Patents Examined by Sze-Hon Kong
  • Patent number: 11279330
    Abstract: A braking force control apparatus for a vehicle has a control unit that executes a braking force reduction control that controls a braking device such that a braking force is gradually reduced when it is determined that a drive request for driving the vehicle is generated during execution of the braking force holding control for controlling the braking device to hold a braking force applied to the vehicle when the vehicle stops in the uphill direction on a slope. The control unit controls the braking device such that the braking force during execution of the braking force reduction control is larger when the drive request is generated by the driving support control than when the drive request is generated by the driver's driving operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuki Okamoto
  • Patent number: 11279403
    Abstract: A trailer reverse assist system includes a coupler angle detection sensor to detect a zero degree angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle. A drift controller receives signals from vehicle dynamics sensors. The drift controller is electrically connected with a trailer reverse assist module. When the vehicle is backing up the trailer on the intended straight line implied path and since the coupler angle sensor, detecting the zero degree angle, is not perfectly calibrated, based in the signals from the vehicle dynamics sensors, the drift controller 1) estimates a distance that the trailer has drifted from the straight line desired path and 2) in a closed-loop feedback manner, provides a drift correction signal to the trailer reverse assist module for modifying the value of the zero degree angle and thus cause adjustment of the steering system to realign the trailer towards the straight line implied path without manual steering intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James Hockridge Critchley, Nizar Ahamed
  • Patent number: 11270592
    Abstract: A control method of a vehicle, comprising: estimating an environment model relating to a search region, based on environment information acquired by an environment sensor, wherein the environment sensor acquires the environment information representing an environment around a local vehicle among one or more vehicles; estimating an effective range based on the estimated environment model, when the local vehicle, and each vehicle among the one or more vehicles move to each candidate destination; and configuring a plurality of sets being configurable by the candidate destinations of all the vehicles, determining, based on the estimated effective range, a certain set, among the plurality of sets, by which an entire size demarcated by the effective range in one set among the plurality of sets becomes maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masafumi Emura, Masatsugu Ogawa, Masumi Ichien
  • Patent number: 11267508
    Abstract: A system for calibrating a backup assist system for a trailer attached to a vehicle is provided which includes a hitch sensor continuously measuring a hitch angle between the vehicle and the trailer. A controller is configured to determine an offset of the measured hitch angle. The controller is configured to calculate and store in memory a forward offset if no reverse offset is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Joseph M. Raad, Donald Jacob Mattern
  • Patent number: 11254256
    Abstract: A method for detecting misadjustments of a headlamp of a vehicle and to a device for this purpose. It is provided that the vehicle is provided with a detector with which at least one light signal of another road user is detected, and wherein the vehicle is equipped with a control unit with which light signal information of the detector is captured and by means of which adjustment information for correcting the misadjustment of the headlamp is output as a function of the captured light signal information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Mathias Drueppel, David Duhme, Kai Ehlert, Bernd Fischer, Julien Hansen, Marc Kaup, Lukas Poertner, Claas Tebruegge, Benjamin Willeke, Jan-Henning Willrodt
  • Patent number: 11243091
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes initializing a navigation application on a device, determining a current location of the device, and receiving a destination. The method also includes determining whether a known geographical feature is located on a travel path to the destination. The known geographical feature may be derived from a user profile. The method, in response to determining that a known geographical feature is not located on the travel path to the destination, includes outputting graphical and audio directions to the destination. In response to determining that a known geographical feature is located on the travel path to the destination, a sub-method includes determining whether the device is currently in a known area and outputting graphical and audio directions to the known geographical feature in response to determining that the device is not currently in the known area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew G. Crimmins, Pasquale A. Catalano, John S. Werner, Arkadiy O. Tsfasman
  • Patent number: 11235754
    Abstract: A travel track creation device (2) includes a travel track creator (42) that creates a travel track including an inlet straight track, an inlet clothoid track formed by connecting a first group of clothoid curves, an arc track, an outlet clothoid track formed by connecting a second group of clothoid curves, and an outlet straight track, wherein the travel track creator (42) includes an arc creator (42a) that creates the arc track which is located further on a side opposite to the center side of the arc portion than a passing target point and a radius of which is as large as possible, the passing target point being separated from an inner edge of the arc portion by a predetermined distance toward the side opposite to the center side of the arc portion, and a clothoid creator (42b) that creates the inlet clothoid track in which a radius of a last tangential arc corresponds to a radius of the arc track and a start point of which is in contact with the inlet straight track and in which a direction angle of the st
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: SANEI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tadashi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11235800
    Abstract: A vehicle terminal and a method for controlling steering thereby are provided. The vehicle terminal includes a steering controller that adjusts a wheel steering, and a processor that determines a steered wheel angle when a vehicle is stopped at a direction switching point, based on road information based on a current position of the vehicle. The processor instructs the steering controller to adjust the wheel steering in advance based on the determined steered wheel angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Young Tak Jeon
  • Patent number: 11163304
    Abstract: A trajectory determination device includes a position estimation unit configured to estimate a position of a vehicle, an acquisition unit configured to acquire driving environment information relating to a driving environment of the vehicle, a generation unit configured to generate a plurality of trajectory candidates of the vehicle based on the position of the vehicle and map information, an evaluation unit configured to evaluate driving comfort for each trajectory candidate based on the driving environment information acquired by the acquisition unit and the plurality of trajectory candidates generated by the generation unit, and a selection unit configured to select one trajectory to travel with the autonomous driving from the plurality of trajectory candidates based on the driving comfort for each trajectory candidate evaluated by the evaluation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayuki Iwamoto, Hojung Jung
  • Patent number: 11162241
    Abstract: A robotic machine includes at least one sensor coupled to the robotic machine configured to generate a signal indicative of a worksurface for which a worksurface operation is to be conducted. The robotic machine also includes a machine and robotic control system configured to receive the signal indicative of the worksurface, identify the worksurface operation to be conducted, and generate control signals for an end effector of the robotic machine to carry out the identified worksurface operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Scott S. Hendron, Mark J. Cherney, Michael G. Kean, John J. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 11124177
    Abstract: A vehicle has a frame, at least two wheels, a motor, a straddle seat defining a driver seat portion and a passenger seat portion at least partially rearward of the driver seat portion, left and right passenger footrests connected to the frame, the left and right passenger footrests each being movable between a stowed position and a deployed position, a passenger footrest position sensor for sensing a position of at least one of the left and right passenger footrests, and an electronic stability system electronically connected to the passenger footrest position sensor for receiving a signal from the passenger footrest position sensor indicative of the position of the at least one of the left and right passenger footrests. An output of the electronic stability system is defined at least in part on the signal from the passenger footrest position sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Nicolas Laberge, Sebastien Lavoie, Bruno Cyr
  • Patent number: 11119482
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle includes an actuator configured to control vehicle steering, a sensor configured to detect a yaw rate of the vehicle, and a controller. The controller is configured to estimate a yaw rate and lateral velocity of the vehicle via a vehicle dynamics model based on a measured longitudinal velocity of the vehicle, calculated road wheel angles of the vehicle, and estimated tire slip angles of the vehicle. The controller is configured to receive a measured yaw rate from the sensor, and to calculate a difference between the measured yaw rate and the estimated yaw rate. The controller is configured to apply a model correction to the vehicle dynamics model using a PID controller based on the difference, and to estimate a vehicle position based on the estimated lateral velocity and the measured longitudinal velocity. The controller is configured to automatically control the actuator based on the vehicle position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Qi Zhang, Ping Hwang
  • Patent number: 11100793
    Abstract: A system and a method of detecting and handling traffic congestion outliers by at least one processor. Embodiments of the present invention may include: receiving, from a plurality of information sources, data corresponding to at least one temporal, local traffic property; producing a local, time-based traffic profile based on the received data; receiving, from at least one information source, new data corresponding to at least one temporal, local traffic property; analyzing the new data in relation to at least one respective time-based traffic profile, to produce a score of the new data; and if the score surpasses a threshold, then identifying the data as originating from a local, temporal traffic congestion outlier and producing at least one recommendation for handling the traffic congestion outlier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: WAYCARE TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
    Inventors: Idan Hahn, Alex Smolyak
  • Patent number: 11097736
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for traction detection and control of a self-driving vehicle. The self-driving vehicle has drive motors that drive drive-wheels according to a drive-motor speed. Traction detection and control can be obtained by measuring the vehicle speed with a sensor such as a LiDAR or video camera, and measuring the wheel speed of the drive wheels with a sensor such as a rotary encoder. The difference between the measured vehicle speed and the measured wheel speeds can be used to determine if a loss of traction has occurred in any of the wheels. If a loss of traction is detected, then a recovery strategy can be selected from a list of recovery strategies in order to reduce the effects of the loss of traction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Shahab Kaynama
  • Patent number: 11084504
    Abstract: Traversing, by an autonomous vehicle, a vehicle transportation network, may include operating a scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance, wherein the scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance includes an instance of a scenario-specific operational control evaluation model of a vehicle operational scenario wherein the vehicle operational scenario is a merge vehicle operational scenario or a pass-obstruction vehicle operational scenario, receiving a candidate vehicle control action from the scenario-specific operational control evaluation module instance, and traversing a portion of the vehicle transportation network in accordance with the candidate vehicle control action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignees: Nissan North America, Inc., The University of Massachusetts, Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Kyle Hollins Wray, Stefan Witwicki, Shlomo Zilberstein
  • Patent number: 11072243
    Abstract: A vehicle braking device sets a target hydraulic braking force based on the difference between the execution regeneration braking force, which is actually generated regeneration braking force and the requested braking force which is to be applied to the vehicle wheels and includes a hydraulic pressure control portion that raises the target hydraulic braking force by a predetermined value at a timing when the difference between the execution regeneration braking force and the maximum value thereof is equal to or less than a judgement threshold value and a threshold value setting portion that sets the judgement threshold value on the basis of the requested braking force gradient when the liquid amount inside the hydraulic chamber is less than a predetermined amount, and sets the judgement threshold value on the basis of the target hydraulic braking force gradient when the liquid amount is equal to or more than the predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignees: ADVICS CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Nakata, Kosuke Hashimoto, Kenji Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 11059463
    Abstract: A control device configured to control a vehicle is provided. The device comprises: a traveling control unit capable of executing stop hold control in an automatic brake hold function and a one-pedal function; and an output control unit capable of displaying a first indicator indicating that the one-pedal function is enabled and a second indicator indicating that the automatic brake hold function is enabled. The traveling control unit exclusively executes the automatic brake hold function and the one-pedal function. The output control unit executes at least one of ending display of the second indicator and displaying the first indicator when the one-pedal function is enabled instead of the automatic brake hold function and/or ending display of the first indicator and displaying the second indicator when the automatic brake hold function is enabled instead of the one-pedal function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Noriaki Suzuki, Yosuke Mizutani, Fumihiro Nakano, Keizo Fuke, Yoshinari Sugita, Hidetoshi Kobori
  • Patent number: 11060877
    Abstract: Opportunistic fueling for car hailing autonomous vehicles are disclosed herein. An example method includes evaluating a trip schedule having one or more destinations for a vehicle, calculating a plurality of potential routes based on the trip schedule with fueling options along a proposed path of travel for the vehicle, applying one or more vehicle fueling constraints, selecting an optimized route from the plurality of potential routes for the vehicle using the one or more vehicle fueling constraints, and completing the trip schedule using the optimized route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Aed M. Dudar, Finn Tseng
  • Patent number: 11052889
    Abstract: A method for automatic electronic control of a brake system in a vehicle includes reading a request signal for automatic electronic control of actuators in the vehicle. At least one of the actuators has an influence on actual longitudinal vehicle dynamics of the vehicle, and requests that are to be implemented by the actuators for realizing automatically requested target longitudinal vehicle dynamics are transmitted via the request signal. The method further includes plausibility-checking the request signal to establish whether the requests are, or can be, implemented completely or without error by the actuators, taking into account a tolerance, and determining a correction deceleration and/or a correction velocity if the implementation of at least one of the requests has not taken place, or cannot take place, completely or without error, taking into account the tolerance, in order to specify corrective braking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventor: Oliver Wulf
  • Patent number: 11046305
    Abstract: A leaning posture control device controls a leaning posture of a left-right-inclined-wheel-equipped leaning vehicle. The leaning posture control device controls a torque of at least one of a left inclined wheel or a right inclined wheel arranged in a left-right direction of the vehicle so as to suppress a change in a lean of the lean body frame in a left direction or right direction of the vehicle while the lean body frame is leaned, based on a physical quantity concerning side-slip, in the left direction of the vehicle or in the right direction of the vehicle, of the left inclined wheel, the right inclined wheel, and another inclined wheel disposed ahead of or behind the left inclined wheel and the right inclined wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takaaki Mizutani