Abstract: A motor driven power steering system includes: a power source for generating a steering assistance force assisting the steering of a vehicle; a transfer gear positioned between a power source and a column for transferring the steering assistance force generated by the power source to the column; a parameter estimation unit for estimating a friction parameter of a dynamic friction model based on the actual friction torque actually generated in the transfer gear; and a state estimation unit for calculating a state variable of the dynamic friction model based on a contact surface moving speed of the transfer gear and for estimating expected friction torque according to the dynamic friction model by using the calculated state variable and the friction parameter of the dynamic friction model estimated by the parameter estimation unit.

Abstract: It makes it possible to track instrument information and to obtain an accurate history of the instrument information, even when a mounting position mounted with a railway vehicle instrument has been changed. Instrument information indicating an operation or a state of a railway vehicle instrument mounted to each mounting position included in a composition is collected. A serial number determined for each mounting position is updated. The instrument information is assigned with a temporary ID including position information specifying the each mounting position and a serial number. A combination of a new temporary ID and an old temporary ID included in the temporary ID group and assigned to new instrument information and old instrument information indicating an operation or a state of a same railway vehicle instrument is estimated.

Abstract: Computing systems for vehicle diagnostics are provided. In accordance with some aspects, a computing system may receive, from a vehicle (e.g., from a computing device installed in and/or at the vehicle), a diagnostic code generated by an on-board diagnostic (OBD) system of the vehicle. The computing system may determine an issue with the vehicle based on the diagnostic code and may determine, based on the issue, a remedial action for addressing the issue and a timeframe for performing the remedial action. The computing system may store data identifying the issue, the remedial action, and the timeframe in a record associated with the vehicle.

Abstract: A relative atlas graph maintains mapping data used by an autonomous vehicle. The relative atlas graph may be generated for a geographical area based on observations collected from the geographical area, and may include element nodes corresponding to elements detected from the observations along with edges that connect pairs of element nodes and define relative poses between the elements for connected pairs of element nodes, as well as relations that connect multiple element nodes to define logical relationships therebetween.

Abstract: A weight profile determination system includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor is disposed along a route and configured to generate a plurality of force measurements of a vehicle system moving on the route relative to the sensor. The force measurements are obtained at different times and correspond to different locations along a length of the vehicle system. The controller is configured to determine a weight profile for the vehicle system based on the force measurements generated by the sensor. The weight profile represents a distribution of weight along the length of the vehicle system. The controller is configured to communicate the weight profile to one or more of the vehicle system or an offboard device for controlling movement of the vehicle system based on the weight profile.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a brake system including (a) a brake stack, (b) a force member moveable between a retracted position and an extended position in response to a brake command, wherein the force member contacts the brake stack in the extended position, and wherein the brake system includes a running clearance defined by a distance between the brake stack and the force member in the retracted position, (c) a sensor in communication with the brake stack to measure a force between the force member and the brake stack in response to the brake command, and (d) a brake control unit configured to determine a running clearance brake command defined as a percentage of a maximum braking force that causes the force member to contact the brake stack, wherein the running clearance brake command is determined based on the force measured by the sensor for a plurality of brake commands.

Abstract: This disclosure covers machine-learning methods, non-transitory computer readable media, and systems that generate a multiplier that efficiently and effectively provides on-demand transportation services for a geographic area. The methods, non-transitory computer readable media, and systems dynamically adjust the multiplier with machine learners to maintain a target estimated time of arrival for a provider device to fulfill a request received from a requestor device. In some embodiments, the methods, non-transitory computer readable media, and systems generate a multiplier report comprising a representation of a geographic area and an indication of the multiplier to facilitate inflow and outflow of provider devices within and without the geographic area.

Abstract: Implementations set forth herein relate to using fiducial markings on one or more localized portions of an agricultural apparatus in order to generate local and regional data that can be correlated for planning and executing agricultural maintenance. An array of fiducial markings can be disposed onto plastic mulch that surrounds individual crops, in order that each fiducial marking of the array can operate as a signature for each individual crop. Crop data, such as health and yield, corresponding to a particular crop can then be stored in association with a corresponding fiducial marking, thereby allowing the certain data for the particular crop to be tracked and analyzed. Furthermore, autonomous agricultural devices can rely on the crop data, over other sources of data, such as GPS satellites, thereby allowing the autonomous agricultural devices to be more reliable.

Abstract: A steer-by-wire steering system for a motor vehicle with a steerable front wheel axle that has two steerable wheels. The front wheel axle includes a single wheel drive which, by means of a drive controller, individually drives wheel drives which are associated with the steerable wheels. The drive controller has a controller which determines a target speed for the left-hand wheel and a target speed for the right-hand wheel in accordance with an accelerator pedal angle and a rotational angle of a steering shaft, and which limits the target speeds to a slip-limited speed. The drive controller individually drives the wheel drives in such a way that the difference between the target speed and the actual speed for each steerable wheel is minimal.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein enable a mobile device to accurately locate where the mobile device is located indoors by measuring geomagnetic fields, and tracing relative changes in the magnetic fields as the mobile device is moved. The relative changes can be compared to a fingerprint signal map, and a trace of a portion of the path can be determined by matching the relative changes in the magnetic fields to relative changes in the fingerprint signal map. A collection of the path portions can then be connected by determining a shortest path that connects each of the path portions. In another embodiment, a step counter can also be used to constrain possible locations, and fuse the geomagnetic field and step counter information for joint indoor localization.

Abstract: Described herein are steer-by-wire systems and methods of operating these systems in vehicles. A steer-by-wire system comprises a steering wheel assembly, comprising a steering wheel, sensors, and a torque generator. The system comprises a rack assembly, comprising a steering rack, sensors, and a rack actuator. The steering wheel assembly and the rack assembly are communicatively coupled by a steer-by-wire system controller, without having any direct mechanical links between the assemblies. In some examples, the controller instructs the rack assembly to control the steering rack position based on the steering input, such as changes in the steering wheel position. A steering map is used to determine the desired steering rack position based on the current steering wheel position. In some examples, a steering map is selected from a steering map set based on, e.g., the vehicle speed, vehicle direction, driver preference, and the like.

Abstract: A braking control device includes a target vehicle speed setting unit, a braking power control unit, and a low friction coefficient region recognition unit. The low friction coefficient region recognition unit recognizes a low friction coefficient region of a road surface between a current position of an own vehicle and a target position. The braking power control unit estimates a maximum deceleration rate assuming braking to be started after passage through the low friction coefficient region to cause deceleration to a target vehicle speed at the target position. On the condition that the maximum deceleration rate is smaller than a predetermined upper limit on a deceleration rate, the braking power control unit causes a start of generation of braking power after the passage through the low friction coefficient region.

Abstract: Described herein are steer-by-wire systems and methods of operating these systems in vehicles. A steer-by-wire system comprises a steering wheel assembly, comprising a steering wheel, sensors, and a torque generator. The system comprises a rack assembly, comprising a steering rack, sensors, and a rack actuator. The steering wheel assembly and the rack assembly are communicatively coupled by a steer-by-wire system controller, without having any direct mechanical links between the assemblies. In some examples, the controller instructs the rack assembly to control the steering rack position based on the steering input, such as changes in the steering wheel position. A steering map is used to determine the desired steering rack position based on the current steering wheel position. In some examples, a steering map is selected from a steering map set based on, e.g., the vehicle speed, vehicle direction, driver preference, and the like.

Abstract: A control system for a vehicle having vehicle wheels comprises: brakes, wherein each of the brakes applies individual braking to a respective one of the vehicle wheels; memory storing brake characteristic parameters for controlling each of the brakes; and a processor configured to: calculate anticipated yaw, steering torque, and deceleration of the vehicle, associated with operation of the brakes; compare between the anticipated yaw and actual yaw of the vehicle, between the anticipated steering torque and actual steering torque of the vehicle, and between the anticipated deceleration and actual deceleration of the vehicle; and calibrate the brakes by adjusting the stored brake characteristic parameters of each of the brakes in response to a yaw difference between the anticipated yaw and the actual yaw, a steering torque difference between the anticipated steering torque and the actual steering torque, and a deceleration difference between the anticipated deceleration and the actual deceleration.

Abstract: A motor electric control unit (ECU) for an electromechanical power steering mechanism, which controls current through an electric assist motor in response to sensed vehicle signals, wherein the ECU comprises an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) design, that implements safety and platform features in hardware.

Abstract: A mechanism is described for facilitating smart collection of data and smart management of autonomous machines. A method of embodiments, as described herein, includes detecting one or more sets of data from one or more sources over one or more networks, and combining a first computation directed to be performed locally at a local computing device with a second computation directed to be performed remotely at a remote computing device in communication with the local computing device over the one or more networks, where the first computation consumes low power, wherein the second computation consumes high power.

Abstract: A method for controlling a steer-by-wire steering system for motor vehicles includes a steering actuator that acts on the steered wheels and is electronically controlled in accordance with a steering request. A feedback actuator transmits reactions of the road to a steering wheel. A control unit controls the feedback actuator. The method includes determining a basic motor torque; providing at least one steering function which is part of a first subgroup of steering functions; limiting the output value of the at least one steering function to reach a predefined safety level in a first limiter; adapting the basic motor torque by means of the limited output value of the at least one steering function in a summing element; and actuating the feedback actuator with the resulting motor torque which is output by the summing element.

Abstract: Described herein are steer-by-wire systems and methods of operating these systems in vehicles. A steer-by-wire system comprises a steering wheel assembly, comprising a steering wheel, sensors, and a torque generator. The system comprises a rack assembly, comprising a steering rack, sensors, and a rack actuator. The steering wheel assembly and the rack assembly are communicatively coupled by a steer-by-wire system controller, without having any direct mechanical links between the assemblies. In some examples, the controller instructs the rack assembly to control the steering rack position based on the steering input, such as changes in the steering wheel position. A steering map is used to determine the desired steering rack position based on the current steering wheel position. In some examples, a steering map is selected from a steering map set based on, e.g., the vehicle speed, vehicle direction, driver preference, and the like.

Abstract: A method for monitoring an ABS control procedure in an electrically controllable brake system in a vehicle includes reading in input signals, wherein based on the input signals it is possible to derive currently prevailing control variables for the ABS control procedure and ABS control parameters that relate to a brake slip-controlled actuation of an ABS control valve of the brake system. The method further includes checking whether it follows that an activation of any ABS control valve that is allocated to a wheel of the vehicle is requested, and whether it follows that an ABS brake slip incident is present at at least a first wheel of the vehicle, and/or whether, based on the ABS control parameters, it follows that further ABS control valves, which are allocated at least to one second wheel of the vehicle, implement correctly a brake slip-controlled activation.

Abstract: An agricultural work machine, in particular a harvester, has a header for performing agricultural work and having a control device which has at least one sensor unit for detecting a crop stream in and/or around the header and an image processing unit for processing images which are generated by the sensor unit based on the crop stream detected via sensor. The control device is configured to detect regions of like characteristics, components of the header and properties of the crop stream and is configured to use that which has been detected for open loop control and/or closed loop control of process sequences in the agricultural work machine.