Abstract: The invention relates to a method and arrangement for determining a current road inclination, specifically taking into account a quality measure for the determination. The invention also relates to a corresponding computer program product. The method comprises the steps of: —measuring (S1), a first vehicle operating parameter; —receiving (S2) the first vehicle operating parameter; —determining (S3) an indication of a quality level for the first vehicle operating parameter, and —determining (S4) an estimated value of the current road inclination based on the first vehicle operating parameter and the indication of the quality level for the first vehicle operating parameter.

Abstract: An autonomous driving system mounted on a vehicle includes: a vehicle behavior control device configured to perform vehicle behavior control that controls behavior of the vehicle; and an awareness level calculation device configured to calculate an awareness level of a driver of the vehicle. A low awareness state is a state where the awareness level is lower than a normal state. The vehicle behavior control device performs the vehicle behavior control such that another vehicle around the vehicle predicts or recognizes the behavior of the vehicle more easily in a case of the low awareness state than in a case of the normal state.

Abstract: Among other things, we describe techniques for electric power steering torque compensation. Techniques are provided for a method implemented by a computer, e.g., a computer onboard an autonomous vehicle. A planning circuit onboard the vehicle and connected to an EPS of the vehicle determines a compensatory torque signal to modify an actual steering angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle to match an expected steering angle of the steering wheel. The planning circuit transmits the compensatory torque signal to a control circuit that controls the steering angle of the steering wheel. The EPS modifies the actual steering angle based on the compensatory torque signal resulting in a modified steering angle. The control circuit operates the vehicle based on the modified steering angle.

Abstract: An apparatus in which electric power is generated for an electrical load from differentials in electric field strengths within a vicinity of powerlines includes: a plurality of electrodes separated and electrically insulated from one another for enabling differentials in voltage resulting from differentials in electric field strength experienced there at; and electrical components electrically connected therewith and configurable to establish one or more electric circuits whereby voltage differentials cause a current to flow through the established electric circuit for powering the electrical load.

Abstract: A system for providing driverless operation of a utility vehicle in a limited area, including: a control module to output a valid autonomous control signal to an electropneumatic parking brake system and to control the utility vehicle in a driverless manner, wherein the utility vehicle allows an autonomous operating mode and includes the electropneumatic parking brake system which is configured to release the parking brake system when the valid autonomous control signal is present and to initiate automatic emergency braking when no valid autonomous control signal is applied; and a transfer module to transfer control of the utility vehicle from the driver to the control module. Also described are a related method and computer readable medium.

Abstract: An information estimating system includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire an operation item for vehicle-mounted equipment mounted on a vehicle and a vehicle environment state, which is at least one of a vehicle status and a traveling state of the vehicle when the operation item is operated for each of a plurality of drivers, a learning unit configured to learn the operation item and the vehicle environment state of each of the plurality of drivers acquired by the acquisition unit in association with each other, and an estimator configured to estimate the operation item for the vehicle environment state at a predetermined time point of a specific driver based on the learned result learned by the learning unit.

Abstract: A machine is disclosed. The machine may include a continuously variable transmission, a location or movement module, and a controller. The controller may receive a first signal indicating a transmission output speed for the machine. The controller may receive, from the location or movement module, a second signal indicating location or movement information of the machine. The controller may determine a traction value based on the first signal and the second signal. The controller may determine a rimpull limit value based on the traction value. The controller may provide the rimpull limit value to the continuously variable transmission, wherein the continuously variable transmission is to determine a transmission output torque of the machine based on the rimpull limit value.

Abstract: Methods and systems for vehicle—user association management. The methods and systems may include receiving identification data corresponding to a user and transmitting the identification data to a server. The identification data is compared to previously stored data in a memory of the server, and when the identification data matches previously stored data, transmitting a notification to a mobile device of the user, and when the identification data does not match previously stored data, transmitting a message based on the identification data, prompting the user to complete a registration with the server. The methods and systems may further include establishing the association between the user and the vehicle based on at least one of the notification and the registration.

Abstract: A vehicle control system of a vehicle includes a trailer brake control electronic control unit (ECU), which in turn includes a trailer brake output circuit. The trailer brake control ECU is configured to receive an electronic parking brake (EPB) state flag and a vehicle acceleration message. The dynamic EPB state flag indicates one of an ON state and an OFF state of a dynamic EPB, and the vehicle acceleration message indicates an acceleration of the vehicle. The trailer brake control ECU outputs, via the trailer brake output circuit, a trailer brake signal based on the acceleration of the vehicle indicated by the received vehicle acceleration message in response to determining that the received dynamic EPB state flag indicates the ON state.

Abstract: A motion control method and system for a biomimetic robotic fish based on an adversarial structured control, includes: taking the accuracy and speed of motion to the target point as a reward term, and taking a power sum of servomotors as a loss term to construct an optimization objective function; optimizing parameters of a central pattern generator model that generates a global control quantity of a servomotor, after curing its parameters, optimizing the parameters of the servomotor compensation control model; iteratively optimizing the parameters of the model; obtaining the global control signal and compensation control signal of the biomimetic robotic fish through the trained model, and using the linear combination of the two sets of output signals as the control signal of the servomotor of the robotic fish to realize the motion control of the fish.

Abstract: An arrangement of a control system and a mobile control module, via which the control system can be remote-controlled. The control system can be supplied with sensor data via signal inputs, and a processing unit of the control system can calculate from the sensor data and from stored lifting device-specific data information characteristic for the current lifting load situation the allowability of work processes on the lifting device, and optionally in the given current lifting load situation. The control system can transmit the information characteristic for the current lifting load situation and/or the allowability of work processes on the lifting device to the mobile control module via a transmitting and receiving module, to the mobile control module in a wireless and/or cable-bound manner. From the information, a processing unit of the mobile control module calculates graphic data for a display via a display unit.

Abstract: A capacitive seat occupancy detection and classification system with a capacitive sensor having at least two distinct antenna electrodes and a method of operating is proposed to reduce an impact of the sensor-to-object impedance ZSO on an object-to-ground impedance ZOG measurement that the system performs. By measuring the impedance between the different antenna electrodes by the system, additional information is obtainable that can be used to compensate the impact of the sensor-to-object impedance ZSO on the object-to-ground impedance. As one effect of combining both impedance measurement results, the proposed system is able to determine the object-to-ground impedance ZOG completely independent from wear of ISOFIX anchorages or human objects touching the electric ground of the vehicle, thus ensuring a stable classification of the object over the entire vehicle lifetime. The method further enables high-resolution seat occupancy classification.

Abstract: An external information saving unit sets a reference word related to a situation of a change element at reception of external information and associates and saves the external information and the reference word in an information DB. An external information extraction unit extracts a search word from search information input by a user and extracts the external information associated with the reference word, in which a matching rate with the search word is equal to or greater than a predetermined level, from the external information saved in the information DB. An extracted information output unit displays the external information extracted by the external information extraction unit on a display.

Abstract: Methods and systems for analyzing, ranking, and presenting multi-modality transportation proposals are presented. In one embodiment, a method is provided that includes receiving a request for transportation and generating proposals that include routes for transportation an origin location and a destination location of the request. The proposals each include segment(s) corresponding to a portion of a route and at least one modality identifying a type of transportation for the segment(s). Proposal scores may then be calculated for each of the proposals. Proposal scores for a proposal may be calculated based on a disutility measure of the proposal that measures a predicted inconvenience for a user following the route identified by the proposal. The proposals may be ranked based on the proposal scores and the ranking may be transmitted to a mobile device for display on the mobile device.

Abstract: A load placement system precisely places slung loads by allowing a helicopter pilot to essentially reel the load to the ground. The placement system uses lead lines on the slung load that can be connected to the ground by support personnel. A winch system is connected to the lead lines and guides the load to an intended location. The placement system eliminates at least some of the ground personnel previously needed for pulling the load to a target location and orientation. The placement system may eliminate substantially all ground personnel by using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to automatically connect the lead lines to the ground. The UAVs also may actively control the slung load while in flight to reduce pilot workload and enable higher transport speeds.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus comprising a body including a cavity for storing one or more packages, and a conveyor belt disposed above a top surface of the body. The belt is shaped to receive one or more packages, and the belt is controllable to rotate a package placed on the belt either from the top surface to the cavity for storage or from the cavity to the top surface for dispatch. A package comprises at least one of a drone and a payload transported by the drone. The apparatus further comprises a landing mechanism for stabilizing a drone landing on the apparatus.

Abstract: A braking control device comprising: an operation amount acquisition device that obtains an operation amount for a braking operation member; a pressurizing unit that presses a friction member to a rotating member fixed to a wheel, by using an electric motor; a control that controls the output of the motor based on the operation amount; a pressing force acquisition device that obtains the actual pressing force of the friction member pressing on the rotating member; and a rotation angle acquisition device that obtains the actual rotation angle of the motor. The control: stores the correlation between the actual pressing force and the actual rotation angle; approximates a function map indicated by a second degree or higher polynomial based on the correlation; calculates a target rotation angle based on the operation amount and the function map; and controls the motor such that the actual rotation angle matches the target rotation angle.

Abstract: An autonomous drone system uses an onboard command and control system for controlling operations of a drone without the need for a radio frequency controller or an external electronic device programming unit. The system uses a control unit that interacts with the drone's unmanned aerial system flight controller. The control unit is programmed via an HMI button that is resident onboard the drone. Various sequences of HMI button depressions program the drone for its missions as well as command the drone to perform the missions. A microphone can be substituted for or can augment the HMI button. Various devices, such as a speaker, lights, a visual display screen, etc., can be resident on the drone for giving a user feedback during command and programming of the drone.

Abstract: A network computer system attributes deviation from a predicted travel distance or trip time for arranged transport services. A network computer system monitors a service provider of an arranged transport service to determine a distance traveled, as well as an expended duration. The network computer system compares the determined distance traveled and/or the expended duration with a predicted distance and/or duration of travel to determine if a deviation exists. An adjustment value for the service value may be determined and communicated, based the traveled distance and the expended duration as compared to the predicted distance and/or duration of travel.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle. At least one breathing movement parameter describing an upper body movement of a user of the motor vehicle and a driving movement parameter are detected, using a sensor device of the motor vehicle, and a breathing signal and a driving movement signal that describe how the parameters are generated. A vitality parameter that describes breathing of the user is determined on the basis of the signals. An evaluation and control device of the motor vehicle ascertains a reference value range of stored, user-specific reference values of the vitality parameter, a determined value of the vitality parameter lying in said range, and, on the basis of the ascertained reference value range, a driver state index is determined. A control signal for operating a driver assistance device of the motor vehicle is generated as a function of the determined driver state index.