Patents Examined by Thomas Tarcza
  • Patent number: 9582002
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle platform and system for selectively performing an in-season management task in an agricultural field while self-navigating between rows of planted crops, the autonomous vehicle platform having a vehicle base with a width so dimensioned as to be insertable through the space between two rows of planted crops, the vehicle base having an in-season task management structure configured to perform various tasks, including selectively applying fertilizer, mapping growth zones and seeding cover crop within an agricultural field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: ROWBOT SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventor: Kent Cavender-Bares
  • Patent number: 9581454
    Abstract: A route information processing apparatus includes: a processor configured to execute a program; and a memory configured to store the program, wherein, based on the program, the processor performs operations to: calculate maximum values corresponding to a Frechet distance between one line segment of one or more line segments between observation points included in a trajectory and each of sets of two nodes corresponding to the one line segment, the nodes being included in a route graph including linked paths which link nodes; and acquire a path corresponding to the trajectory having a smallest value among the maximum values of the one or more line segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Junichi Shigezumi, Tatsuya Asai, Hiroaki Morikawa, Hiroya Inakoshi
  • Patent number: 9582001
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an example motor system. The motor system includes a steering motor with a first rotor positioned within a first stator. The steering motor is configured to rotate the first rotor about a steering axis. The motor system also includes a traction motor including a second stator positioned within a second rotor. The second rotor includes a traction surface defining a wheel. The traction motor is configured to rotate the second rotor about a rolling axis, and the traction motor is positioned within an opening in the first rotor. The motor system also includes an axle positioned coaxial to the second rotor and coupled to the first rotor such that the traction motor rotates about the steering axis as the steering motor rotates the first rotor about the steering axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Robert Andre Holmberg, John William Zevenbergen, Mark Fischer
  • Patent number: 9581453
    Abstract: A method for making available at least one position information item about a parked motor vehicle is disclosed, wherein a detector device of the motor vehicle detects the motor vehicle driving into a multi-level parking garage, and as a result of the detection of the driving in, transmission of at least one current first position information item by the motor vehicle to a vehicle-external central data-processing device is triggered. Furthermore, in the case of reception of the first position information item by the central data-processing device of the at least one first position information item, this information item is stored by the central data processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Peter Lacher
  • Patent number: 9580886
    Abstract: A working vehicle is configured so that interference does not occur even if an attachment is exchanged and so that a reduction in work efficiency caused by the exchange of an attachment is minimized. A backhoe comprises: a working machine body; a working device which is connected to the working machine body, has joints, and allows an attachment to be removably mounted to the front end of the working device; and a control device in which stop positions are set, the stop positions being those at which the working device is stopped in order to avoid the interference of the working device. The control device has connected thereto: a position sensor which detects the position of the working device; an input means by which the stop positions are set in advance and by which the stop positions are adjusted independently of each other; and a screen operation section which allows selection among the stop positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nakagaki, Katsuya Miyazaki, Katashi Tanaka, Mitsuhiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9576414
    Abstract: An actuation system used to actuate one or more buttons on a remote control device, such as a key fob, based upon commands that are generated from a mobile device. The actuation system includes an isolation enclosure that prevents RF signals from entering into or leaving an open interior of the enclosure. The enclosure surrounds a controller, a button actuator and the remote control device. The controller receives the command signals from the mobile device and converts the command signals into position commands that are used to activate the button actuator to move the plunger into alignment with one of the buttons on the key fob. The button actuator moves the plunger into contact with one of the buttons which generates an RF signal from the key fob. The controller utilizes a transmitting antenna to communicate a vehicle command signal out of the isolation enclosure for receipt by the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Tieman Vehicle Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Craig Arnold Tieman
  • Patent number: 9574388
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a control system for driving a motorized closure element arrangement of a vehicle, wherein at least one linear distance sensor, is provided in order to detect operator control events in the form of operator movement cycles, wherein, as part of an operator control event monitoring process, a control arrangement monitors the at least one distance sensor in order to check whether a predetermined operator control event is present, wherein a longitudinal movement of a body part of an operator in the longitudinal direction can additionally be detected by means of the at least one distance sensor. It is proposed that the control arrangement detects a predetermined longitudinal movement cycle, which runs in the longitudinal direction, of a body part of an operator as an operator control event as part of the operator control event monitoring process and drives the closure element arrangement in response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG, Hallstadt
    Inventor: Frank Ebert
  • Patent number: 9569974
    Abstract: A method and assembly for guidance of an aircraft during a low-altitude flight. The guidance assembly comprises a memory forming part of a flight management system, which is configured to store an active flight trajectory and any new flight trajectory, generated by the flight management system, and a memory forming part of a guidance system, which is configured to also store the flight trajectory and any new flight trajectory, which are received from the flight management system, the guidance assembly being configured to periodically transmit from the guidance system to the flight management system identification codes for the flight trajectories recorded in the memory of the guidance system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Nicolas Albert, Thomas Koebel, Boris Kozlow, Remy Laugero
  • Patent number: 9567726
    Abstract: Machine control systems for controlling a land levelling or earthmoving process of a wheel loader relative to a working plane are disclosed. In some embodiments, the wheel loader may be equipped with a land levelling or earthmoving blade and may comprise tool positioning means for adjusting the position and orientation of the tool relative to the first body. In some embodiments, the machine control system comprises a machine control unit and an orientation detection system. In some embodiments, the orientation detection system may include orientation detection means which are designed to be attached to the blade and/or to the wheel loader for detecting a position and an orientation of the blade relative to a working plane. In some embodiments, the orientation detection means are adapted to generate orientation data according to the relative position and orientation of the blade and to transmit the orientation data to the machine control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: HEXAGON TECHNOLOGY CENTER GMBH
    Inventors: Claus Joergensen, Sten Kristensen, Bo Pettersson
  • Patent number: 9566989
    Abstract: A railway safety critical application system substitutes commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and/or software for railway-domain specific product components, yet is validated to conform to railway safety critical system failure-free standards. The safety critical system uses a pair of tasks executed on a controller of a COTS personal computer or within a virtual environment with asymmetric communications capability. Both tasks receive and verify safety critical systems input message data and security code integrity and separately generate output data responsive to the input message. The first task has sole capability to send complete safety critical system output messages, but only the second task has the capability of generating the output security code. A failure of any of systems hardware, software or processing capability results failure to transmit a safety critical system output message or an output message that cannot be verified by other safety critical systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventors: Claus Weber, Zoltan Egel
  • Patent number: 9567006
    Abstract: A method for situation-related steering assistance in a lane keeping assistant for a vehicle includes: importing a collision signal; ascertaining a correction signal for adapting an intervention torque for the lane keeping assistant, in order to provide a situation-related steering assistance in the lane keeping assistant. The collision signal represents information about a risk of collision during a lane change, and the correction signal is ascertained using the collision signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Chengxuan Fu
  • Patent number: 9568611
    Abstract: A system and method for a motorized land vehicle that detects objects obstructing a driver's view of an active road, includes an inertial measurement unit-enabled global position system (GPS/IMU) subsystem for obtaining global position system (GPS) position and heading data of a land vehicle operated by the driver as the vehicle travels along a road, a street map subsystem for obtaining street map data of the GPS position of the vehicle using the GPS position and heading data as the vehicle travels along the road, and a three-dimensional (3D) object detector subsystem for detecting objects ahead of the vehicle and determining a 3D position and 3D size data of each of the detected objects ahead of the vehicle. The street map subsystem merges the street map data, the GPS position and heading data of the vehicle and the 3D position data and 3D size data of the detected objects, to create real-time two-dimensional (2D) top-view map representation of a traffic scene ahead of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eric Cosatto, Hans Peter Graf
  • Patent number: 9567724
    Abstract: A lifting arrangement for a construction machine is provided which includes a main arm (3) which is provided with a pivot connector (4). The pivot connector (4) is pivotably supported on a main arm support means (6). The main arm support means (6) is moveable in a direction which includes at least a component in the front-rear direction with respect to a frame arrangement of a construction machine to which the lifting arrangement can be applied. Based on a control of a main arm actuating element (11) and an auxiliary actuating element (21), a path of an equipment connector (5) upon moving said main arm (3) between a lowered position and a lifted position can be achieved which follows a predetermined path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: GUANGXI LIUGONG MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Edward Wagner
  • Patent number: 9569960
    Abstract: An approach is provided for predicting starting points and/or ending points for traffic jams in one or more travel segments. The approach involves processing and/or facilitating a processing of probe data associated with at least one travel segment to cause, at least in part, a generation of at least one speed curve with respect to a distance dimension and a time dimension, wherein the probe data includes speed information, and wherein the at least one speed curve indicates at least one previous starting point, at least one previous ending point, or a combination thereof for one or more previous traffic jams based, at least in part, on the speed information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
    Inventors: Bo Xu, Jane MacFarlane
  • Patent number: 9561806
    Abstract: A vision control system for controlling a vision of a glass surface of a locomotive. The vision control system includes a sensing module for detecting at least one parameter related to the glass surface. The sensing module includes a moisture sensing device configured to detect a presence of moisture on the glass surface and a photo sensor configured to detect an opacity of the glass surface. The vision control system also includes a cleaning system configured to perform a cleaning operation on the glass surface. The vision control system further includes a controller communicably coupled to the sensing module and the cleaning system. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of the at least one parameter related to the glass surface from the sensing module and communicate with the cleaning system to control the cleaning operation based on the received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Melas, Isaac Traylor
  • Patent number: 9561778
    Abstract: Method of selecting and stopping a vehicle using vehicle-to-vehicle communication includes selecting and suppressing a local vehicle including vehicle-to-vehicle communication comprising transmitting a vehicle-to-vehicle locating signal from a host vehicle to local vehicles to obtain a location and a direction of movement for local vehicles within a local area, selecting a local vehicle as a selected vehicle to be suppressed, and suppressing the selected vehicle using vehicle-to-vehicle communication from the host vehicle to the selected vehicle. The suppressing of the selected vehicle by the host vehicle includes providing a warning to the operator of the selected vehicle, limiting speed, along with decelerating and halting of the selected vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Carlos Atoche
  • Patent number: 9563809
    Abstract: A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes at least one forward viewing camera and a control having an image processor operable to process image data captured by the forward viewing camera. The vehicle includes start-stop technology operable to turn off the engine of the vehicle when the vehicle stops and operable to restart the engine of the vehicle to enable the vehicle drive forward. Responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of captured image data, the driver assistance system determines that the vehicle, when stopped, is behind a stopped leading vehicle. Responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of captured image data, the driver assistance system determines forward movement of the leading vehicle from its stopped position. Responsive at least in part to the determination of forward movement of the leading vehicle, the control automatically restarts the engine of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Ove J. Salomonsson, Christopher L. Van Dan Elzen
  • Patent number: 9557186
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic device capable of providing route information and a control method thereof. An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a user input unit configured to receive destination information, a retrieval unit configured to retrieve an eco-driving route capable of minimizing the fuel consumption amount of a vehicle among driving routes for reaching a location corresponding to the destination information, and a controller configured to modify a prestored fuel table based on an actually consumed fuel amount while driving the vehicle, wherein the retrieval unit retrieves the eco-driving route using the modified fuel table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sujin Kim, Yonghwan Lee
  • Patent number: 9556591
    Abstract: Swing kinetic and boom potential energy may be recovered in a machine having a movable work tool, a swing motor for rotating the work tool, a hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering the work tool, a pump selectively connected to the swing motor and the hydraulic cylinder, and a power source outputting power to drive the pump. The machine may further include a first accumulator, a swing charge valve having a charge set pressure, and a boom charge valve. The swing charge valve selectively fluidly connect the swing motor to the first accumulator, and open to fluidly connect the swing motor to the first accumulator when a swing motor fluid pressure is greater than a charge set pressure of the swing charge valve. The boom charge valve may selectively fluidly connect a head-end chamber of the hydraulic cylinder to the first accumulator when the work tool is lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Tonglin Shang, Jiao Zhang, Pengfei Ma, Dayao Chen
  • Patent number: 9555781
    Abstract: To determine a triggering criterion for outputting brake signals in a vehicle, at least one object in the vehicle surroundings is sensed, and a determination is made as to whether the vehicle is on a collision course with the object. When a collision course is determined, an avoidance criterion, which is satisfied if an avoidance maneuver is not available, is checked. When the avoidance criterion is met, a braking criterion is checked. The object is classified into at least a first or a second class as a function of its properties, and the avoidance maneuver is determined as a function of such classification such that, in the case of a first class, a first avoidance trajectory is determined, and, in the case of a second class, a second trajectory, different from the first, is determined. The triggering criterion for brake signal output is satisfied when the avoidance and braking criteria are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: WABCO GMBH
    Inventors: Karsten Breuer, Rudiger Meyer, Dirk Sandkuhler, Christian Sulzbacher