Patents Examined by Todd Melton
  • Patent number: 12384257
    Abstract: A vehicle controller that is configured to control traveling of an electric vehicle which is a battery electric automobile or a fuel cell automobile, in which, when the electric vehicle performs towing, the vehicle controller judges whether or not power consumption reduction is needed based on an output of a battery that is configured to supply electric power to a traveling motor and the amount of remaining stored energy, and partially limits the function of the electric vehicle if the power consumption reduction is needed, and the amount of remaining stored energy is the amount of remaining charge in the battery when the electric vehicle is the battery electric automobile, and is the amount of remaining stored hydrogen when the electric vehicle is the fuel cell automobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yu Hoshino
  • Patent number: 12370902
    Abstract: A method of implementing a virtual jet propulsion mode in an electric vehicle, includes collecting, by a controller of the vehicle, vehicle driving information while the vehicle is running in a state where the virtual jet propulsion mode including a plurality of virtual modes for mimicking an operating state and a driving feeling of a jet engine is set in the controller of the vehicle, selecting, by the controller, a virtual mode corresponding to a current vehicle driving state from among the virtual modes of the virtual jet propulsion mode based on the collected vehicle driving information, determining, by the controller, a motor torque command corresponding to the collected vehicle driving information and a currently selected virtual mode, and controlling, by the controller, an operation of a motor that drives the vehicle according to the motor torque command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Ji Won Oh
  • Patent number: 12370904
    Abstract: A system includes a paver work machine, one or more tow machines, and a controller. The paver includes a motor-generator unit (MGU) selectively operable in a motor mode and a generator mode, and a power source electrically connected to the MGU and configured to supply electrical power to and receive electrical power from the MGU. Each of the one or more tow machines are configured to be connected to and pull the paver. The controller is communicatively connected to and configured to selectively operate the MGU in the generator mode to supply electrical power to and charge the power source or in the motor mode to use electrical power from the power source to power at least a portion of operation of the paver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Mathew J. Hedrington
  • Patent number: 12370905
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a controller programmed to generate a command to an electric machine to reduce a torque output rate after an accelerator pedal is tipped out based upon a vehicle speed value and a wheel acceleration torque value. The torque output rate is initially reduced at a first rate, and is then reduced at a second rate slower than the first rate when the wheel acceleration torque value is greater than 0 Nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bryan Michael Bolger, Sergey Gennadievich Semenov
  • Patent number: 12358376
    Abstract: A system and method for the supplemental generation of energy from operation of a vehicle, and specifically to the generation of energy from a vehicle's disc brakes in combination with generators. The system may include a generator, a rotational coupler such as a sprocket, a shaft connecting the rotational coupler to the generator, a rotational conveyor engaging the disc brake rotor and coupler to transmit rotational energy of a vehicle wheel to the rotational coupler and generator. In an alternate embodiment, the system may be used in connection with a disc brake caliper. A coupler bracket may be used to facilitate placement of the sprocket and rotational conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: Ecolution kWh, LLC
    Inventor: Johnny Then-Gautier
  • Patent number: 12359405
    Abstract: An obstacle determination unit determines whether an obstacle is present in a periphery of the work machine. An action detection unit detects an action of an operator of the work machine. An action determination unit determines whether the detected action is a confirmation action executed at the time of safety confirmation. A notification unit changes a mode of notification when the action is determined to be the confirmation action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Taro Eguchi, Koichi Nakazawa, Takeshi Kurihara, Yoshiyuki Shitaya
  • Patent number: 12358377
    Abstract: A wheel module arranged to generate torque to accelerate and to decelerate a heavy-duty vehicle. The wheel module comprises at least one electric machine arranged for regenerative braking, an eddy current braking device, and an electronic control unit, ECU. The wheel module further comprises a communications port arranged for communication with an external control unit and a power distribution network arranged to connect the electric machine to the eddy current braking device and to a power port arranged to input and to output electrical power to and from the wheel module. The ECU is arranged to obtain configuration data via the communications port indicative of a maximum output power of the power port, and to control the power distribution network to maintain the output power of the power port below the maximum output power by distributing power from the at least one electric machine between the eddy current braking device and the power port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hamid Yhr, Leo Laine, Ulf Stenbratt, Mats Rydström
  • Patent number: 12360527
    Abstract: An acquisition processing unit acquires position information of a work vehicle traveling in a predetermined area in response to a traveling operation by an operator. A recording processing unit records the position information, as a traveling trajectory of the work vehicle, and temporarily stops recording processing of recording the position information, in a case where the work vehicle is brought to a state in which the position information cannot be acquired during traveling. A notification processing unit notifies the operator of information indicating that the recording processing is temporarily stopped. A setting processing unit registers a field, based on the position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mamoru Takahashi, Yasuto Nishii, Yuji Yamaguchi, Hidetaka Suzuki, Masaaki Murayama
  • Patent number: 12351035
    Abstract: Methods and systems for an electric vehicle (EV). The EV system, in one example, includes a first electric drive axle and a second electric drive axle that each include a pair of electric motors and a motor coupling clutch. The EV system further includes a controller configured to selectively engage one or both of the motor coupling clutches based on vehicle load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: DANA ITALIA S.R.L.
    Inventors: Pradip Jasud, Shailesh Dalvi, Idris Poonawala
  • Patent number: 12354481
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for determining whether a driving environment has changed relative to previously stored information about the driving environment. The apparatus may include an autonomous driving computer system configured to detect one or more vehicles in the driving environment, and determine corresponding trajectories for those detected vehicles. The autonomous driving computer system may then compare the determined trajectories to an expected trajectory of a hypothetical vehicle in the driving environment. Based on the comparison, the autonomous driving computer system may determine whether the driving environment has changed and/or a probability that the driving environment has changed, relative to the previously stored information about the driving environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: David Ian Franklin Ferguson
  • Patent number: 12351039
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for controlling a motion of a vehicle. The vehicle can comprise an electric powertrain having at least one drive axle with a left output shaft and a right output shaft, a power assisted steering unit, and a propulsion torque distribution unit. The propulsion torque distribution unit can be configured to allocate wheel torques of different magnitudes to the left output shaft and the right output shaft respectively. The method can comprise receiving a total longitudinal force target value, a total lateral force target value and a total yaw moment target value. The method can further comprise determining a first wheel torque for the left output shaft and a second wheel torque for the right output shaft which minimize a total power consumption of the drive axle and the power assisted steering unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derong Yang, Juliette Torinsson, Mats Jonasson, Bengt Johan Henrik Jacobson
  • Patent number: 12344256
    Abstract: A vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle, the vehicle control device being configured to switch between automatic driving and manual driving of the vehicle, learn driving characteristics during the manual driving, and reflect a learned value of the driving characteristics in control during the automatic driving. Further, the vehicle control device controls the vehicle in a manner that, in the learned value of the driving characteristics, a state of an occupant other than a driver during the manual driving is in association with the driving characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Dobashi, Satoshi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 12346126
    Abstract: A vehicle management system 1 includes an unmanned vehicle 20 capable of autonomous traveling, a loading machine 10 performing a loading work for the unmanned vehicle 20, and a management station 30 performing dispatch management and traffic control of the unmanned vehicle 20. The loading machine 10 includes a bucket tip position calculator 111 that calculates a bucket tip position of a bucket based on information on a position, an orientation, and an angle of each joint of the loading machine. The management station 30 includes an unmanned vehicle instruction section 313 that calculates a loading zone of the unmanned vehicle 20 and issues a calling instruction or a departure instruction to the unmanned vehicle 20 based on the calculated loading zone and the bucket tip position of the loading machine 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. , Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Kanai, Tomoyuki Hamada
  • Patent number: 12344254
    Abstract: This is a control method for a vehicle, the vehicle including an electric generator, an engine coupled to the electric generator, a drive motor configured to drive the vehicle, and a battery electrically connected to the electric generator and the drive motor, electric power generated by the electric generator being configured to be supplied to at least one of the battery and the drive motor. The control method is including: calculating, when a temperature of the battery is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, a drive torque target value based on required electric power of the vehicle and a state of the battery, controlling a torque of the electric generator based on the drive torque target value, and controlling a rotation speed of the engine based on a predetermined reference low rotation speed, thereby performing a low electric power generation control for causing the electric generator to generate electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Terai, Tomohiro Ito, Azusa Kobayashi, Kentaro Fuse, Keisuke Nishida
  • Patent number: 12344340
    Abstract: The present invention relates to vehicle steering system arrangement (100) comprising a vehicle suspension allowing wheels to be steered and power assisted vehicle steering with a feedback torque actuator (130), the steering feel being controlled by means of a torque and/or angle control system, TAC, (132). The vehicle suspension with steerable wheels comprises a plurality of vehicle suspension parameters and the geometry and/or dimensions of one or more of the vehicle suspension parameters or elements is/are designed to reduce or minimize the steering force required for steering the vehicle in driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: SENTIENT AB
    Inventors: Johan Hultén, Jochen Pohl, Lars Markström, Patrik Fagerberg
  • Patent number: 12337864
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle including an actuator along a trajectory, in which the trajectory is planned within a search space, and considers a projection of a manipulated variable of the actuator. The method includes creating an actuator model of the actuator on the basis of the manipulated variable of the actuator; defining time increments of the projection; determining the change in the manipulated variable of the actuator along the time increments on the basis of the actuator model and a limit value for the manipulated variable; limiting the search space on the basis of the limit value of the manipulated variable of the actuator; determining an acceleration value and/or a deceleration value of the vehicle by converting the manipulated variable using the vehicle mass and the wheel radius; and outputting the acceleration value and the deceleration value to limit the search space within which the trajectory is planned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: Continental Autonomous Mobility Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Kuntschar, Kai Landfried
  • Patent number: 12337694
    Abstract: A wheel motor compensation system is for a vehicle. The vehicle has a wheel motor and a tire coupled to the wheel motor. The system includes a hybrid wireless tire sensor (HWTS) coupled to an interior of the tire, a processor electrically connected to the wheel motor, and a memory. The memory has instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including gathering real time data with the HWTS, and utilizing the real time data to compensate the wheel motor so that preferred torque is applied to the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan Engels, Mahmoud Ghannam, Sai Prasanth Velusamy, Dilip Patel
  • Patent number: 12332069
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and storage media relating to a vehicle navigator system are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, vehicle operation data relating to one or more characteristics of operation of a motor vehicle may be received. An operation style by which an operator may operate the motor vehicle may be determined from the vehicle operation data. A vehicle location and a destination location may be received. A route may be determined from the vehicle location to the destination location according to the operation style by which an operator operates the motor vehicle. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Tahoe Research, Ltd.
    Inventor: Jayashree R. Padmanaban
  • Patent number: 12325502
    Abstract: A robotic throttle-control system for controlling a throttle-power setting of a throttle of a fishing vessel is provided. The control unit has a processor unit that instructs the control unit of the throttle-power setting at which to set the throttle and a time span for maintaining the throttle at the throttle-power setting. A user interface of the control unit has a dual-mode switch that communicates to the processor unit through both a rotational position of the dual-mode switch and an axial position of the dual-mode switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Inventor: Joel R. Toy
  • Patent number: 12325371
    Abstract: Systems and methods for using image analysis techniques to facilitate adjustments to vehicle components are disclosed. According to aspects, a computing device may access and analyze image data depicting an individual(s) within a vehicle, and in particular determine a positioning of the individual(s) within the vehicle. Based on the positioning, the computing device may determine how to adjust a vehicle component(s) to its optimal configuration, and may facilitate adjustment of the vehicle component(s) accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
    Inventors: Yuntao Li, Dingchao Zhang, Jeffrey S. Myers