Patents Examined by Thomas E Worden
  • Patent number: 10527449
    Abstract: Techniques enable selection of traffic cameras for display to a user, where the techniques involve determining a primary route and an alternate route, determining a first intersection between the primary route and the alternate route, and obtaining camera metadata identifying multiple cameras, where the camera metadata defines aspects such as positioning data, direction, status data, and image data for individual traffic cameras. The techniques also involve determining a priority score for individual cameras using the camera metadata, where the priority score is based, at least in part, on proximity to the first intersection between the primary route and the alternate route. The techniques then involve selecting at least one traffic camera based on the priority score of the camera and communicating image data of the camera for display on a display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Jeff West, David Grochocki, Jr., Geoffrey T. Ebersol
  • Patent number: 10508689
    Abstract: A thrust bearing for a vehicle includes an upper case that abuts against a vehicle body-side attaching portion and a lower case on which the upper case is provided so that the lower case is rotatable with respect to the upper case about an axial center AX of a piston rod used in a shock absorber of a suspension of the vehicle, characterized in that the thrust bearing further includes a load sensor for measuring a load vertically acting on the suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignees: OILES CORPORATION, OILES DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Robert Hamrodi, Kai Metzler, Tsuyoshi Nagashima, Kohei Kurose
  • Patent number: 10493982
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a vehicle speed control unit configured to execute a vehicle speed control for automatically accelerating a vehicle, regardless of an accelerator operation. The vehicle speed control unit prohibits an execution of the vehicle speed control during a predetermined period, after a detection is made that the vehicle collided, and permits the execution of the vehicle speed control after an elapse of the predetermined period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tatsuya Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 10479205
    Abstract: A plug-in vehicle is provided which prevents impossibility of driving even when a charging connector is not connected to the vehicle and a method of controlling the same. The method includes determining whether the vehicle is stopped and determining whether recognition of a connection of the charging connector to the vehicle is enabled. Additionally, the method includes determining whether a charging inlet door is open or closed, in response to determining that recognition of the connection of the charging connector to the vehicle is disenabled, and executing transition of the vehicle from a first state restricting generation of driving power to a second state permitting generation of driving power when the charging inlet door is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Dae Ro Park, Sang Joon Kim, Soung Han Noh, Jin Cheol Shin, Seung Jae Yoo, Seok Young Yun
  • Patent number: 10457272
    Abstract: A motive power system includes a first energy storage, a second energy storage, an actuator, an internal combustion engine, an electric generator, a power transmission circuit, and circuitry. The circuitry is configured to control the power transmission circuit to charge at least the second energy storage via the electric generator. The circuitry is configured to control the power transmission circuit such that only the first energy storage supplies electric power to the actuator for a predetermined period when a charge rate of the second energy storage is lower than a first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daijiro Takizawa, Hirokazu Oguma
  • Patent number: 10451428
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for a semi-autonomous vehicle to have optional routes that vary in an amount of autonomous driving offered. The system performs processes including aggregating data from various sources to thereby position and orient the vehicle, assigning an autonomous driving value to different route segments, determining an optimal route by minimizing a distance between a start position and a destination position and maximizing the percent autonomous value assigned, and displaying the optimal route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, Audi AG
    Inventors: William Brian Lathrop, Peter Oel, Daniel Lipinski, Erik Glaser, James Leigh Toggweiler, Nathaniel Coser
  • Patent number: 10435022
    Abstract: A vehicle and an adaptive cruise control system (ACC) is provided. The ACC comprises a steering wheel system with a steering wheel arranged to allow the provision of manual steering input to the steering system of the vehicle and a steering angle sensor, wherein the steering system is configured to identify a specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation by comparing data from the steering angle sensor with predetermined thresholds, and to select a next one of the moving or stationary objects in the surroundings in front of said vehicle to control the speed of said vehicle in relation to, based on the direction of the specific momentary manual steering wheel actuation indicated by the steering angle sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventor: Magnus Brandin
  • Patent number: 10430833
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems of a sensor surface object detection system are provided. Output from sensors of a vehicle may be used to describe an environment around the vehicle. In the event that a sensor is obstructed by dirt, debris, or detritus the sensor may not sufficiently describe the environment for autonomous control operations. The sensor surface object detection system may receive output from the sensors of the vehicle to determine whether any of the sensors are obstructed. The determination may be made by comparing the output of one sensor to another, determining whether the output of a sensor is within a predetermined threshold, or comparing characteristics of multiple sensor outputs to one another. When a sensor is determined to be obstructed, the system may send a command to a cleaning system to automatically remove the obstruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Austin L. Newman
  • Patent number: 10415213
    Abstract: A remote controlled construction vehicle that can be battery powered and have movement members and a tool. The vehicle in one implementation can have wheels and a bucket and may include redundant safety and control systems that inhibit inadvertent startup of the vehicle or tool. The safety and control systems may also disable the vehicle in response to detecting faults.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: COOPER GRAY ROBOTICS, LLC
    Inventors: Justin Gray, Nathan Mariels
  • Patent number: 10411950
    Abstract: In an on-vehicle system, the gateway is duplexed, and a countermeasure table is included. The countermeasure table defines a failure phenomenon occurring in communication, an identification method for identifying a factor on whether the failure phenomenon is caused by a failure of the gateway or caused by a security attack on the gateway, and a corresponding countermeasure method. When it is detected that a failure phenomenon has occurred is communication through the gateway, the on-vehicle system determines a factor of the detected failure phenomenon based on the identification method defined in the countermeasure table, and makes countermeasures in accordance with the corresponding countermeasure method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigemasa Shiota, Takeshi Sunada, Akihiro Yamate, Daisuke Oshida
  • Patent number: 10399650
    Abstract: A system for monitoring marine vessels using a satellite network may include a plurality of satellite payloads to be carried by respective satellites. Each satellite payload may include a communications interface configured to communicate via the satellite network, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to communicate with the plurality of marine vessels, and a controller cooperating with the communications interface and the RF transceiver. The controller may obtain automatic identification system (AIS) data including vessel position and call sign information via the transceiver, and communicate the AIS system data via the communications interface. The system may further include a terrestrial station configured to receive the AIS system data and determine therefrom a rendezvous between marine vessels which pass within a threshold distance for greater than a threshold time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: HARRIS CORPORATION
    Inventors: John L. Delay, Mark A. Ingersoll, Mark D. Rahmes, David A. Mottarella, Eric P. Spellman, Kevin L. Fox, John T. Farrell
  • Patent number: 10390492
    Abstract: A harvester and a crop accumulator combination. The harvester is configured to transfer a harvested crop to the crop accumulator. The crop accumulator comprises at least one actuator to selectively discharge the harvested crops onto a field. A GPS unit is configured with at least one virtual trip line. An ECU is in communication with the GPS unit. The ECU is configured to selectively command the actuator of the crop accumulator to discharge harvested crop onto the field when the ECU receives a signal from the GPS unit when at least one of the virtual trip line is being approached, the virtual trip line is being crossed, and the virtual trip line has been crossed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: Timothy J. Kraus
  • Patent number: 10386191
    Abstract: A method for providing waypoint data to a vehicle controller. This method may include obtaining a plurality of coordinate locations describing a vehicle route, performing a computation of the vehicle route using said coordinates, obtaining route data describing the route, transforming the route data into coordinate data comprising a plurality of data points expressed in longitude and latitude form, converting the coordinate data into properly-spaced waypoint data, storing the waypoint data in a form accessible to a vehicle controller, and accessing the waypoint data via a vehicle controller. According to an exemplary embodiment, the properly-spaced waypoint data may be created from improperly-spaced data via interpolation. The vehicle controller may control other devices associated with a vehicle, such as an automated voice announcement system or an external display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Clever Devices Ltd.
    Inventor: Cody Long
  • Patent number: 10377415
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of controlling a motor driven power steering system (MDPS). The method includes multiple operations including a torque sensor failure determining operation of determining failure of the torque sensor according to existence of a torque sensor signal input from the torque sensor; a control module calculating operation of, when it is determined that the torque sensor has failure, receiving control signals from a steering angle sensor and a motor angle sensor and calculating a plurality of control modules including a basic assist generating module, an assist maintaining module, and an overshoot preventing module; and an MDPS motor driving operation of driving a motor of the MDPS based on motor torque calculated through the control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jong Ho Lee, Min Woo Han, Jin Hyuck Heo, Woo Je Sung
  • Patent number: 10377358
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling a vehicle using a specific torque of a brake system. In one embodiment, a method of using a specific torque of a brake system for a vehicle includes: determining a brake pressure of the brake system during a braking operation; determining a deceleration of the vehicle during the braking operation; determining a vehicle mass and a wheel radius; estimating a specific torque of the brake system based on the brake pressure and the deceleration; and operating the vehicle based on the specific torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Brandon C. Pennala, Eric E. Krueger, Patrick J. Monsere, Edward T. Heil, Robert L. Nisonger, Constandi J. Shami, Alan J. Houtman
  • Patent number: 10351167
    Abstract: Technical solutions for compensating for lash in a steering system are described. An example method includes determining a rack pressure value based on a driver torque value and a differential pressure across a rack of the steering system. The method also includes determining a compensation friction value based on a position of a handwheel of the steering system and a speed of a vehicle equipped with the steering system. The method also includes computing a pressure value based on the rack pressure value and the compensation friction value. The method also includes generating a torque command using the pressure value, the torque command being added to the driver assist torque for the steering system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: STEERING SOLUTIONS IP HOLDING CORPORATION
    Inventor: Joel E. Birsching
  • Patent number: 10351121
    Abstract: An electric motorcycle includes a driving command detecting device, a state value detecting device, an electric motor driving a drive wheel, a control unit for executing a non-normal mode causing output of the electric motor in a non-normal mode to differ from the output of the electric motor in a normal mode, the control unit configured to shift the electric motorcycle from one of the normal or non-normal modes to the other normal or non-normal mode, when the state value satisfies a predetermined shift condition, in one of the normal and non-normal modes, and a cornering determiner unit for determining cornering status, wherein the control unit causes a change in the output of the electric motor to be less, when the electric motorcycle is cornering and the shift condition is satisfied than when the cornering determiner unit determines the electric motorcycle is not cornering and the shift condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshimoto Matsuda
  • Patent number: 10343550
    Abstract: A circuit for controlling a hybrid drivetrain, including an alternating current electric machine, a first battery, a second battery, a first pair of complementary transistor switches arranged to complete a first direct current circuit to charge the first battery or to complete a second direct current circuit to discharge the first battery, a second pair of complementary transistor switches arranged in parallel and arranged to complete a third direct current circuit to charge the second battery or to complete a fourth direct current circuit to discharge the second battery, an inverter arranged to convert direct current electrical energy from the first and second batteries into alternating current electrical energy, arranged to supply the alternating current electrical energy to the electric machine, and also arranged to transmit voltage modulations caused by damping vibrations within the drivetrain, and a control unit operatively arranged to control the first and second pair of switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Carsten Angrick, Matthias Gramann
  • Patent number: 10340983
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a surveying system operable to receive a plurality of electromagnetic waves via a guided wave transceiver that include environmental data collected via a plurality of sensors at a plurality of remote sites. Weather pattern data is generated based on the environmental data. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Ken Liu, Robert Bennett, Pamela A. M. Bogdan, Farhad Barzegar, Donald J. Barnickel, Irwin Gerszberg
  • Patent number: 10329016
    Abstract: An apparatus and system for placing, or resetting, power line cable to a power support structure, such as a transmission tower includes a remote aerial manipulation platform”) utilizing an unmanned aerial vehicle containing a bracket and a rotatable spool attached to the bracket. The spool includes a length of pre-lead line wound on the body of the spool. A reel system on the unmanned aerial vehicle provides appropriate tension to the rotatable spool. A control system enables the transmission of informational messages from the unmanned aerial vehicle to a ground control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: JAXON Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Jackson, Donald D. Miller