With Means Responsive To Speed Of Vehicle For Maintaining Speed At, Or Preventing It From Exceeding, A Particular Value Patents (Class 180/170)
  • Patent number: 10358137
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: a requested torque acquisition module that acquires a requested torque requested to a motor that drives a wheel; a control subject designation module that designates one of a wheel speed and a motor rotation speed as a control subject on the basis of the requested torque; and a control module that performs feedback control in a manner that the control subject designated by the control subject designation module becomes equal to a target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ienaga
  • Patent number: 10328936
    Abstract: A speed control system configured automatically to cause a vehicle to operate in accordance with a first target speed value stored by the system at least in part by controlling an amount of drive torque applied to one or more wheels by a powertrain. The system is configured to receive a driver drive demand signal indicative of an amount of driver demanded drive torque to be applied to one or more wheels, and is configured to cause the vehicle to operate in accordance with a second target speed value greater than the first in dependence at least in part on the driver drive demand signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: James Kelly, Andrew Fairgrieve, Paul Beever
  • Patent number: 10272917
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes a processor programmed to establish communication between a first vehicle and a second vehicle, identify one of the vehicles as a towing vehicle and the other as a towed vehicle, and limit operation of the towing vehicle according to constraints associated with the towed vehicle. In some implementations, the vehicle system detects that the towing vehicle is flat-towing the towed vehicle and that the towed vehicle is not operating in a neutral tow mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Eric David Bramson, Ray C. Siciak
  • Patent number: 10259323
    Abstract: A vehicle having an electronic, automatic transmission incorporates a safety stop system. A position sensor or sensors are mounted onto the vehicle and are in communication with an electric controller. The electric controller in turn is operatively connected to the actuation solenoids in the hydraulic transmission. When a safety violation occurance is detected, then the electric controller either slows the speed of the vehicle or stops the vehicle through the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Powertrain Control Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Charles R. Turner
  • Patent number: 10259438
    Abstract: A brake control device capable of suppressing a sense of discomfort felt by a driver. The brake control device (31) includes a braking command addition part (34A) for adding an automatic-brake braking command value (B) output from an automatic-brake braking command calculation part (32) and a pedal operation braking command value (A) output from a pedal operation braking command calculation part (34B). The pedal operation braking command calculation part includes a pedal operation braking command selection part (34B1), a normal brake characteristic part (34B2) for holding a normal brake characteristic, and an automatic brake characteristic part (34B3) for holding an automatic brake characteristic. The pedal operation braking command selection part selects a braking command value output from the automatic brake characteristic part when the automatic-brake braking command value is more than 0, and outputs the selection result to the braking command addition part as the pedal operation braking command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Goto, Norikazu Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 10207699
    Abstract: A vehicle propulsion system includes a combustion engine configured to output a propulsion torque to satisfy a propulsion demand, and a traction electric machine to generate a supplemental torque to selectively supplement the propulsion torque. The propulsion system also includes a controller programmed to forecast an acceleration demand based on at least one estimation model. The controller is also programmed to issue a command indicative of a required axle torque corresponding to the acceleration demand. The controller is further programmed to engage at least one fuel conservation action in response to the required axle torque being within a first predetermined torque threshold range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Inventors: Chandra S. Namuduri, Venkata Prasad Atluri, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Jin-Woo Lee, Kevin J. Robinet, Sai Rajagopalan, Chen-fang Chang, Michael Livshiz, Patrick J. O'leary
  • Patent number: 10179589
    Abstract: Disclosed is an exemplary method for optimizing vehicle performance. The method includes determining an optimized drive torque for maximizing vehicle fuel economy and detecting a driver requested drive torque. A determination is made on whether the driver requested drive torque is performance related or safety related. The arbitrated drive torque is set to the optimized drive torque when it is determined that the driver requested drive torque is not performance and safety related. The arbitrated drive torque is set to the driver requested drive torque when it is determined that the driver requested drive torque is either performance or safety related.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Zhijun Tang, Michael P. Nowak, Benjamin Saltsman, Dnyaneshwar Ambhore, Benjamin Morris, Vasilios Tsourapas, Chinmaya Patil, Hassan Al-Atat
  • Patent number: 10144423
    Abstract: This brake ECU executes vehicle downhill control for adjusting the braking force to be applied to a vehicle by actuating a brake actuator such that the vehicle body speed does not exceed a target speed. Also, in cases where the accelerator pedal is being operated in a state where the vehicle downhill control is being executed, the brake ECU changes the target speed such that, the longer the operation duration which is the duration for which the accelerator is operated, the higher the target speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Nakagawa, Yasuhito Ishida
  • Patent number: 10134282
    Abstract: A tracking control apparatus for tracking a preceding vehicle includes information acquiring unit for acquiring information about surrounding the own vehicle, preceding vehicle determining unit for determining the preceding vehicle running ahead of the own vehicle, control unit controls the tracking control to be maintained or released, and turn signal determining unit for determining whether or not a turn signal of a turn signal unit of the preceding vehicle is active. The control unit maintains or releases the tracking control by determining the surrounding of the own vehicle concerning a traffic lane change by the preceding vehicle based on the information acquired by the information acquiring unit, when the turn signal determining unit determines that the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiko Tsuruta, Motonori Tominaga, Yusuke Ueda, Takeshi Hatoh
  • Patent number: 10112528
    Abstract: A vehicle may have vehicle controls that are used in steering, braking, and accelerating the vehicle. The vehicle may have sensors that gather information on vehicle speed, orientation, and position. The sensors may also gather information on relative speed between the vehicle and a following vehicle, information on risks of a collision between a vehicle and an external object, and other vehicle status information and vehicle operating environment information. Control circuitry may use light-based devices to display braking information, information on vehicle speed, the relative speed between a vehicle and a following vehicle, autonomous driving mode status information, custom brake light information or other user-selected information, or other information on vehicle status and the operating environment of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Clarisse Mazuir, Arthur Y. Zhang, Albert J. Golko, Bivin J. Varghese, Christopher P. Child, Collin J. Palmer, Daniel E. Potter, Thaddeus Stefanov-Wagner
  • Patent number: 10093309
    Abstract: An arrangement and method for optimizing load position in relation to a plurality of transportation vehicles comprising at least one master vehicle and at least one slave vehicle, the arrangement comprising a platform arranged to the at least one slave vehicle for receiving a load; an actuating device of the at least one slave vehicle for moving the platform in relation to the at least one slave vehicle; a sensing device configured to generate a vehicle sensing signal and/or a non-vehicle sensing signal; an a controlling device of the at least one master vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Rakkatec Oy
    Inventor: Jarkko Valtanen
  • Patent number: 10071735
    Abstract: A system and method for implementing an airspeed adaptive cruise control system on ground vehicles that automatically slows vehicle groundspeed during headwinds and increases groundspeed during tailwinds. This behavior acts to reduce the energy cost associated with headwinds and capture the energy benefit obtained with tailwinds. In the method, multiple operating modes are presented that can be user selected to optimize on minimum energy consumption, fastest average speed while still harvesting energy from tailwinds, and a balance in between the two methods. The system utilizes multiple sensors, such as airspeed, groundspeed, and vehicle proximity detectors to provide reliable system functionality in a wide range of operating conditions. In some implementations, a combined speedometer with groundspeed and airspeed indicator dials is used to quickly communicate the condition and magnitude of headwinds or tailwinds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Inventor: Matthew Gage Merzig
  • Patent number: 10062287
    Abstract: A system and method for navigating a vehicle through a mining environment to a target destination is presented. The system and method may be utilized to avoid contention in the mining environment. A route through the mining environment to the target destination for the vehicle is identified and a first speed profile for at least a portion of the route is determined. A potential contention condition associated with the route is identified and the potential contention condition along the route is used to determine a second speed profile for at least a portion of the route. An optimized speed profile is determined using the first speed profile and the second speed profile, and at least a portion of the optimized speed profile is communicated to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Modular Mining Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William Casson, Lucas Van Latum, Michael Lewis
  • Patent number: 10059369
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus that has a torque sensor which detects a steering torque, and a motor control apparatus to control the motor which applies an assist torque, by which steering is assisted, to a steering system of a vehicle, including: a function that switches a control system of the motor between an angle control system to control an angle corresponding to an angle control command value of an automatic steering mode and a torque control system to control a torque corresponding to a torque control command value of a manual steering mode in accordance with a predetermined switching trigger, wherein the steering apparatus variably sets a gradual-changing time corresponding to a command value difference between the angle control command value and the torque control command value when switching from the angle control system to the torque control system by using a gradual-changing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Sakae Nejo, Tomonori Sato
  • Patent number: 10054940
    Abstract: A method is provided for assisting a driver of a vehicle. The method may include performing a lateral control of the vehicle in an autonomous mode, determining information about a surroundings of the vehicle, checking whether a longitudinal control of the vehicle performed by the driver is appropriate considering the determined information about the surroundings, and, if appropriate, continuing an autonomous mode of the lateral control of the vehicle. A driver assist system is also provided for performing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Stefan Solyom, Marcus Nils Gunnar Rothoff
  • Patent number: 10046694
    Abstract: A communication system for a vehicle comprises a receiver to receive a signal corresponding to a traveling speed of a lead vehicle, a response device that generates an alert to warn of a change in the traveling speed of the lead vehicle, and a control device coupled to the receiver and the response device, wherein the receiver sends a signal to the control device corresponding to the traveling speed of the lead vehicle and the control device operates the response device in a manner dependent on the traveling speed of the lead vehicle. In some embodiments, the signal comprises one or more of infrared, radio frequency, wireless, WiFi, and Bluetooth®. In some embodiments, the communication system further comprises a speed control system coupled to the control device, wherein the control device operates the speed control system in a manner dependent on the traveling speed of the lead vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Vision Works IP Corporation
    Inventors: Alfred S. Braunberger, Beau M. Braunberger
  • Patent number: 10042365
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for enabling vehicles to closely follow one another through partial automation. Following closely behind another vehicle an have significant fuel savings benefits, but is unsafe when done manually by the driver. By directly commanding the engine torque and braking of the following vehicle while controlling the gap between vehicles using a sensor system, and additionally using a communication link between vehicles that allows information about vehicle actions, such as braking events, to be anticipated by the following vehicle, a Semi-Autonomous Vehicular Convoying System that enables vehicles to follow closely together in a safe, efficient and convenient manner may be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Peloton Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua P. Switkes, Joseph Christian Gerdes
  • Patent number: 10030597
    Abstract: A vehicle speed limit apparatus includes a processor configured to calculate a demand value, calculate a pre-correction upper limit value based on a limit acceleration, correct the pre-correction upper limit value based on a first accumulated value to calculate a first upper limit value, correct the pre-correction upper limit value based on a maximum drive force of a drive force generation apparatus and the current acceleration to calculate a second upper limit value, select the smaller of the demand value and the second upper limit value when the first upper limit value exceeds a predetermined threshold corresponding to the maximum drive force, and select the smaller of the demand value and the first upper limit value when the first upper limit value does not exceed the predetermined threshold, and control the drive force generation apparatus to generate the drive force corresponding to the selected value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Nakade, Yoshihide Nakane, Kazuaki Sumi
  • Patent number: 10030599
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus is provided that can maintain an automatic engine stop function when an abnormality occurs in a preceding vehicle following control function. The vehicle control apparatus includes a first control unit configured to include a preceding vehicle following control function to control vehicle speed, based on a traveling state of a preceding vehicle, and to output a prohibition request to an automatic engine stop function; and a second control unit configured to include the automatic engine stop function, and to maintain the automatic engine stop function, contrary to the prohibition request output from the first control unit, when an abnormality occurs in the preceding vehicle following control function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenichi Ishii, Hiroto Miura
  • Patent number: 10023188
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus includes management of cruise speed in anticipation of upcoming terrain changes. A cruise speed controller can be structured to predict a change in speed of vehicle in light of an upcoming terrain feature, and lead a change in reference speed to which the cruise speed controller is regulating vehicle speed to accommodate the upcoming terrain feature. In one embodiment a physics based model of the vehicle is used to predict a speed change. If predicted speed change exceeds a threshold, the cruise speed controller will initiate a change in speed to either speed up for an upcoming uphill terrain feature, or slow down for an upcoming downhill feature. In one form the distance in advance of the terrain feature as well as the velocity change profile (acceleration or deceleration) are determined by computation of a regression formula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Follen, Vivek A. Sujan
  • Patent number: 10011298
    Abstract: An electric power assisted steering apparatus comprising a combined angular position and torque sensor assembly comprising an upper column shaft that in use is operatively connected to a steering wheel of the vehicle, a lower column shaft that in use is operatively connected to the road wheels of the vehicle, a torsion bar that interconnects the upper column shaft and the lower column shaft, a first and a second torque signal generating means that each generate a first torque signal based on angular deflection of the torsion bar, an absolute position signal generating means that in use produces an absolute upper column position signal indicative of the angular position of the upper column shaft, an electric motor that is connected to the lower column shaft of the torque sensor assembly, and a motor position sensor carried by the motor that provides a motor position signal dependent on the angular position of the motor rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: TRW LIMITED
    Inventor: James Owen Patrick Farrelly
  • Patent number: 10011262
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a powertrain control system (1) for a vehicle. The powertrain control system (1) includes a torque limit calculator (47) for generating a torque control signal based (57) on one or more vehicle operating parameters. A torque request module (43) is provided for generating a torque request signal (45) and a torque control module (7) controls the torque applied by the powertrain. The torque control module (7) is configured to receive the torque request signal (45) from the torque request module (43) and the torque control signal (57) from the torque limit calculator (47) and to control the torque applied by the powertrain in dependence on the torque request signal (45) and the torque control signal (57). The present invention also relates to a control system; and a method of operating a powertrain control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: John Birch, Paul Darnell, William Rudman
  • Patent number: 10005473
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a stereo camera, a vehicle driving assistance device comprising the same, and a vehicle. A stereo camera according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first lens, a first image sensor to sense a first image including a grey color and a first color on the basis of light which is incident through the first lens, a second lens separated from the first lens by a predetermined distance, and a second image sensor to sense a second image including the grey color and a second color on the basis of light which is incident through the second lens. Accordingly, the stereo camera may acquire a disparity map and a RGB image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Yunpyo Hong, Woonki Park, Youngkyung Park, Namseoung Lee
  • Patent number: 10005414
    Abstract: A method for controlling operations of safety devices of a vehicle includes determining whether there is a possibility of a collision with a preceding vehicle on the basis of vehicle driving information, determining occupancy information of a passenger or a type of a passenger or determining whether a passenger has fastened a seat belt using vehicle sensor information, and determining whether to apply, and applying accordingly, full braking, a full braking profile, or an airbag deployment scheme according to the occupancy information of a passenger, the type of the passenger, or whether the passenger has fastened a seat belt when a possibility of a collision is determined, and fully retracting the passenger's seat belt before full braking is applied after partial braking is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eung Seo Kim, Tae Young Lee, Yong Seok Kwon, Sang Min Lee, Suk Ki Min, Dong Hyun Sung
  • Patent number: 10000209
    Abstract: A vehicle steering control apparatus includes a target course setter, a first control quantity calculator, a second control quantity calculator, a control rate variator, and a steering controller. The target course setter sets, based on forward environment information, a target course to be traveled by an own vehicle. The first control quantity calculator calculates a first control quantity that allows the own vehicle to travel along the target course. The second control quantity calculator calculates a second control quantity based on a steering angle. The control rate variator variably sets, in accordance with a vehicle speed, a first rate of the first control quantity and a second rate of the second control quantity. The steering controller calculates a steering control quantity, based on the first control quantity corrected based on the first rate and the second control quantity corrected based on the second rate, and executes a steering control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasushi Takaso, Takashi Kubo
  • Patent number: 9981662
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a speed detector detecting a vehicle speed, a brake system and a control system implementing a control mode including determining a threshold speed. The control system further derives an initial brake torque demand proportional to an error between the threshold speed and a vehicle speed exceeding the threshold speed and outputs to the brake system a rate-limited brake torque demand by applying a rate-limit operator based on the error to the initial brake torque demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Joseph M. Raad, Donald Jacob Mattern
  • Patent number: 9969392
    Abstract: A vehicle speed control system for controlling a vehicle having a plurality of wheels. The vehicle speed control system is configured to automatically control the speed of the vehicle in dependence on an input target set-speed. The system carries out a method that includes: applying torque to at least one of the plurality of wheels; receiving a user input of a target set-speed at which the vehicle is intended to travel; and applying torque to the at least one of the plurality of wheels for propelling the vehicle at a vehicle control speed. The system further controls the vehicle control speed as a function of at least one of the instantaneous vehicle speed and the terrain over which the vehicle is travelling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Fairgrieve, James Kelly
  • Patent number: 9925981
    Abstract: A control unit for a vehicle comprises an automatic engine stop-and-restart unit for stopping the engine responsive to predefined stop conditions and for restarting the engine responsive to predefined restart conditions, and a following-cruise control unit for controlling the vehicle to follow a vehicle ahead responsive to predefined following-cruise conditions. The automatic stop-and-restart unit for stopping and restarting the engine is configured to modify at least one of the stop conditions and the restart conditions during the following-cruise control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiko Asakura, Hiroshi Yoneguchi, Tadayoshi Okada, Ryuji Sato, Kohei Hanada, Eisuke Horii, Yoshinari Sugita, Shunichi Kawasumi
  • Patent number: 9919605
    Abstract: A driving force controller for an electric vehicle includes a feed-forward compensator for computing a second target driving force so as to suppress overshooting of an actual driving force that is actually outputted, with respect to a first target driving force requested by a driver, the feed-forward compensator includes a first transfer function expressing a characteristic that the actual driving force becomes a predetermined response with respect to the first target driving force; and an inverse of a second transfer function approximately expressing a transmission characteristic between a input target driving force and the actual driving force in a control system except the feed-forward compensator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: CALSONIC KANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kensuke Osamura, Mitsuo Hirata
  • Patent number: 9902399
    Abstract: A vehicle travelling control device is configured to cause a vehicle to automatically travel along the target lateral position set in a travelling lane in advance. The device includes a peripheral information detection unit configured to detect peripheral information of the vehicle, a preceding vehicle recognition unit configured to recognize a position of the preceding vehicle in an adjacent lane which is adjacent to the travelling lane based on the peripheral information detection unit, and a travel control unit configured to cause the vehicle to automatically travel along a separated lateral position which is separated from the target lateral position at the opposite side of the adjacent lane side in a case where a lost duration that is a continuous period of time during which the position of the preceding vehicle is lost in the preceding vehicle recognition unit reaches a first predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Haruto Torii, Ryuta Hashimoto, Tetsuya Taira
  • Patent number: 9896099
    Abstract: A system and method for minimizing shift cycling for low speed engine operation with a vehicle cruise control. A vehicle control system operating in a cruise control mode determines a deficiency in vehicle speed between a measured vehicle speed and a cruise set speed. The deficiency is determined by comparing the vehicle speed to the cruise set speed, and includes using the compared valued to find a cruise speed margin, which is continuously updated. While the cruise control system is active, the control system logic determines the time at which a transmission upshift occurs based on the cruise speed margin. The vehicle speed, at which the upshift is made, is determined as a function of the updated cruise speed margin. An upshift is not made, if a likely drop in vehicle speed would result in the event a downshift would occur once the upshift is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen West
  • Patent number: 9896093
    Abstract: A technique is provided in which detection of an impending collision results in the vehicle's control system taking steps to minimize damage to the passenger cabin, thereby increasing passenger safety. In particular, once an object is detected in the vehicle's pathway, the on-board controller determines whether or not a collision with the object (e.g., an on-coming car or a stationary object) is imminent. Once the system determines that a collision is imminent, the controller (i) deactivates the car's anti-lock braking system, (ii) locks-up the wheels, and (iii) rotates the front wheels to minimize intrusion of the wheels into the passenger cabin. The system may be configured to tailor the response to an imminent collision based on (i) vehicle speed, and (ii) probable impact area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: ATIEVA, INC.
    Inventor: Axel Boris Vollmer
  • Patent number: 9889738
    Abstract: A method for controlling the operation of a vehicle prime mover based on the engagement status of one or more safety restraints of the vehicle. In various implementations the method comprises monitoring, via a RPM controller of the vehicle, an operational status of vehicle, monitoring, via the RPM controller, the engagement status at least one passenger safety restraint of the vehicle, and limiting, via the RPM controller, a rotational speed, e.g., revolutions per minute (RPM) of one or more prime mover of the vehicle when the vehicle is in a On operational status and the at least one safety restraint is in a disengaged status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Shane Christopher Reid, John Lawrence Stocks, Matthew Lawrence O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 9878703
    Abstract: An electrified vehicle according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an energy recovery mechanism, and a controller configured to selectively activate at least a battery cooling mode to dissipate excess power from the energy recovery mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Michael Kava, Kent Hancock, Angel Fernando Porras, Mark Anthony Rockwell, Justin Reuel Badger, Brett Allen Dunn
  • Patent number: 9878712
    Abstract: In an apparatus, a first obtainer obtains a first travelling-condition parameter of a target vehicle. The first travelling-condition parameter shows one or more conditions under which the target vehicle is travelling on the road. A second obtainer obtains a second travelling-condition parameter of a preceding vehicle travelling on the road immediately ahead of the target vehicle. The second travelling-condition parameter shows one or more conditions under which the preceding vehicle is travelling on the road. A deviation calculator calculates a deviation between the first and second travelling-condition parameters. A behavior determiner determines a recommended behavior of the target vehicle in response to the calculated deviation. A controller controls a device, which is associated with a behavior of the target vehicle, according to the recommended behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Niino, Masao Oooka, Shotaro Fukuda, Takahiro Narita
  • Patent number: 9862272
    Abstract: Method for operating a longitudinal driver assistance system (2) of a motor vehicle (1), which controls, in a pure follow mode, the speed of the motor vehicle (1) such that a distance to a vehicle in front as the control object remains constant, and which, in a free travel mode, controls the speed to a desired speed, a likelihood of the vehicle (14) in front of pulling out being determined depending on sensor data of at least one ambient sensor. The control with respect to the vehicle (14) in front and/or the control in the free travel mode is modified or ended directly after termination of the follow mode depending on the pulling-out likelihood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Stefan Schuberth, Ralf Held
  • Patent number: 9849887
    Abstract: A database of high risk locations is formed and high risk causal factors for the high risk locations determined. Driver behavior is monitored at the sites in the database using data collection devices such as electronic logging devices or mobile phones to see if the drivers exhibit the same specific behaviors that are considered contributing factors to specific accident types at risk of occurrence at those sites. Warnings are provided to drivers approaching the specific sites to prompt behavioral changes which may further be monitored by the data collection devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Intelligent Imaging Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Heath, Wayne Malkin
  • Patent number: 9827853
    Abstract: A vehicle comprises a driver display on which is displayed an advisory maximum wading speed according to the current wading depth of the vehicle. The advisory speed is in one embodiment displayed on the vehicle speedometer. The display may also include an elevation of a vehicle on which is indicated one or more of maximum wading depth, current wading depth and vehicle inclination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: Thuy-Yung Tran, Edward Hoare, Anthony Jones, Simon Thomson, Ashutosh Tomar, Sebastian Paszkowicz
  • Patent number: 9821780
    Abstract: A differential locking axle control system that can cause the axle to automatically lock and unlock at any vehicle speed, up to a predetermined maximum speed, or any wheel spin rate up to a predetermined maximum, when a vehicle is being steered either in a straight line or around a curve while taking traction and global positioning factors into account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: James Jerome Korson, Grzegorz Siuchta
  • Patent number: 9821788
    Abstract: A method is described for operating a motor vehicle, in which control is applied, in the context of a drive-off operation, to an electrical machine operable in motor mode in order to deliver a torque driving the vehicle, control simultaneously being applied to a braking system of the motor vehicle in such a way that it applies a braking torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander Trofimov, Michael Barth
  • Patent number: 9823660
    Abstract: A distance to stop a vehicle is received. A trajectory including a plurality of acceleration segments, being respective portions of the trajectory prescribing at least one of an acceleration and a jerk elapsing for a specified period of time, is plotted according to the distance. At least one of a vehicle brake and a vehicle propulsion are adjusted based on the trajectory to stop at the distance. The acceleration segments include two or more of a ramp-in, a deceleration, a ramp-out, and a final deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Shin, Scott J. Lauffer, Michael Edward Brewer, John Broderick
  • Patent number: 9809251
    Abstract: Provided is a lane following control device in which an uncomfortable feeling of a driver can be suppressed. In a case where shift processing is performed on a first adjacent vehicle X1, and when a distance between a second adjacent vehicle X2 travelling immediately front of the first adjacent vehicle X1 and the first adjacent vehicle X1 is equal to or less than a vehicle-to-vehicle distance threshold value and a lane width direction distance between the second adjacent vehicle X2 and a travelling lane R1 of the host vehicle V is equal to or less than a lane width direction threshold value, a target lateral position setting unit 14 maintains the shift processing on the first adjacent vehicle X1 until the shift processing is performed on the second adjacent vehicle X2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masaaki Yamaoka
  • Patent number: 9758040
    Abstract: A method for controlling the operation of a vehicle prime mover based on the engagement status of one or more safety restraints of the vehicle. In various implementations the method comprises monitoring, via a RPM controller of the vehicle, an operational status of vehicle, monitoring, via the RPM controller, the engagement status at least one passenger safety restraint of the vehicle, and limiting, via the RPM controller, a rotational speed, e.g., revolutions per minute (RPM) of one or more prime mover of the vehicle when the vehicle is in a On operational status and the at least one safety restraint is in a disengaged status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Shane Christopher Reid, John Lawrence Stocks, Matthew Lawrence O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 9744967
    Abstract: The vehicle behavior control device comprises a PCM configured to decide a target additional deceleration. The PCM is operable: to correct the target additional deceleration in such a manner that it is reduced by multiplying the target additional deceleration by a coefficient K1 set according to a vehicle speed, a coefficient K2 set according to a steering wheel angle, a coefficient K3 set according to an accelerator position and a coefficient K4 decided according to a required deceleration; when a value derived by multiplying the target additional deceleration by K1 and K2 is less than a threshold DT, to stop a torque reduction control; and, when the value derived by multiplying the target additional deceleration by K1 and K2 is equal to or greater than DT, and a value derived by multiplying the target additional deceleration by K3 and K4 is less than DT, to maintain the torque reduction control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara
  • Patent number: 9723656
    Abstract: An automated mobile vehicle configured to autonomously provide coverage for inoperable infrastructure components at various locations. In accordance with disclosed embodiments, a plurality of automated mobile vehicles are deployed to provide emergency lighting, a wireless network, audio, video, etc., at an indoor and/or outdoor event area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: William Spencer Worley, III, Eric Mathew Clayton
  • Patent number: 9714622
    Abstract: A vehicle speed limit apparatus includes a demand value calculation part configured to calculate a demand value according to an accelerator opening degree, a limit vehicle speed acquisition part configured to obtain a limit vehicle speed, an upper limit value calculation part configured to calculate an upper limit value based on a limit acceleration, a selection part configured to select the smaller of the demand value and the upper limit value, a control part configured to control a drive force generation apparatus, and an upper limit value correction part configured to correct the upper limit value based on a current acceleration and the limit acceleration when the selected value corresponds to the upper limit value, and to correct the upper limit value based on the current acceleration and the demand value when the selected value corresponds to the demand value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Nakade, Yoshihide Nakane, Kazuaki Sumi
  • Patent number: 9707962
    Abstract: A method for predictive control of a cruise control system of a motor vehicle in which a selection is made from a variety of control variants in order to set a target speed with respect to a stretch of road ahead. In so doing, the selection is made as a function of a gradient profile of the stretch of road ahead. In order to now implement an optimum predictive control with respect to fuel consumption with low complexity, the gradient profile is segmented through allocation to gradient ranges, which are determined as a function of the target speed. A respectively suitable control variant is then selected on the basis of at least one segment of the gradient profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Alexander Banerjee, Martin Sperlich
  • Patent number: 9683661
    Abstract: A shift-by-wire system, including a controller that includes a motor driver, and a microcomputer connected to the motor driver to control a motor that drives a control object. The control object has a park lock mechanism having a lock state and an unlock state. The lock state and the unlock state are switched according to an operation position of the control object. The controller is configured to estimate a tilt of a vehicle, detect whether the lock mechanism is in the lock state or in the unlock state, and adjust a target rotation speed of the motor according to the estimated tilt when the operation position of the control object is changed for switching the lock state to the unlock state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9580074
    Abstract: A vehicle travel control apparatus includes a sensor (16) that obtains preceding vehicle information representing a status of a first preceding vehicle; a communication apparatus (18) that obtains preceding vehicle acceleration/deceleration information, which is generated in a second preceding vehicle, via communication with the second preceding vehicle; and a controller (10) that generates a first target value related to a target acceleration/deceleration value of a host vehicle based on the preceding vehicle information and a second target value related to the target acceleration/deceleration value of the host vehicle based on the preceding vehicle acceleration/deceleration information, and controls acceleration/deceleration of the host vehicle based on the generated first and second target values, wherein the controller (10) corrects the preceding vehicle acceleration/deceleration information according to an index value to generate the second target value, the index value representing an identity between t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yusuke Nemoto
  • Patent number: 9533681
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle cruise control device 10 that performs trajectory control for causing a vehicle to travel along a traveling road by steering vehicle wheels. The vehicle cruise control device includes: a roll control device (active stabilizers 56 and 58, etc.) configured to control a lateral-direction inclination angle of a vehicle body; and an inclination angle estimation device (a roll rate sensor 72, a stroke sensor 74i, etc.) configured to determine a lateral-direction inclination of a traveling road. When the trajectory control is executed in a situation in which the vehicle travels on a laterally inclined traveling road (S150, S250, S300, S500), the lateral-direction inclination angle of the vehicle body is controlled by the roll control device so that the lateral-direction inclination angle of the vehicle body is greater than 0 and smaller than the lateral-direction inclination angle of the traveling road (S450).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Kodaira, Takahiro Kojo