Patents Examined by Tyler Paige
  • Patent number: 9620019
    Abstract: A method for informing a driver of a subject vehicle that the subject vehicle and a secondary vehicle may be entering a target lane between the vehicles from opposite sides of the target lane. The method includes identifying location of the subject vehicle relative to the secondary vehicle when the subject vehicle and the secondary vehicle are on opposite sides of the target lane, and when at least one of the subject vehicle and the secondary vehicle is moving into the target lane. The method also includes alerting the driver of the subject vehicle of the secondary vehicle when the subject vehicle and the secondary vehicle are on opposite sides of the target lane, and when a gap between the subject vehicle and the secondary vehicle is decreasing. The method further includes steering the subject vehicle away from the secondary vehicle if the gap is less than a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignees: Denso International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mengxue Cheng
  • Patent number: 9618938
    Abstract: A system includes a computer programmed to determine, along a nominal path to be traversed by a vehicle, a potential field representing a driving corridor for the vehicle. The computer is further programmed to identify a position of the vehicle relative to the potential field at a current time, and apply a torque to q steering column of the vehicle. The torque is based at least in part on the position. The potential field includes an attractive potential that guides the vehicle to remain within the corridor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignees: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Edwin Olson, Enric Galceran, Ryan M. Eustice, James Robert McBride
  • Patent number: 9616874
    Abstract: A method for checking an isolation valve of a braking system of a vehicle includes the steps of: operating at least one pump of a brake circuit of the braking system which is hydraulically connected via the isolation valve to a brake master cylinder of the braking system for a predefined pump running time; measuring at least one value regarding a pressure present in the brake circuit; and determining, in consideration of the at least one measured value, whether the isolation valve is mechanically blocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Thorsten Maucher, Tobias Leng, Stefan Strengert
  • Patent number: 9619721
    Abstract: To monitor a degree of attentiveness for a driver of a vehicle, a period is determined on the basis of a speed of the vehicle. It is determined whether an eyelid closed time and/or an eyelid closing time of the driver exceeds the period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignees: Volkswagen AG, Audi AG
    Inventors: Nico Bogner, Gordon Groβkopf, Andreas Zachmayer, Robert Büthorn, Stefan Brosig, Hendrik Franke, Asem Eltaher
  • Patent number: 9610953
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a regenerative braking are provided. The system includes a driving information detector that is configured to detect whether a brake pedal is operated and detect shift information. In addition, a hybrid control unit is configured to fix the regenerative braking during actual shifting based on the shift information and is configured to use a required braking force when the actual shifting is not performed to calculate the regenerative braking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jee Wook Huh, Gwang Il Du, Sang Joon Kim, Teh Hwan Cho
  • Patent number: 9610938
    Abstract: A control apparatus, which is configured to control a hybrid vehicle, is provided with: a device configured to determine whether or not there is a response delay of the supercharger; a device configured to control torque of the rotary electric machine to compensate for an insufficiency of torque of a drive shaft if there is the response delay when an output limit value of the battery is greater than or equal to a predetermined value; a device configured to estimate a NOx storage amount in the NOx storage/reduction catalyst; and a device configured to control an air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine to be rich if the NOx storage amount is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, or if there is the response delay when the output limit value of the battery is less than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihito Kanno, Gohki Kinoshita, Hiroki Morita
  • Patent number: 9612599
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) copter for consumer photography or videography can be launched by a user throwing the UAV copter into mid-air. The UAV copter can detect that the UAV copter has been thrown upward while propeller drivers of the UAV copter are inert. In response to detecting that the UAV copter has been thrown upward, the UAV copter can compute power adjustments for propeller drivers of the UAV copter to have the UAV copter reach a predetermined elevation above an operator device. The UAV copter can then supply power to the propeller drivers in accordance with the computed power adjustments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Lily Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry W. Bradlow, Antoine Balaresque
  • Patent number: 9604718
    Abstract: A method and device for generating at least one set point from a flight control set point, a motor control set point and an aircraft guidance set point, a related computer program product and an aircraft are disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes acquiring a mechanical property relative to at least one corresponding primary control member and computing at least one set point from among one or more primary set points and one or more secondary set points. The method also includes generating at least one of the computed set point(s) and switching, based on the mechanical property acquired for the corresponding primary control member, between a first mode in which one or more primary set points are generated and a second mode in which one or more secondary set points are generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: Sylvain Lissajoux, Eric Guillouet, Thibaut Debard
  • Patent number: 9604696
    Abstract: A bicycle control device controls a motor to assist driving of a wheel of a bicycle. The bicycle control device includes an input unit and a controller that switches, when the input unit is operated, between a ride mode that controls the motor in correspondence with manual driving force and a walk mode that drives the motor in correspondence with the operation of the input unit. After switching to the walk mode, the controller drives the motor in correspondence with the operation of the input unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Miyoshi, Jun Gao, Makoto Usui, Yasuhiro Tsuchizawa
  • Patent number: 9606544
    Abstract: A system for controlling a fleet of unmanned vehicles includes a plurality of unmanned vehicles connected to a computing device. The computing device stores a dynamic attribute and a static attribute respective to each of the plurality of unmanned vehicles. The computing device is configured to: receive a task request including (i) an item identifier of an item, (ii) an action type defining an action to be performed respective to the item, and (iii) a location identifier of a location at which to perform the action; responsive to receiving the request, retrieve the stored dynamic attributes and static attributes; based on a comparison of the task request with the dynamic attributes and the static attributes, select one of the plurality of unmanned vehicles; and transmit, via the network, a command to the selected unmanned vehicle to perform the action respective to the item at the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Clearpath Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Alex Bencz
  • Patent number: 9604635
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine and a motor that are both capable of powering the wheels. While a vehicle is being driven, the vehicle's driving condition data is monitored. The driving condition data can include steering wheel angle or position, accelerator pedal position, driver torque or power demands, or road grade or incline. The vehicle includes a controller with a specific control scheme to receive the driving condition data, and subject the data to a moving average or a weighted moving average. Based on the averaged driving condition data, the engine is inhibited from stopping under certain conditions to reduce the frequency of the engine turning on and off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rajit Johri, Xiaoyong Wang, Jeffrey Allen Doering, Mark Steven Yamazaki, Ming Lang Kuang, Jason Meyer
  • Patent number: 9604585
    Abstract: A system includes first and second failsafe devices. Each of the failsafe devices includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor for performing at least one of detecting a fault and providing a communication concerning a fault. The system further includes an arbitration bus connecting the first and second failsafe devices. The communication concerning the fault may be provided from a first one of the first and second failsafe devices to a second one of the first and second failsafe devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John P. Joyce, Scott J. Lauffer
  • Patent number: 9607522
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for unmanned aerial vehicle authorization and geofence envelope determination. One of the methods includes determining, by an electronic system in an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), an estimated fuel remaining in the UAV. An estimated fuel consumption of the UAV is determined. Estimated information associated with wind affecting the UAV is determined using information obtained from sensors included in the UAV. Estimated flights times remaining for a current path, and one or more alternative flight paths, are determined using the determined estimated fuel remaining, determined estimated fuel consumption, determined information associated wind, and information describing each flight path. In response to the electronic system determining that the estimated fuel remaining, after completion of the current flight path, would be below a first threshold, an alternative flight path is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: UNMANNED INNOVATION, INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan Downey, Bernard J. Michini, Joseph Moster, Donald Curry Weigel, James Ogden
  • Patent number: 9586548
    Abstract: A method for detecting an impact of a collision object on a vehicle, which has a pressure hose sensor, includes the task of importing a pressure hose sensor signal, which represents a change in a pressure of a pressurized hose of the pressure hose sensor. This method also includes activating an occupant protection system using the pressure hose sensor signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Dirk John
  • Patent number: 9573592
    Abstract: Arrangements related to mitigating risk for an autonomous vehicle with respect to oncoming objects are described. An oncoming object in an external environment of the autonomous vehicle can be detected. It can be determined whether the oncoming object exhibits a hazardous behavior. Responsive to determining that the oncoming object exhibits a hazardous behavior, an altered travel route for the autonomous vehicle while maintaining safe operation of the autonomous vehicle can be determined. At least a portion of the altered travel route can safely violate a traffic rule. The autonomous vehicle can be caused to implement the altered travel route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Danil V. Prokhorov, Vladimeros Vladimerou
  • Patent number: 9574892
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Rubicon Global Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Philip Rodoni
  • Patent number: 9569901
    Abstract: An electronic control unit has a main controller that controls a drive of an actuator and a life-extending control instruction section that requests the main controller to change a drive condition of the actuator. The life-extending control instruction section includes a failure estimator that updates and outputs a failure rate based on a state of a control object, a life-extending control database that stores a failure rate reduction control of a monitoring object including the actuator, which reduces the failure rate of the monitoring object, when a failure of the monitoring object is estimated, and a control selector that searches the life-extending control database and selects a candidate control based on the failure rate of the monitoring object outputted from the failure estimator. The control selector requests the main control section to perform a life-extending control that changes an operation condition of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hirotaka Ito
  • Patent number: 9568630
    Abstract: System and method for steering a vessel during a marine acquisition campaign. The method includes obtaining a pre-plot track of a steered point, wherein the steered point is associated with an equipment spread towed by the vessel; calculating an offset between a past position of the vessel and a current position of the steered point; and steering the vessel along a vessel track, wherein the vessel track is calculated by shifting the pre-plot track of the steered point with at least a cross-line component of the offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: CGG SERVICES SAS
    Inventors: Hélène Tonchia, Timothée Moulinier
  • Patent number: 9555905
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for removal of orbital debris are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a spacecraft control unit configured to guide and navigate the apparatus to a target. The apparatus also includes a dynamic object characterization unit configured to characterize movement, and a capture feature, of the target. The apparatus further includes a capture and release unit configured to capture a target and deorbit or release the target. The collection of these apparatuses is then employed as multiple, independent and individually operated vehicles launched from a single launch vehicle for the purpose of disposing of multiple debris objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, The Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony D. Griffith, Sr., Rajiv Kohli, Susan H. Burns, Stephen J. Damico, David J. Gruber, Christopher J. Hickey, David E. Lee, Travis M. Robinson, Jason T. Smith, Peter T. Spehar, David S. Adlis, Brian M. Kent
  • Patent number: 9558598
    Abstract: A vehicle head unit may receive a request, from a user device and by the head unit, to establish communication with a control device of a vehicle. The control device may be in communication with the head unit via a vehicle communication network associated with the vehicle. The head unit may establish communication between the user device and the control device based on the received request. The head unit may forward a message between the user device and the control device based on the established communication. The message may be forwarded between the user device and the control device via the head unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon Telematics Inc.
    Inventors: John Doughty, Eric Berkobin