Patents Issued in July 3, 2018
  • Patent number: 10012962
    Abstract: Metal fabrication systems and related equipment may be monitored by collecting and transmitting parameter data relating to welding operations to a memory and processing system. Goals for selected parameters may be pre-defined, and certain of these may be standard for corresponding welding systems, locations, operations, operators, and so forth. Upon request a web based report is generated and delivered to a user that indicates the system or systems, comparisons of the actual system performance versus the goals, time periods for the comparisons, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan John Lamers, Nathan Gerald Leiteritz, Knut Norman Froland, Todd Earl Holverson, Gregory David Popp
  • Patent number: 10012963
    Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for controlling smart household appliance. The system comprises a router, at least one smart household appliance, and at least one mobile communication device configured with an application program. The application program of the mobile communication device is connected to the smart household appliance in a LAN or WAN connection mode. The smart household appliance records the connection mode between each application program and the smart household appliance to generate a connection information. If the connection information indicates that there is not any application program connected to the smart household appliance in LAN connection mode, the application program of the mobile communication device will send a disable signal to the smart household appliance from a remote end to turn off the smart household appliance so that the energy consumption of the smart household appliance may be reduced when nobody is at home.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignees: Throughtek Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Throughtek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kai-Ye Lu
  • Patent number: 10012964
    Abstract: Method and device for controlling a system state of a stationary system affected by delays as a function of a variable geoposition of a person, wherein the system is to have reached a predefined presence state when the person arrives at the location of the system. The method comprises: determining the geoposition of the person; estimating the time period needed by the person from the determined geoposition until arrival at the location of the system; and specifying a reference state for changing the current system state, wherein the reference state for reaching the presence state within the estimated time period is determined as a function of the predefined presence state, the performance capability of the system and the estimated time period. The device comprises similarly designed means for determining the geoposition, estimating the time period and specifying the reference state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: tado GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Deilmann, Johannes Schwarz, Michael Munnix
  • Patent number: 10012965
    Abstract: An exemplary aspect comprises an air conditioning apparatus comprising: (a) a controller comprising a microprocessor; (b) a wireless transceiver in communication with the microprocessor and operable to communicate over a wireless network with an application on a mobile device; (c) a compressor controlled by the controller; (d) a fan controlled by the controller; and (e) a front panel that allows a user to interface with the controller. Another exemplary aspect comprises a mobile device comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing an application that enables a user of the mobile device to adjust settings for an air conditioning apparatus operable to communicate via a wireless network with the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: QUIRKY IP LICENSING LLC
    Inventors: Jeff Bartenbach, Matt Bornski, Benjamin Kaufman, Alex Limpaecher, Chris Meisner, Adam Paskow, Nathan Smith, Joshua Wright
  • Patent number: 10012966
    Abstract: An EMS (30) is equipped with a control unit (31) for obtaining a first measurement value which indicates an operating state of an apparatus (11) at a predetermined time point and at least one second measurement value which indicates an operating state of the apparatus (11) at a time point earlier than the predetermined time point. The control unit (31) calculates a first reference value, which indicates a reference for the operating state of the apparatus (11), by using the second measurement value and determines the presence/absence of an anomaly of the apparatus (11) on the basis of a comparison result between the first measurement value and the first reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Taku Nakayama
  • Patent number: 10012967
    Abstract: Modifications made by multiple controller devices to an environment model describing a shared automated environment can be coordinated. One of the controller devices can be designated as a coordinator, and any controller device other than the coordinator can send an update request to the coordinator. The coordinator can determine whether to accept or reject the requested modification and can report its determination to the requesting controller device. If the coordinator accepts the request, the coordinator can instigate operations to update the environment model across all controller devices of all users. If the coordinator rejects the request, the environment model is not updated. The controller device that made the request can update its local copy of the environment model and roll back the update if the request is rejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew C. Lucas, Anush G. Nadathur, Nathan E. Carroll
  • Patent number: 10012968
    Abstract: A server device having a plurality of server modules and a plurality of cooling fans in a chassis includes: a control unit configured to control the server modules and the cooling fans, which can be placed in predetermined positions. The control unit is configured to decide a server module and a cooling fan to become targets of operation status control from among the server modules and the cooling fans, on a basis of location information showing locations of the server modules and the cooling fans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuya Uchida
  • Patent number: 10012969
    Abstract: A computer system including a Web site and/or a cloud array of computers configured to have a connection to a smartphone or other mobile computer device and use the device and connection to control a configuration of one or more bladders, compartments, chambers and internal sipes located in a sole or removable inner sole insert of footwear. The computer system can also use the device and connection to transmit data to the computer system for storage and/or shared or independent processing and/or analysis, process data from sensors located in either one or both of the sole or the removable inner sole insert of the device user, and in, on, or near a center of gravity of the device user, and use the processed data to alter a configuration of the bladders, compartments, chambers and internal sipes and to control the relative foot position of the right and left feet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Inventor: Frampton E. Ellis
  • Patent number: 10012970
    Abstract: A board production state monitoring system including a camera unit that is disposed in a board work machine which carries out predetermined work for a board, that images a progress of the work by using a moving image, and that outputs moving image data; a data operation unit that receives, stores, and displays the moving image data; a trigger factor detection unit that detects at least one of a change factor in which working conditions of the work are changed inside the board work machine and a sign of error occurrence which shows that a working error may occur in the work, as a trigger factor; and an imaging start device for causing the camera unit to start moving image capturing if the trigger factor detection unit detects the trigger factor, and for causing the data operation unit to temporarily store the moving image data, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI MACHINE MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masafumi Amano, Hirotake Esaki, Mitsutaka Inagaki, Ken Morikami
  • Patent number: 10012971
    Abstract: A current operational state of a program-controlled domestic appliance is monitored while it carries out an operating process. The monitoring system includes a retrofit module and a communication device separate from the retrofit module and from the domestic appliance. The retrofit module has a fastening arrangement for releasable fastening on an outer face of an appliance housing, a data exchange unit for wireless communication, and a sensor arrangement with a magnetic field sensor that detects a magnetic field that is generated by a drive motor of the domestic appliance and that penetrates outwards through the appliance housing. The system determines the current operational state of the domestic appliance with the aid of detected measured values of the magnetic field and outputs the state via the communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Pietsch, Mirco Winde, Thomas Garbe
  • Patent number: 10012972
    Abstract: A programmable logic controller (PLC) system is provided. The programmable logic controller (PLC) system includes a storage unit storing a user program; a main control unit performing a scan operation based on the user program, measuring a scan time required for the scan time, and determining whether there is a need to process a web based service; and a web based service control unit processing the service data based on the scan time service request details, and service data that are transmitted from the main control unit, according to a result of the determination on whether there is a need to process the web based service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Seung Shin Han
  • Patent number: 10012973
    Abstract: A numerical controller of the invention includes an overlap control unit that detects a reference value minimizing a synthesized velocity for a plurality of control axes calculated based on table format data in an overlap period in which the synthesized velocity is equal to or lower than a threshold set in advance, that finds an overlap quantity as an amount in the reference value of overlapping of travels of the control axes after the detected reference value with travels of the control axes before the detected reference value, that advances the travels of the control axes after the reference value minimizing the synthesized velocity by the overlap quantity, and that calculates post-correction travels resulting from superposition of the travels of the control axes after the reference value on the travels of the control axes before the reference value minimizing the synthesized velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Haraguchi
  • Patent number: 10012974
    Abstract: A motor control system which makes a tool motor and a workpiece motor rotate in synchronization in a machine tool equipped with a tool motor, a workpiece motor, and a tool shaft movement motor which drives a linear shaft to change an intershaft distance between the tool shaft and the workpiece shaft, wherein when the power outage detector detects a power outage of the power supply during synchronous rotation of the tool motor and the workpiece motor, the operation of the forced deceleration circuit for causing forced deceleration of either one of the tool motor and workpiece motor is made to be delayed by a predetermined time and during that time the tool shaft movement motor is used to drive the linear shaft and separate the tool and workpiece as a retraction operation to thereby prevent damage to the tool and the workpiece at the time of a power outage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shoutarou Hashimoto, Tadashi Okita
  • Patent number: 10012975
    Abstract: In a numerical control system including a numerical controller and a plurality of I/O units, a serial communication signal monitoring circuit is included inside the I/O unit to monitor a serial communication signal (data and an idle signal). When a state is detected in which a serial communication signal is high or low for a predetermined time or longer, the numerical control system acknowledges the state as disconnection of the serial communication signal, and generates a reset pulse signal to reset an internal register of the I/O unit. With this configuration, when the power supply of the numerical controller is turned off/on, it is unnecessary to turn off/on the power supply of the I/O unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Baba, Kouji Hada, Yoshito Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 10012976
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a turbine engine blade including an airfoil with a profile defined by a theoretical digital model, the method including: manufacturing a blank having a thickened portion along a trailing edge of the airfoil relative to the theoretical profile; removing the thickened portion by adaptive machining, including: positioning the blank in a reference frame; acquiring, by probing at a predetermined number of points on a first surface of the blank along the trailing edge, positions of the points in the reference frame; determining differences, in one direction, in position from corresponding points of the theoretical model; producing machining grids on the blank surface, peaks of the grids determined from the points; determining an amount of material to be removed from the surface of the grids, based on the position of the points relative to the peaks and the deviations in position; and machining the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Yvon Marie-Joseph Louesdon, Florian Le Merdi, Joseph Tami, Daniel Quach, Fadoua Cisse, Sabine Maltaverne, Damien Alquier
  • Patent number: 10012977
    Abstract: A control device, by which a user causes a servo motor to perform desired operation without being conscious of a maximum torque of the servo motor while easily understanding the transmission characteristic, selects which one of sliding mode control and PID control is adopted to control a servo motor based on at least one of a position deviation and a velocity deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Ono, Mamoru Egi, Yasutomo Kawanishi, Yasumoto Mori
  • Patent number: 10012978
    Abstract: A method for designing cutting conditions for cutting a workpiece with a cutting tool uses design parameters, including a feed speed, an axial direction cutting amount, a radial direction cutting amount, and a cutting speed of/by the cutting tool. A deflection amount of the cutting tool is calculated from the design parameters. Then a “chattering vibration” occurs or not in the cutting tool is determined. Depending on the determination result, a maximum cutting thickness of the workpiece is calculated. Then a cutting temperature of the cutting tool is calculated. Then whether a tool life of the cutting tool is satisfied or not is determined. Depending on the determination result, a cutting efficiency of the cutting tool is calculated and compared with data of a cutting efficiency stored in advance. When the calculated cutting efficiency is a maximum value among the data, the design parameters are used as the cutting conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Akazawa, Shinsuke Asai, Yusuke Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 10012979
    Abstract: A host system which executes an emulation environment for modelling a logical behavior of an industrial control device may execute a clock management module to scale execution time in the emulation environment to more accurately reflect execution time of the industrial control device. The clock management module may operate to receive repeatable ticks based on a real time clock of the host system. The repeatable ticks may be used to measure execution of a portion of an industrial control program in the emulation environment, which measure may be compared to a reference value for executing the same portion on the industrial control device. The host system may then temporarily stall execution in the emulation environment to match execution on the industrial control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Grgic
  • Patent number: 10012980
    Abstract: There is provided a production processing system including: a production efficiency improvement device configured to select a processing apparatus that processes workpieces in consideration of a position of each of a plurality of processing apparatuses arranged along a transfer path; and a transfer control device configured to move a transfer apparatus that transfers workpieces from a predetermined position on the transfer path to the selected processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Taku Mizutani, Ichiro Namioka, Toshihiko Iijima, Shigenori Todate
  • Patent number: 10012981
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system of self-calibrating sensors and actuators for unmanned vehicles is provided, which includes an unmanned vehicle comprising: a chassis; a propulsion system; one or more sensors configured to sense features around the chassis; a memory; a communication interface; and a processor configured to: operate the propulsion system in a guided calibration mode; automatically switch operation of the propulsion system to an autonomous calibration mode when a degree of certainty on a calibration of one or more of sensor data and a position of the chassis is above a first threshold value associated with safe operation of the propulsion system in the autonomous calibration mode; thereafter, operate the propulsion system in the autonomous calibration mode; and, automatically switch operation of the propulsion system to an operational mode when the degree of certainty is above a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Inventors: Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Kareem Shehata, Prasenjit Mukherjee, Anthony Tod, Teyvonia Thomas, Yan Ma
  • Patent number: 10012982
    Abstract: Example implementations include a system and method for providing a focus and context view for a movable apparatus. The focus view is indicated in a central portion of the display, and a context view is warped around the focus portion of the display to provide context. In example implementations, selection of another portion to render as the focus portion causes the movable apparatus to orient itself to the focus portion as the forward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sven Kratz, James Vaughan, Ryota Mizutani, Donald Kimber
  • Patent number: 10012983
    Abstract: A vehicle traveling control apparatus includes an abnormality determining unit and a seat belt controller. The abnormality determining unit determines presence of impaired consciousness of a driver on a condition that the vehicle traveling control apparatus performs, to an own vehicle, automatic driving on a basis of traveling environment information on a traveling environment in which the own vehicle travels and traveling information of the own vehicle. The seat belt controller causes a seat belt of a driver's seat of the own vehicle to be retracted, when the abnormality determining unit determines the presence of the impaired consciousness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junya Seki
  • Patent number: 10012984
    Abstract: A method determines iteratively a motion of the vehicle from an initial location and a target location. An iteration of the method determines a location between the initial location and the target location that satisfies spatial constraints on locations of the vehicle and determines state transitions of the vehicle moved to the location from a set of neighboring locations determined during previous iterations. The method selects a neighboring location resulting in an optimal state transition of the vehicle and updates a graph of state transitions of the vehicle determined during previous iterations with the optimal state transition. The motion of the vehicle is determined a sequence of state transitions connecting the initial location with the target location and the vehicle is controlled according to the determined motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Berntorp, Oktay Arslan
  • Patent number: 10012985
    Abstract: A self-propelled device operates to interpret an input corresponding to a set of actions that are performed on a controller device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: SPHERO, INC.
    Inventors: Ian H. Bernstein, Adam Wilson, Brian Keith Smith, Jonathan Carroll
  • Patent number: 10012986
    Abstract: A method for autonomously parking a motor vehicle in various types of parking spots includes the steps of receiving a map of a parking area, locating the motor vehicle within the parking area, selecting a parking spot within the parking area, generating a node tree from the location of the motor vehicle to the parking spot, selecting a path from the node tree, wherein the path connects the location of the motor vehicle to the parking spot, autonomously driving the motor vehicle along the path from the location of the motor vehicle to an intermediate location on the path, and performing a parking maneuver into the parking spot from the intermediate location. The parking maneuver may be a head-in, tail-in, or parallel parking maneuver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: DURA OPERATING, LLC
    Inventors: Arda Kurt, Keith Redmill, Gordon Thomas, Umit Ozguner
  • Patent number: 10012987
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle is provided herein. During operation, a person (e.g., a public-safety officer) will be assigned a task or mission that is identified by an identifier (e.g., an incident identifier, public-safety incident identifier, or an incident type). The incident identifier will be provided to the autonomous vehicle, and the autonomous vehicle will choose to “follow” the officer or not based on the incident identifier. Because the autonomous vehicle described above will only “follow” the officer for certain incident types, the officer will be able to perform many of their tasks without the annoyance of an automobile following them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jacob Shem Tov, Kiril Danilchenko, Aya Korine, Yossi Mizrahi
  • Patent number: 10012988
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a motion of an object from an initial location to a final location within a region while avoiding a set of obstacles located in the region. The systems and methods include selecting, the equilibrium points within the obstacle-free region of the region, and each equilibrium point includes a corresponding controller driving the object to the equilibrium point, such that each controller includes a corresponding state partition. Designing the controller and the corresponding state partition, based on the obstacle-free region around the equilibrium point, to produce a collection of controllers and corresponding equilibrium points and corresponding state partitions, that connect the initial location with the final location. Determining actuator commands at time T using a controller corresponding to a state partition that includes the location of the object at time T, and the resulting sequence over a period of time of actuator commands, moves the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Claus Danielson, Avishai Weiss, Karl Berntorp, Stefano Di Cairano
  • Patent number: 10012989
    Abstract: To increase the frequency of executing a loop closing process, and to reduce an accumulated error in a local device position, and the like. A rotational image picker of an autonomous movement device picks up an image while performing a rotational action. An image memory stores information on the picked-up image. A map memory stores a created map. A position estimator estimates the local device position. A similar image searcher searches, from the image memory, the image that has a similarity level of equal to or greater than a predetermined similarity level. A map corrector corrects the map stored in the map memory when the similar image searcher founds the image that has the similarity level of equal to or greater than the predetermined similarity level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tetsuro Narikawa
  • Patent number: 10012990
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle (AV) can receive a pick-up location from a backend transport facilitation system to service a pick-up request from a requesting user. The AV can further process sensor data from a sensor array of the AV to dynamically identify potential hazards while autonomously operating the AV along a current route to the pick-up location. The AV can receiving, from the backend transport facilitation system, a set of configuration instructions to configure adjustable components of an interior of the AV based on comfort preferences of the requesting user, and determine an optimal timing schedule to implement each of the set of configuration instructions. Thus, the AV can execute the set of configuration instructions based on the optimal timing schedule to configure the adjustable components of the configurable interior system prior to arriving at the pick-up location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Rander
  • Patent number: 10012991
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for controlling the operation of an autonomous vehicle. According to one aspect, the autonomous vehicle may track the trajectories of other vehicles on a road. Based on the other vehicle's trajectories, the autonomous vehicle may generate a pool of combined trajectories. Subsequently, the autonomous vehicle may select one of the combined trajectories as a representative trajectory. The representative trajectory may be used to change at least one of the speed or direction of the autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: David I. Ferguson, Jiajun Zhu
  • Patent number: 10012992
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for an integrated obstacle detection and payload centering sensor system. A robotic drive unit (RDU) captures, with a downward facing camera mounted to itself, an image of fiducial located on the ground. The RDU then positions itself over the fiducial and subsequently rotates. As it rotates, the RDU captures a point cloud of the surround vicinity a forward-facing three-dimensional camera mounted to itself. The RDU then identifies in the point cloud at least two legs of a storage unit positioned over the robotic drive unit. Subsequently, the RDU determines a location for each of the at least two legs relative to the fiducial and triangulates a center of the storage unit based at least in part on the location of each of the at least two legs. The RDU then centers itself underneath the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Michael Shydo, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10012993
    Abstract: A method for adaptive risk modeling for an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising: retrieving parameters of an identified driving mission of the autonomous vehicle; in response to the parameters of the identified driving mission, generating values of: a comparative autonomous parameter, a mix model parameter, a surrounding risk parameter, a geographic operation parameter, and a security risk parameter upon evaluating situational inputs associated with the identified driving mission with a comparative autonomous model, a mix model, a sensor-surrounding model, a geography-dependent model, and a security risk model generated using sensor and supplementary data extraction systems associated with the autonomous vehicle; upon generating values, generating a risk analysis with a rule-based algorithm; and contemporaneously with execution of the identified driving mission, implementing a response action associated with control of the autonomous vehicle, based upon the risk analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Zendrive, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Matus, Pankaj Risbood
  • Patent number: 10012994
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for operating at least one partly or highly automated vehicle, environmental values that represent the environment of the at least one partly or highly automated vehicle being detected by way of at least one environmental detection system of the at least one partly or highly automatic vehicle; operation of the partly or highly automated vehicle occurring depending on the detected environmental values, and at least two possible trajectories for operation of the at least one partly or highly automated vehicle being determined, of the at least two possible trajectories, one trajectory that is to be used being selected depending on the detected environmental values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Jan Rohde, Holger Mielenz
  • Patent number: 10012995
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for autonomous vehicle routing and navigation using passenger docking locations are disclosed. Autonomous vehicle routing and navigation using passenger docking locations may include an autonomous vehicle identifying map information representing a vehicle transportation network, the vehicle transportation network including a primary destination and a docking location, wherein identifying the map information includes identifying the map information such that the map information includes docking location information representing the docking location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Naoki Kojo, Siddharth Kumar Thakur, Nicolas Meuleau, Daisuke Saito, Nikhil Lele
  • Patent number: 10012996
    Abstract: Disclosed are robot configuration-based mapping and planning technologies for a mobile robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: SAVIOKE, INC.
    Inventors: Adrian Canoso, William H. Vaughan, Michael Jae-Yoon Chung
  • Patent number: 10012997
    Abstract: Systems and methods use cameras to provide autonomous navigation features. In one implementation, a traffic light detection system is provided for a vehicle. One or more processing devices associated with the system receive at least one image of an area forward of the vehicle via a data interface, with the area including at least one traffic lamp fixture having at least one traffic light. The processing device(s) determine, based on at least one indicator of vehicle position, whether the vehicle is in a turn lane. Also, the processing device(s) process the received image(s) to determine the status of the traffic light, including whether the traffic light includes an arrow. Further, the system may cause a system response based on the determination of the status of the traffic light, whether the traffic light includes an arrow, and whether the vehicle is in a turn lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Itai Ben Shalom, Shai Shalev-Shwartz, Eyal Bagon, Yoav Taieb, Amnon Shashua, David Huberman
  • Patent number: 10012998
    Abstract: A transportation management system that includes tools for generating an optimized trip plan that can be updated, such as based on driver input, during implementation of a planned trip. The system includes a comprehensive trip optimization tool that generates a trip plan with fuel stop and rest stop optimization. The system includes tools calculating estimated time of arrival (ETA) and projected time of availability (PTA) for the driver, and these tools are adapted to provide the ETA and PTA for the entire trip (rather than only providing an ETA for the next stop). The system further includes tools accepting driver input and/or allowing driver manipulation of a dispatched trip plan such as using pre-filtered alternatives for fuel stops or rest stops or routes, e.g., based on stored driver preferences, that may be less optimal than those in the original trip plan but still viable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: TRIMBLE INC.
    Inventors: William George Nimchuk, David Johnmichael McKinney
  • Patent number: 10012999
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for avoiding or exploiting air drag on an aerial vehicle are disclosed. In embodiments, the methods and apparatus may be implemented in a controller and used to increase the energy efficiency of an aerial vehicle. In the embodiments, at least one parameter associated with a force on an aerial vehicle is determined. A yaw setting for the aerial vehicle is then determined that exploits or avoids air drag on the aerial vehicle for energy efficiency. The yaw setting may be referenced to a yaw based on directionality in the shape of the aerial vehicle. In other embodiments, a drag associated with a force on an aerial vehicle is determined. It is then determined if there is a selected component in the drag based on a desired maneuver of the aerial vehicle. A yaw setting is then determined based on whether the selected component is in the drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Ranveer Chandra, Ashish Kapoor, Jongho Won
  • Patent number: 10013000
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sanitary insertion unit (1) with a flow regulator (2) that has a regulator housing (3) in which a first regulator unit (4) is provided. The first regulator unit has an annular channel (5) that surrounds a core (6) and in which an annular throttle element (7) made of an elastic material is arranged. The throttle element (7) delimits a control gap between the throttle element and a profiled regulating section (8) provided on an inner and/or outer channel wall, the passage cross-section of said gap being modifiable by the throttle element (7), which deforms under the effect of the pressure difference generated in the event of a flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Neoperl GmbH
    Inventors: Simon Twitchett, Alexander Stein
  • Patent number: 10013001
    Abstract: Pressure independent flow rate control valve, for placement in hydraulic systems between upstream inlet and downstream outlet ducts, including a first functional unit arranged between the inlet and outlet ducts, mobile equipment actuated manually or by an actuator for setting and modifying the orifice span of a fluid passage, and thus the valve flow rate, up to complete closure; and a second functional unit for maintaining the differential pressure constant between upstream and downstream of the first unit, and thus the set valve flow rate independently of pressure fluctuations in the hydraulic system. The mobile equipment includes main equipment and secondary equipment which can linearly translate with respect to the main equipment for presetting the maximum valve flow rate, the main equipment carrying integrally the secondary equipment and being linearly displaced by the actuator for modulating the fluid flow rate from the preset maximum one up to complete closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: VIR VALVOINDUSTRIA ING. RIZZIO S.P.A.
    Inventor: Marco Braga
  • Patent number: 10013002
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fluid flow regulator device, comprising a valve member and a valve seat arranged to be movable with respect to each other such that a fluid flow surface area defined by the valve member and the valve seat can be changed. Furthermore, sensor means are provided for measuring a capacitance related to at least a measure of the fluid flow surface area. According to the invention, the sensor means are arranged such that the capacitance measured is inversely proportional to the distance between the valve member and the valve seat. In an embodiment, a reference capacitance relating to fluid flow conditions is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Berkin B.V.
    Inventors: Maarten Sytze Groen, Robert Anton Brookhuis, Dannis Michel Brouwer, Remco John Wiegerink, Joost Conrad Lötters
  • Patent number: 10013003
    Abstract: A switching regulator circuit incorporates an offset circuit, connected in a control loop of the regulator circuit, that, in response to a signal indicating an imminent load current step, adjusts a duty cycle of a power switch for the current step prior to the regulator circuit responding to a change in output voltage due to the current step. In one embodiment, a load controller issues a digital signal shortly before a load current step. The digital signal is decoded and converted to an analog offset signal in a feedback control loop of the regulator to immediately adjust a duty cycle of the switch irrespective of the output voltage level. By proper timing of the offset, output voltage ripple is greatly reduced. The current offset may also be used to rapidly change the output voltage in response to an external signal requesting a voltage step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gregory Manlove, Yi Ding Gu, Jian Li
  • Patent number: 10013004
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include an information handling resource, a voltage regulator, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and a controller. The voltage regulator may be coupled to the information handling resource and configured to deliver electrical energy to the information handling resource. The a non-transitory computer-readable medium may have stored thereon curve fit information, the curve fit information including coefficients of a polynomial for approximating a parameter indicative of the power efficiency of the voltage regulator as a function of a measured output current of the voltage regulator. The controller may be coupled to the voltage regulator and configured to receive information indicative of an output power of the voltage regulator and, based on the information indicative of an output power of the voltage regulator and the curve fit information, calculate an input current of the voltage regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Abey K. Mathew, Shiguo Luo
  • Patent number: 10013005
    Abstract: Apparatus and method relating to voltage regulation is disclosed. In an apparatus thereof, an integrated circuit includes a first differential opamp having a first gain. The first differential opamp is configured to receive a reference voltage and a feedback voltage. A second differential opamp has a second gain less than the first gain. The second differential opamp is configured to receive the reference voltage and the feedback voltage. A driver transistor is configured to provide an output voltage at an output voltage node and to receive a gating voltage output from the second differential opamp. A differential output of the first differential opamp is configured for gating a current source transistor of the second differential opamp. A capacitor is connected to the driver transistor and the current source transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: XILINX, INC.
    Inventor: Sharat Babu Ippili
  • Patent number: 10013006
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating an improved reference voltage for use, for example, in a system requiring accurate low power operation. In particular, our reference voltage generator is adapted to output VREF as a function of the voltage difference between V1 and V2. The reference voltage generator is further adapted to include our reference voltage tuner to compensate for predetermined sensitivities of the reference voltage VREF, and to adjust the absolute value of VREF. During manufacturing and system test, a driver may be used to drive a buffered or unbuffered version of VREF to off-chip test functionality. Also, a configuration memory may be used to store the trim settings during normal operation, and make such settings available to outside resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Ambiq Micro, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Hanson, Kenneth Gozie Ifesinachukwu, Ajaykumar A. Kanji
  • Patent number: 10013007
    Abstract: In a multi-phase power converter using a phase-locked loop (PLL) arrangement for interleaving of pulse frequency modulated (PFM) pulses of the respective phases, improved transient response, improved stability of high bandwidth output voltage feedback loop, guaranteed stability of the PLL loop and avoidance of jittering and phase cancellation issues are achieved by anchoring the bandwidth at the frequency of peak phase margin. This methodology is applicable to multi-phase power conveners of any number of phases and any known or foreseeable topology for individual phases and is not only applicable to power converters operating under constant on-time control, but is extendable to ramp pulse modulation (RPM) control and hysteresis control. Interleaving of pulses from all phases is simplified through use of phase managers with a reduced number of PLLS using hybrid interleaving arrangements that do not exhibit jittering even when ripple is completely canceled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Pei-Hsin Liu, Qiang Li, Fred C. Lee
  • Patent number: 10013008
    Abstract: The invention relates to the evaluation of a variable of an electric current in a power path by evaluating another electric current in a measuring path. To avoid excessively large electric currents in the measuring path, the current in said path is limited to a predetermined maximum limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Sievert, Stefan Butzmann
  • Patent number: 10013009
    Abstract: A fault tolerant voltage regulator may include a plurality of operational transconductance amplifiers. The plurality of operational transconductance amplifiers may be configured according to a unity-gain configuration. The plurality of operational transconductance amplifiers may be configured to couple in parallel to a load. The plurality of operational transconductance amplifiers may be configured to load share a load current associated with the load approximately equally among the plurality of operational transconductance amplifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Mark Bryan Hamlyn
  • Patent number: 10013010
    Abstract: A voltage droop reduction circuit generally including a loop coupled to an output of a voltage regulator is provided. The loop includes a first current amplifier. The voltage droop reduction circuit may also include a first capacitor coupled between the output of the voltage regulator and an input of the first current amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Sungmin Ock, Xuhao Huang
  • Patent number: 10013011
    Abstract: A method (and system) includes receiving, at a computing device including a design tool application, design parameters indicative of a plurality of power supply loads to be powered. The method further includes generating power supply solutions that do not include multi-channel voltage regulators and generating power supply solutions that do include multi-channel voltage regulators. The method also includes ranking all power supply solutions and providing the ranked power supply solutions to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Dien Mac, Satyanandakishore V. Vanapalli, Jeffrey Perry, Wanda C. Garrett, Jonathan J. Arzadon