Patents Examined by Yuen H Wong
  • Patent number: 9983096
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring fuel actuation system health are described herein. A method for monitoring fuel actuation system health may comprise: moving a metering valve from a first position to a second position; detecting a first travel distance of the metering valve; storing the first travel distance of the metering valve to memory to generate a first travel distance history; and determining a level of degradation of the fuel actuation system based on at least the first travel distance history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Angelo Martucci, William Donat, Amy R. Grace, Thomas A. Bush, Eric Nelson Hettler, Kevin Patrick McCormick
  • Patent number: 9983018
    Abstract: Provided herein is control method of an electronic apparatus, comprising: identifying a line region from a driving-related image data of a vehicle; generating a line information corresponding to a lane where the vehicle is located from an image data of the identified line region portion; generating a position information of a lane where the vehicle is located, using at least one of the generated line information and the lane information of a road where the vehicle is located; and performing a driving-related guide of the vehicle using the generated lane position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: THINKWARE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Suk Pil Ko
  • Patent number: 9974612
    Abstract: A telepresence device may autonomously check patients. The telepresence device may determine the frequency of checking based on whether the patient has a risk factor. The telepresence device may include an image sensor, a thermal camera, a depth sensor, one or more systems for interacting with patients, or the like. The telepresence device may be configured to evaluate the patient's condition using the one or more sensors. The telepresence device may measure physiological characteristics using Eulerian video magnification, may detect pallor, fluid level, or fluid color, may detect thermal asymmetry, may determine a psychological state from body position or movement, or the like. The telepresence device may determine whether the patient is experiencing a potentially harmful condition, such as sepsis or stroke, and may trigger an alarm if so. To overcome alarm fatigue, the telepresence device may annoy a care provider until the care provider responds to an alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Marco Pinter, Timothy C. Wright, H. Neal Reynolds, Fuji Lai, Yulun Wang
  • Patent number: 9976866
    Abstract: Provided herein is a control method of an electronic apparatus. The control method of an electronic apparatus includes: determining a position of a vehicle that is being operated; determining a terrain height in a region positioned within a predetermined distance from the determined position of the vehicle; comparing a terrain height at the position of the vehicle and the terrain height in the region with each other to calculate a terrain height difference; and generating an information object including guidance information of the vehicle and displaying the generated information object through augmented reality by reflecting the terrain height difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: THINKWARE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Suk Pil Ko
  • Patent number: 9969426
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for controlling a steering assist unit of a vehicle. The method includes receiving first accelerometer data, second accelerometer data, and third accelerometer data then comparing and calculating differences between the first accelerometer data, second accelerometer data and the third accelerometer data to determine a relative movement values for the second and third locations. The relative movement value represents the contraction or expansion of separate systems as they independently move at or near the second and third locations. The method further includes outputting a control signal to control the travel of the steering assist unit based on the relative movement values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Scott R Kloess, Michael C Gaunt, Terrel D Johnson
  • Patent number: 9969381
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle controls a hybrid vehicle, the hybrid vehicle including: a power source including an internal combustion engine and an electric; a recirculating device configured to recirculate an exhaust gas from an exhaust side to an intake side of the internal combustion engine; and a recirculation amount adjusting device configured to adjust an amount of the recirculation by the recirculating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya Imamura, Atsushi Tabata, Ryuji Ibaraki, Yuji Yasuda, Yoshihito Kanno
  • Patent number: 9972203
    Abstract: A driving assistance method includes: a step of, by a driving assistance apparatus, calculating a power spectrum by a frequency analysis of an acceleration obtained by a three-dimensional accelerometer; a step of, by the driving assistance apparatus, obtaining information on an angle based on a magnitude of an inclination of a single regression line of the power spectrum in a predetermined frequency range; a step of obtaining a speed by the driving assistance apparatus; a step of, by the driving assistance apparatus, calculating a traffic jam sign index as a product of a value associated with a degree of variation in the angle and a value associated with the speed; and a step of, by the driving assistance apparatus, sensing a traffic jam sign based on a change in the traffic jam sign index within a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takamasa Koshizen
  • Patent number: 9963043
    Abstract: Degradation degree table is a degradation degree table that describes a degradation degree of a secondary battery when the secondary battery is charged or discharged at a prescribed current rate with prescribed frequency. Degradation degree table describes the degradation degree in each of a plurality of state of charge (SOC) regions obtained through division of an SOC range of the secondary battery into the plurality of regions. Upper limit current determining part determines an upper limit current value to be used as a current rate at a time of charge or discharge, based on an estimated SOC and a target degradation degree with reference to degradation degree table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mika Kirimoto
  • Patent number: 9956960
    Abstract: The device that generates the friction braking force to decelerate the vehicle estimates the disturbance torque acting on the vehicle. When the accelerator operation amount is equal to or less than the predetermined value and the vehicle is just before the stop of the vehicle, the control device for vehicle causes the friction braking amount to converge to the friction braking amount to the value decided on the basis of the disturbance torque estimated value Td in conjunction with the reduction in the motor rotation speed (speed parameter) proportionate to the traveling speed of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Komatsu, Ken Ito, Takashi Nakajima, Yuji Katsumata, Akira Sawada
  • Patent number: 9959780
    Abstract: In an embodiment, movement-data is gathered with one or more sensors (e.g., accelerometers, GPS receivers, etc.) during a driver's driving session. A score may be calculated for the driving session, and the driver's progress is evaluated by a driver-evaluation system. A driving session report or graphical user-interface (GUI) is generated with a computer processor and displayed at a display device. The displayed report or GUI includes a graphic representing the driver's progress relative to historical data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Steve Roberson, Abhishek Harish, Hyunji Lim, Matthew James Waughtel, Bryan Allen Plummer, Parker Andrew Brown
  • Patent number: 9938018
    Abstract: Despite pilot training and current safety systems, aircraft accidents continue to occur. It is recognized herein that existing approaches to preventing aircraft accidents lack capabilities. A predictive aircraft recovery control unit can receive flight data from the plurality of data nodes. The flight data can be indicative of at least a speed of the aircraft and a position of the aircraft. In some cases, based on the flight data, the predictive aircraft recovery control unit can determine that the aircraft will enter a stall condition. Furthermore, based on the flight data, the predictive aircraft recovery control unit can determine a time period that will elapse before the aircraft enters the stall condition. In response to determining that the aircraft will enter the stall condition after the time period elapses, the predictive aircraft recovery control until can trigger a recovery sequence before the aircraft enters the stall condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Aviation Safety Advancements, Inc.
    Inventors: David Patrick Welsh, Joseph Tobias Kujawski
  • Patent number: 9932906
    Abstract: A system and method of detecting an uncontrolled high thrust (UHT) condition in a turbofan gas turbine engine includes processing data to determine when a current commanded fan speed value is greater than a predetermined speed value. A current UHT commanded fan speed value is processed to determine if it will cause a target fan speed value to increase, remain steady, or decrease. The target fan speed value is set equal to the current UHT commanded fan speed value when the current UHT commanded fan speed value will cause the target fan speed value to increase or remain steady, and to a deceleration threshold value when the current UHT commanded fan speed value will cause the target fan speed value to decrease. An uncontrolled high thrust alert signal is generated when actual engine fan speed exceeds the target fan speed value by a predetermined amount for a preset time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Yufei Xiong, Dave Faymon, Scot Coffey
  • Patent number: 9934691
    Abstract: The present application provides a system and method for enabling a driver to locate a passenger. In one or more implementations, a graphical user interface is provided that is operable to send and receive information associated with passengers and vehicles. A location of a first vehicle, a location of a first passenger and a location of a second passenger are received. Information associated with the locations of the first and second passenger is transmitted and a representation of at least one of the first passenger and the second passenger and the respective location thereof is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: FLATIRON APPS LLC
    Inventor: Ben Millspaugh
  • Patent number: 9925664
    Abstract: A robot simulation device for automatically generating a practical interference avoiding motion path, regardless of the level of skill of an operator. The device includes: a motion path obtaining part which obtains a first motion path by simulating a robot motion program; a teaching point specifying part which detects whether a robot interferes with a peripheral object on the first path, and specifies first and second teaching points immediately before and after the interference occurs, respectively; a motion path generating part which automatically inserts a third teaching point between the first and second points and generates second motion paths for avoiding the interference, based on a search direction and distance determined by a random number; an evaluating part which evaluates each second path based on a predetermined parameter; and a motion path selecting part which selects an optimum motion path from the second paths based on an evaluation result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshiya Takeda
  • Patent number: 9919617
    Abstract: A control device for electric motor vehicle using a motor as a traveling drive source and configured to decelerate by a regenerative braking force of the motor includes a motor torque command value setter configured to set a first torque target value for traveling based on the vehicle information as a motor torque command value for traveling based on the vehicle information before a speed parameter proportional to a traveling speed of an electric motor vehicle becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value, and set a second torque target value for stopping the electric motor vehicle and maintaining a vehicle stopped state as the motor torque command value when the speed parameter becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value, a motor controller configured to control the motor on the basis of the motor torque command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Sawada, Ken Ito, Takashi Nakajima, Yuji Katsumata, Hiroyuki Komatsu
  • Patent number: 9921077
    Abstract: The preferred embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods and systems for dynamic route estimation and prediction using discrete sampled location updates from various mobile devices for the purpose of providing a graphical representation of a mobile device's route along a known network path of map data. The embodiments also provide supplemental route metrics, such as traveled distance, elapsed time, etc., and the capability to assign destination points for the purpose of providing the ability to modify location update points in an application, such as a route planner, and/or to store the dynamically generated route based on various preferences for later retrieval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Inventors: Michael Sheha, Angie Sheha, Stephen Petilli, Arun Yalagadda
  • Patent number: 9914361
    Abstract: Vehicles that are capable of connecting to the AC grid are described that comprise a prime mover and at least one motor generator. In one embodiment, a vehicle may be constructed as a plug-in hybrid system and using the powertrain under controller instruction to either place power on an AC power line (to service AC grids) or to draw power from the AC power line to add electrical energy to the batteries on the vehicle. In some aspects, vehicles may test whether the power needed to service the AC power line may be satisfied by the on-vehicle batteries or, if not, whether and how much power to extract from the prime mover. In some aspects, vehicles may have a thermal management system on board to dynamically supply desired heat dissipation for the powertrain, if the powertrain is using the prime mover to supply power to the AC grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Efficient Drivetrains, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Frank, Chan-Chiao Lin, Patrick Kaufman, Sean Fountain, Bram Bonsen
  • Patent number: 9904289
    Abstract: Various devices are described, which are configured to use telematics data from one driver to facilitate safer vehicle travel for another driver. A remote server may include (1) a communication unit configured to receive a broadcast including telematics data generated and transmitted from a first mobile device or smart vehicle; and (2) a processor configured to determine (i) a travel event; (ii) a GPS location of the travel event; and/or (iii) an estimated or actual geographical or temporal scope of the travel event from computer analysis of the telematics data. The remote server may transmit a travel event-related wireless communication to a second mobile device or smart vehicle to facilitate safer vehicle travel for a second driver or vehicle based upon the telematics data associated with the first driver/vehicle. Insurance discounts may be provided for individuals or vehicles based upon having or using the risk mitigation or prevention functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: STATE MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventor: Gregory Hayward
  • Patent number: 9903735
    Abstract: An approach for a route stabilization scrolling mode is provided. The approach displays a map window, wherein the map window includes a visible region of a map, the map including a plotted route originating at a source location and ending at a destination location. The approach receives one or more swipe gestures within the map window. The approach determines whether the one or more swipe gestures exceeds an escape velocity threshold. Responsive to a determination that the one or more swipe gestures exceeds the level of intensity to progress the map window into an area of the map away from the plotted route, the approach generates one or more custom pegs, wherein the one or more custom pegs is a compressed snapshot of a last position on the plotted route prior to exceeding the escape velocity threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rajesh Kalyanaraman, Senthil K. Venkatesan
  • Patent number: 9902272
    Abstract: A control device for electric motor vehicle is configured to decelerate by a regenerative braking force of the motor when an accelerator operation amount decreases or becomes zero. The control device detects the accelerator operation amount, calculates a motor torque command value, and controls the motor on the basis of the motor torque command value calculated. The control device detects a speed parameter proportional to a traveling speed and calculates a feedback torque for stopping the vehicle on the basis of the speed parameter detected. The control device also estimates a disturbance torque acting on the motor and converges, as the speed parameter is reduced, the motor torque command value to the disturbance torque on the basis of the feedback torque when the accelerator operation amount decreases or becomes zero and the electric motor vehicle stops shortly. The control device adjusts the feedback torque according to the disturbance torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Sawada, Ken Ito, Takashi Nakajima, Yuji Katsumata, Hiroyuki Komatsu