Abstract: A control system for an irrigation system is disclosed that is configured to prevent a substantial positional change of the irrigation system while the system is traversing a substantially non-flat terrain, or surface. In an implementation, an irrigation system includes multiple interconnected spans that are supported by multiple tower structures. Each tower structure includes a drive unit for driving a tower structure at a selected speed. The irrigation system also includes a position-determining module configured to determine an actual position of the main section assembly. The irrigation system also includes a control device configured to determine an actual position of the main section assembly, compare the actual position with a desired position of the main section assembly, and to determine that the main section assembly is traversing a substantially non-flat surface.

Abstract: An electric power steering device includes a steering angle reference yaw rate calculation section that calculates a steering angle reference yaw rate by using a speed of a vehicle and a steering angle of a steering wheel, a torque estimation device that estimates a self-aligning torque (SAT) generated in a turning wheel of the vehicle on the basis of a measured yaw rate or the steering angle reference yaw rate, the absolute value of which is smaller, and the speed of the vehicle, and estimates a required assist torque on the basis of the estimated SAT, and an abnormality determination section that determines whether or not a steering torque sensor is abnormal. If the steering torque sensor is abnormal, an EPS control device controls drive of an assist motor using the required assist torque estimated by the torque estimation device, in place of a steering torque.

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for automating the verification of aerial vehicle sensors as part of a pre-flight, flight departure, in-transit flight, and/or delivery destination calibration verification process. At different stages, aerial vehicle sensors may obtain sensor measurements about objects within an environment, the obtained measurements may be processed to determine information about the object, as presented in the measurements, and the processed information may be compared with the actual information about the object to determine a variation or difference between the information. If the variation is within a tolerance range, the sensor may be auto adjusted and operation of the aerial vehicle may continue. If the variation exceeds a correction range, flight of the aerial vehicle may be aborted and the aerial vehicle routed for a full sensor calibration.

Abstract: Various embodiments coordinate travel among members of a group. In one embodiment, a destination that is common to each user in a plurality of users is identified. An arrival time for the plurality of users to arrive at the destination is determined. The arrival time is common to each user in the plurality of users. A current location of each user in the plurality of users is identified. A departure time is determined, for each user in the plurality of users, for the user to arrive at the destination by the arrival time based on at least the current location of the user. The departure time, for each user in the plurality of users, is transmitted to the user.

Abstract: An exemplary pump condition response method includes, in response to a pump condition, operating an engine to discontinue or prevent a first stop-start cycle during a drive cycle. The method permitting a second stop-start cycle during the drive cycle.

Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling operation of an autonomously navigating utility vehicle equipped with a prime mover to travel about a working area delineated by a boundary wire in order to perform work autonomously, there are provided with an objective location identifying unit that identifies a location of an objective in the working area, a route generating unit that generates a target return route for the vehicle to return to the objective, and a travel controlling unit that controls operation of the prime mover to make the vehicle travel along the target return route.

Abstract: This disclosure describes, according to some embodiments, a robot network comprising a plurality of robot units capable of providing navigational guidance to patrons requesting navigational assistance. In an example method, upon receiving a request from a first patron, the method selects an available robot unit from among a plurality of robot units comprising the robot network based on an estimated time to reach the first patron's location. The estimated time to reach the first patron's location is determined based on status updates of other of the robot units comprising the robot network. The method further assigns the available robot unit to the first patron, navigates the assigned robot unit to the first patron's location, engages the first patron using the assigned robot unit, and guides the first patron toward the requested destination using the assigned robot unit.

Abstract: A method of detecting the closure of a road element is disclosed; the road element being one of a set of alternative incoming or outgoing elements at a node in a network of navigable elements. A server obtains positional data relating to the position of a plurality of devices with respect to time traversing the node. A count is determined of the number of devices in a consecutive sequence of device selecting a given one of the navigable elements from among the set of elements. The count is compared to a predetermined threshold to determine whether another one of the elements is closed. The threshold is based upon the relative probability of the element to which the count relates being taken from the set of road elements.

Abstract: In a suspension controlling apparatus for a vehicle including a suspension whose damping force is variably settable and a control unit capable of controlling the damping force of the suspension, for appropriately obtaining a pitch behavior. When a vibration state of a vehicle in a vertical direction exceeds a given vibration state, a control unit controls damping force of suspensions on the basis of a target damping force in order to execute a skyhook control. However, when acceleration in a forward and rearward direction of the vehicle is outside a given range, a decision condition for the given vibration state is changed to a condition on the side on which the skyhook controlling damping force control of the suspensions is less likely to be started.

Abstract: A method controls regenerative braking of a vehicle equipped with regenerative brakes and with a separate braking apparatus. The method is designed to generate a regenerative braking setpoint as a function of a braking request signal coming from a driver pedal of the vehicle, according to a first setpoint generation mode. The method includes receiving a flag signal coming from an active safety system of the vehicle, detecting value changes of the received flag signal, when the received flag signal changes value to take a value corresponding to activation of regulation by the active safety system, incrementing a counter value, and comparing the counter with a threshold. When the counter reaches the threshold, a control signal is formed to end the generation of the regenerative braking setpoint according to the first calculation mode and to impose generation of the regenerative braking setpoint according to a second calculation mode.

Abstract: A system of one or more computers can be configured to perform particular operations or actions by virtue of having software, firmware, hardware, or a combination of them installed on the system that in operation causes or cause the system to perform the actions. One or more computer programs can be configured to perform particular operations or actions by virtue of including instructions that, when executed by data processing apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform the actions. One general aspect includes sends video data and light detecting and ranging (LIDAR) data to a recurrent neural network (rnn) that includes feedback elements to identify a roadway feature. The system also sends the data to a dynamic convolutional neural network (dcnn) to identify the feature. Output values are sent to a softmax decision network to aggregate the rnn and the dcnn output values and determine a vehicle positional location on the roadway.

Abstract: A motor controller has an assist controller that generates an assist instruction AC to generate an assist torque for lightening a steering load based on a detected value of a steering torque, and a follow controller obtaining a target value of a physical quantity regarding a steering operation and generating a follow instruction TC of a follow control. Further, an intervention detector in the motor controller detects an intervention of a driver or of a system, and a restrictor restricts an internal value that is used by the assist controller or by the follow controller, so that a ratio of the assist torque against the automatic steering torque is changed, which makes it possible to switch a control to the driver or to a system without a causing a wrong feeling to the driver.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and vehicles are provided for facilitating control of steering in autonomous vehicles. In accordance with one embodiment, an autonomous vehicle includes one or more wheel sensors and a processor. The one or more sensors are configured to obtain sensor data pertaining to a side slip of the autonomous vehicle. A dual mandate of desired path tracking & stability is achieved by using a combination of two linear controllers. The first controlled facilitates tracking whereas the second controller facilitates vehicle stability. When the stability event occurs a gradual shift towards the second controller occurs and with recovery from stability event gradual shift towards the first controller. Mimicking of driver behavior by changing the desired trajectory and dynamic control gain adaptation are also added.

Abstract: A sensory stimulation system for autonomous vehicle (AV) can monitor a set of maneuvers of the AV. Based on each respective maneuver, the sensory stimulation system can determine a set of sensory stimulation outputs to provide a rider of the AV with sensory indications of the respective maneuver. The sensory stimulation system can then output the set of sensory stimulation outputs via an interior output system.

Abstract: A method of managing collisions, the method comprising: identifying a first crash structure (22) and determining an initial stiffness of the crash structure; determining a level of aggressivity of the collision based on the predicted energy absorption for each vehicle; identifying a first crash structure whose stiffness can be adjusted, and determining a subsequent stiffness value for the crash structure based on the determined amount of energy to be absorbed by each of the vehicles such that the energy absorbed by the crash structure is changed and the level of aggressivity is reduced; and stiffening the first crash structure to the determined stiffness value.

Abstract: A method of controlling an aircraft in the event of pilot incapacity includes detecting, using at least one sensor, the occurrence of an event relating to a pilot's capacity to control the aircraft, determining whether the event justifies a controlled takeover of the aircraft from the pilot, asserting a controlled takeover of the aircraft from the pilot if it has been determined that a controlled takeover is justified, and executing a controlled landing of the aircraft without assistance of the pilot.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a computer implemented method of route comparison, comprising receiving data indicative of first and second routes between a start location and a destination location wherein the first and second routes are generated using digital map data, determining nodes of the first and second routes having a minimum coupling distance, wherein the minimum coupling distance is determined based upon nodes of the first and second routes constrained to within a predetermined distance of a current node of each route, and determining a similarity index for the first and second routes based upon the minimum coupling distance and a threshold data coupling distance.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for providing a waste management app. The system may have a locating device disposed onboard a service vehicle and configured to generate a first signal indicative of a location of the service vehicle, an input device, and a controller. The controller may be configured to receive a route assignment including waste services to be performed by the service vehicle, and to track movement of the service vehicle during performance of the waste services based on the first signal. The controller may also be configured to provide a graphical user interface for display on the input device, listing the waste services from the route assignment to be performed by the service vehicle and showing a location of the service vehicle relative to at least one location at which the waste services are to be performed.

Abstract: An abnormality detection method for a vehicle body tilt control device makes it possible to determine which air spring has an air supply/exhaust abnormality. A model creation step prepares a state estimation model for each of the front and rear vehicle halves into which a vehicle is divided, and an abnormality detection step applies a state estimation technique to the state estimation model to detect which one of the air springs has an air supply/exhaust abnormality. When flow rate command values for air supplied to/exhausted from the air springs included in each vehicle half are input, each of the input flow rate command values for air supplied to/exhausted from the air springs is multiplied by a virtual gain and the results are averaged. Based on the averages, the average of the heights of the air springs is output, where each virtual gain is included as a state variable.

Abstract: An engine controller, system and method for collecting vehicle data. Drive torque data is determined using the engine controller in the vehicle and is stored in a memory in the vehicle. The drive torque data is stored in a non-time domain format, and may include a histogram of numbers of revolutions at predetermined intervals of drive torque values and/or a matrix of rainflow cycle counts. The drive torque data is temporarily stored in a buffer prior to being stored in the matrix of rainflow cycle counts using back-checking and binning. The drive torque data is downloaded from the vehicle and transmitted to a central data collection center.