Patents Examined by Todd M Melton
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Patent number: 10414511Abstract: A method and device for automatically powering off an aerial vehicle, and an aerial vehicle, are provided. The method comprises detecting an operating state of the aerial vehicle, and shutting down a propulsion output of the aerial vehicle if the operating state of the aerial vehicle is a landed state, to effect automatic powering off of the aerial vehicle after landing.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2017Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Renli Shi, Xuyang Pan, Jianyu Song, Canlong Lin
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Patent number: 10416665Abstract: A vehicle remote control method is/are configured to includes an operation in which, when receiving a remote control signal transmitted via a mobile communication terminal, a vehicle performs a remote control corresponding to the remote control signal, an operation in which the vehicle identifies vehicle state information related to the remote control failure when the remote control is failed, and the vehicle transmits a vehicle state notification and a request whether to perform the remote control after a pre-procedure on vehicle state, to the mobile communication terminal, and an operation in which the vehicle performs the remote control after the pre-procedure on the vehicle state related to the remote control failure, in response to a remote control request signal transmitted from the mobile communication terminal.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2017Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventors: Yunjoong Park, Sung Wook Heo
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Patent number: 10407082Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing a communications link between a motor vehicle and a mobile user terminal. The mobile user terminal and/or the motor vehicle send a request to establish a communications link between the motor vehicle and the mobile user terminal. A check is carried out as to whether the mobile user terminal is configured to output a transfer indication sent from the motor vehicle to the mobile user terminal. A communications link is established between motor vehicle and mobile user terminal if the check is successful. A communications link is not established between motor vehicle and mobile user terminal if the check is unsuccessful.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2017Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Nikolas Wagner, Gerald Schmidt
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Patent number: 10401850Abstract: A vehicle remote operation system includes a controller correcting a map, which indicates a relationship between an operation amount of a reference vehicle and an operation amount of a vehicle to be operated, based on vehicle characteristic data of the vehicle to be operated, characteristic of the operation device being determined based on characteristic of an operation device of the reference vehicle, correcting an operation amount, which is indicated by the operation signal, in accordance with a characteristic of the vehicle to be operated by using the corrected map, and outputting a control signal indicating the corrected operation amount to the vehicle to be operated so that the vehicle to be operated can be operated in accordance with the corrected operation amount.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2018Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takaaki Tokura, Naoya Ishizaki, Tomoharu Maeda, Yushi Seki, Hiroshi Majima, Katsuya Terahata
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Patent number: 10394252Abstract: Methods and systems for organizing vehicles within a vehicle platoon are described. In one example, temperatures and storage amounts of emissions control devices in vehicles of the vehicle platoon provide a basis for determining which vehicle is a leader and which vehicles are followers in a vehicle platoon. Vehicles having emissions devices at low temperatures may be commanded to a lead position to maintain emissions control device performance.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2017Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Cory Scott Hendrickson, Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt
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Virtual mirror technique for measuring time and frequency offsets between clocks on moving platforms
Patent number: 10395537Abstract: Aspects herein describe techniques for synchronizing clocks between two moving platforms using optical signals generated from lasers to measure clock offsets and determine a separation distance between moving platforms. Once the clocks are synchronized (e.g., an offset between the clocks is determined), the moving platforms can share sensor data, location data, and other information which is dependent on accurate timestamps and relative positions. In one aspect, one of the platforms serves as a virtual mirror. That is, the platform transmits a pulse at the same instance a pulse is received, similar to a mirror that reflects incident light. For example, the first platform may transmit pulses which are received at the second platform. The second platform can use optical or electrical components to form the virtual mirror that transmits an optical pulse to the first platform each time a pulse is received at the second platform.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2017Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventor: Glenn S. Bushnell -
Patent number: 10392011Abstract: Techniques pertaining to vehicle occupancy indication and utilization thereof are described. A method may involve determining occupancy information regarding a number of occupants in a vehicle. The method may also involve indicating the occupancy information in either or both of a human-perceivable way and a machine-perceivable way.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2017Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Nikhil Nagraj Rao, Scott Vincent Myers, Lisa Scaria, Harpreetsingh Banvait
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Patent number: 10377458Abstract: A joystick system and a watercraft using the system are presented. The system includes a joystick having a low range of motion spanning from a rest angle to a threshold angle, and a high range of motion spanning from the threshold angle to a maximum angle; a joystick position sensor for producing signals indicative of a position of the joystick and a control for producing engine thrust request signals to control a resultant thrust of two thrust generation devices in response to receiving the signals from the joystick position sensor, the resultant thrust increasing from a minimum to a threshold thrust at a first rate of increase as the joystick moves from the rest angle toward the threshold angle, the resultant thrust increasing from the threshold thrust to a maximum thrust at a second greater rate of increase as the joystick moves from the threshold angle toward the maximum angle.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2017Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: BRP US INC.Inventor: Samuel McGinley
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Patent number: 10380893Abstract: In an object detection apparatus, a sameness determination unit determines whether or not a first object and a second object are a same object, where the first object is an object detected by an electromagnetic wave sensor and the second object is an object detected by an image sensor. A position determination unit determines a position of the same object that is an object for which the first object and the second object are determined to be the same, where a Y-coordinate of or a distance to the same object in an XY-plane is determined employing a result of the detection of the first object and an X-coordinate or an azimuth of the same object with respect to a reference direction in the XY-plane is determined employing a result of the detection of the second object.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2015Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Takahiro Baba
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Patent number: 10377342Abstract: A seat-belt monitoring system can be used with self-driving vehicles. A self-driving vehicle can include a belt sensor configured to detect a buckled state of a seat belt. The self-driving vehicle can include an occupancy sensor configured to detect a rider sitting in a seat. The seat-belt monitoring system can receive buckle and occupancy data from multiple self-driving vehicles and then can respond in ways configured to promote increased seat belt use.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2019Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Inventors: Eric John Wengreen, Wesley Edward Schwie
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Patent number: 10377386Abstract: A system configured to determine a physical state of a vehicle occupant within a vehicle is described herein. The system includes an electrode in contact with the vehicle occupant and containing nano-scale metal fibers or carbon nanotubes and a controller that determines the physical state of the vehicle occupant based on an output of the electrode. The controller initiates a countermeasure based on the physical state of the vehicle occupant. A system configured to generate electricity based upon a temperature difference between a vehicle occupant and a portion of a vehicle interior is also presented herein. This system includes a thermoelectric device containing nano-scale metal fibers or carbon nanotubes. The thermoelectric device has a first side in contact with a vehicle occupant and a second side in contact with a portion of the vehicle interior. The thermoelectric device supplies electrical power to an electrical system of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2017Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: APTIV TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDInventors: Zachary J. Richmond, Evangelia Rubino, Robert J. Seidler
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Patent number: 10378908Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to determine the stacking order of two or more roads that are vertically aligned with one another. In the context of a method, error statistics associated with probe points representative of travel along a first road are determined. In an instance in which the first road is vertically aligned with a second road, the method also includes determining whether one of the first or second roads passes beneath the other of the first or second roads based at least in part upon the error statistics associated with the probe points representative of travel along the first road. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2015Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: HERE Global B.V.Inventor: Ole Henry Dorum
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Patent number: 10379143Abstract: Various systems, methods, and apparatuses disclosed herein provide for receiving pressure data for an accumulator system, the pressure data providing an indication of a pressure in an accumulator tank of the accumulator system; receiving energy data, the energy data indicating an availability of free energy for use to charge the accumulator tank; and activating a charging source of the accumulator tank to charge the accumulator tank based on at least one of the pressure data and the energy data.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2015Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: Cummins, Inc.Inventors: Martin T. Books, Craig M. Calmer, Robert Dziuba, Mahesh Madurai-Kumar, Praveen Chitradurga Muralidhar, John P. O'Brien, Joseph E. Paquette, Gary L. Parker, Anthony K. Perfetto, Jeffrey S. Rauch, Zachary Schwab, Jon S. Wardlow
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Patent number: 10378919Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for control module activation of vehicles in a key-off state to determine driving routes. An example system includes a vehicle at a location in a key-off state. The vehicle includes a communication module to receive an activation signal and a telematic control unit. The telematic control unit is to activate upon receipt of the activation signal and determine and present a route from the location. The example system also includes a remote processor to determine the location, identify an event and an end time based upon the location, and send an activation signal based upon the end time.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2017Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Nunzio DeCia, David A. Herman, Arun Dutta, Bill Dierker, Justin Cartwright
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Patent number: 10369897Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to send likelihood-of-success request, including vehicle state information. The processor is further configured to receive information representing likelihood of reaching route points, utilizing a current vehicle charge, along with effects on the likelihood based on one or more power utilization changes. The processor is also configured to interactively display the received information and receive power utilization change selection. Also, the processor is configured to calculate a new likelihood of reaching the points based on the selection and display updated information based on the calculation.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2013Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Yimin Liu, Perry Robinson MacNeille, Michael Edward Loftus
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Patent number: 10370827Abstract: An excavator managing device has a communication device, a storage device, and a processing device. The processing device receives machine identification information of an excavator and operation information representing the operation status of the excavator from the excavator through the communication device. In addition, machine identification information of an excavator and failure classification information of the excavator are received from a support device through the communication device. Thereafter, the failure classification information and the operation information are stored in the storage device in association with each other. With the excavator managing device having this configuration, past repair experience can be easily applied to future repair operations.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2016Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventor: Masato Koga
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Patent number: 10369988Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for autonomous parking of vehicles in perpendicular parking spots. An example vehicle includes a front corner, a camera, and an autonomous vehicle parker. The autonomous vehicle parker is to detect, via the camera, a perpendicular parking spot and an outer boundary of the perpendicular parking spot, determine a linear parking path located within the perpendicular parking spot and based on the outer boundary, and autonomously turn into the perpendicular parking spot such that the front corner travels along the linear parking path.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2017Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Eric Hongtei Tseng, Li Xu, Kyle Simmons, Douglas Blue
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Patent number: 10365118Abstract: A navigation interworking apparatus for a mobile terminal which is connected to a navigation server through a first communication network and connected to a vehicle terminal through a second communication network includes a setting unit which sets a point of departure and a destination, a route requesting unit which transmits the set point of departure and the set destination to the navigation server, a first communication unit, a second communication unit, a first guiding unit which outputs the first driving route, a route comparing unit which compares the first driving route and the second driving route, and a guide control unit which ends outputting of the first driving route when the first driving route and the second driving route coincide with each other as the comparison result.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2015Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANYInventor: Seon Su Kim
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Patent number: 10366550Abstract: A monitoring apparatus provides vehicle telematics data. The monitoring apparatus includes a sensor for sensing vehicle and engine motion induced vibration in part of a vehicle and for generating vibration associated data. The sensor is coupled to part of the vehicle. Engine motion induced vibration associated data is processed to extract a characteristic of the vehicle or the engine.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2015Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: CAMBRIDGE CONSULTANTS LIMITEDInventors: Thomas Lawrie-Fussey, Jonathan Edgcombe
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Patent number: 10351266Abstract: An ADCS module may be configured to use coordinate data from 2D photodiodes in one or more sun sensors to determine a sun vector. The ADCS module may then use the sun vector in reference to its own body faced (BF) coordinate system to calculate a change in the orientation of the space vehicle. The change in orientation mechanism may be accomplished by reaction wheels, ion thrusters, or other orientation altering mechanisms. A miniature, intelligent star tracker may be included that improves satellite attitude determination and pointing accuracy. An improved reaction wheel assembly may be included that is more robust and suitable for inclusion in small space vehicles.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2015Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: Triad National Security, LLCInventors: Stephen Judd, Nicholas Dallmann, Michael Proicou, Daniel Seitz, Paul Stein, John Martinez, Gayle Kestell, Adam Warniment, Steven Storms