Patents Examined by Tommy Worden
  • Patent number: 9534918
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to identifying and displaying traffic lanes that are available for autonomous driving. This information may be displayed to a driver of a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode, in order to inform the driver of where he or she can use the autonomous driving mode. In one example, the display may visually distinguishing between lanes that are available for auto-drive from those that are not. The display may also include an indicator of the position of a lane (autodrive or not) currently occupied by the vehicle. In addition, if that lane is an autodrive lane the display may include information indicating how much further the vehicle may continue in the autonomous driving mode in that particular lane. The display may also display information indicating the remaining autodrive distance in other lanes as well as the lane with the greatest remaining autodrive distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Nemec, Brian Douglas Cullinane, Manuel Christian Clement, Robertus Christianus Elisabeth Mariet
  • Patent number: 9514642
    Abstract: A method for queue recognition by wireless vehicle to vehicle communication includes: checking a relevance for surrounding vehicles from which an ego vehicle receives messages by a comparison with relevance criteria and establishing a relevance if the relevance criteria are satisfied; selecting the speed and position values that are associated with relevant surrounding vehicles and have the speed values indicating a same direction of travel as the ego vehicle; defining a first virtual vehicle to which mean values of selected speed and position values are allocated as values for the at least one first virtual vehicle; recording a time profile of the speed and position values of the at least one first virtual vehicle; recording, as a change value, the time profile of changes in the speed and position values of the first virtual vehicle; and comparing the change value with a queue criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Lotz, Hongjun Pu, Fa Zhang
  • Patent number: 9495773
    Abstract: In accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the invention there is at least a method and apparatus including computer programs executable by at least one processor to perform operations including scanning a location with a portable electronic device using a motion performed with the portable electronic device, based on the scanning using the motion, building a map of the location, and displaying the built map on the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Sailesh K. Sathish
  • Patent number: 9493145
    Abstract: A method of automatically preventing or reducing aquaplaning during the driving operation of a motor vehicle on a route provides that: a) a camera-based road sign recognition of a road sign on a section of the route determines whether the road sign indicates a risk of aquaplaning on the section of the route, b) at least one sensor device detects whether there is a wet road condition on the section of the route, and c) a driving assistance function for preventing or reducing aquaplaning is carried out if the road sign recognition determines that the road sign indicates the risk of aquaplaning and the sensor device detects the wet road condition on the section of the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignees: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH, Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Wilfried Mehr, Matthias Strauss, Alfred Eckert
  • Patent number: 9483133
    Abstract: There is provided a handle switch device provided at a position adjacent to a grip part at an end portion of a handle and provided with a control device for controlling an operation of a predetermined vehicle-mounted device by an operation of a passenger. The control device includes a touch pad having an operation surface that the passenger touches upon the operation, a touch sensor for detecting a touch of the passenger to the operation surface and a computing device for performing an operation determination based on an output of the touch sensor. The operation surface is formed as a continuous surface that can be touched by the passenger through a drag operation. The touch sensor can detect the touch to the operation surface at least by the drag operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuki Gondo
  • Patent number: 9478127
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a technology capable of estimating a waiting time at an energy refilling facility for each of drive types. A center-side system includes a center-side receiver that receives, from a vehicle-side system, probe vehicle position information and drive type information that is information regarding a drive type of a probe vehicle. Then, the center-side system includes: a traffic condition estimation unit that estimates a traffic condition, which includes a drive type-classified number of vehicles, based on the probe vehicle position information and the drive type information, which are received by the center-side receiver; and a center-side transmitter that transmits, to an outside, the traffic condition estimated by the traffic condition estimation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuo Shimotani, Hidehiko Ohki, Makoto Mikuriya
  • Patent number: 9437107
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for to creating an avoidance zone spatially proximate a venue, where the avoidance zone is created based upon identifying road segments where increased traffic congestion is expected due to an event at the venue. Information pertaining to the avoidance zone, such as a description of road segments to avoid and/or expected travel delays, may be provided to a route planner configured to develop vehicle routes. In this way, the route planner can take into consideration the impact of events on one or more road segments when planning a route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Inrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Scofield, Mark Daymond
  • Patent number: 9424751
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for collecting vehicle data from a vehicle engine computer of a vehicle and a plurality of sensors disposed about the vehicle and generating feedbacks for a driver of the vehicle using at least the vehicle data. The systems and methods additionally provide for receiving user inputs from the driver responding to the feedbacks so that the user inputs are associated with corresponding rule violations that triggered the feedbacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: TELOGIS, INC.
    Inventors: Eric Todd Hodges, Alexander C. Gee, Ralph Joseph Maier, John Thomas Morris
  • Patent number: 9387847
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a vehicle including: a first drive system configured to drive first wheels; and a second drive system configured to drive second wheels, wherein the first drive system includes: an electric motor; a motor controller; an engagement/disengagement unit provided between the electric motor side and the first drive wheels side; an engagement/disengagement controller; and a one-way power transmission unit provided between the electric motor side and the first drive wheels side in parallel to the engagement/disengagement unit, and configured, at least, to engage the both sides when a reverse-direction rotational power is inputted from the first wheels side to the electric motor side, wherein, when the vehicle reverses, a reverse driving force to reverse the vehicle is generated at least in the first drive system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Noguchi
  • Patent number: 9381989
    Abstract: A method for positioning a drive unit on a marine vessel includes receiving an initiation request from a user input device to operate the marine vessel in a desired operating mode and storing a first trim position of the drive unit in a memory upon receiving the initiation request. The method includes trimming the drive unit to a second trim position in response to the initiation request and subsequently operating the marine vessel in the desired operating mode with the drive unit in the second trim position. The method includes receiving a termination request to cancel the desired operating mode and trimming the drive unit to the first trim position automatically upon receiving the termination request. A system for positioning the drive unit is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventor: Brian J. Poirier
  • Patent number: 9371908
    Abstract: A system for controlling a dashboard display of transmission ratios of a motor vehicle, the vehicle including an automatic gearbox and a system for controlling transmission ratios, which receives information relating to unavailable transmission ratios. The system includes a mechanism controlling the display of the transmission ratio on the dashboard, and a mechanism controlling the display of unavailability of the transmission ratio displayed on the dashboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventors: Gregory Planche, Bastien Borsotto
  • Patent number: 9360336
    Abstract: A navigation device has an evaluation unit for determining a maximal range, which can be traveled in the current driving operation mode with an amount of energy stored in an energy storage device of the motor vehicle, and a display unit for displaying a road map, on which a border of an action field delimited by the determined at least one maximum range is presented. A range indicator can be adapted with low expenditure to different types of road maps. On the basis of the graphic data of the road map to be indicated, a graphic processing unit produces a representation of the road map with a region that is offset in terms of height in relation to a map plane. An extension of a border of the region that is offset in terms of height corresponds to the extension of the border of the action field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Joerg Daniel Hoesterei
  • Patent number: 9342074
    Abstract: Methods and systems for adaptive methods for transitioning control to the driver are described. A computing device controlling a vehicle autonomously may be configured to receive a request for a transition of the vehicle from autonomous mode to manual mode through an indication by the driver. The computing device may determine the state of the vehicle based on parameters related to the autonomous operation of the vehicle. Based on the state of the vehicle and the indication, the computing device may determine instructions corresponding to the transition of control, which may include a strategy for the transition and duration of time corresponding to the transition of control. The computing device may provide the instructions to perform the transition of control of the vehicle from autonomous mode to manual mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitri Dolgov, Andrew Schultz, Daniel Trawick Egnor, Christopher Urmson
  • Patent number: 9340088
    Abstract: A suspension device includes damper interposed between vehicle body and wheel in vehicle and exerted damping force for suppressing vertical movements of vehicle body and wheel, damping force adjustment mechanism adjusts damping force, control device controls damping force adjustment mechanism, lateral acceleration detection unit detects an lateral acceleration acting on vehicle body, roll angular velocity detection unit detects roll angular velocity of vehicle body, and steering angular velocity detection unit detects steering angular velocity of steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: KYB Corporation
    Inventors: Takafumi Otake, Shinichi Hagidaira, Osamu Miyatani, Yasuhiro Ota
  • Patent number: 9321460
    Abstract: A railroad crossing barrier estimating apparatus and a vehicle that incorporates therein such a railroad crossing barrier estimating apparatus are provided. When at least one of an external object the transverse width of which increases over time and an external object having a given length at a certain height from the ground is detected, the vehicle or the railroad crossing barrier estimating apparatus estimates the detected external object as a railroad crossing barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoji Sasabuchi, Hiroyuki Koike
  • Patent number: 9230425
    Abstract: A vehicle controller includes a communicator communicating with an information processor located outside the vehicle by transmitting and receiving information, a controller controlling the vehicle controller based on control information transmitted from the information processor, and a position-information-obtaining-part obtaining position information of the vehicle, wherein the position-information-obtaining-part obtains position information at a time of parking start upon parking start of the vehicle, and obtains position information at a time of reception of the control information when the controller receives the control information from the information processor while being in a sleep mode, and when the position-information-obtaining-part obtains the position information at the time of reception of the control information, the communicator transmits a more accurate one of the position information at the time of parking start and the position information at the time of reception of the control information
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Itsuki Hamaue, Yoshihiro Sasaki, Mitsuru Ohta
  • Patent number: 9227621
    Abstract: A hybrid drive for a motor vehicle and a method for the control thereof, the hybrid drive including a combustion engine; and a controller configured to determine an actual power demand required by the combustion engine during a present driving situation of the motor vehicle; determine a difference between a predefined power demand model of the combustion engine and the determined actual power demand; and control the combustion engine as a function of speed of the motor vehicle based on the determined difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: MAGNA STEYR Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Co KG
    Inventor: Michael Martin
  • Patent number: 9222785
    Abstract: Navigation systems for use in indoor environments may include a navigation system that can calculate a time of flight of signals between a navigation device and a WiFi® Access Point. Such a calculation can be more accurate not just by using more accurate oscillators in devices, but by correcting a relative error between two devices. This relative error may be found by determining a timing offset correction, a difference in accuracy between the navigation device and the WiFi® Access Point. This may be performed by performing a fine frequency estimation on a long training field or by receiving a parts per million (ppm) offset from another device. Once the ppm offset is determined, the accuracy of the navigation device can be improved by a factor of 50 using a series of equations described in the disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Leor Banin, Yuval Amizur, Uri Schatzberg, Adrian P Stephens
  • Patent number: 9206019
    Abstract: A working vehicle configured to raise and lower one of a jib and a boom by using a wire rope wound around a winch, the working vehicle includes: a detection part provided on one of the jib and the boom and configured to detect an angle of one of the jib and the boom controlled to be raised and lowered to determine whether or not an overload detection condition occurs or to perform overload prevention control; an acquisition part configured to acquire the angle of one of the jib and the boom controlled to be raised and lowered, based on a feed length of the wire rope; and a determination part configured to determine that a failure occurs when a difference between the angle detected by the detection part and the angle acquired by the acquisition part exceeds a predetermined tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: TADANO LTD.
    Inventor: Masato Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 9171461
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a predictive traffic law enforcement profiler apparatus and method which incorporates a means to determine current location, time, velocity and also incorporates a means to utilize a database derived from historic traffic law enforcement records, crowd sourced records and historical traffic data and also incorporates a predictive processing means to provide historic traffic law enforcement records and estimates of enforced speed limits and enforcement profiles, patrol locations and schedules of traffic law enforcement to a driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Inventor: Steve Dabell