Abstract: A drive arrangement (1) for driving a motor (9) in a seat belt pre-tensioner incorporates a power supply circuit (6) in the form of an H bridge and a voltage boost circuit 16 which are controlled by a control unit (17). The control unit (17) controls the voltage boost circuit (16) to increase the voltage output to the motor (9) to speed up the rotation of the motor (9) whilst the motor (9) winds in slack in a seat belt (13).

Abstract: A positioning method that calculates a lower accuracy positioning solution and applies an offset to the lower accuracy positioning solution to form a final positioning solution if a higher accuracy positioning solution is unavailable. The offset represents a difference between the lower accuracy positioning solution and the higher accuracy positioning solution at a point in time when the higher accuracy positioning solution was last available.

Abstract: A train control system, in particular to a train control system for a train consist using a Distributed Power (DP) technology. This technology refers to the placement and operation of one or more groups of locomotives, which are distributed throughout a train consist including a multiple railcars and multiple locomotives. These locomotives are remotely controlled from the cab in the leading locomotive (i.e., the Lead locomotive (LL)).

Abstract: First and second clutches correspond to systems which include “first gear” and “second gear,” respectively. When the temperature of the first clutch at the time of start of the vehicle is lower than a first temperature, only the first clutch is used as a start clutch for driving the vehicle. When the temperature of the first clutch is not lower than the first temperature but is lower than a second temperature, both the first and second clutches are used as the start clutch. When the temperature of the first clutch is equal to or higher than the second temperature, only the second clutch is used as the start clutch. Thus, the higher the temperature of the first clutch, the smaller the load acting on the first clutch. When the temperature of the second clutch is high, engine torque is reduced, and a warning is issued.

Abstract: A micro air vehicle having a navigation system with a single camera to determine position and attitude of the vehicle using changes the direction to the observed features. The difference between the expected directions to the observed features versus the measured direction to the observed features is used to correct a navigation solution.

Abstract: Wheel suspension for vehicle, with support, steering knuckle connected in articulated manner with the support via interconnected joints, a vehicle wheel rotatably supported on the steering knuckle, a connecting element extending between a first joint and a second joint which is connected in an articulated manner via the first joint to the steering knuckle and via the second joint to the support, an angle detection device , for measuring the rotation angle of one of the joints and for generating an angle signal characterizing the rotation angle, an evaluation device, for evaluating the angle signal, and which is coupled with the angle detection device. The connecting element is a chassis actuator with an adjusting means, with which the length of the chassis actuator and thereby the position of the vehicle wheel is varied. The length of the chassis actuator is determined with the evaluation device by evaluating the at least one angle signal.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for monitoring roadway traffic. A method includes transmitting wireless signals from a plurality of roadside equipment (RSE) devices, including from a first RSE device and from a second RSE device that are located at separated positions of an intersection. The method includes receiving responses by the first RSE device and second RSE device from a wireless device. The responses include a unique identifier corresponding to the wireless device. The method includes determining a signal strength of each of the responses by the first RSE and the second RSE and transmitting data from the first RSE device and the second RSE device to a control system. The data includes the unique identifier, the signal strength of each of the responses, and times that the responses were received. The method includes determining traffic information associated with the wireless device based on the received data.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for discovery of public points of interest. Data identifying points of interest is obtained. Each point of interest is associated with a respective user and specifies a respective name and a respective geographic location. A public point of interest is determined based at least in part on a similarity of the respective names of a subset of the points of interest, a proximity of the respective geographic locations of the subset of the points of interest, and a number of different users associated with the subset of the points of interest.

Abstract: A working fluid medium temperature control system comprises an actuator operable on a working fluid medium, a pump for the working fluid medium, a fluid passage structure for the working fluid medium, an electric motor drivingly connected to the pump, and a control unit for the electric motor, the control unit including an inverter and an inverter controller. The inverter and the electric motor are integrated in such a way that the inverter is in heat transfer communication with the electric motor. The fluid passage structure is in heat transfer communication with the inverter.

Abstract: A navigation system includes a display for displaying map sections and point of interest (POI) data to a user and a database for storing POI data. A retrieval unit is provided to retrieve from the database POI data for the map section to be displayed. The POI database includes POIs and substitute POIs representing a number of POIs in a map region. It may then depend on the map scale with which the map section is to be displayed whether a substitute POI or a POI which it represents is retrieved from the database.

Abstract: Continuously variable transmission includes: a variator; a stepwise auxiliary transmission mechanism; and a shift controller configured to set a desired through transmission ratio based on the calculated desired target rotational speed, the shift control section including; a slope road upshift prohibiting section configured to prohibit upshift of the auxiliary transmission mechanism when the vehicle runs on a slope road, and a slope road upshift section configured to upshift the auxiliary transmission mechanism when the vehicle runs in a predetermined running state when the slope road upshift prohibiting section prohibits upshift of the auxiliary transmission mechanism, and to perform the shift of the auxiliary transmission mechanism while the transmission ratio of the variator is varied in accordance with the variation of the transmission ratio of the auxiliary transmission mechanism to prevent varying the through transmission ratio even when the vehicle runs on the slope road.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to ground transportation systems, and more particularly to a fixed guideway transportation system that achieves a superior ratio of benefits per cost, is lower in net present cost and thus more easily justified for lower density corridors, and can provide passenger carrying capacities appropriate for higher density corridors serviced by mass rapid transit systems today. According to certain aspects, the present invention provides a methodology for limiting the rise in headway as the vehicle speed increases. This innovation further allows systems to achieve shorter time separations between vehicles traveling at high speeds, thus significantly improving the utility of fixed guideway infrastructure.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for surface management of an airport. One embodiment of the disclosure of this application is related to a method including receiving airport data from an airport network, receiving surface surveillance data for specific segments of an airport area, identifying predicted conflicts within one of the segments based on the airport data and surface surveillance data, and allocating a taxi time slot for the flight. Another embodiment of the disclosure of this application is related to a system comprising a user interface displaying information related to flight plan data and airport data received from an airport network, and a surface management module receiving the airport data and surface surveillance data for specific segments of an airport area, identifying predicted conflicts within one of the segments based on the airport data and surface surveillance data, and allocating a taxi time slot for the flight.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of determining the power demand on a power subsystem (2) of a system (1) by optimising a respective demand-dependent operating characteristic based on one or more operating conditions affecting the power subsystem, the method comprising: using a system-authority (3, 14) to determine system-level power demand limits on the basis of a system-level objective associated with an operating period; inputting the power demand limits to a separate power control processor (4, 16) configured for regulating the power demand on the power subsystem (2); determining each of said operating conditions; and using the power control processor (4, 16) autonomously to determine the overall power demand on the power subsystem (2) within said system-level limits, based on each of said operating conditions, thereby to optimise said operating characteristic. A method of regulating the power demand during the operating period is also disclosed.

Abstract: An engine driving force is calculated. A first-lag process is executed based upon the engine driving force to calculate an engaging torque between front and rear shafts. The resultant is output to a transfer clutch drive unit. A braking force according to a change of a driving force, which is decreased with the lapse of time based upon a temporal change of the engine driving force, is calculated by executing a first-order lead process. An acceleration sensitive target yaw moment based upon the braking force according to the change of the driving force is calculated, and a steering sensitive target yaw moment based upon a steering angle velocity is calculated by executing the first-order lead process. A braking force to be added to an inner wheel on a turn is calculated based upon these target yaw moment. The resultant is output to a brake drive unit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for generating accurate maps for autonomous vehicles. A map is stored at a computing device associated with a vehicle. The vehicle can be operated in a partially-autonomous mode, where the computing device can generate driving directions for manual execution along a route based on the map. The computing device can be configured to receive and store information related to features and a quality of driving along the route. The map can be updated and quality control statistics can be determined based on the stored information. The updated map can be promoted based on the quality control statistics. In response to promoting the updated map, the computing device can store the promoted map and enable the vehicle to operate in the autonomous-operation mode using the promoted map.

Abstract: A system includes a vehicle speed module that determines a speed of a vehicle. An engine control module receives a first target speed signal and a torque request signal from an adaptive cruise control (ACC) module. The ACC module is separate from the engine control module. A first comparison module compares the first target speed signal to the speed of the vehicle to generate a first assessment signal. A first target speed module sets a second target speed signal equal to one of the first target speed signal and a predetermined value based on the first assessment signal. The engine control module controls an engine to provide an engine output torque based on at least one of the torque request signal and the second target speed signal.

Abstract: A system includes a first interface module and a route determining module. The first interface module interfaces with a scheduling program and retrieves from the scheduling program a meeting time and a meeting location for a meeting scheduled by a user using the scheduling program. The route determining module determines (i) a route from a first location to the meeting location and (ii) a departure time for the user to depart from the first location to reach the meeting location at the meeting time. The route determining module determines the route and the departure time based on (i) predicted traffic conditions and (ii) predicted weather conditions surrounding the first location and the meeting location prior to the meeting time.

Abstract: A method for detecting a dangerous driving condition of a vehicle located on a roadway is provided, which includes a step of receiving a first damping signal (310) via an interface, the first damping signal being suitable for representing a temporal progression of a vertical movement of a first wheel of the vehicle, a step of evaluating (312) the first damping signal in accordance with an evaluation rule, in order to obtain from the first damping signal a first probability value (314) for a departure of the first wheel from a roadway, and a step of providing an evaluation signal (316), the evaluation signal being designed to indicate a departure of the vehicle from the roadway, as a function of the first probability value.

Abstract: A smart navigation device includes a storage unit for storing map information therein, a positioning module for determining a current location, and a navigation module for generating a navigation route based on a target location, the current location, and the map information. When the navigation route includes a plurality of toll roads and one of which is selected to be excluded from the navigation route, the navigation module re-plans to generate a cost-saving navigation route. Therefore, a user is allowed to select and avoid any toll road on the navigation route. A smart navigation method applicable to vehicle navigation is also disclosed.