subsequently repeating (S7-S11) the steps of determining whether the vessel is running at a constant vessel speed, storing a value (V2-V4) of the constant vessel speed, and detecting and storing a value (n2-n4) of the rotational speed of the rotatable part, to obtain a plurality of stored pairs of vessel speed values and rotational speed values, and —creating (S12) based at least partly on the stored
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: CPAC SYSTEMS AB
    Inventor: Mathias Lindeborg
  • Patent number: 11030664
    Abstract: A method for providing cost data for a flight is provided. The method (i) obtains cost target data for the flight, under anticipated conditions; (ii) obtains real-time aircraft performance parameters affecting the actual cost of the flight, using continuous monitoring during the flight, including at least aircraft speed modes, aircraft flight level changes, tactical interventions, weather impact, and descent timing deviations; (iii) determines an actual cost of the flight, based on the real-time aircraft performance parameters affecting the actual cost; (iv) identifies flight plan change options associated with a potential cost savings over the actual cost, wherein the flight plan change options comprise potential modifications to the flight plan to complete the flight; (v) presents the flight plan change options; and (vi) adapts operation of one or more avionics systems onboard the aircraft, based on one of the flight plan change options.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh Chaubey, Srihari Jayathirtha, Ivan Markov, Chavdar Kirov
  • Patent number: 11014564
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing a safety strategy in a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a sensor configured to sense information about the outside of the vehicle, a memory storing road information, and a control circuit configured to be electrically connected with the sensor and the memory. The control circuit generates a route which is toward a shoulder included in a road where the vehicle is traveling, when a control authority transition demand of the vehicle is ignored, adjusts an operational condition of an automatic lane change based on at least a portion of a speed of the vehicle, a speed of a following vehicle in a target lane of the route, or a distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle, and performs the automatic lane change toward the shoulder along the route, when the adjusted operational condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, KIA Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Hyun Ju Kim, Jae Yong Jeon, Dong Hwi Lee, Jin Su Jeong, Su Jung Yoo
  • Patent number: 11014638
    Abstract: A wakeboat includes a hull; a thruster associated with the hull of the wakeboat, the thruster configured to selectively impart lateral force to the hull; an operator control in the wakeboat configured to control a parameter of the wakeboat other than the thruster; a thruster control associated with the operator control, the thruster control selectively receiving input from the operator to control the thruster, the thruster control positioned to be operable with at least the same hand and/or fingers already operating the operator control. Other systems and methods for controlling a wakeboat are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Skier's Choice, Inc.
    Inventors: Zachary Thomas Davis, Richard Lawrence Hartman
  • Patent number: 11009873
    Abstract: An automatic driving control plan creation unit creates a plan of an automatic driving section in which a subject vehicle is automatically driven, and a plan of a driving switching preparation section for switching the subject vehicle from automatic driving to manual driving. For each point in the driving switching preparation section, a driving load calculation unit calculates a driving load applied to a driver when the driver manually drives the subject vehicle. A driving switching permission determination unit permits switching of the subject vehicle from automatic driving to manual driving at a point where the driving load is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, and does not permit switching of the subject vehicle from automatic driving to manual driving at a point where the driving load is equal to or larger than the threshold value. A permission standard relaxation unit makes the driving load difficult to exceed the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ueno, Mitsuo Shimotani, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Naohiko Obata, Tadashi Miyahara, Tomohiro Shiino
  • Patent number: 11001141
    Abstract: A control system includes a joystick and a computer. The joystick includes a joystick body, a cover hingedly coupled to the joystick body and movable between an open position and a closed position, and an input located on the joystick body. The input is exposed by the cover when the cover is in the open position and concealed by the cover when the cover is in the closed position. The computer is programmed to enter a first mode in response to the cover moving from the open position to the closed position, to enter a second mode in response to both the cover moving from the closed position to the open position and the input being activated, and to remain in a same of the first and second modes in response to the cover moving from the closed position to the open position without the input being activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Vishal Vinayak Nageshkar, Sangram Tamhankar, Jonathan Paul Weiler, Christian J. Hosbach, Patrick Maloney
  • Patent number: 11001211
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for secure signal manipulation for testing integrated safety functionalities and to a system for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Henning Dürkop, Marc Neubauer, Alejandro Lorda Cobos
  • Patent number: 10984664
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining, prior to deployment of a landing assist device onboard an aircraft, the positions of potential landing sites for the aircraft. The positions of the potential landing sites are determined by a computer based at least in part on respective landing assist device deployment times and current wind data. The computed positions of potential landing sites are received by another computer or processor onboard that aircraft that is configured to control operation of a cockpit display unit within the field of view of the pilot. The display unit displays a map showing the respective positions of the aircraft at the respective landing assist device deployment times and the corresponding respective positions of the potential landing sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Charles B. Spinelli, Alvin L. Sipe
  • Patent number: 10981567
    Abstract: Feature-based prediction is described. In an example, a vehicle can capture sensor data while traversing an environment and can provide the sensor data to computing system(s). The sensor data can indicate event(s), such as a lane change, associated with agent(s) in the environment. The computing system(s) can determine, based on the sensor data, a time associated with the event and can determine features associated with a period of time relative to the time of the event. In an example, the computing system(s) can aggregate the features with additional features associated with other similar events to generate training data and can train, based at least in part on the training data, a machine learned model for predicting new events. In an example, the machine learned model can be transmitted to vehicle(s), which can be configured to alter drive operation(s) based, at least partly, on output(s) of the machine learned model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin John Sapp, Daylen Guang Yu Yang
  • Patent number: 10974844
    Abstract: An auxiliary power unit (APU) control system for an aircraft is disclosed, and includes an APU drivingly coupled to one or more generators, one or more processors, and a memory coupled to the one or more processors. The memory stores data comprising a database and program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the APU control system to receive one or more ambient signals indicative of an air density value and one or more power signals indicative of a specific amount of power generated by the APU. The system is further caused to determine a first variable rotational speed of the APU based on the air density value. The APU continues to generate the specific amount of power when operating at the first variable rotational speed. After instructing the APU to operate at the first variable rotational speed, the system receives an electrical load signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey J. White
  • Patent number: 10969230
    Abstract: An information processing device includes a display configured to display a mesh of mesh information based on longitude and latitude. A mesh is composed of a plurality of blocks. The mesh information includes area information about a traveling area where a moving body can travel. The area information is the additional information added to each of the plurality of blocks. The additional information is the display information that is weighted and sorted, based on the number of overlapping points of the plurality of locus logs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: MICWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Ito, Michihiro Nishida
  • Patent number: 10953953
    Abstract: A bicycle controller controls a motor in accordance with the riding environment of a bicycle. The bicycle controller includes an electronic control unit that is configured to control a motor that assists in propulsion of a bicycle in accordance with operation of an operation unit provided on the bicycle. The electronic control unit is further configured to change an increasing speed of an output torque of the motor in accordance with at least one of an inclination angle of the bicycle and a change amount of the inclination angle of the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shahana, Yasuhiro Tsuchizawa, Hiroshi Matsuda
  • Patent number: 10946930
    Abstract: A bicycle controller controls a motor in accordance with the riding environment of a bicycle. The bicycle controller includes an electronic control unit that is configured to control a motor that assists in propulsion of a bicycle in accordance with a manual driving force. The electronic control unit is further configured to control an output torque of the motor to be less than or equal to a predetermined torque. The predetermined torque is changed in accordance with an inclination angle of the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shahana, Yasuhiro Tsuchizawa, Hiroshi Matsuda
  • Patent number: 10946979
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling vehicle impact absorption systems and related methods are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a predictor to generate a prediction of an impact event for a vehicle based on data received from sensors of the vehicle. The example apparatus includes an energy absorption allocator to determine an amount of vehicle energy to be absorbed by a crash protection system of the vehicle upon the impact event. The example apparatus includes a communicator to generate an instruction to activate the crash protection system based on the prediction and the amount of vehicle energy to be absorbed by the crash protection system and transmit the instruction to a controller of the crash protection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Akif O. Bolukbasi
  • Patent number: 10942509
    Abstract: A system-on-module (SOM) for controlling an unmanned vehicle (UV) is provided. The SOM comprises a circuit board, a first processing system in operative communication with the circuit board, and a second processing system in operative communication with the circuit board. The first processing system includes one or more first processing units and a volatile programmable logic array. The first processing system is configured to execute a first process for the UV. The second processing system includes one or more second processing units and a non-volatile programmable logic array. The second processing system is configured to monitor execution of the first process by the first processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC
    Inventors: Stefano Angelo Mario Lassini, John Andrew Ingersoll, Ryan Daniel Gorby
  • Patent number: 10942038
    Abstract: A route risk mitigation system and method using real-time information to improve the safety of vehicles operating in semi-autonomous or autonomous modes. The method mitigates the risks associated with driving by assigning real-time risk values to road segments and then using those real-time risk values to select less risky travel routes, including less risky travel routes for vehicles engaged in autonomous driving over the travel routes. The route risk mitigation system may receive location information, real-time operation information, (and/or other information) and provide updated associated risk values. In an embodiment, separate risk values may be determined for vehicles engaged in autonomous driving over the road segment and vehicles engaged in manual driving over the road segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company
    Inventors: Timothy W. Gibson, Surender Kumar, Regina Madigan