Patents Examined by Scott A Reinbold
  • Patent number: 12151740
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include systems, vehicles, and computer-implemented methods to adjust a threshold level of force to be applied to a steering wheel to disengage an autosteering system. In an illustrative embodiment, a system includes a computing device operably coupled with a vehicle that includes a processor and a computer-readable media configured to store computer-executable instructions configured to cause the processor to: detect that an autosteering system of the vehicle is engaged; detect a level of force applied by an operator to a steering wheel of the vehicle; and disengage the autosteering system when the level of force surpasses a threshold chosen from a default threshold and an adjusted threshold, wherein the adjusted threshold is applied upon detecting a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: Rivian IP Holdings. LLC
    Inventors: Kok Wei Koh, Rohan Kulkarni, Saba Gurusubramanian
  • Patent number: 12110837
    Abstract: A steel piston designed to improve thermal efficiency, fuel consumption, and performance of an engine is provided. The piston includes a steel body portion and a thermal barrier layer applied to an upper combustion surface and/or a ring belt to reduce the amount of heat transferred from a combustion chamber to the body portion. The thermal barrier layer has a thermal conductivity which is lower than a thermal conductivity of the steel body portion. The thermal barrier layer typically includes a ceramic material, for example ceria, ceria stabilized zirconia, and/or a mixture of ceria stabilized zirconia and yttria stabilized zirconia in an amount of 90 to 100 wt. %, based on the total weight of the ceramic material. The thermal barrier layer can also have a gradient structure which gradually transitions from 100 wt. % of a metal bond material to 100 wt. % of the ceramic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: Tenneco Inc.
    Inventor: Norbert G. Schneider
  • Patent number: 12110818
    Abstract: An ignition system for a vehicle internal combustion engine (12) has a capsule defining a pre-chamber (136), an ignition fuel supply system (500) configured to inject an ignition fuel to the pre-chamber to create an ignition fuel-air mix in the pre-chamber, an ignition surface (137) within the pre-chamber, the ignition surface being defined by an interior surface of the capsule and configured to be contacted by the ignition fuel in the pre-chamber to thereby ignite the ignition fuel by hot surface ignition, and at least one jet nozzle (152). The ignition fuel is characterised by having a carbon content by mass less than 65%, a hot surface ignition temperature less than 500 deg C., and a volumetric energy density (LHV) greater than 18 MJ/L. The at least one jet nozzle is configured such that ignition of the ignition fuel by contact with the ignition surface causes at least one of hot gases, partially combusted fuel and flames to leave the pre-chamber through the at least one jet nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: ERFINDER TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew John Robinson, Paul William Guthrie
  • Patent number: 12097917
    Abstract: A steering control device is configured to control a steering device as a controlled object, the steering device having a structure in which transmission of power between a steering portion and a turning portion is cut off. The steering control device includes a central processing unit. The central processing unit is configured to execute a reduction process in a case where at least either one of a travel state amount and a steering state amount is a state amount indicating that a target turning-corresponding angle does not change. The reduction process is a process of reducing a driving current to be supplied to a turning motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junya Miyake, Takashi Kodera, Toru Takashima, Hidetsugu Toyama
  • Patent number: 12091105
    Abstract: A method for operating a steering system includes the steps of: (1) acquiring a variable at least during the partially automated driving; (2) determining whether or not the driver wishes to control the vehicle manually using a variable; (3) ending the partially automated driving and converting steering movements applied by the driver into steering movements of the motor vehicle via a front-axle actuator unit irrespective of the current rotational angle of the steering wheel, if the driver wishes to control the vehicle manually. The variable acquired during partially automated driving may be any of the following: a driver gripping force applied to the steering wheel, a driver torque applied to the steering wheel, deflection of the steering wheel, a gradient of the driver gripping force to the steering wheel, a gradient of the driver torque applied to the steering wheel, and deflection gradient of the steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: ZF Active Safety GMBH
    Inventor: Heinz-Dieter Heitzer
  • Patent number: 12090942
    Abstract: A personal mobility device configured for preventing a plurality of occupants from riding therein and a method of controlling stability therefor, may include a sensor unit including a plurality of sensors configured to detect a current boarding weight on the personal mobility apparatus, a pressure applied to a deck, and a driving speed, a communication unit configured to transmit and receive data to or from a communication terminal device of a user, and a controller configured to analyze information on a weight of the user, provided from the communication unit, and sensing information provided from the sensor unit, to determine whether a plurality of occupants rides in the personal mobility device, and to control an operation of the driving unit, preventing an accident when a plurality of occupants rides therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: So Jeong Kim
  • Patent number: 12083846
    Abstract: A vehicle suspension control device includes: an actuator configured to apply a control force in a vertical direction between an unsprung structure and a sprung structure; and an electronic control unit configured to control the actuator so as to generate the control force according to a required control amount for reducing vibration of the sprung structure. The required control amount includes at least two control terms of a displacement term, a velocity term, and an acceleration term related to displacement, velocity, and acceleration of the sprung structure. The electronic control unit calculates a magnitude of a frequency component of each of a plurality of frequency bands included in road surface vibration information, and determines a control gain of each of the at least two control terms so as to change based on the magnitude of the frequency component of each of the plurality of frequency bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Furuta
  • Patent number: 12054151
    Abstract: An electronic control unit is a control device for controlling a vehicle including a vehicle speed sensor. The electronic control unit is configured to identify a section from start to stop of the vehicle using a vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor, determine whether the number of times of a low-speed section is more than a prescribed number of times, the low-speed section being the identified section where a representative value of the vehicle speed is less than a prescribed speed, and determine that the vehicle is in a specific situation where low-speed travel is inevitable, when it is determined that the number of times of the low-speed section is more than the prescribed number of times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yumi Kondo, Yasuyuki Mikami
  • Patent number: 12054194
    Abstract: A method includes receiving, before a first time, a plurality of sensor values and identifying, based on the plurality of sensor values, a target vehicle in a blind zone of a host vehicle. The method also includes determining, at the first time, that the host vehicle is initiating a steering maneuver and identifying a plurality of time segments between the first time and a second time. The method also includes updating the plurality of sensor values and determining a heading angle of the target vehicle relative to the host vehicle. The method also includes estimating a position of the target vehicle at each time segment of the plurality of time segments and estimating, using each position of the target vehicle at each corresponding time segment of the plurality of time segments, a position of the target vehicle at the second time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Zaki Ryne, Farhad Bolourchi
  • Patent number: 12012145
    Abstract: A travel controller detects a non-lane zone within a predetermined distance ahead of a current position of a vehicle. The non-lane zone lacks lanes. The travel controller controls travel of the vehicle in the non-lane zone so as to keep the position of the vehicle relative to the width of a whole road. When an expected position of the vehicle at the end of the non-lane zone straddles a lane line, the travel controller controls travel of the vehicle so as to move to a lane having a larger overlap with the vehicle, prior to control of travel of the vehicle to keep the position of the vehicle relative to the width of the whole road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takao Kashu, Yasutaka Teramae, Hirotaka Kato, Ryo Masutani, Ichi Gi
  • Patent number: 11999425
    Abstract: A steering wheel actuation device, for example in ADAS testing, is provided. The actuation device can include a steering wheel actuator to selectively move during testing between an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration. The actuation device can impart an actuation force to a vehicle steering wheel in the engaged configuration, and can vary the magnitude of the resistance it creates to the turning of the steering wheel during testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Anthony Best Dynamics Ltd.
    Inventors: Matthew James Hubbard, Tin Wah Chiu, Andrew Pick, Colin Martin
  • Patent number: 11975758
    Abstract: A first risk potential field for a risk avoidance control is a sum of a risk potential field in which a valley of a risk value extends in a lane longitudinal direction and a risk potential field in which the risk value is maximum at a position of an object and decreases as a distance from the object increases. The steering control is executed such that a vehicle approaches a first minimum point that is a minimum point of the first risk potential field and that is searched for in a first search range. When a plurality of first minimum point candidates is present in the first search range, the first minimum point candidate that is present in a direction away from a foremost object as viewed from a previous minimum point and is the closest to the previous minimum point is selected as the current first minimum point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshiki Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 11970222
    Abstract: A method for actuating a vehicle steering actuator which is coupled to a steering gear, comprising: providing an end stop return function with which a first control variable for the vehicle steering actuator can be ascertained, on the basis of which a force that returns the steering gear in the direction of a defined position can be at least partially generated with the vehicle steering actuator; ascertaining whether the steering gear falls below a limit distance from an end stop; and if this is the case: actuating the vehicle steering actuator on the basis of the first control variable ascertained with the end stop return function, which control variable has a value above a threshold value; wherein, if the limit distance is not fallen below, no control variable is ascertained with the end stop return function or a control variable with a value not exceeding the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Stefan Berkner, Jens Zientek, Barbara Neef
  • Patent number: 11945496
    Abstract: A steering column assembly for a vehicle includes a housing, a shaft, a first gear, first and second motors. The shaft is rotatably mounted with respect to the housing and is configured for attachment of a steering wheel at one end. The first gear is connected to and configured to rotate with the shaft. Each of the first and second motors have an output driving a respective output gear. The output gears are engaged with the first gear, and there being control means configured to operate the motors in a first mode in which the motors apply torque to the first gear in opposite directions and a second mode in which the motors apply torque to the first gear in the same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Inventor: Mark Anthony Wilkes
  • Patent number: 11939015
    Abstract: By an offset amount being calculated based on a lateral position deviation from a target travel path at a forward point-of-gaze of a host vehicle at a time of a driver steering state, a series of vehicle control operations until switching back from the driver steering state to an automatic steering control, and traveling along an offset travel path, becomes smoother, whereby comfort when riding in a vehicle is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yu Takeuchi, Shuuhei Nakatsuji, Fumiaki Kadoya, Kazuo Hitosugi, Yuki Yoshida, Kazushi Maeda
  • Patent number: 11938941
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to adaptively selecting a controller for generating vehicle controls. In one embodiment, a method includes, in response to acquiring sensor data about a surrounding environment of the vehicle, determining a driving context of the vehicle in relation to aspects of a roadway on which the vehicle is traveling. The method includes selecting a controller for generating control inputs to the vehicle according to the driving context by selecting between a proportional, integral, derivative (PID) controller and a machine learning (ML) controller. The method includes controlling the vehicle using the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignees: Denso International America, Inc., DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Yu Yan
  • Patent number: 11926338
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes an automatic-driving processor and an engine processor. The automatic-driving processor is configured to perform an automatic-driving control to stop a vehicle in accordance with detection of an abnormal state of a driver who drives the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling. When the vehicle is in a standby state after stopping of the vehicle by the automatic-driving control, the engine processor is configured to perform an engine driving control to reduce how frequently an engine of the vehicle is started, compared with when the vehicle is in a normal traveling state. The standby state is a state in which an operation control of an air conditioner of the vehicle is allowed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumiyuki Moriya, Hirofumi Yabe
  • Patent number: 11919353
    Abstract: A control unit configured to control a control force generating device configured to generate a control force for damping a sprung portion of a vehicle controls the control force generating device based on a target control force Fcit for damping the sprung portion when a wheel passes through a predicted wheel passing position. The control unit acquires an unsprung displacement z1i at the predicted wheel passing position, and calculates the target control force as a value proportional to an unsprung displacement z1ai that is the unsprung displacement z1i having a phase that has been advanced to advance a phase of a transfer function from the unsprung displacement z1i to the target control force by a phase advance amount larger than 0 degrees and smaller than 180 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Furuta
  • Patent number: 11912263
    Abstract: A method for controlling vehicle propulsion includes identifying at least one route characteristic of a portion of a route being traversed by a vehicle. The method further includes determining a profile for a target vehicle speed based on the at least one route characteristic and a vehicle energy consumption profile. The method further includes selectively adjusting a vehicle speed control input based on the target vehicle speed profile. The method further includes communicating the vehicle speed control input to a vehicle propulsion controller to achieve the target vehicle speed profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES IP LIMITED
    Inventors: Karim Aggoune, Peter M. Olin, Zhaoxuan Zhu
  • Patent number: 11904936
    Abstract: A driving support device for a vehicle includes a separation line recognizer configured to recognize pairs of right and left separation lines ahead of the vehicle on vehicle's traveling roads, a target route setting unit configured to set a target route along center lines of lanes defined with respective centers of each of the pairs of the separation lines, a steering controller configured to perform steering control for driving the vehicle along the target route, and a target route corrector configured to correct the target route when an intersecting road is on the target route and an angle between a center line of the vehicle's current traveling road before the intersecting road and a center line on the intersecting road is a set angle or less, set a route correction section, calculate a arc tangent to the two center lines, and correct the target route based on the calculated arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryosuke Namba