Patents Examined by Shardul Patel
  • Patent number: 9459117
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing an interactive user interface that displays anticipated weather conditions alongside a plurality of available trips between an origin and a destination are provided. An exemplary user interface can include a plurality of trip identifiers on a graph having an axis indicative of time. For example, the plurality of trip identifiers can respectively represent a plurality of available transit trips. For example, each trip identifier can provide an intuitive sense regarding the overall duration of the trip, a number of transfers or legs for each trip, time spent in each leg of the trip, a mode of transportation associated with each leg of each trip, and/or other information. The anticipated weather conditions associated with the trips can be presented alongside the plurality of trip identifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Haroon Baig
  • Patent number: 9459620
    Abstract: In some examples, an unmanned aerial vehicle is provided. The unmanned aerial vehicle may include a propulsion device, a sensor device, and a management system. In some examples, the management system may be configured to receive human gestures via the sensor device and, in response, instruct the propulsion device to affect an adjustment to the behavior of the unmanned aerial vehicle. Human gestures may include visible gestures, audible gestures, and other gestures capable of recognition by the unmanned vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederik Schaffalitzky
  • Patent number: 9457665
    Abstract: An adaptive, automatically-reconfigurable, vehicle instrument display method and system are described that use information from multiple sensors located within the vehicle that monitor various aspects of a vehicle's operation and health to automatically modify presence and/or location of widgets in the vehicle's instrument display panel based upon circumstances or conditions as they occur or change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory J. Boss, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Luis Carlos Cruz Huertas, Edgar Adolfo Zamora Duran
  • Patent number: 9458597
    Abstract: A control system includes: a control valve control unit that controls a control valve; a data acquisition unit that acquires data on an operation command value and a cylinder speed in a state where an operation command for operating a hydraulic cylinder is output; and a deriving unit that derives operation characteristics in an operation direction of each of a plurality of hydraulic cylinders in relation to the operation command value based on the data acquired by the data acquisition unit. In acquisition of the data by the data acquisition unit, the control valve control unit controls a control valve of one pilot oil passage that is an acquisition object where the data is acquired among the plurality of pilot oil passages to open one pilot oil passage and controls control valves of the other pilot oil passages to close the other pilot oil passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Kmoatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Ikegami, Satoshi Ito, Akinori Baba
  • Patent number: 9458770
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling a turbine aircraft engine may include apparatus to determine an amount of secondary power extraction from the engine, a secondary load processor configured to receive and condition secondary power extraction data. An electronic engine controller (EEC) may be configured to receive secondary load data from the secondary load processor and produce commands to open bleed-air valves of the engine, said commands being based on the secondary load data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Cristian Anghel, Wayne Pearson, Sean Ellis, Glenn A. Knight
  • Patent number: 9460617
    Abstract: An approach is provided for alerting device users engaged in various modes of travel they are creating a bottleneck. A notification platform causes, at least in part, a detection of movement pattern information associated with at least one device and at least one neighboring device. The notification platform also processes the movement pattern information to determine that the at least one device represents at least one potential bottleneck to a movement of the at least one neighboring device. The notification platform also causes, at least in part, a presentation of at least one message to the at least one device, the at least one neighboring device, or a combination thereof regarding the at least one potential bottleneck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
    Inventors: Jerome Beaurepaire, Marko Tapio Tuukkanen
  • Patent number: 9459104
    Abstract: Examples describe systems and methods for performing a multi-step approach for map generation and device localizing using data collected by the device and observations of interdependencies between the data. An example method includes receiving logs of data collected by the device, determining a constraint for locations of the device according to a comparison of data in the logs of data with available known signal strength maps of corresponding data, and performing a first simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) optimization of location estimates of the device using the logs of data and the constraint as a first initialization. A second SLAM optimization is performed using outputs of the first SLAM optimization and relative estimates of the device based on dead reckoning as a second initialization. An output location estimate of the device is provided based on the second SLAM optimization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Etienne Le Grand
  • Patent number: 9457787
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a vehicle having an electric traction motor coupled to a transmission by a clutch include modifying traction motor torque in response to the difference between rotational speed of a driveline component and the filtered rotational speed of the driveline component to reduce driveline oscillation when the clutch is locked. The traction motor torque may be modified in response to a vehicle event that may otherwise induce driveline oscillations, such as a transmission ratio change or regenerative braking, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernard D. Nefcy, Marvin Paul Kraska, Daniel Scott Colvin, Christopher Alan Lear
  • Patent number: 9459624
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a system comprises a track comprising one or more sections, the track including track indicators readable by a track indicator sensor and used to determine a dolly's position on the track, and the dolly including one or more sensors and a processor, the one or more sensors including the track indicator sensor, the processor executing instructions that control an operation of the dolly including moving the dolly at least semi-autonomously along the track based on the track indicators, wherein moving the dolly at least semi-autonomously includes one of moving the dolly autonomously and moving the dolly semi-autonomously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: MEGA TRAX CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Kuklish, Howard McCain
  • Patent number: 9457664
    Abstract: A display device includes: first setting means for setting a first operation amount to be performed by an occupant so as to increase an output in a state in which a vehicle speed is less than a predetermined threshold; second setting means for setting a second operation amount to be performed by the occupant such that an operation state of the vehicle can be shifted to a desired state in which optimal instantaneous fuel consumption is realized, by decreasing the output in a state in which the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold; and display means for displaying, on a display unit, at least one of the first operation amount and the second operation amount, and a present operation amount which is an operation amount performed at present by the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Amano, Kaoru Kubo, Taishi Hisano, Yasushi Ozawa
  • Patent number: 9460628
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a motor vehicle includes: monitoring whether a speed of the motor vehicle indicates a stopping condition of the motor vehicle; detecting whether at least one vehicle operating condition indicating an imminent unintentional acceleration of the vehicle exists; and triggering a fault response if (i) the vehicle is in the stopping condition and (ii) the at least one vehicle operating condition indicating an imminent unintentional acceleration of the vehicle exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignees: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH, BMW AG
    Inventors: Magnus Oppelland, Matthias Schueler, Juergen Binder, Florian Oesterreicher, Dalibor Kovac
  • Patent number: 9458811
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine having a crankshaft, a transmission having an input, and an electric machine mechanically coupled to the transmission input. The vehicle further includes a clutch configured to mechanically couple the electric machine and engine crankshaft, and at least one controller. The at least one controller, in response to an engine start condition and subsequent partial engagement of the clutch, outputs a torque command for the electric machine to increase the speed of the crankshaft to a speed of the electric machine before commanding fuel injection of the engine. The torque command is based on driver demanded torque and a change in speed of the crankshaft caused by changes in pressure to the clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaoyong Wang, Wei Liang, Rajit Johri, Mark Steven Yamazaki, Ming Lang Kuang, Ryan Abraham McGee
  • Patent number: 9457800
    Abstract: A method for driving a motor vehicle includes selecting a drive mode. The motor vehicle has a hybrid drive including an internal combustion engine and an electric machine for providing a drive torque (t) for driving the motor vehicle. The motor vehicle is drivable by a torque of the internal combustion engine, by virtue of the internal combustion engine being started, or by a torque of the electric machine. The method includes detecting an amount of running activity (tB) of the internal combustion engine. The drive mode is selected based on the detected amount of running activity (tB).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Marcus Heck
  • Patent number: 9460567
    Abstract: A vehicle diagnostic communication system and a method of establishing a secure diagnostic session at a vehicle is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a seed value from an electronic control unit (ECU) to a vehicle diagnostics tool; determining a first challenge response at the diagnostics tool, a remote server coupled to the diagnostics tool, or both, wherein the first challenge response is calculated using the seed value and one or more iterations of a key derivation function; providing the first challenge response to the ECU; and if the first challenge response is validated at the ECU, conducting a diagnostic session between the diagnostics tool and the ECU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Stephan Huang
  • Patent number: 9460051
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a method of monitoring an asset including an independent component, the method including: receiving at an electronic device data related to operation of an asset, the data including utilization data of an independent component of the asset; interpreting, using a processor, the utilization to determine an utilization or operational characteristic of the asset; performing, using a processor, analysis of the utilization or operational characteristic in view of a stored target to produce a performance output; filtering, using a processor, to improve accuracy; and providing a report that includes the operational characteristic and/or utilization output; wherein utilization data of the independent component is generated by detecting the engine status of a prime mover of the asset; detecting a position of the independent component; wherein the independent component provides work functionality independent of the engine status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Inventor: Brent Robert Horne
  • Patent number: 9459108
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include a computer system for journey planning, the computer system includes a journey planning server configured to perform a method. The method includes receiving a journey planning request, the journey planning request having an origin and a destination in a transportation network. The method also includes calculating an optimized journey plan by identifying a plurality of routes through the transportation network from the origin to the destination and determining an uncertainty associated with each of the plurality of routes. Calculating an optimized journey plan also includes evaluating a robustness of each of the plurality of routes to the uncertainty associated with each of the plurality of routes and selecting the optimized journey plan based on the journey planning request and the robustness of each of the plurality of routes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michele Berlingerio, Adi I. Botea, Eric P. Bouillet, Francesco Calabrese, Lea A. Deleris, Donna L. Gresh, Olivier Verscheure
  • Patent number: 9429433
    Abstract: The present application discloses a personal navigation system for providing route guidance and description information to visually impaired users. The system includes a terminal located near an entrance of an area to be traversed. The terminal stores data related to the physical layout of the area. A plurality of location transmitters are distributed about the area and broadcast a signal. A portable electronic device is configured to receive data from the terminal upon entry and determine the location of the user by processing the broadcasted signal of the transmitters. Route guidance is provided to the user via audible or sensory methods. Information may also be provided to the user describing the surrounding area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Inventor: Jennifer Hendrix
  • Patent number: 9383740
    Abstract: A system wherein control of a safety-critical system operation is effected by sending a plurality of keywords via a low integrity communication path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: BAE SYSTEMS PLC
    Inventors: Simon Grant Bennett, Nicholas Andrew Belcher, David Parker, Kevin Challis, David Christopher Watkins, Gary Robert Watkins
  • Patent number: 9365117
    Abstract: A mobile working machine includes an energy source, a storage circuit for storing electrical energy, a first electronic power converter stage between the storage circuit and the energy source, an electrical machine for driving actuators, a second electronic power converter stage between the storage circuit and the electrical machine, and a control system for controlling the first electronic power converter stage responsive to the power taken by the second electronic power converter stage from the storage circuit, the control system providing a control signal path from the storage circuit to the first electronic power converter stage. The signal processing properties of the control signal path are dependent on the electrical energy stored by the storage circuit in order to allow the electrical energy to vary, but within desired limits, so as to reduce the peak power taken from the energy source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: VISEDO OY
    Inventors: Kimmo Rauma, Antti Tarkiainen
  • Patent number: 9360108
    Abstract: A gear shift lever lock system and an apparatus and method for operating the gear shift lever lock are provided. The gear shift lever lock includes a lock solenoid having a lock pin movable between a first position inhibiting movement of a gear shift lever from a park position and a second position permitting movement of the gear shift lever from the park position. The apparatus is configured to receive a first signal from a brake sensor indicating that a brake pedal is depressed and a second signal from a park position sensor indicating that a gear shift lever is being moved from a resting position to a shifting position. The apparatus is configured to operate the lock solenoid to move the lock pin from the first position to the second position in response to receiving the second signal while it is indicated that the brake pedal is depressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: STEERING SOLUTIONS IP HOLDING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adam J. Pfenninger, Michael C. Vermeersch, Larry W. Burr