Patents Examined by Shardul Patel
  • Road surface condition estimating method, vehicle control method, and road surface condition estimating apparatus
    Patent number: 9045117
    Abstract: The condition of a road surface on which a vehicle is traveling is estimated accurately, using a tire having a general variable-pitch tire pattern for detection of a road surface condition. The tire for detection of a road surface condition has rows of blocks, the total number N of the circumferentially disposed blocks being 10 or more and the number n of lug grooves, each provided with a joining section connecting circumferentially adjacent blocks, being in the range of (N/2)?n?(N?5). The vibrations of the tire are detected by an acceleration sensor and are subjected to a rotational order ratio analysis by a rotational order ratio analyzing unit. And the road surface condition is estimated by comparing the amplitude P of the rotational order component of the tire vibrations extracted by a rotational order component extracting unit with a predetermined threshold value K.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasumichi Wakao
  • Control device for hybrid vehicle
    Patent number: 9045127
    Abstract: When an engine (2) is in a stopped state and a vehicle is in a standstill state, a travel control unit (8a2) allows the vehicle to travel by a driving force of a rear motor (6) during a period after the brake is released until an acceleration demand determination unit (8a1) determines that acceleration is demanded for the vehicle. During the period, a startup speed determination unit (8a4) determines a startup travelling speed where the engine (2) is started up on the basis of a load which is estimated by a load estimation unit (8a3) on the basis of a current value supplied to the rear motor (6). When the travelling speed of the vehicle is equal to or greater than the startup travelling speed, a startup unit (8a5) starts up the engine (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yutaka Tashiro
  • Drive control device for work vehicle
    Patent number: 9043099
    Abstract: When a vehicle speed of a wheel loader (1) is determined to be not higher than a reference value (Yes) in step S4 and a forward/reverse command switch (40) is determined to have been switchingly operated (Yes) in step S5, the routine advances to step S6 where an increment ?N of engine speed according to an engine load factor is determined. In step S7, the increment ?N of engine speed is then added to a target engine speed Na corresponding to a depression stroke of an accelerator pedal (38), the thus-determined Na=Na+?N is set as a new target engine speed Na, and a target engine speed command i1 is sent to an engine controller (37).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuji Tanaka, Koji Hyodo, Isamu Aoki, Keigo Kikuchi
  • Mechanism to monitor vehicle miles traveled
    Patent number: 9037412
    Abstract: A device for checking the running performance of a motor vehicle, which can have at least the following components: a system for measuring a distance of a motor vehicle which is integrated in a motor vehicle, a vehicle communication system for wireless data transmission, where the system is identifiable by a unique identification number of the motor vehicle, and data may be transmitted from the vehicle to a receiver, a stationary database system for storing and providing data, which is equipped with a receiver that allows communication with the in-vehicle communication system, and an interface which allows stationary and mobile communication terminal system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Inventor: Thomas Dominik Schwanhäuser
  • Systems and methods for manual braking system
    Patent number: 9037371
    Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein may be useful for manual braking systems for use in, for example, an aircraft. A system is disclosed that allows for manual braking. For example, a system is provided comprising a brake handle, a potentiometer in mechanical communication with the brake handle, a mapping module in electrical communication with the potentiometer, wherein the mapping module receives an output voltage from the potentiometer, wherein the mapping module produces a braking command output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: GOODRICH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eric D. Cahill
  • System and method for communication and control in a vehicle system
    Patent number: 9026268
    Abstract: A system is provided that includes a remote communication module, a control module, and a determination module. The remote communication module is configured to be disposed onboard a remote consist of a vehicle system, and is communicatively connected to at least one additional consist of the vehicle system. The control module is configured to be disposed onboard the remote consist and to provide control commands to at least one powered unit of the remote consist. The determination module is configured to be disposed onboard the remote consist and to determine capability information corresponding to the ability of the at least one powered unit of the remote consist to perform a first command received from one of the at least one additional consist. The determination module is also configured to determine a second command provided to the control module using the first command and the capability information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Glenn Robert Shaffer, Patricia Sue Lacy, Vinaykanth V. Mudiam
  • Method and braking system for influencing driving dynamics by means of braking and driving operations
    Patent number: 9020699
    Abstract: A method and a braking system are provided, in which the driving dynamics of a motor vehicle are influenced, a driver-independent braking action generating a yawing moment which assists a steering in or steering round of the motor vehicle, and a driver-independent increase in the drive torque being caused on at least one wheel, in order at least partially to compensate the braking deceleration of the motor vehicle, a braking action being required when the ratio of the instantaneously used coefficient of friction and of the possible utilizable coefficient of friction overshoots a stipulated threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignees: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG, Dr. Ing. H.F.C. Porsche AG
    Inventors: Scharad Schafiyha, Ralf Loheider, Florian Fuhr
  • Idling stop device and idling stop control method
    Patent number: 9014942
    Abstract: An idling stop device installed in a vehicle includes a microcomputer, a detector, a storage, and a controller. The microcomputer automatically stops an engine of the vehicle when a prescribed stopping condition is satisfied, and automatically activates a starter motor of the engine when a prescribed activating condition is satisfied. The detector detects whether a drive voltage of the microcomputer, which is obtained by dropping a voltage of a battery of the vehicle is less than a threshold value. The storage stores, irrespective of a state of the microcomputer, information indicating that the detector has detected that the drive voltage is less than the threshold value. The controller drops an increasing speed of a current for driving the starter motor when the microcomputer activates the stator motor under the condition that the information is stored in the storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventors: Ryoh Izumoto, Motoki Komiya, Yuichiro Shimizu, Yoshinori Shibachi
  • Position control apparatus and method for working machine of construction machinery
    Patent number: 9014923
    Abstract: Disclosed is a position control apparatus for a working machine of a construction machinery, including: a boom driving unit for driving a boom; a bucket driving unit for driving a bucket; a working tool manipulating part for generating a manipulation signal for driving the boom driving unit and the bucket driving unit; a kick-down switch for generating a kick-down signal for lowering a gear stage; and a controller for, if the kick-down signal is generated by the kick-down switch and the manipulation signal is generated by the working tool manipulating part, outputting a control signal to the boom driving unit and the bucket driving unit to move the boom and the bucket to a preset position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Doosan Infracore Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kwang Seok Park
  • Vehicle and control method of vehicle
    Patent number: 9008882
    Abstract: A vehicle capable of traveling using electric power from a power storage device mounted thereon has an ECU executing, when traveling by electric power from the power storage device: the step of calculating a reference electric consumption based on an average operating point determined by an average vehicle speed and average driving force for every predetermined period; the step of calculating an actual electric consumption based on power consumption and travel distance during the period; the step of calculating a predicted electric consumption by a smoothing processing based on the reference electric consumption and actual electric consumption; and the step of calculating an allowed travel distance RMD that the vehicle can travel by the electric power remaining in the power storage device, based on the predicted electric consumption and the SOC of the power storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaya Yamamoto, Itaru Seta
  • Method of controlling travel within travel system for unmanned vehicle and travel system for unmanned vehicle
    Patent number: 9008889
    Abstract: Topographical data for a work location is created and information on a new travel route is generated. Next, a work location including the new travel route is constructed on the basis of the created topographical data. Then, the information on the new travel route generated is provided to the vehicle, the vehicle is made to travel along said new travel route in accordance with temporary travel control data, and actual topographical data for the new travel route is acquired. Next, the aforementioned temporary travel control data is corrected on the basis of the acquired actual topographical data for the new travel route. After that, the unmanned vehicle is made to travel in accordance with the corrected travel control data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenta Osagawa, Tomonori Ozaki, Koji Takeda, Takashi Hiranaka
  • Method for controlling an antiskid-regulated friction brake system of a rail vehicle
    Patent number: 8989927
    Abstract: A method for controlling an emergency brake device of a rail vehicle or rail vehicle train consisting of several rail vehicles having axles braked by friction brakes, wherein an emergency braking operation is started by an emergency braking input, including identifying at least one axle having inadmissible brake slip during the emergency braking operation in which inadmissible brake slip occurs outside a predetermined optimal brake slip range; identifying at least one axle having no or admissible brake slip during the emergency braking operation by which axle a larger friction braking force can be transferred than by the at least one axle having inadmissible brake slip; and adjusting the friction braking forces on the at least one axle having no or admissible brake slip such that the adjustment can maintain a deviation of the actual deceleration of the rail vehicle from a target deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme fur Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Marc-Oliver Herden, Matthaeus Englbrecht
  • System and method for vehicle rollover prediction
    Patent number: 8983722
    Abstract: A rollover avoidance method may include determining tire loading for at least two tires of a vehicle. A stability of the vehicle with regard to rolling over may be predicted based at least on the determined tire loading. The vehicle may be controlled at least on the basis of the predicted stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Nikolai K. Moshchuk, Shih-Ken Chen, Flavio Nardi
  • Predictive powertrain control using powertrain history and GPS data
    Patent number: 8972090
    Abstract: A method and powertrain apparatus that predicts a route of travel for a vehicle and uses historical powertrain loads and speeds for the predicted route of travel to optimize at least one powertrain operation for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventors: Feisel Weslati, Ashish A Krupadanam
  • Map display apparatus
    Patent number: 8972183
    Abstract: A map display apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus acquires present position information indicating a present position, and determines a route from the present position to a destination. The apparatus displays a map on a display screen based on map information acquired from a storage medium storing the map information, and displays the route in a form of a line on the map while switching a manner of displaying the route between multiple display modes including a first display mode and a second display mode. In the first display mode, the route is displayed to have a first transparency and a first width. In the second display mode, the route is displayed to have a second transparency more transparent than the first transparency and a second width larger than the first width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ken Yaguchi
  • Aerological phenomena alert device for an aircraft
    Patent number: 8965602
    Abstract: An aerological phenomena alert device for an aircraft, which comprises onboard equipment capable of detecting meteorological phenomena, comprises: a module for collecting and storing meteorological data originating from the onboard equipment capable of detecting the meteorological phenomena, a module for creating a report from the collected meteorological data, a module for sending the report, a module for receiving reports sent by surrounding aircraft, a module for processing and consolidating the reports received, and for generating alerts when a report signals an aerological phenomenon, and a module for merging the data originating from aircraft and from meteorological stations, situated in a station on the ground and comprising a ground/air communication module for sending meteorological reports adapted to each aircraft according to its position in relation to an aerological phenomenon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Daniel Malka, Jean-Charles Marin, Engin Oder
  • Shift control device for motorcycle, and motorcycle incorporating same
    Patent number: 8948985
    Abstract: A shift control device for a motorcycle includes a transmission that allows switching between a neutral state and a number of engaged shift positions, a shift control section that controls a shift state of the transmission, and an N/D changeover switch that switches between the neutral state and a drive mode for executing automatic shift among the plural shift positions. The shift control device also includes a hand-operated shift switch that allows manual shifting among the plural shift positions, and a foot operated shift control unit that allows manual shifting among the plural shift positions during the drive mode according to an operation of a shift pedal. The N/D changeover switch and the hand-operated shift switch are arranged around a handlebar of the motorcycle. The shift control section is operable to switch between the neutral state and the drive mode by the foot operated shift control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Sakamoto, Kenichi Machida, Makoto Tsuyuguchi, Satoru Okoshi
  • Angular velocity control for hybrid vehicle prime movers
    Patent number: 8935028
    Abstract: An hybrid vehicle control system controls the output from one of two prime movers installed on the vehicle by reference to available angular acceleration rates for the first and second prime movers. When angular acceleration is called for and the prime mover having greater capacity for angular acceleration is active, acceleration is limited to that which would have been available from the lower capacity prime mover. One application of the system is to provide consistent throttle responsiveness, particularly for a power take-off operation vocation installed on the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Jay E Bissontz
  • Control apparatus of hybrid vehicle
    Patent number: 8874295
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle includes an automatic transmission, a clutch, a motor, a battery, a driving assist control device performing a driving assist control by driving the motor to generate an assist torque, a gear shift assist control device performing a gear shift assist control by driving the motor in response to a decrease of the engine torque caused by the disengagement state of the clutch, an SOC value detection device detecting an SOC value, and a first mode switch device switching an operation mode of the hybrid vehicle from a normal mode in which the driving assist control and the gear shift assist control are performed to a battery power preserving mode in which the driving assist control is prohibited and the gear shift assist control is permitted in a case where the SOC value is equal to or smaller than a first predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignees: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Ai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomomitsu Terakawa, Yasuhiro Hosoi, Yuichiro Kitamura, Yoshihide Suzuki, Katsunori Ueda, Tuyoshi Murakami, Yoshiyuki Aoyama, Kazutaka Kobayashi, Takeshige Miyazaki
  • Device and a method for constructing a flight path in order to reach a destination
    Patent number: 8868257
    Abstract: A device (10) for defining a flight path (2) enabling an aircraft (1) to reach a destination (B), said device (10) including a digital terrain model (21) and a display screen (30), and being provided with generator means (15) for generating a flight path (2) including at least one flight segment (3) associated with a flying altitude. The device (10) includes a digital noise database (20) having volumes that are to be avoided, said device (10) having a computer (11) with a main memory (13) containing instructions for displaying on said display screen (30) and as an overlay on a first representation (31) of said terrain as provided by said digital terrain model (21): a second representation (41) of said volumes to be avoided; and a flight path (2) that has been generated by using said generator means (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
    Inventors: Alain Kirchhofer, Patrick Garcia, Francois Mandonnaud