Patents Examined by Sizo B Vilakazi
  • Patent number: 12043266
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to, in part, techniques for determining occupancy states of a vehicle over time and adjusting settings associated with the vehicle based at least in part on these occupancy states. For instance, an example vehicle may include an array of sensors that may generate sensor data for identifying an occupancy state of a vehicle. These sensors may include cameras, microphones, in-seat weight sensors, seatbelt sensors, door-latch sensors, and the like, which may be used to generate sensor data indicative of a current occupancy state of a vehicle. An occupancy state may include a number of occupants of the vehicle, the location of these occupants within the vehicle, the identity of these occupants, and/or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kellie Akemi Tsuyemura, Matt L Chaboud
  • Patent number: 12044198
    Abstract: A fluid distributor for an injection system, in particular a fuel distributor rail for a fuel injection system for mixture-compressing, spark ignition internal combustion engines. The fuel distributor includes a tubular base body, which is preferably processed by a one-stage or multi-stage forging process, a first high-pressure output, a second high-pressure output, a third high-pressure output, and a fourth high-pressure output being provided at the base body. The second high-pressure output is situated offset by a predefined distance compared to the first high-pressure output in a first direction along a longitudinal axis of the tubular base body. The third high-pressure output is situated offset by the predefined distance compared to the second high-pressure output along the longitudinal axis in the first direction, the fourth high-pressure output being situated offset by the predefined distance compared to the third high-pressure output along the longitudinal axis in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Goekhan Guengoer, Martin Haug, Prashant Kaswekar, Ralf Weber
  • Patent number: 12044188
    Abstract: A vehicle drive has an internal combustion engine, an air conduit system, an exhaust system and a diagnostic unit for identifying a leak in the air conduit system of the internal combustion engine. The diagnostic unit is designed to carry out a method for diagnosing a leak in an internal combustion engine, including by determining mass flows in the air conduit system, and identifying a leakage mass flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Daniel Alberer, Andreas Kerschbaummayr, Andreas Leyrer, Bernhard Ramsebner, Martin Ranzmaier
  • Patent number: 12043270
    Abstract: A method of tracking an object includes obtaining a likelihood of a free behavior model of the object and a likelihood of a constant speed model of the object using the position, the speed, and the type of the object determined at a previous time point and the position, the speed, and the type of the object determined at the current time point, and correcting the type of the object at the current time point using the likelihood of the free behavior model, the likelihood of the constant speed model, and the measured type of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Se Jong Heo
  • Patent number: 12037956
    Abstract: A method for starting a vehicle's engine includes: causing a crankshaft of the engine to begin to rotate and to rotate through a first plurality of rotations; and causing, for each combustion chamber of at least one combustion chamber of the engine, an exhaust valve of the combustion chamber to remain in an opened position while the crankshaft rotates through the first plurality of rotations and prior to fuel being injected into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: PACCAR Inc
    Inventors: Charles Wayne Reinhardt Swart, Stephen Anthony Ciatti, Nick Hertlein
  • Patent number: 12031512
    Abstract: An ignition apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes at least one pre-chamber and at least one ignition source. The pre-chamber is coupled to the ignition source in the longitudinal extension direction of the ignition apparatus such that it can rotate about a center axis of the ignition apparatus without offset between at least two rotation direction positions of the pre-chamber relative to the ignition source. In at least one decoupling rotation direction position, the pre-chamber is reversibly detachable from the ignition source and can be spaced from the ignition source in the longitudinal extension direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Reinhard Aschenbrenner, Manfred Fraenk
  • Patent number: 12030490
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a storage device configured to store a program, and a hardware processor. The hardware processor executes the program stored in the storage device to recognize a surrounding situation of a vehicle including a road division line and a surrounding vehicle, to control steering and acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle based on at least the road division line without depending on an operation of a driver of the vehicle, and to determine whether occlusion, in which at least a part of the road division line is shielded, has occurred, based on the road division line and a position of the surrounding vehicle present in front of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koichiro Wada, Sho Tamura
  • Patent number: 12025063
    Abstract: A system for determining properties of fuel supplied to an internal combustion (IC) engine and for adjusting operations of the IC engine based on the determined properties. The system includes an air-flow throttle configured to control the air supplied to the IC engine; a fuel-flow throttle configured to control the fuel supplied to the IC engine; and an engine control module (ECM) configured to receive readings from and control operation of the throttles. The ECM is configured to perform a fuel-air determination program where the ECM determines a percent-error air-to-fuel ratio (AF) based on a true AF ratio compared to an ideal AF ratio. The ECM is configured to perform a fuel property determination and adjustment program in which the ECM is configured to adjust operations of the IC engine based on a fuel property value determined using the percent-error AF ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: Inpro/Seal LLC
    Inventors: Kennon Guglielmo, Justin H. Sanders, Michael T. Hambidge, Timothy J. Westerdale, James Cole, Chad Stovell, Timothy J. Barton
  • Patent number: 12025073
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes: a cylinder in which a piston reciprocates; a stepped portion that is formed on an upper end portion of an inner peripheral surface of the cylinder; and a ring member having a cylindrical shape provided to the stepped portion. The thickness of the ring member decreases toward the bottom dear center of the piston, and an outer peripheral surface of the ring member is an inclined surface, where a lower end of the outer peripheral surface is positioned closer to the center in the radial direction of the ring member than an upper end of the outer peripheral surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventors: Takumi Komiyama, Kazunari Yamamoto, Misao Goto
  • Patent number: 12017495
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an electric actuator disposed outside a vehicle body, a battery 16 and a boosting circuit which supply a high voltage to the electric actuator, and an electric suspension control ECU which controls the boosting circuit and the electric actuator, and in a case where a running speed is equal to or less than a first speed, the electric suspension control ECU limits the supply of the high voltage to the electric actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya Konada, Satoshi Ohno, Takehito Masubuchi
  • Patent number: 12017597
    Abstract: A control device for controlling a passenger protection device for a vehicle includes an input unit configured to receive a first acceleration signal in a first axial direction and a second acceleration signal in a second axial direction which are generated by an acceleration sensor disposed in a side door of a vehicle, a determination unit configured to determine whether a collision has occurred in the side door of the vehicle using at least one of the first acceleration signal and the second acceleration signal, and a control unit configured to control a passenger protection device disposed adjacent to the side door of the vehicle based on a result of determining whether the collision has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheol Woo Lee, Tae Won Park
  • Patent number: 12012917
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to fuel pump housings and fuel pump systems incorporating the same. The fuel pump housing includes at least one tappet housing portion configured to receive at least one tappet assembly and a main bore portion fluidly coupled with the at least one tappet housing portion such that the main bore receives a camshaft. The main bore includes an uncut portion and at least one relief cut portion proximal to the at least one tappet housing portion. The uncut portion defines a first centerline, and the relief cut portion defines a second centerline offset from the first centerline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Inventors: Roberto M. Munoz, Amanda Baker, Yip Kwok, Thomas M. Yeager
  • Patent number: 12012921
    Abstract: A vehicle has a frame, a front suspension assembly, a pair of skis, an endless drive track, and an internal combustion engine. The engine has: a motor-generator having a rotor and a stator, the motor-generator being operable in motor mode and in generator mode; a recoil starter operable to rotate a crankshaft of the engine via the rotor in a same direction as does the motor-generator in generator mode; at least one sensor adapted for sensing at least one engine parameter; and an engine control unit (ECU) receiving a signal from the at least one sensor, the ECU controlling a rotation of the crankshaft by one of the motor-generator and the recoil starter based on the signal. The vehicle also has a display for displaying a message when the crankshaft is to be rotated by the recoil starter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventor: Michel Bernier
  • Patent number: 12006901
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel pump capable of suppressing sticking of a plunger. The fuel pump of the present invention includes a plunger 2 that reciprocates, a cylinder 6 in which a guide hole 6a that guides the reciprocating motion of the plunger 2 extends in the axial direction, and a pump body 1 that holds the cylinder 6. The pump body 1 includes a cylinder insertion hole 1g into which the cylinder 6 is inserted, and a pressurizing chamber 11 that communicates with the cylinder insertion hole 1g and has a volume increased or decreased by the reciprocating motion of the plunger 2. The cylinder 6 includes a press-fitting portion 6b press-fitted into the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder insertion hole 1g, and a groove 6d formed at a position corresponding to the press-fitting portion 6b on the inner peripheral surface of the guide hole 6a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shingo Tamura, Satoshi Usui, Kazuaki Tokumaru
  • Patent number: 11995896
    Abstract: A method of estimating curvature of a lane in front of a vehicle includes obtaining a reference distance, a reference angle, a reference curvature, and a reference change-rate, based on an image captured by a front camera of the vehicle; calculating respective estimation distances, by which the specific portion of the vehicle will be estimated to be spaced apart from the first extension line, at a plurality of target distances, on a transverse straight-line of the vehicle spaced apart from the vehicle by a predetermined target distance in the forward direction along a second extension line extending from the specific portion of the vehicle in the forward direction of the vehicle, based on the reference distance, the reference angle, the reference curvature, and the reference change-rate; and calculating the curvature of the lane in front of the vehicle based on the respective estimation distances at the plurality of target distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ji In Park
  • Patent number: 11987089
    Abstract: An electrically powered suspension system includes: an actuator that is provided between a vehicle body and a wheel of a vehicle and generates a load for damping vibration of the vehicle body; an information acquisition part that acquires information on a sprung state amount and a road surface state; a target load calculation part that calculates a first target load related to skyhook control based on the sprung state amount and calculates a second target load related to preview control based on the road surface state; and a load control part. The target load calculation part calculates a third target load related to pitch generation control based on a target pitch angle and calculates a combined target load into which the first target load, second target load, and third target load have been combined. The load control part performs load control of the actuator using the combined target load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya Konada, Takashi Yanagi, Ryosuke Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 11987297
    Abstract: Provided is a motor-driven power steering system including: a motor driver; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to: receive a first rotation angle obtained by a steering wheel angle sensor according to steering and a second rotation angle obtained by a motor position sensor, when a steered position of the steering wheel is in an auxiliary steering limit section and a difference value between the first rotation angle and the second rotation angle is different from a predetermined reference value, change a rotation position of the steering wheel angle sensor and a rotation position of the motor position sensor to an initial original position, when changed to the initial original position, receive the first rotation angle and the second rotation angle again, and control the motor driver to perform auxiliary steering based on the first rotation angle and the second rotation angle received again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: HL MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hyogi Min
  • Patent number: 11988163
    Abstract: Providing additional mass air flow to an engine of a vehicle to expand an operating range of cylinder deactivation (CDA) is provided. Aspects of the present disclosure describe a method and system to provide additional mass air flow to an engine using an auxiliary air source coupled to a turbocharger. When a low air-to-fuel ratio state is determined in association with operating the vehicle in CDA mode, the auxiliary air source is activated to assist the turbocharger with increase the supply of supercharged intake air to the engine. Accordingly, the operating range of CDA is expanded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Inventors: Trevor Ott, Maarten Meijer, Stephen Ciatti, Brandon Rouse
  • Patent number: 11988179
    Abstract: A fuel injection system includes a first high pressure fuel source, a return channel connected to a second low pressure fuel source, a residual pressure regulator having an inlet and an outlet connected to the return channel, and a fuel injector having a control valve arrangement comprising an inlet, an outlet and a return port, a fuel injection nozzle having an outlet chamber, an injection outlet, and a needle member in the outlet chamber. The needle member is biased to a closed position to block fluid communication between the outlet chamber and the injection outlet, and to open fluid communication by a pressure in the outlet chamber. The residual pressure regulator is connected to a spill valve to regulate pressure to a residual pressure higher than the pressure in the return channel and lower than the pressure of the first fuel source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sergi Yudanov
  • Patent number: 11982248
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for diagnosing cylinders in an engine. In one example, the method may include while receiving first feedback from a vibration sensor coupled to a first cylinder of the engine, perturbing the first cylinder during engine operation. Responsive to the first feedback indicating a first vibration level difference greater than or equal to a first threshold difference, a first indication of a first degradation condition of the first cylinder may be set, and thereafter the engine may be operated based on whether or not the first indication was set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Prashant Kumar, David Schroeck