Patents Examined by Yonel Beaulieu
  • Patent number: 10759533
    Abstract: Components of a device may transmit signals between one another using piezo electric transducers (PETs). In a basic system, a first PET may be coupled to and/or in contact with a first location on a member. A second PET may be coupled to and/or in contact with a second location on the member and separated from the first PET by a distance. The first PET may receive a signal (e.g., an electrical voltage) and convert the signal to a mechanical force/stress causing vibration of the member. The vibration may propagate through the member to other locations about the member. The second PET receive the vibration and may convert the vibration back to the signal, such as by converting mechanical force/stress to the electrical voltage (i.e., the signal). A similar process may be performed in reverse to enable the first and second PET to provide two-way communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos Guillermo Parodi, Scott Michael Wilcox
  • Patent number: 10755587
    Abstract: A value for an aircraft movement limit is received where the aircraft movement limit is associated with a manned aircraft. The aircraft movement limit is automatically set to the value. A pilot instruction is received and a control signal for the aircraft is generated using the pilot instruction and the aircraft movement limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Johnson Cutler, Alexander David Selwa
  • Patent number: 10745141
    Abstract: A rudder bias system for an aircraft with a right engine and a left engine includes a component determining a left and right primary and secondary thrust estimates. The system includes a left engine thrust estimate selector determining a left selected estimate based on the left thrust estimates and a right engine thrust estimate selector determining a right selected estimate based on the right thrust estimates. The system includes an enable and mode component determining one or more corresponding validities for the thrust estimates. The system includes a control component generating an engage command based on a thrust differential between the right engine and the left engine, calculated from the left selected estimate and the right selected estimate and a torque command based on an equivalent pedal force assistance calculated as a difference between the thrust differential and an activation threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA PATENTS & TECHNOLOGIES NORTH AMERICA, LLC
    Inventors: Jukka Matti Hirvonen, Nilesh Arun Sahani, Jeremy Nathaniel Montgomery
  • Patent number: 10733815
    Abstract: A method for selectively recalling at least one motor vehicle. The method includes the steps of selecting at least one parameter from among the plurality of parameters, sending to the communications module, via the mobile node, a message indicating the parameter selected, collecting from the electronic control unit at least one data item relating to the selected parameter, this collection being performed by the communications module, sending the collected data item from the communications module to the mobile node, sending the sent data item by the mobile node to the management server, analyzing by the management server of the data item received, detecting a defect with the equipment on the basis of the analyzed data item, and determining a subset of vehicles including the equipment for which a defect has been detected so as to be able to proceed with recalling these.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignees: Continental Automotive France, Continentla Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Julien Geeroms, Jean-Francois Girard
  • Patent number: 10723358
    Abstract: The present teaching relates to method, system, and medium, for operating a vehicle. Real-time data related to the vehicle are received. A current mode of operation of the vehicle and a state of the driver present in the vehicle are determined. A first risk associated with the current mode of operation of the vehicle is evaluated based on the real-time data and the state of the driver in accordance with a risk model. In response to the first risk satisfying a first criterion, a second risk associated with switching the current mode to a different mode of operation of the vehicle is determined based on the state of the driver. The vehicle is switched from the current mode to the different mode when the second risk satisfies a second criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: PLUSAI CORP
    Inventors: Hao Zheng, Timothy Patrick Daly, Jr., David Wanqian Liu
  • Patent number: 10716445
    Abstract: A computer readable recording media recording at least one program. An automatic clean machine control method is performed if the program is executed, which comprises: (a) input a drawing or a picture to an automatic clean machine by a first user, wherein the automatic clean machine acquires a map based on the drawing or the picture; (b) directly selecting a region to be cleaned on the map; and (c) controlling the automatic clean machine to perform a first clean operation to the region to be cleaned based on the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.
    Inventor: Yen-Min Chang
  • Patent number: 10712739
    Abstract: Various techniques are described to facilitate controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and viewing feedback received from a UAV. A graphical user interface (GUI) is provided that allows a user to view a display window. The display window may indicate structures or portions of structures in which additional image data is desired by highlighting these portions within the display window. Static imagery may be leveraged to provide smooth and consistent feedback transitions. When a delay exists between the time the UAV sends live video data and the time it may be displayed in the GUI, the static images may be shown in the display window initially until the live video data may be displayed. The opacity of structures included in an initial display window may also transition to a greater opacity over time, with the live video eventually being displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Nathan L. Tofte, Brian N. Harvey
  • Patent number: 10710590
    Abstract: The present teaching relates to method, system, and medium, for operating a vehicle. The method includes the steps of receiving Real-time data related to the vehicle are received. A current mode of operation of the vehicle is determined. A first risk associated with the current mode of operation of the vehicle is evaluated based on the real-time data in accordance with a risk model. If the first risk satisfies a first criterion, a second risk associated with switching the current mode to a different mode of operation of the vehicle is determined. The vehicle is switched from the current mode to the different mode if the second risk satisfies a second criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: PLUSAI CORP
    Inventors: Hao Zheng, Timothy Patrick Daly, Jr., David Wanqian Liu
  • Patent number: 10703360
    Abstract: A method is provided which comprises: acquiring, from a set of ranging sensors, recognition information about a plurality of parked vehicles existing in a parking frame group comprising a plurality of parking frames arranged side by side; selecting representative points of the parked vehicles from the recognition information; calculating a distance between representative points that is a distance between the representative points adjacent to each other; and calculating a width of the parking frames on the basis of the distance between representative points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Kojo, Tomoko Kurotobi
  • Patent number: 10703358
    Abstract: A method for the quality assurance of exhaust gas behavior in a motor vehicle, particularly in a hybrid vehicle, includes monitoring an on-board-diagnosis function; providing a journey counter a diagnosis counter, and a nominal diagnosis frequency value; incrementing the journey counter following the beginning of a driving cycle; generating an actual diagnosis frequency value using a combination of the diagnosis counter and the drive counter; and establishing a difference between the nominal diagnosis frequency value and the actual diagnosis frequency value. If the difference falls short of a threshold: a control method is selected, which is designed to successfully complete a currently running OBD of the OBD function and to initiate and complete a non-running OBD. Following the completion of the OBD of the OBD function, the diagnosis counter is incremented and the motor control restored to an original motor control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Marinus Ransberger, Christian Flenker, Christian Garcon
  • Patent number: 10698106
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an obstacle detecting method and apparatus, a device and a storage medium, wherein the method comprises: obtaining a 3D point cloud collected by a driverless vehicle during travel; determining a set of vertexes and a set of edges respectively according to the obtained 3D point cloud; clustering vertexes in the set of vertexes according to the set of edges to obtain a smallest generated tree as an obstacle detection result. The solutions of the present disclosure can be applied to reduce workload and improve the accuracy of detection results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: BAIDU ONLINE NETWORK TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dongming Chen, He Yan, Hao Wang, Liang Wang
  • Patent number: 10697773
    Abstract: A physical quantity sensor includes a driven section and a drive spring that supports the driven section so that the driven section is displaceable in a first direction. The drive spring has a serpentine shape and includes a plurality of spring structures extending in a second direction that intersects a first direction. At least one of the spring structures has a thin section that is thinner in a third direction that intersects the first and second directions than the other portions of the drive spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Furuhata, Kei Kanemoto
  • Patent number: 10698084
    Abstract: A method/system for calibrating a vehicle sensor, including detecting data about the vehicle's surroundings using the sensor, and ascertaining stationary structures using the detected first data pieces. Stationary structures are selected for later calibration, and potential parking positions are determined. A parking position is selected from the potential parking positions so that after parking, stationary structures selected for a calibration of the sensor are in the sensor's field of vision. The vehicle is parked, and the position of the stationary structures selected for the calibration of the sensor is stored. After the vehicle start, second data pieces about the vehicle's surroundings are detected using the sensor, and instantaneous positions of the selected stationary structures are ascertained using the detected second data pieces. The instantaneous position are compared with the stored positions, and deviations between the instantaneous positions and the stored positions determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Mielenz, Daniel Zaum, Jan Rohde
  • Patent number: 10688995
    Abstract: In a travel control method for a vehicle in which a certain target inter-vehicle distance is set from among a plurality of settable target inter-vehicle distances and a subject vehicle is controlled to follow, in an automated or autonomous manner, a traveling trajectory of a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the subject vehicle, when a trajectory-following travel mode for following the traveling trajectory of the preceding vehicle in the automated or autonomous manner transitions from an OFF state to an ON state, the target inter-vehicle distance between the subject vehicle and the preceding vehicle is set to a relatively small value from among the settable values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayasu Shimakage
  • Patent number: 10688870
    Abstract: A device and method controls the different energy sources for supplying a vehicle with main and auxiliary air, for which compressed air is produced for pressurizing a main air tank and an auxiliary air tank using at least one compressor. That compressor is driven via a respective associated electric motor, wherein the main air is supplied via an external primary energy source and the auxiliary air is supplied at least partially via an internal secondary energy source which is weaker in contrast. There is a shift between the two different energy sources depending on the operating status of the vehicle, wherein the auxiliary air supply is switched off by decoupling the electric motor from the secondary energy source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FÜR SCHIENENFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Merkel, Boris Wittich, Martin Kutschker, Martin Linner
  • Patent number: 10683195
    Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for detecting and correcting errors when picking up and lowering a payload coupled to a tether of a winch system arranged on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). For example, the winch system may include a motor for winding and unwinding the tether from a spool, and the UAV's control system may control the motor to lower the tether and monitor an electric current supplied to the motor to determine whether a payload has detached from the tether. This process of lowering the tether and monitoring the motor current may be repeated up to a predetermined number of times, at which point the control system may operate the motor to detach the tether from the spool, leaving both the tether and the payload behind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC
    Inventors: Trevor Shannon, Andre Prager
  • Patent number: 10685513
    Abstract: A method for activating a function of a motor vehicle upon detecting the presence of a user apparatus in a predetermined detection area around the vehicle. The method includes a step of determining the position of the user apparatus relative to the body of the user; a step of receiving, by the user apparatus, a signal comprising a broadcast message sent by the vehicle; a step of calculating a compensated value of the power of the signal received from the determined position of the user apparatus; a step of estimating the distance separating the user apparatus from the vehicle using the compensated power value, and a step of activating at least one function by the vehicle when the estimated distance is less than a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignees: Continental Automotive France, Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Sylvain Godet
  • Patent number: 10661738
    Abstract: A method, system, and device for controlling internal systems within a vehicle based on user preferences is disclosed. The method includes detecting, by a floor mat, presence of a user seated on a seat within the vehicle. The method further includes capturing, by the floor mat, at least one user characteristic associated with the user in response to detecting presence of the user. The method includes controlling, by the floor mat, at least one internal system within the vehicle based on the at least one user characteristic, wherein the floor mat communicates with a central controller in the vehicle to control the at least one internal system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Wipro Limited
    Inventors: Vijay Kumar, Thomas Chittakattu Ninan, Shagun Rai
  • Patent number: 10648824
    Abstract: A method and electronic device for requesting and providing a navigable movement path are provided herein. An electronic device for providing the movement path and meeting location are provided as well. The electronic device for requesting the navigable movement path includes a communication module, a display and a processor. The processor may implement the method including: when a preset condition is satisfied, transmit a request for movement path information and movement information of the electronic device through the communication module to the external device, the movement path information navigable to a meeting location with a second electronic device, receive a transmission of information from the external device, the received information including the meeting location designated based on the movement information of the electronic device, and a movement path navigable to the meeting location, and display the movement path navigable to the meeting location on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jonghyun Han
  • Patent number: 10649456
    Abstract: A sub-mobility device charging system for a vehicle is capable of moving while carrying a sub-mobility device in which a passenger sits. The system includes an acquisition unit, a main electric power supply unit and a controller. The acquisition unit acquires a destination or traveling schedule inputted to the sub-mobility device; the main electric power supply unit supplies electric power to the sub-mobility device carried in the vehicle; and the controller controls to supply electric power to the sub-mobility device via the main electric power supply unit. The controller charges the sub-mobility device on a basis of the acquired traveling schedule for the sub-mobility device in the destination, and generates a traveling route to guide the charged sub-mobility device to a stop-off points corresponding to the destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuji Aiuchi, Katsumi Kikuchi