Patents Issued in September 15, 2020
  • Patent number: 10773670
    Abstract: A retractable step and side bar assembly that can be used for raised vehicles, such as trucks. The retractable step can be configured to provide for significant reach in a deployed position to allow for a user to enter the raised vehicle. Further, in the stowed position the retractable step can be located within the side bar, thereby providing a low profile as well as an enhanced aesthetic appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: LUND MOTION PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Anthony Nicholas Smith, Eric Charles Bajza, William Franklin Bibb, VI
  • Patent number: 10773671
    Abstract: A method and computing system for determining whether a DTC set in a vehicle involved in a collision is collision-related or non-collision-related. The method can include determining a vehicle model associated with the vehicle, determining a DTC set within an ECU in the vehicle, determining a damaged portion in the vehicle, determining the DTC is collision-related, and outputting a collision report that indicates the DTC is collision-related. The determined damaged portion indicates where the vehicle was damaged by the collision. Determining the DTC is collision-related can include determining the damaged portion in the vehicle matches a reference vehicle portion associated with both a component attributable to setting the DTC and the vehicle model associated with the damaged vehicle. The collision report can indicate that a different DTC set by the same or a different ECU in the vehicle is non-collision-related.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Snap-on Incorporated
    Inventors: Roy S. Brozovich, Patrick S. Merg, Joshua C. Covington, Joshua D. Williamson, Oswaldo Neri
  • Patent number: 10773672
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes a cancel switch for cancelling notification of overturn occurrence information. A handle includes one or more right switch boxes to the left of a right handle grip, and one or more left switch boxes to the right of a left handle grip. The cancel switch is a position that is within a center region located between a plane perpendicular to the left-right direction that includes the left end of a right switch box which is furthest to the left among the one or more right switch boxes, and a plane perpendicular to the left-right direction that includes the right end of a left switch box which is furthest to the right among the one or more left switch boxes. The cancel switch is at a position that is visible in one or more horizontal directions in the leaning vehicle in an overturned state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro Takeuchi, Hiroshi Shibuya, Kotaro Onishi
  • Patent number: 10773673
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cable conduit device for connection cables of an airbag module, comprising at least one cable duct (10) that includes retaining means (11) for at least one cable (30), and at least one contact plug (20) to be connected to a coil spring on a steering column; the contact plug (20) is or can be coupled in a twist-proof manner to the cable duct (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TRW AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Stefan Bachmann, Matthias Helmstetter, Dieter Rumpf, Alexandra Knecht
  • Patent number: 10773674
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat back including a movable portion that supports an occupant and moves in a vehicle width direction with respect to a main body frame due to a load in a seat width direction, a hard resin material that is provided at a left and right pair of side portions of the seat back and is capable of crushing deformation at a time of a vehicle side impact, and a seat cover that covers a surface of the hard resin material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Patent number: 10773675
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat portion and a back rest coupled to the seat portion to extend upwardly away from the seat portion. The back rest includes a base frame coupled to the seat bottom to extend upwardly therefrom and a head frame coupled to the base frame to locate the base frame between the seat portion and the head frame. The vehicle seat further includes an airbag coupled to the back rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Faurecia Autositze GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Gumprecht, Bernd Römer
  • Patent number: 10773676
    Abstract: A spacer fabric may include a hinge layer, a top layer, and an intermediate layer. The hinge layer may include a first tensile strength and at least one perforation. The top layer may include a second tensile strength. The intermediate layer may include a third tensile strength, and may be arranged between the hinge layer and the top layer. The first tensile strength may be higher than the second tensile strength, and the first tensile strength may be higher than the third tensile strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: LISA DRAEXLMAIER GMBH
    Inventor: Stefan Aust
  • Patent number: 10773677
    Abstract: Vehicular airbag system includes a holder, airbag assemblies each having at least one inflatable airbag, and support brackets arranged on the holder. Each support bracket retains an airbag assembly. The support brackets have different heights relative to a plane defined by or through the holder and are positioned relative to one another such that the airbags inflate at different heights relative to the plane and an airbag inflating at a greatest height from the plane overlies at least one other airbag closer to the plane. The holder may form a housing with a cover that is broken or displaced during airbag deployment, with the support brackets and airbag assemblies being situated in a chamber defined in the housing between the holder and the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Cyclazoom LLC
    Inventor: Michael Kipnis
  • Patent number: 10773678
    Abstract: An airbag module mounted on a near-side vehicle seat is provided for protecting a far-side occupant seated in a far-side vehicle seat. The airbag module includes an airbag cushion and an inflator for providing inflation gas for the airbag cushion. The airbag cushion in a deployed state has a rear lobe portion and an extension portion. The rear lobe portion bulges laterally toward the far-side vehicle seat. The extension portion projects forward of the rear lobe portion in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In a near-side impact crash event the airbag cushion deploys upwards in a vehicle height direction and forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction with a deployment angle of the entire airbag cushion obliquely oriented to direct the airbag cushion away from the near-side vehicle seat and toward the far-side vehicle seat to provide restraint of the far-side occupant against lateral movement within the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Craig Markusic
  • Patent number: 10773679
    Abstract: An airbag apparatus may include: a first chamber connected to an inflator, and supporting the head of a passenger in case of a head-on collision of a vehicle; a second chamber connected to one side of the first chamber, expanded toward the rear of the vehicle, and suppressing the head of the passenger from moving in a diagonal direction based on the front of the vehicle, in case of an oblique collision of the vehicle; a tube part coupled to the first chamber to introduce gas of the first chamber into the second chamber, and having a ring-shaped tightening part formed along the circumference thereof; and a tether part having one end coupled to the first chamber and the other end passed through the tightening part, and closing the tube part after the first chamber is completely deployed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ga Ram Jeong, Hae Kwon Park, Seok Min Lee, Rae Ick Jang
  • Patent number: 10773680
    Abstract: An oscillation reducing structure for a front passenger seat airbag includes a front passenger seat airbag equipped with a center bag and a friction imparting device. When inflated and deployed, the front passenger seat airbag contacts with a front windshield glass in a first area, and contacts with an instrument panel in a second area. The friction imparting device makes at least one of a coefficient of frictions of the first area and the second area greater than that of other areas of the front passenger seat airbag. The friction imparting device is formed such that a coefficient of friction thereof in a vehicle width direction is greater than in a vehicle front-rear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Patent number: 10773681
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a base fabric for an airbag and an airbag wherein the strength of sewn parts is high, pressure resistance is superior for an airbag during high-pressure deployment at high speeds, and pressure resistance can be maintained even after passage of time in heat. This base fabric for an airbag is characterized by being formed from woven polyamide fibers, and the retention of sewn part strength in the base fabric with heating before and after heat treatment for 400 hours at 140° C. being 70% or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: ASAHI KASEI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Fumiaki Ise
  • Patent number: 10773682
    Abstract: An ignition device includes an igniter fixed to an igniter collar, a first cup member filled with a gas generating component therein, and a second cup member. The first cup member covers the igniter collar to enclose a portion including an ignition portion of the igniter. The second cup member covers the igniter collar to enclose the first cup member. A gap is formed between an outer surface of the first cup member and an inner surface of the second cup member to function as a heat insulating layer. The first cup member has a first opening, and the second cup member has a second opening. At least one of the first opening and the second opening is closed before actuation and is opened only when gas is generated from the gas generating component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: DAICEL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshihiro Izuma
  • Patent number: 10773683
    Abstract: A vehicle employing a method of detecting seatbelt status in a vehicle may include detecting occupants entering the vehicle and taking first seat images with a camera upon detecting the vehicle may begin travel imminently. The first seat images are analyzed to detect the occupants, with LEDs activated on seatbelt assemblies for seats with the occupants. Activation of the LEDs is changed for respective seats with the occupants upon detecting seatbelt engagement for the corresponding seat, and second seat images are taken upon detecting that the vehicle is shifted into gear. The first and second seat images are compared, and an alert is activated when the comparison of first and second seat images indicates improper seatbelt use for one of the seats with the occupants. Fault conditions may also be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mahmoud Ghannam, William J. Olsen
  • Patent number: 10773684
    Abstract: A vehicle is disclosed which includes a controller having at least one of a vehicle security module and a playback module. The vehicle security module may operate in a secure once mode of operation or in a secure all mode of operation. The playback module records ride information associated with the vehicle. The ride information may be provided to an external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Koenig, Joseph D. Tharaldson
  • Patent number: 10773685
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are provided for implementing 5G network-based information exchange across Internet of Things (IoT) enabled vehicular devices for amplified dynamic security. A 5G enabled amplified security manager is provided to implement enhanced amplified dynamic security for parked vehicles. The 5G enabled amplified security manager is provided with each enabled parked vehicle providing a 5G ad-hoc network. Information is dynamically collected and exchanged between the 5G enabled amplified security managers. When abnormal behavior is detected based on analysis of the collected data, the abnormal behavior information is sent on the 5G ad-hoc network triggering protective actions in co-ordination with all the devices in the network and provides security amplification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rizwan Dudekula, Gandhi Sivakumar, Kushal Patel, Sarvesh Patel
  • Patent number: 10773686
    Abstract: A vehicle card-type smart key that it includes a tact switch; and a touch input unit for sensing a touch from a user; and a control unit which performs an action related to the button input only when both a button input from said tact switch and a touch input from the touch input unit exist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: BokHee Lee, HyoungLack Jung
  • Patent number: 10773687
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic key system which comprises a vehicle-mounted device and a plurality of electronic keys, and is configured to have: a normal mode in which a given processing is permitted to be executed by the vehicle-mounted device when a given wireless communication processing between the vehicle-mounted device and any one of the plurality of electronic keys is successfully completed; and a deactivated mode in which the given processing is inhibited from being executed by the vehicle-mounted device. The vehicle-mounted device is configured not to execute, in the deactivated mode, the given processing even when receiving an RF signal after transmitting an LF signal, during the given wireless communication processing, and the one electronic key is configured not to transmit, in the deactivated mode, the RF signal even when receiving the LF signal, during the given wireless communication processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ohi, Yoshitaka Kimura, Shotaro Hirosue
  • Patent number: 10773688
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle deicing fluid comprising: at least one alkali metal salt, the weight percentage of all of the at least one alkali metal salt, in the fluid, being between 0.0001% and 50%, and at least water, the weight percentage of water in the fluid being between 0.0001% and 99.9999%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Valeo Systèmes d'Essuyage
    Inventors: Amélie Noel, Grégory Kolanowski, Denis Thebault
  • Patent number: 10773689
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wiper blade (10) for the cleaning of windows (1) of motor vehicles, with a carrier element (15) which has a first mounting (16) for the form-fitting fastening of a wiper rubber (11) and a second mounting (22) for fastening at least one spring rail (20) serving as a support element. According to the invention, provision is made that the second mounting (22) in the longitudinal direction of the carrier element (15) forms laterally two guides (23, 24) for the spring rail (20), which embrace the lateral edge regions of the spring rail (20) in a form-fitting manner, and that the region between the guides (23, 24), viewed over the longitudinal direction of the carrier element (15), is constructed at least partially, preferably completely, as an open central zone (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Valeo Systèmes d'Essuyage
    Inventors: Bruno Egner-Walter, Michael Schäuble
  • Patent number: 10773690
    Abstract: A computer having a processor and memory storing instructions executable by the processor that include: to determine whether a vehicle cabin is occupied; and based on the determination, to control actuation of a lamp, located on a bezel of a display, to impinge upon a screen having a light-sensitive coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Kenneth Dellock, Stuart C. Salter, David Brian Glickman, Annette Lynn Huebner, Venkatesh Krishnan
  • Patent number: 10773691
    Abstract: An automatic vehicle disinfection system for promoting biosecurity through application of a disinfectant to a vehicle transiting to and from an agricultural site or the like. The automatic vehicle disinfection system includes a pair of resilient drums, each drum including a riser tube having one or more disinfectant dispensing nozzles, and at least one of the drums further including a disinfectant reservoir, a resilient cross tube fluidly connecting the riser tubes and including a central spray unit having one or more disinfectant dispensing nozzles, a pressure pump configured to pump disinfectant from the disinfectant reservoir to the disinfectant dispensing nozzles, and a control assembly including a pressure pump activation trigger configured to activate the pressure pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Inventor: Jeffrey Allen Schutz
  • Patent number: 10773692
    Abstract: An air pressure maintenance apparatus and method uses one or more high-pressure gas storage tanks coupled to an inflation hose via a calibrated rigid measurement chamber and automated system of valves to permit rapid inflation of a tire or other inflatable device to an accurate target pressure accounting for temperature effects, and recording accurate pre- and post-inflation pressure for analysis of deflation over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Leonhard, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Anthony Lo Presti
  • Patent number: 10773693
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a zero position of a brake pedal of a brake system of a motor vehicle. A separating valve arranged at least between a main brake cylinder and the respective wheel brakes of the brake system is opened in order to reduce a volume of the brake fluid in a secondary circuit of the brake system. At least one separating valve is then closed again after the volume of the brake fluid of the secondary circuit has been reduced by the predetermined volume amount, and the brake pedal is moved to a new zero position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Tobias Brok
  • Patent number: 10773694
    Abstract: An anti-theft electronic parking brake actuator includes a key switch for activating and de-activating the parking brake, and preventing theft of a vehicle. The electronic parking brake actuator further includes a cell phone interface to both notify an owner when the parking brake is released. The electronic parking brake actuator may further include a GPS device monitoring vehicle location and notifying the owner if the vehicle is moved while the parking brake is actuated, and reporting vehicle location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: KTAG GROUP, INC.
    Inventor: Larry Goodman
  • Patent number: 10773695
    Abstract: An electronically pressure-controllable braking system and methods for controlling an electronically pressure-controllable braking system. Each wheel brake of the braking system is connected respectively to at least two brake circuits, pump units and valve devices of one brake circuit are operable respectively independently of the pump units and the valve devices of the respective other brake circuit. This provides a cost-effectively and compactly designed redundant braking system, which is suitable for use in autonomously, i.e., driverlessly drivable, motor vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Fanny Palomba, Horst Beling, Thomas Friedrich, Vaclav Kocourek
  • Patent number: 10773696
    Abstract: In the present invention, a brake device is equipped with: differential pressure control valves; pressure adjusting units which are connected to the differential pressure control valves through liquid passages; and a control device which controls the WC pressure Pwc in wheel cylinders by operating the differential pressure control valves and the pressure adjusting units. When predetermined suppression control permission conditions are satisfied while both the supply pumps of the pressure adjusting units and the differential pressure control valves are in operation, the control device performs self-excited vibration suppression control over the differential pressure control valves, the self-excited vibration suppression control being carried out in such a manner that a valve element separated from a valve seat is caused to abut on the valve seat, and, upon abutting on the valve seat, the valve element is separated from the valve seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Takeya, Kosuke Hashimoto, Shun Nohira
  • Patent number: 10773697
    Abstract: A pedal travel simulator for a hydraulic power vehicle braking system. For the purpose of adapting to different main brake cylinders and of changing a spring characteristic curve, a stop is provided to be pressed into a piston of the pedal travel simulator. A pressing-in depth of the stop delimits a piston stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Weh, Harald Guggenmos, Martin Hoss, Matthias Mayr, Simon Hansmann, Raynald Sprocq
  • Patent number: 10773698
    Abstract: A system includes a first brake actuator for controlling pressure applied to a first brake, a BCU configured to receive a first plurality of inputs and to output a first BCU control signal for controlling the first brake actuator based on the first plurality of inputs, and a first switch coupled between the first brake actuator and the BCU. The system also includes a backup controller designed to receive a second plurality of inputs, determine a first backup control signal for controlling the first brake actuator based on the second plurality of inputs, determine that the BCU is functioning improperly based on the second plurality of inputs, and control the first switch to prevent the first BCU control signal from controlling the first brake actuator and to output the first backup control signal to the first brake actuator in response to determining that the BCU is functioning improperly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: GOODRICH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Efrem E. Ayichew
  • Patent number: 10773699
    Abstract: A cylinder apparatus for a brake may include: a piston configured to reciprocate in a cylinder body; a rod coaxially coupled to the piston; a stopper disposed in the cylinder body with the rod penetrated and inserted into the stopper; and an elastic member disposed between the piston and the stopper and configured to elastically support the piston in a direction away from the stopper. The piston and the rod may be integrally formed by injection molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myeon Gyu Cha, Seong Hun Kim
  • Patent number: 10773700
    Abstract: The method relates to a method for boosting the braking force in an electromotor operated slip-controllable vehicle brake system having electromechanical brake boosting. The vehicle brake system includes a braking-intention detection device, an electromechanically actuatable brake booster, and an electronically actuatable brake-pressure control device. In the event of a malfunction of the brake booster, the boosting of the brake pressure is alternatively assumed by the brake-pressure control device. In the event of a malfunction of the brake boosting, it is checked whether a generation and a transmission of a trigger signal representing the actuation of the braking-intention detection device from the first electronic control device of the brake booster to a second electronic control device of the brake-pressure control device is possible, and if this is so, the trigger signal is transmitted via an existing communications link between the control devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Florian Haag, Martin Marquart
  • Patent number: 10773701
    Abstract: An electromechanical actuator for use in a hydraulic braking circuit of a vehicle comprises an electric motor having a stator and a rotor, and a linear actuator that is located within the motor. The linear actuator comprises an elongate shaft having a screw part at one end carrying an external thread that extends along a portion of the shaft, and a fixing part at the other end shaft, the linear actuator further comprising a drive nut that surrounds the screw part of the shaft and is located at least in a retracted position inside an enlarged bore of the first portion of the rotor body, the drive nut being connected to the screw part through a set of balls that engage the threads of the drive nut and screw part, and the fixing part of the shaft includes a tapering portion that engages a complimentary tapering portion of the bore in the second portion of the rotor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: ZF Automotive UK Limited
    Inventor: Nigel Peter Smith
  • Patent number: 10773702
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for determining brake wear of a vehicle. A brake wear estimation includes determining, for each of one or more time periods during which a vehicle brake is actuated, a speed of the vehicle at a start time of the respective time period and a speed change parameter indicative of a change of speed of the vehicle during the respective time period. The estimation additionally includes determining, for each of the one or more time periods, a respective brake wear parameter indicative of brake wear of one or more vehicle brakes during the respective time period based on the speed of the vehicle at the start time of the respective time period, the speed change parameter indicative of the change of speed of the vehicle during the respective time period, and the mass or weight of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventor: Anthony Ohazulike
  • Patent number: 10773703
    Abstract: An assembly for determining a measurement quantity for a braking force acting on a brake, including a carrier and a brake holder. The aim of the invention is for the assembly to enable precise and reproducible measurements of a measurement quantity characteristic of the braking force. This aim is achieved in that the brake holder is arranged in such a way that the brake holder can be elastically and laterally displaced with respect to the carrier, wherein the brake holder is fastened to the carrier by at least one elastic bending element, wherein a sensor device is provided for determining the displacement distance of the brake holder with respect to the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Peter Lohberg, Michael Zydek, Andreas Heise, Wolfgang Erler
  • Patent number: 10773704
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling operation of an engine of a vehicle to supply power to a power box that in turn supplies power to loads external to the vehicle. In one example, a method comprises, via a controller, detecting that the vehicle is in a condition of reduced air exchange, and in response to a request to operate the engine to supply power to the power box, alerting the vehicle operator of the condition and discontinuing engine operation if a response to the alert is not received within a threshold duration. In this way, engine control strategy may account for the condition of reduced air exchange when the vehicle operator has acknowledged that the engine is operating under such conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Gloabal Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Rollinger, Alexander O'Connor Gibson, Scott Thompson
  • Patent number: 10773705
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle that includes an engine including an intake valve and an exhaust valve includes an electric generator, a lock up clutch, and a valve timing controller. The valve timing controller is able to control valve timing of the intake valve or the exhaust valve, or both, to a low efficiency region and a high efficiency region. The valve timing controller controls the valve timing to the high efficiency region on the condition that the electric generator performs regenerative power-generation on decelerated travel of the vehicle. The valve timing controller controls the valve timing to the low efficiency region on the condition that the lock up clutch is switched from an engaged state to a disengaged state, with the valve timing having been controlled to the high efficiency region on the decelerated travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10773706
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a four-wheel drive vehicle includes a tire friction circle calculator that calculates the size of a tire friction circle of each wheel on the basis of vehicle information including a tire vertical load, a resultant force calculator that calculates the magnitude of a resultant force of tire lateral and longitudinal forces for each wheel, a tire-friction-force usage rate calculator that calculates a tire-friction-force usage rate of each wheel that is the ratio of the magnitude of the resultant force to the size of the tire friction circle, and a driving-braking force adjustment controller that adjusts driving force or braking force applied to each wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Nozu, Hiroshi Yoshimoto, Shuuji Kimura
  • Patent number: 10773707
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at the vehicle and having a field of view at least rearward of the vehicle, and may include at least one non-imaging sensor disposed at the vehicle so as to sense a region at least rearward of the vehicle. During a reversing maneuver of the vehicle along a pathway, the control, responsive to processing of image data captured by the camera, determines edges of the pathway. During the reversing maneuver of the vehicle along the narrow pathway, the control, responsive to processing of data sensed by the non-imaging sensor, determines distances to objects present at or near the determined pathway and rearward and sideward of the vehicle. The control, responsive to determination of the pathway and determination of objects present along the pathway, steers the vehicle along the pathway to reverse the vehicle along the pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Anthony N. Rinaldo
  • Patent number: 10773708
    Abstract: Methods and systems to operate a hybrid vehicle in a controlled lateral vehicle slip mode are described. The lateral vehicle slip mode may adjust torques applied to a vehicle's front wheels and operation of transmission clutches to induce lateral vehicle slip when requested. The vehicle may exit the lateral vehicle slip mode in response to applying vehicle brakes or releasing a vehicle accelerator pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Ray Ruybal, Jose Velazquez Alcantar, Jason Meyer, Joseph Jay Torres
  • Patent number: 10773709
    Abstract: A hybrid system includes a transmission control module, a power source, a transmission, and a drive train. The transmission control module partially operates the hybrid system and receives operating information from various components of the system, calculates power losses in the drive train, and calculates the driving torque needed to reach a target power profile determined from a driver's input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen T. West, Jeffrey K. Runde, John P. Kresse
  • Patent number: 10773710
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a vehicle that includes a manual transmission are presented. In one example, a controller enters and exits a vehicle drive mode that is included in a plurality of vehicle drive modes in response to a clutch pedal being applied or released by a human vehicle operator. The vehicle drive modes include series hybrid, parallel hybrid, and electric vehicle only mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin Ruybal
  • Patent number: 10773711
    Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle having an internal combustion engine and an electrical machine operable as a traction motor with a manual transmission arranged between the engine and the driving wheels and a clutch between the engine and the transmission generates an acoustic notification signal to indicate a gear shift that would result in either an excessive or insufficient engine speed. A different acoustic tone may be provided for a gear shift that would result in excessive engine speed than a gear shift that would result in insufficient engine speed. The acoustic notification signal may be a simulated engine noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Markus Espig, Matthew Allen Schneider, Tobias Emig, Julian David Pott, Markus Wilmes
  • Patent number: 10773712
    Abstract: An engine operation control method of a hybrid vehicle for minimizing non-driving fuel consumption upon stopping includes steps of receiving traffic information including signal information of a front traffic signal lamp, determining whether a proceeding-signal change condition is satisfied based on the received signal information upon stopping, setting any one of different engine operation conditions according to the result of determination, and comparing the set engine operation condition with a current vehicle state to determine whether an engine operates or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Joon Young Park
  • Patent number: 10773713
    Abstract: A computing device implemented method includes receiving one or more signals that represent an angular speed of a permanent magnet electric motor of a hybrid electric vehicle, the one or more signals being provided by an angular sensor connected to the electric motor, receiving a signal representing a voltage from the electric motor, the voltage being a direct axis voltage component of a three-phase motor model, determining if the angular speed is within a predetermined threshold, calculating an error angle representing a correction factor for an alignment of the electric motor based on a ratio of the voltage and the angular speed, storing the correction factor, and determining a binary indication of a status of error angle, and repeating the steps until the binary indication is positive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: XL Hybrids
    Inventors: Edward Lovelace, Neal Ennis Brenner
  • Patent number: 10773714
    Abstract: A parking control method includes acquiring an operation command from an operator outside a vehicle, detecting the position of an operation terminal, detecting the position of an obstacle, calculating a first area observable from the operator and a second area other than the first area and unobservable from the operator on the basis of the positional relationship between the position of the obstacle and the position of the operator, calculating a parking route and a control instruction for moving along the parking route such that a first proximity level of the vehicle to the obstacle in the first area is higher than a second proximity level of the vehicle to the obstacle in the second area, and parking the vehicle in accordance with the control instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Suzuki, Yasuhisa Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 10773715
    Abstract: First information including operation information is exchanged via a first communication path. Second information including presentation information regarding parking control is exchanged via a second communication path. The presentation information is presented on an operation terminal. When a first evaluation value of the first communication path is less than a first threshold, at least part of the first information is exchanged via one or more other communication paths. When a second evaluation value of the second communication path is less than a second threshold, at least part of the second information is exchanged via one or more other communication paths, and an information amount of the first information and/or the second information is reduced. A vehicle is parked in accordance with a control instruction for moving along a parking route. The control instruction is based on the operation information which is input to the external operation terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryota Yamanaka, Yasuhiro Suzuki, Yasuhisa Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 10773716
    Abstract: A vehicle driving control apparatus includes an object detection unit configured to detect an object located outside a vehicle; and at least one processor configured to provide a first control signal and a second control signal based on information regarding the object detected by the object detection unit. The at least one processor provides the first control signal and the second control signal by: based on the information regarding the object, providing the first control signal to cause one of an increase or a decrease in a speed of the vehicle during a first time period; and based on the information regarding the object and based on the first control signal provided during the first time period, providing the second control signal to cause the other of the increase or the decrease in the speed of the vehicle during a second time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Chuho Yi, Youngwoo Park
  • Patent number: 10773717
    Abstract: A method for assisting the operation of a host vehicle traveling on a roadway includes acquiring images around the host vehicle with at least one primary camera assembly having a first field of view. Visibility is detected within the first field of view. The at least one primary camera assembly is deactivated when the detected visibility is below a predetermined value. Images are acquired around the host vehicle with at least one secondary camera assembly having a second field of view until the detected visibility in the first field of view is at or above the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TRW AUTOMOTIVE U.S. LLC
    Inventors: Nicolas Guibert De Bruet, Patrick A. Smith
  • Patent number: 10773718
    Abstract: A tire mount sensor detects a road surface condition such as a type of a road surface and a road surface ?, and transmits road surface data indicating a detection result to a communication center. The communication center collects road surface data more precisely, and the vehicle receives the more precise road surface data from the communication center. Based on received more precise road surface data, the risk of the vehicle is determined. Thus, the road surface condition is detected using the tire mount sensor, so that the road surface condition is detected without braking. Accordingly, it is possible to detect the road surface condition with high frequency, so that the road surface condition is detected in wider area, and it is possible to perform the control more appropriately for avoiding the risk based on the road surface condition during a travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Mori, Hideyuki Ikemoto, Takatoshi Sekizawa
  • Patent number: 10773719
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining arrangement information for a vehicle (10). The arrangement information comprises a position of the vehicle (10) and an orientation of the vehicle (10) with respect to a stationary coordinate system. In the method, a local driving lane arrangement in the surroundings of the vehicle (10) is detected with sensors (14) of the vehicle (10). A first driving lane arrangement is determined with respect to the stationary coordinate system in dependence on the local driving lane arrangement and a previously determined arrangement information item for the vehicle. A second driving lane arrangement is determined with respect to the stationary coordinate system in dependence on predefined map material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Toni Heidenreich, Jens Spehr