Patents Issued in December 17, 2024
  • Patent number: 12168443
    Abstract: Described herein are electric vehicles comprising power distribution systems and methods of operating thereof. Specifically, a power distribution system is mechanically coupled to an electric motor, a road wheel, and an auxiliary unit. This system is configured to switch among multiple operating modes and selectively transfer mechanical power among the electric motor, wheel, and auxiliary unit. For example, the power distribution system is configured to transfer mechanical power between the electric motor and the road wheel, but not the auxiliary unit, when switched to a wheel operating mode. The power distribution system is configured to transfer mechanical power between the electric motor and the auxiliary unit, but not the road wheel, when switched to an auxiliary operating mode. The power distribution system is configured to transfer mechanical power between the electric motor, the auxiliary unit, and the road wheel when the system is switched to a combined operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: DIMAAG-AI, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Wright, David Kieke
  • Patent number: 12168444
    Abstract: A method for, during creep mode, performing gearshift in a vehicle powertrain comprising a combustion engine, a gearbox, and a clutch is provided. The method comprises, in response to a request for gearshift, disconnecting the combustion engine from the gearbox by opening the clutch. The method further comprises, when the combustion engine is disconnected from the gearbox, shifting the gearbox and controlling the speed of the combustion engine to a target speed. Said target speed constitutes a combustion engine speed corresponding a desired combustion engine torque for completing a torque ramp during closing of the clutch. The method further comprises connecting the combustion engine to the gearbox by closing the clutch. A control device configured to perform the method and a vehicle comprising the control device are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Scania CV AB
    Inventors: Jonas Udd, Anders Kjell, Sofie Wisén Svanström
  • Patent number: 12168445
    Abstract: A vehicle device may execute one or more neural networks (and/or other artificial intelligence), such as based on input from one or more of the cameras and/or other sensors associated with the dash cam, to intelligently detect safety events in real-time. The vehicle device may further pass the input to a backend server for further analysis and the backend server can detect safety events based on the input. The vehicle device may analyze the output of the vehicle device and the output of the backend server to determine whether the output of the vehicle device is correct. If the output of the vehicle device is incorrect, the vehicle device can adjust how the vehicle device identifies safety events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Samsara Inc.
    Inventors: Sharan Srinivasan, Brian Tuan, John Bicket, Jing Wang, Muhammad Ali Akhtar, Abner Ayala Acevedo, Bruce Kellerman, Vincent Shieh
  • Patent number: 12168446
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle (2) with a remotely controlled parking assistant (6), with the steps: (S100) Reading in status data (SD) indicative of a status (S1, S2, S3, S4), (S200) Determination of at least one state (Z1, Z2) by evaluating the status data (SD), (S300) Assigning the specific state (Z1, Z2) to a state class (K1, K2) of a plurality of state classes (K1, K2), and (S400) Outputting a control data record (AS1, AS2) that is assigned to the assigned state class (K1, K2) and/or (S600) outputting an information data record (IS1, IS2) that is assigned to the assigned state class (K1, K2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Gerlitz, Timothy C. Bettger, Nadja Wysietzki, Ahmed Benmimoun
  • Patent number: 12168447
    Abstract: A method for information processing, a device, and a computer readable storage medium are provided. The method includes the following. At an in-vehicle electronic device, in response to a determination that a received voice input is associated with switching a source device for switching a rendered content shown at the in-vehicle electronic device, voiceprint information of the voice input is obtained. A user identity corresponding to the voiceprint information is identified. A mapping table between user identities and connected electronic devices or connectable electronic devices is searched for a first electronic device corresponding to the identified user identity. In response to searching out the first electronic device, a first channel for transmission of rendered content between the in-vehicle electronic device and the first electronic device is established, so as to render a first presenting content which is received from the first electronic device through the first channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Shanghai Qwik Smart Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhenkai Ying, Hongren Shi, Ming Yu
  • Patent number: 12168448
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate switching between autonomous and manual driving modes. In order to do so, the vehicle's computer may conduct a series of environmental, system, and driver checks to identify certain conditions. The computer may correct some of these conditions and also provide a driver with a checklist of tasks for completion. Once the tasks have been completed and the conditions are changed, the computer may allow the driver to switch from the manual to the autonomous driving mode. The computer may also make a determination, under certain conditions, that it would be detrimental to the driver's safety or comfort to make a switch from the autonomous driving mode to the manual driving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Brian Douglas Cullinane, Philip Nemec, Manuel Christian Clement, Robertus Christianus Elisabeth Mariet, Lilli Ing-Marie Jonsson
  • Patent number: 12168449
    Abstract: The proposed invention relates to methods for controlling energy consumption by a motor vehicle, and can be used in transportation industry. The technical problem to be solved by the claimed invention is to provide a device and a system that do not possess the drawbacks of the prior art and thus make it possible to generate an accurate energy-efficient track for a motor vehicle that allows to reduce energy consumption by the motor vehicle on the specific portion of the route, as well as to reliably signal about energy consumption by the motor vehicle and the ways of reducing its energy consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Inventor: Boris Valerevich Pankov
  • Patent number: 12168450
    Abstract: A safety support device includes an object detection camera and a radar device, which serve as detectors, and a controller that controls a dual-purpose speaker and a dual-purpose speaker, which serve as three-dimensional sound outputters, and a monaural speaker that serves as a sound outputter, based on detection information of a monitoring camera that serves as a monitor. The controller selects, in accordance with the positions of the ears of a driver, which are detected by the monitoring camera, whether to cause the dual-purpose speaker and the dual-purpose speaker to output a three-dimensional sound or to cause the dual-purpose speaker, the dual-purpose speaker, and the monaural speaker to output a sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki Maruyama, Junichi Sakamoto, Yuichiro Shimura, Toru Ezaki
  • Patent number: 12168451
    Abstract: A computer hardware system includes a full self-driving (FSD) assistive system for assisting a user with a trip using a FSD autonomous vehicle and hardware processing configured to initiate the following executable operations. Based upon a first user input to a computing device associated with the user, a proposed route of the trip is received. A previously-stored user profile of the user and a context of the trip is retrieved. The vehicle is searched for based upon the user profile, the proposed route, and the context. The vehicle is configured using the user profile. External sensors are polled for road conditions along the route, and the road conditions are forwarded to the vehicle. An onboard analytics device of the vehicle uses the road conditions to change a driving mode of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Saraswathi Sailaja Perumalla, Gautam Zalpuri, Shanthan Chamala, Venkata Vara Prasad Karri, Sampath Kumar Pulupula Venkata
  • Patent number: 12168452
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for autonomous vehicle navigation. The systems and methods may map a lane mark, may map a directional arrow, selectively harvest road information based on data quality, map road segment free spaces, map traffic lights and determine traffic light relevancy, and map traffic lights and associated traffic light cycle times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: MOBILEYE VISION TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
    Inventors: Dori Shapira, Kfir Viente, Daniel Braunstein, Bnaya Caspi, Iddo Hanniel
  • Patent number: 12168453
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes an automatic driving control device that generates a target trajectory used for automatic driving, and a vehicle travel control device that executes vehicle travel control such that a vehicle follows the target trajectory. The vehicle travel control device determines whether an operating condition of travel support control for reducing a risk when the vehicle travels is satisfied based on driving environment information, acquired from a plurality of sensor devices, and executes the travel support control in a case where the operating condition is satisfied. The vehicle travel control device generates risk information based on the driving environment information, and transmits the risk information to the automatic driving control device before the operating condition is satisfied. The automatic driving control device generates or corrects the target trajectory based on the received risk information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuki Nemoto, Shin Tanaka, Satoshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 12168454
    Abstract: A method for predicting a future action of an object for a driving assistance system for a highly automated mobile vehicle. At least one sensor signal from at least one vehicle sensor of the vehicle is read in, the sensor signal representing at least one piece of kinematic object information concerning the object that is detected by the vehicle sensor at an instantaneous point in time. A planner signal from a planner of the autonomous driving assistance system is read in, the planner signal representing at least one piece of semantic information concerning the object or the surroundings of the object at a point in time in the past. The kinematic object information is fused with the semantic information to obtain a fusion signal. A prediction signal is determined using the fusion signal, the prediction signal representing the future action of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Evren Divrikli, Federico Ignacio Sanchez Pinzon
  • Patent number: 12168455
    Abstract: In the method for optimizing decision-making regulation and control, a first traveling sequence is obtained, where the first traveling sequence includes a first trajectory sequence of the vehicle in information about a first environment and first target driving behavior output by a behavior decision-making layer of a decision-making and control system based on the information about the first environment. A second traveling sequence is obtained, where the second traveling sequence includes a second trajectory sequence output by a motion planning layer of the decision-making and control system based on preset second target driving behavior and the second target driving behavior. The behavior decision-making layer is optimized based on a difference between the first traveling sequence and a preset traveling sequence, and the motion planning layer is optimized based on a difference between the second traveling sequence and the preset traveling sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bin Wang, Yuzheng Zhuang, Wulong Liu
  • Patent number: 12168456
    Abstract: This application is directed to aerial view generation for vehicle control. A vehicle obtains a forward-facing view of a road captured by a front-facing camera of a vehicle and applies a machine learning model to process the forward-facing view to predict determine a trajectory of the vehicle and a road layout based on a Frenet-Serret coordinate system of the road for the vehicle. The trajectory of the vehicle is combined with the road layout to predict an aerial view of the road, and the aerial view of the road is used to at least partially autonomously drive the vehicle. In some embodiments, the machine learning model is applied to process the forward-facing view to determine a first location of an obstacle vehicle in the Frenet-Serret coordinate system. The obstacle vehicle is placed on the aerial map based on the first location of the obstacle vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: PlusAI, Inc.
    Inventor: Mianwei Zhou
  • Patent number: 12168457
    Abstract: An autonomous driving apparatus and a method for generating a precise map using the autonomous driving apparatus are configured to vary an application ratio of interpolation to precise map data to be stored depending on an accident risk on a corresponding road and a distance from a host vehicle during driving so as to optimize the precise map data to be stored. The autonomous driving apparatus includes an accident risk classification unit configured to vary the application ratio of interpolation to data and whether or not to store data acquired by applying interpolation to the data depending on the accident risk on the corresponding road and the distance from the host vehicle during driving, and an autonomous driving controller configured to generate the precise map data depending on the accident risk classification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Jeong Hun Kim, Sung Won Yoon
  • Patent number: 12168458
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to vehicle maneuvering using predictive control with automated driving and contingency planning to preserve safety and increase comfort. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a controller, an operator command associated with a vehicle maneuver while automated driving is engaged. The method also includes adjusting a motion command associated with the vehicle maneuver by applying a predictive control according to motion estimates outputted from the automated driving and the operator command, the predictive control using motion constraints that are constant between time intervals for the vehicle maneuver. The method also includes controlling, by the controller, a vehicle using the motion command for a time step during the time intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Katherine Steele Schweidel, Miroslav Baric, Sarah Koehler, Vishnu R. Desaraju, Matthew Brown, Timothee Jean William Cazenave
  • Patent number: 12168459
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle path control apparatus including a memory provided to store danger driving vehicle data, a communication device provided to receive road information from an external server, and a processor configured to identify a danger driving vehicle driving on a road based on the road information and the danger driving vehicle data, select an unmanned vehicle driving within a preset distance from the danger driving vehicle based on the road information, generate a driving path of the unmanned vehicle for obstructing a course of the danger driving vehicle based on an expected path of the danger driving vehicle, and control the communication device to transmit information on the driving path to the unmanned vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Kyeong Eun Kim
  • Patent number: 12168460
    Abstract: Proposed is a shared vehicle service providing method based on a shared vehicle management server communicating with a shared vehicle and a user device. Also proposed is a shared vehicle service providing method for managing an article of a shared vehicle user on the basis of a shared vehicle management server. For example, proposed is a shared vehicle service providing method in which a shared vehicle management server manages dispatch of a shared vehicle and an article of a user on the basis of data acquired from the shared vehicle and a user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: SOS LAB Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Hwan Jang, Hyo Jung Jang
  • Patent number: 12168461
    Abstract: Systems and methods for predicting a trajectory of a moving object are disclosed herein. One embodiment downloads, to a robot, a probabilistic hybrid discrete-continuous automaton (PHA) model learned as a deep neural network; uses the deep neural network to infer a sequence of high-level discrete modes and a set of associated low-level samples, wherein the high-level discrete modes correspond to candidate maneuvers for the moving object and the low-level samples are candidate trajectories; uses the sequence of high-level discrete modes and the set of associated low-level samples, via a learned proposal distribution in the deep neural network, to adaptively sample the sequence of high-level discrete modes to produce a reduced set of low-level samples; applies a sample selection technique to the reduced set of low-level samples to select a predicted trajectory for the moving object; and controls operation of the robot based, at least in part, on the predicted trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignees: Toyota Research Institute, Inc., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Xin Huang, Igor Gilitschenski, Guy Rosman, Stephen G. McGill, Jr., John Joseph Leonard, Ashkan Mohammadzadeh Jasour, Brian C. Williams
  • Patent number: 12168462
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle includes sensor subsystem(s) that output a sensor signal. A perception subsystem (i) detects an agent in a vicinity of the autonomous vehicle and (ii) generates a motion signal that describes at least one of a past motion or a present motion of the agent. An intention prediction subsystem processes the sensor signal to generate an intention signal that describes at least one intended action of the agent. A behavior prediction subsystem processes the motion signal and the intention signal to generate a behavior prediction signal that describes at least one predicted behavior of the agent. A planner subsystem processes the behavior prediction signal to plan a driving decision for the autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: Khaled Refaat
  • Patent number: 12168463
    Abstract: A driving assistance device reflects, in autonomous driving control on a vehicle, a driving characteristic of a driver who drives the vehicle learned during manual driving of the vehicle. The driving assistance device includes a storage that stores information on an individual risk potential set for the vehicle by learning a risk sensed by the driver for each of one or more obstacles during the manual driving, a vehicle risk calculator that sets, for the vehicle, a vehicle risk map that reflects the individual risk potential of an occupant of the vehicle during autonomous driving of the vehicle, and a driving condition setter that sets a driving condition for the autonomous driving of the vehicle based on information on the vehicle risk map and information on an obstacle risk map that reflects an obstacle risk potential set for the each of the one or more obstacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ikuo Goto, Daiki Shiwa
  • Patent number: 12168464
    Abstract: A method for managing autonomous operation of a vehicle includes detecting, while the vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode, an assistance condition that triggers activation of an assistance component of a set of assistance components associated with a driver assistance system. The method also includes determining whether the operation of the vehicle in the autonomous mode satisfies a safety condition associated with the assistance component. The method further includes adjusting an activation signal that triggers the activation of the assistance component based on determining the operation of the vehicle in the autonomous mode satisfies the safety condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Yiting Liu, Hirofumi Yamamoto, Chen Bao, Thomas Johnston, Kazunori Nimura
  • Patent number: 12168465
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gearbox for rail vehicle, a bogie for rail vehicle and a rail vehicle. The gearbox for rail vehicle includes a primary gearbox (1) configured to connect with a traction motor, and a secondary gearbox (2) arranged on both sides of the primary gearbox (1) along a longitudinal direction of the rail vehicle, wherein a framework bearing beam is formed by connecting the primary gearbox (1) and the secondary gearbox (2), the primary gearbox (1) is configured to transmit power from the traction motor to the secondary gearbox (2), and the secondary gearbox (2) are configured to transmit power from the primary gearbox (1) to wheelsets of the rail vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: CRRC QINGDAO SIFANG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shuliang Song, Zhen Chang, Yuejun Zhang, Jinming Zhou, Tianyi Li
  • Patent number: 12168466
    Abstract: Open top gondola railcars and closure assemblies for cleanout openings of those railcars are disclosed. In some embodiments, the closure assembly includes a closure member sized to be received in a cleanout opening and to span a substantial portion of the cleanout opening to define at least one gap between a closure perimeter and a floor perimeter. The closure assembly additionally includes a sealing member fixedly attached to, or formed with, the closure member. The sealing member spans between the floor perimeter and the closure perimeter to cover the at least one gap. The closure assembly further includes a tethering member having opposed first and second end portions. The first end portion is fixedly attached to the closure member and the second end portion is attached to one of the floor or a cross bearer of the open top gondola railcar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Gunderson LLC
    Inventors: Michael Gillis, Gregory J. Saxton
  • Patent number: 12168467
    Abstract: A method for energy-optimized operation of a rail vehicle fleet. The fleet includes n rail vehicles, each with a state-influencing system for influencing a vehicle state to generate and/or consume electrical energy and a computer unit trained by machine learning. For every i of 1 to n during operation of the rail vehicle fleet an action to be applied to the state-influencing system of the i-th rail vehicle is selected by the computer unit of the i-th rail vehicle while taking into account at least one target criterion for the i-th rail vehicle and according to vehicle, location, and/or route-related status parameters. The action, when applied to the state-influencing system of the i-th rail vehicle, contributes to the optimization of an electrical total energy balance of the state-influencing systems of the rail vehicle fleet, and the selected action is applied to the state-influencing system of the i-th rail vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Mobility GmbH
    Inventors: Helge Aufderheide, Udhayaraj Sivalingam
  • Patent number: 12168468
    Abstract: A microphone assembly including an outer housing, an inner housing, a printed circuit board (PCB) and a cord. The outer housing includes an outer surface, an inner surface opposite the outer surface and defining an opening there through, and a plurality of attachment structures protruding from the inner surface thereof. The inner housing includes an outer surface, an opening, and a plurality of attachment structures protruding from the outer surface thereof. The PCB includes at least one micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) microphone including an acoustic port. The PCB is coupled to the inner housing such that the acoustic port of the at least one MEMS microphone is positioned within the opening. The cord interconnects the attachment structures of the outer and inner housings, respectively, together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: VOESTALPINE SIGNALING USA INC.
    Inventors: James R. Bilodeau, John D. Ritchey, Eric C. Sprengle, Jody Lutz
  • Patent number: 12168469
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a spindle for a recreational vehicle, such as a snowmobile, an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), or a side-by-side vehicle. The spindle includes a spine, optionally a front fin that extends from a front surface of the spine, and optionally a rear fin that extends from a back surface of the spine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Arctic Cat Inc.
    Inventors: Marcus Charles Moldaschel, Benjamin Taylor Langaas, Nathan Lee Blomker, Steven Janzow, Guy L. Sibilleau
  • Patent number: 12168470
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an adjustable steering column for a motor vehicle, comprising a support unit by which a positioning unit is adjustably held, and an adjustment device which is designed to adjust the positioning unit relative to the support unit. Associated with the steering column is a control unit which is designed to receive a signal, to evaluate the signal in terms of a predefined release condition, and to produce a release state of the steering column when the signal meets the release condition, and to produce a locked state of the steering column when the signal does not meet the release condition. Adjustment of the positioning unit is thus enabled exclusively in the release state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignees: thyssenkrupp Presta AG, thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventors: Christian Pichonnat, Andreas Willi
  • Patent number: 12168471
    Abstract: The steering device includes a steering shaft, a steering column, a bracket, and a fastening mechanism. The steering column includes a lower column and an upper column. The upper column includes a clamp, a cylindrical part, a pair of protrusions, and a reinforcement rib that extends across an outer peripheral surface of the clamp and an outer surface of one of the protrusions. The clamp includes a continuous clamp positioned near the cylindrical part and a spaced clamp spaced apart from the cylindrical part. The protrusions include a continuous protrusion that protrudes from the continuous clamp, and a spaced protrusion that protrudes from the spaced clamp. The reinforcement rib linearly extends from the spaced protrusion toward the continuous clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Ikuta, Yoshiyuki Sato, Suguru Sugishita, Hirotaka Shimizu
  • Patent number: 12168472
    Abstract: A steering device includes: an upper column having a cylindrical shape that is disposed on a radially outer side of a steering shaft; a lower column having a cylindrical shape that is fitted to the upper column and is capable of relatively moving in an axial direction with respect to the upper column; an attachment portion that is attached to the upper column and provided with a column long hole; a column bracket that includes a side plate portion located on a side of the upper column and is attached to a vehicle body; a liner slot that is inserted into the column long hole of the attachment portion and restricts an axial movement; and a pin that extends along a vehicle width direction and penetrates through the side plate portion and the liner slot, in which the liner slot is provided with a through-hole through which the pin penetrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Tomonori Morishima, Tasuku Oishi, Jotaro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 12168473
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a control system for controlling generation of a steering wheel overlay signal to control a trajectory of a host vehicle. The control system includes one or more controllers. The control system is configured to determine a principal axis of a lane of travel. A target trajectory is determined for the host vehicle in dependence on the determined principal axis. The steering wheel overlay signal is generated, including an intra-lane steering signal for aligning the trajectory of the host vehicle with the target trajectory. The intra-lane steering signal is removed when the trajectory is at least substantially aligned with the target trajectory. The present disclosure also relates to a vehicle; and a method of controlling generation of a steering wheel overlay signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Robyn Caldwell, Gareth Davies, Denis Fusconi, Kieron Stanger
  • Patent number: 12168474
    Abstract: A working vehicle includes an inertia detector to measure inertia information of a vehicle body, a rear axle supporting a rear wheel, and a transmission case rotatably supporting the rear wheel. The inertia detector overlaps with at least a portion of the transmission case in a plan view and is capable of accurately measuring inertia information when a vehicle body changes attitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kumiko Kobayashi, Kunihiko Nishino, Yasuaki Morioka, Shunsuke Miyashita, Yuki Kubota, Misako Kawai, Shigeo Shoen
  • Patent number: 12168475
    Abstract: A vehicle platform with a variety of impact safety features including front and rear impact features as well as side impact features designed to protect the passenger compartment as well as the battery compartment and vehicle chassis components. Some features may include crumple zone components, deflectors and modular energy absorption units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Canoo Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Alexi Charbonneau, Naesung Lyu, Mahesh Chinchani, Salman Khan, Yufeng Long, Morteza Kiani, Daniel McCarron, William Rohr, Aniruddha Ranade
  • Patent number: 12168476
    Abstract: A pillar for a vehicle including at least two different localized areas of different tensile strengths. The pillar includes a body defining a width that merges into sidewalls at a transition. The body having a first tensile strength and the transition has a second tensile strength, wherein the first tensile strength is smaller than the second tensile strength. The variety in tensile strength resulting from at least one of varying the material treatment and varying the gauge. The pillar is press-hardened until it reaches a tensile strength of 1500 MPa to 2000 Mpa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: MAGNA INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Nikhil Bolar, Arun Prasath Pandiyan, Sri Sai Karan Mummoju, Girish Pallathadka, Gabriel Cordoba, Edward Schleichert
  • Patent number: 12168477
    Abstract: A press-formed product is manufactured by press-forming a blank material into an intermediate shape, and further press-forming the blank material from the intermediate shape into the press-formed product having a target shape. A product portion of the target shape includes a first ridge line portion and a second ridge line portion each having a radius of curvature of 20 mm or smaller and a bending angle of 130 degrees or larger. The product portion of the intermediate shape has a curved shape having a radius of curvature of 100 mm or larger or a linear shape in a specific cross section. A height of an excess thickness portion of the intermediate shape is higher than 10 mm with respect to a peripheral portion and lower than a height of the excess thickness portion of the target shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takufumi Kobayashi, Yujiro Mitsui, Yu Fukazawa, Shosuke Sakata, Toshiyuki Kumazawa, Ryusuke Iwata
  • Patent number: 12168478
    Abstract: A vehicle body structure includes a system of connected unitized body structure components, with at least one of the system of connected unitized body structure components including a hollow portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Robert N. Saje, Edward D. Moss, Warren J. Parsons
  • Patent number: 12168479
    Abstract: A vehicle panel includes an outer panel layer formed from a first material. The outer panel layer includes a first side, a second side, and a peripheral edge. A second panel joining surface is arranged inwardly of the peripheral edge. An inner panel layer formed from a second material that is distinct from the first material is arranged across the second side. The second panel includes a first side portion, a second side portion, and a peripheral edge portion. A panel bonding layer is joined to the peripheral edge portion. The panel bonding layer is formed from a third material that is distinct from the second material. A bonding material is disposed between the second panel joining surface and the panel bonding layer creating a chemical bond between the panel bonding layer and the second panel joining surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Zachariah Smith, Venkateshwar R. Aitharaju, James K. Schoenow
  • Patent number: 12168480
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a kit assembly for a truck body including a plurality of composite panels that may be shipped from a manufacturer to a customer for subsequent assembly of the truck body. The composite panels of the kit assembly may be flat, rigid, and lightweight to facilitate shipment. The composite panels of the kit assembly may also include embedded anchors and/or adhered connectors to facilitate alignment and subsequent assembly of the cargo body using common mechanical fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Wabash National, L.P.
    Inventors: Scott Storz, Travis Smith McCloud, Bryan Yielding, Timothy Frederick Marling
  • Patent number: 12168481
    Abstract: A cab system for a work machine includes an operator cab and a platform. The platform is arranged adjacent to the operator cab. The platform includes support members arranged one after the other in a linear array. Each support member is inclined with respect to a thickness direction of the platform to deflect a material spray coming off from one or more of the traction devices of the work machine during a movement of the one or more traction devices. Also, each support member defines a clearance with respect to an adjacent support member to allow see-through visibility through the platform from a portion associated with the operator cab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Karl Welby Scherer
  • Patent number: 12168482
    Abstract: A steering column for a motor vehicle comprising a steering shaft that is mounted rotatably in a steering shaft bearing unit and a rotation limitation device that is configured to limit rotation of the steering shaft. The rotation limitation device may have a slotted guide carrier that is fastened to one end of the steering shaft and a spiral slotted guide track. A sliding block may be guided movably in the slotted guide track. The sliding block may be fastened to a lever that is held tiltably on the steering shaft bearing unit and that has a counterstop that can be brought into operative engagement with a stop component that is fastened to the steering shaft, for limiting rotation of the steering shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignees: thyssenkrupp Presta AG, thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventors: Robert Galehr, Gerald Reiter
  • Patent number: 12168483
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes a turning shaft movable in a vehicle widthwise direction, a pinion shaft meshed with the turning shaft and a first housing that retains therein the turning shaft and the pinion shaft. An inner circumferential surface of the first housing facing with the turning shaft is provided with an inclined portion that continuously changes an internal diameter. When a portion where a tooth of the turning shaft and a tooth of the pinion shaft are meshed with each other is defined as a meshed portion, the inclined portion is formed below at least the meshed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Enomoto, Hiroaki Mori, Hiroshi Fujita
  • Patent number: 12168484
    Abstract: A railborne driver assistance device for supporting or automating the lateral control of a vehicle includes a first processing unit configured to control a steering torque intervention by establishing a steering angle with a stationary control accuracy of an electrically supported steering system. A second processing unit is configured to adjust the stationary control accuracy of the steering angle via the output of an accuracy request signal to the first processing unit in such a way that there is a scaling of the control accuracy between a lower and an upper threshold value. The second processing unit includes a control unit having an integrator with an input and an output, wherein the output of the integrator is connected to the input in a closed-loop manner with a weighting dependent on the accuracy request signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Feick, Philipp Keßler, Michael Simon
  • Patent number: 12168485
    Abstract: In a steering control device configured to control a steering system where a steering torque required for steering a steering wheel is changed using a motor torque, a processing circuit includes a first calculation situation where a calculational hysteresis component for adding a first hysteresis characteristic to a torque component is calculated and a second calculation situation where the calculational hysteresis component for adding a second hysteresis characteristic to the torque component is calculated. In the second calculation situation after change from the first calculation situation, the processing circuit calculates a value corresponding to an origin in the second hysteresis characteristic at a time when the calculational hysteresis component enabling a value of the calculational hysteresis component at a timing of the change from the first calculation situation to be maintained is calculated, and calculates the calculational hysteresis component using the calculated value as the origin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Yoshida, Isao Namikawa, Terutaka Tamaizumi, Kosuke Akatsuka, Yoshio Kudo
  • Patent number: 12168486
    Abstract: A steering holding determination device configured to determine whether a driver holds a steering member, the steering holding determination device including: a predicted value calculation unit configured to calculate a predicted value of at least one of one or more state quantities related to steering of the steering member and one or more state quantities related to turning of a wheel; and a steering holding determination unit configured to determine whether the driver holds the steering member with reference to the predicted value calculated by the predicted value calculation unit and a variance of the predicted value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Fujimoto, Tatsuru Niihara, Yoshinori Kohno, Hiroki Sato, Shigeharu Shibahata, Daisuke Tsuga
  • Patent number: 12168487
    Abstract: A propulsion arrangement for a self-powered dolly vehicle unit, the propulsion arrangement comprising a first electric machine, a second electric machine, a gearbox, and an open differential for driving first and second wheels of a driven axle, wherein the first and second electric machines are arranged in parallel and connected to the open differential via the gearbox at respective gear ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jesper Blomstrand, Leo Laine
  • Patent number: 12168488
    Abstract: A steering holding determination device configured to determine whether a driver holds a steering member, the steering holding determination device including: a predicted value calculation unit configured to sequentially calculate a predicted value of a state quantity with reference to a steering torque and an actual measured value of the state quantity, the state quantity being related to a turning angle of a wheel; and a steering holding determination unit configured to determine whether the driver holds the steering member with reference to the predicted value calculated by the predicted value calculation unit and an actual measured value corresponding to the predicted value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Fujimoto, Tatsuru Niihara, Yoshinori Kohno, Hiroki Sato, Shigeharu Shibahata, Daisuke Tsuga
  • Patent number: 12168489
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electric vehicle platform according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electric vehicle platform includes two side frames extending from front wheels to rear wheels of a vehicle, a plurality of support frames connecting the side frames, a driving motor disposed between two front wheels or between two rear wheels, a battery configured to supply power to the driving motor, a controller configured to control the driving motor and the battery, and a cover assembly connected to the side frames and the support frames so as to cover the driving motor, the battery, and the controller. Here, the cover assembly is divided into a first area defined above the front wheels, a second area defined between the front wheels and the rear wheels, a third area covering the battery and the controller, and a fourth area defined above the rear wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: DRIVETECH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yun Yong Choi
  • Patent number: 12168490
    Abstract: Provided is a wheel assembly including a housing having a top side, an attachment arrangement on the top side of the housing and configured to be removably attached to an external support, a wheel supported by the housing and arranged below the top side of the housing, a motor supported by the housing and configured to move the wheel, a network interface supported by the housing, and a controller in communication with the motor and the network interface, the controller configured to control the motor based on at least one command received via the network interface. A modular vehicle system is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Farm-ng Inc.
    Inventors: Ethan Rublee, Matthew Bitterman
  • Patent number: 12168491
    Abstract: A cylindrical part of a rack retainer accommodation part and an adjust screw are caulked such that a plastic deformation region by caulking straddles both a female screw part of the cylindrical part and a male screw part of the adjust screw, and the adjust screw is loosened to a point where a set load that is a force by which the rack retainer urges a rack bar falls within a predetermined range. After the set load adjusting step, the caulking step is not performed again, and fluctuations in the set load associated with the impact of caulking work after the set load adjusting step can be suppressed. Thus, it is possible to suppress fluctuations in the urging force of the rack retainer applied to the rack bar caused by caulking work which stops the rotation between the rack retainer accommodation part and the adjust screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Qixiang Wang, Osamu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 12168492
    Abstract: A vehicle corner module (VCM) is provided for regulating motion of a host vehicle which comprises a vehicle-on-board vehicle-controller. The VCM comprises a sub-frame mountable to a reference frame of the host vehicle; a wheel-hub assembly comprising a wheel-hub; VCM-sub-systems mediating between the sub-frame and the wheel-hub assembly, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: REE AUTOMOTIVE LTD
    Inventors: Ahishay Sardes, Tomer Segev, Ran Dekel, Shmuel Chioclea, Neta Doron