Patents Examined by Yufeng Zhang
  • Patent number: 11590993
    Abstract: A method for displaying secondary signal devices for a driver of a railway vehicle during a journey by a railway vehicle. From a current vehicle position of the railway vehicle and an already known signal position of a secondary signal device, an actual distance of the railway vehicle in relation to the secondary signal device is determined. In the case that the actual distance is not reached in respect of a predefined current warning distance of the railway vehicle relative to the secondary signal device, a proximity of the railway vehicle relative to the secondary signal device is displayed to the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Mobility GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Hammer, Matthias Alexander Weber
  • Patent number: 11590958
    Abstract: A method for detecting undesirable vibrations of an actuator of an electromechanical brake includes the steps of: (1) providing an electrical signal comprising at least one piece of information about a current consumption of the actuator or a parameter correlated with the current consumption; (2) monitoring an operation of the actuator on the basis of the gradient of the electrical signal in such a way that after switching on the actuator and preferably after a subsequent delay time, which includes determining: whether the amount of an initial instantaneous value of the gradient exceeds the amount of a threshold and whether a subsequent second instantaneous value of the gradient has an inverted sign compared to the first instantaneous value; (3) evaluating the results to ensure that an undesirable vibration is assessed as detected the aforementioned conditions are met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: ZF Active Safety GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Müller, Ralf Kinder
  • Patent number: 11584351
    Abstract: A parking release monitoring device for an automatic transmission vehicle is proposed. The device includes: a receiver sensing an output signal of a shift lever; a determiner determining a target gear stage in accordance with the output signal of the shift lever; a driver transmitting a control signal to a parking solenoid to engage a parking sprag and applying a driving current to a clutch control solenoid to engage a clutch and prevent rolling of the vehicle when the determined target gear stage is a P-gear stage; and a detector measuring the intensity of the driving current applied to the clutch control solenoid, in which the determiner receives intensity information of the driving current applied to the clutch control solenoid from the detector and compares the received intensity information of the driving current with the output signal of the shift lever, thereby determining whether parking release has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Hyundai Kefico Corporation
    Inventors: Chang Kyu Shin, Ji Young Jung
  • Patent number: 11578979
    Abstract: FAST provides a method of “bootstrapping” a pseudo-range (PR) stage and one or more carrier-phase (CP) stages to quickly produce a highly accurate, high integrity receiver-to-receiver lever arm survey based on differential GNSS processing. The lever arm estimates of a previous stage are used to resolve the carrier phase ambiguities of the next stage. The method can be integrated with the warm-up of the integrity monitors to reduce the entire survey and warm-up startup time to 90 minutes or less, which is critical for mobile and make shift and precision approach and (automated) landing operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Shuwu Wu, Fang Sheng
  • Patent number: 11577736
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining a highly accurate piece of yaw rate information for controlling a vehicle is provided. The method includes ascertaining a first yaw rate estimated value of the vehicle based on a fusion of sensor data of an inertial sensor, a GNSS sensor, a wheel velocity sensor and/or a steering angle sensor; ascertaining a second yaw rate estimated value of the vehicle by an evaluation of sensor data of a camera assigned to the vehicle, which optically detects the surroundings of the vehicle; carrying out a correction of the first yaw rate estimated value with the aid of the second yaw rate estimated value to ascertain a corrected yaw rate estimated value; and outputting the corrected yaw rate estimated value as a piece of yaw rate information to generate a control signal for controlling the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Alexander Jordan
  • Patent number: 11573085
    Abstract: Systems and methods utilize an inertial navigation sub-system configured to determine a plurality of relative positions of the navigation system from a reference position based on the determined speed and/or acceleration and/or direction of the navigation system and/or changes thereto; and a position estimator sub-system configured to estimate the absolute position of the navigation system based on at least two received signals. A first track is defined based on the plurality of relative positions determined by the inertial navigation sub-system during a period of time and a second track is defined based on the plurality of estimates of the absolute position by calculating a best fit using the plurality of estimates of the absolute position, where the second track approximates a same shape as the first track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Systems Limited
    Inventors: David R. Tegerdine, Timothy J. Palmer, Peter A. Langsford
  • Patent number: 11565923
    Abstract: A materials handling vehicle includes a mast, a load handling structure supported on the mast, one or more operator controls, and a lifting structure having a chain structure for performing a lifting and lowering of the load handling structure. The materials handling vehicle further includes a height sensor for generating a height signal corresponding to vertical movement of the load handling structure relative to the mast, and a vehicle control module for processing the height signal received from the height sensor and an operator control signal received from the one or more operator controls. The vehicle control module evaluates the height signal and the operator control signal and disables one or more vehicle functions if the height signal does not correspond to the operator control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Okroy, Masoud Karimi
  • Patent number: 11554782
    Abstract: An apparatus of controlling an engine including an electric supercharger includes: an engine to combust fuel to generate power; a drive motor to assist the power of the engine and selectively operate as a generator to generate electrical energy; a battery configured to supply electrical energy to the drive motor and to be charged by the electrical energy generated from the drive motor; a plurality of electric superchargers respectively installed in a plurality of intake lines through which an ambient air flows to be supplied to a combustion chamber of the engine; and a controller that based on a determined driving tendency, adjusts a target speed of the electric superchargers of the plurality of electric superchargers, determine a driving mode of the electric superchargers, limits a maximum output of the engine, and variably adjusts a SOC electricity-generating region where the engine charges the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yeongseop Park, Dong Hee Han, Hyun Woo Lim, Buhm Joo Suh, Jinkuk Cho, Kwanhee Lee, Sungchan Na, Jihyun Park, Seungwoo Hong, Yong Kak Choi, Hyunjin Kang
  • Patent number: 11549237
    Abstract: A monitor controller configured to control a display content on a display unit is configured to keep displaying a bird's-eye-view image when an operation of an operation device is sensed in the state where the display unit displays the bird's-eye-view image, and to cause the display unit to display the bird's-eye-view image when the operation of the operation device is sensed in the state where the display unit does not display the bird's-eye-view image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Mizuno, Satoru Ide
  • Patent number: 11543252
    Abstract: A method for operating a support system for preventing a motor vehicle from being left stranded due to a lack of drive energy is disclosed. The, wherein the motor vehicle has at least one driver assistance system and an internal combustion engine, which is operated with fuel as a first energy source of drive energy, and/or an electric motor, which is operated with electric energy of a battery as a second source of drive energy. The motor vehicle is autonomously driven to a charging and/or filling location using a vehicle system, which is designed to guide the motor vehicle in a fully automatic manner, when an emergency criterion is met which is constantly evaluated during an operational phase of the motor vehicle, and indicates to the driver that the motor vehicle will be left stranded if a charging and/or filling process is not carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Viktor Schimik, Manuel Geisinger
  • Patent number: 11526165
    Abstract: A system includes one or more processors that are configured to receive data from one or more sensors, to determine whether one or more characteristics of a driver or an occupant indicate driving control of a vehicle should transfer from the driver based on the data, and to enable a remote operator to control operation of the vehicle in response to determining that the driving control should transfer from the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Andy Benavidez, Jessica Gisela Ellinor Nunn, Michael Livingston
  • Patent number: 11518415
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a selective disengagement mechanism that allows a vehicle passenger, e.g., driver, to pre-emptively prepare to override autonomous control of a vehicle. A selective disengagement switch may be actuated by the driver. An autonomous control system of the vehicle, unaware of the selective disengagement switch operation, may at some point erroneously command the vehicle to move. Because the driver has actuated the selective disengagement switch, upon receipt of the erroneous command to move the vehicle, the autonomous control system may be overridden. The driver need not react to a safety-critical event or scenario.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventor: Jonathan Roy Voigt
  • Patent number: 11518386
    Abstract: A vehicle system comprises an engine, a motor-generator and a controller. The engine has a combustion mode in which a part of an air-fuel mixture is combusted by spark ignition, and then the remaining air-fuel mixture is combusted by self-ignition. The controller sets a target additional deceleration based on a steering angle, when a steering wheel is turned, and sets an air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture to either one of a first air-fuel ratio and a second air-fuel ratio which is on a lean side, based on an operating state, when the engine performs the combustion mode. The controller controls an ignition timing so as to generate the target additional deceleration in the first air-fuel ratio, and controls a regenerative electric power generation of the motor-generator so as to generate the target additional deceleration in the second air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichiro Akiya, Chikako Ohisa, Keitaro Ezumi, Akira Tsuda, Daisaku Ogawa, Daisuke Umetsu
  • Patent number: 11518659
    Abstract: A system for controlling a forklift truck has several operating modes and allows, in particular, operation in manual mode or autonomous mode. A forklift truck is provided with such a control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Ruben Andre Nunes Espirito Santo
  • Patent number: 11506761
    Abstract: A method for optical distance measurement is proposed which comprises the emission of a plurality of measurement pulses, the reflection of emitted measurement pulses at at least one object and the receipt of reflected measurement pulses. A sequence of measurement pulses is emitted, wherein the sequence comprises temporal pulse spacings between temporally successive measurement pulses, and wherein each measurement pulse of the sequence has a temporal pulse width of T(Pulse). The pulse spacings form a first set, wherein the first set is defined by {T(delay)+i*T(Pulse): i is an element of the natural numbers between 0 and j}, wherein for all values of i it holds that: T(delay)+i*T(Pulse)<(2T(delay)+2T(Pulse)), wherein the first set only comprises one element for all values of i between 0 and j, respectively, and wherein T(delay) defines a pulse spacing base unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: IBEO AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Kiehn, Wolfgang Birnbacher
  • Patent number: 11493932
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a region of a pool, the method may include moving a pool cleaning robot along a cleaning path that covers the region while acquiring, at first different points of time and by a sensing unit of the pool cleaning robot, first images of first scenes, at least one first scene at each first point of time; wherein the acquiring of the first images is executed while illuminating the first scenes by the pool cleaning robot; detecting, in at least one first image, illumination reflected or scattered as a result of the illuminating of the first scenes; removing from the at least one first image information about the illumination reflected or scattered; determining, based at least in part of on the first images, first locations of the pool cleaning robot; and wherein the moving is responsive to the first locations of the pool cleaning robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: MAYTRONICS LTD.
    Inventors: Ofer Regev, Assy Tzalik, Yair Hadari, Shay Witelson
  • Patent number: 11491971
    Abstract: A vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a vehicle suitable for an automatic/manual driving mode vehicle that employs brakes capable of controlling braking forces of four wheels. A vehicle control device including a pitch angle adjustment unit that adjusts a pitch angle, which is an inclination of a vehicle generated in the vehicle when braking the vehicle, or a change amount of the pitch angle, the pitch angle adjustment unit adjusting the pitch angle according to a traveling mode of the vehicle instructed by a host controller provided in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Ito, Kenichiro Matsubara, Wataru Yokoyama, Takaya Tsukagoshi
  • Patent number: 11491980
    Abstract: A vehicle drive system executes a basic drive force control in which a vehicle drive device applies, to an own vehicle, a drive force in accordance with a request of a driver, a first drive force changing control for changing the drive force applied in the basic drive force control, based on a variation in a wheel rotational speed, and a second drive force changing control for changing the drive force applied in the basic drive force control for a purpose different from a purpose of changing the drive force in the first drive force changing control. The first drive force changing control is configured such that a change amount of the drive force in the first drive force changing control is determined based on the wheel rotational speed from which is eliminated a variation in the wheel rotational speed caused by execution of the second drive force changing control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohiro Naruse
  • Patent number: 11492073
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, provided is a power assisted driving system comprising: a measurement part for measuring an operation state of a crank; a control part for determining a voltage or current necessary for power assistance on the basis of the measured value of the measurement part; a motor part, to which the voltage or current is applied, for providing driving power; and a power supply part for providing electric power to components other than itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignees: CHUNG-ANG UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION, FOUNDATION FOR RESEARCH AND BUSINESS, SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Jung Yup Kim, Dong Jun Shin
  • Patent number: 11485619
    Abstract: In embodiments, an automatic guided vehicle includes a vehicle, a lift unit, a bumper, an extension detector, and a bumper controller. The vehicle is movable in at least a first direction. The lift unit is provided in the vehicle and lifts an object from below the object. The bumper is provided in the vehicle and is extendable and contractible in the first direction. The extension detector detects that the bumper has extended outward from the object in the first direction. The bumper controller controls a state of the bumper according to a conveyance state of the object by the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hideki Ogawa, Daisuke Yamamoto, Takafumi Sonoura