And Electrical Quantities Comparison Means For Development Of Electrical Input Patents (Class 180/179)
  • Patent number: 11731614
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for controlling a vehicle calculate a distance from a following vehicle and a relative speed of the following vehicle, if the following vehicle is detected on the rear side of a host vehicle based on detection information received from a detection module detecting an object around the host vehicle, determine a probability of a potential collision of the following vehicle with the host vehicle based on the distance from the following vehicle and the relative speed of the following vehicle, and accelerate or decelerate a traveling speed of the host vehicle, or adjust brake torque of the host vehicle, if the potential collision of the following vehicle with the host vehicle is predicted. When a probability of a potential collision with the following vehicle is predicted, injuries to a driver and occupants can be prevented or reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: HL KLEMOVE CORP.
    Inventors: JongHwan Choi, Tae Seok Kang
  • Patent number: 11584372
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a number of speed control rate candidates are determined for a speed control command of operating an autonomous vehicle. For each of the speed control rate candidates, a number of individual costs are calculated for the speed control rate candidate by applying a plurality of cost functions, each cost function corresponding to one of a plurality of cost categories. A total cost for the speed control rate candidate is determined based on the individual costs produced by the cost functions. One of the speed control rate candidates having a lowest total cost is selected as a target speed control rate. A speed control command is generated based on the selected speed control rate candidate to control a speed of the autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: BAIDU USA LLC
    Inventor: Fan Zhu
  • Patent number: 11364920
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to compensate for body roll in vehicle weight calculations are disclosed. An example method includes receiving sensor data from sensors of a vehicle, determining a weight of the vehicle and determining a body roll of the vehicle. The example method further includes comparing the body roll to a threshold and, if the body roll satisfies the threshold, adjusting the determined weight of the vehicle based on the determined body roll and properties of a suspension system of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Anton Rogness, Andrew Niedert, Elliott Pearson, Joshua Rajasingh
  • Patent number: 11345345
    Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle, with a drive device for providing a driving torque as well as a detection device for detecting at least one other motor vehicle up ahead. An automatic length guidance of the motor vehicle is carried out. In this case, it is provided that, in the framework of the length guidance, a distance of the motor vehicle from the other motor vehicle is adjusted to a nominal distance. The nominal distance corresponds to a distance setting at constant distance, and starting from the distance setting, it is increased in the event of a distance change resulting from a positive acceleration of the other motor vehicle, and it is reduced in the event of a distance change resulting from a negative acceleration of the other motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Christian Glück, Michael Schmidhuber, Sebastian Falk
  • Patent number: 11247675
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a vehicle are described. A processor of a longitudinal planning system determines a state of the vehicle. The processor determines a state of a leader vehicle. The processor, based on the determined state of the vehicle and the determined state of the leader vehicle, determines a critical distance for the vehicle. The processor compares a distance between the vehicle and the leader vehicle with the critical distance. The processor, based on the comparison, determines whether the vehicle is too close to or too far from the leader vehicle. The processor, based on the determination, applies one or more of overshoot constraints, undershoot constraints, and critical constraints. After applying the one or more of overshoot constraints, undershoot constraints, and critical constraints, the processor determines a target acceleration for the vehicle. The processor controls the vehicle to track the target acceleration for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: NIO USA, INC.
    Inventors: Albert Wu, Zhongkui Wang, Arek V. Sredzki, Keja S. A. Rowe
  • Patent number: 11225164
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for adaptive regeneration systems for electric vehicles. In one embodiment, an example method may include determining, by an adaptive regeneration system, that an electric vehicle is decelerating, determining an output voltage of a power source at the electric vehicle, determining that a voltage potential of a battery system at the electric vehicle is greater than the output voltage, and causing the voltage potential of the battery system to be modified to a value equal to or less than the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: PREMERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Richard Edward Botts, Blakely Lane Fabiani
  • Patent number: 11198418
    Abstract: A control system for a subject vehicle includes an autonomous braking system, a forward monitoring sensor and a rearward monitoring sensor. The controller monitors a first speed of a first vehicle travelling in front of the subject vehicle and a second speed of a second vehicle travelling to the rear of the subject vehicle. A first gap-closing time is determined based upon the speed of the subject vehicle and the first speed of the first vehicle. A second gap-closing time is determined based upon the speed of the subject vehicle and the second speed of the second vehicle. The controller controls the speed of the subject vehicle based upon the first gap-closing time and the second gap-closing time when one of the first gap-closing time or the second gap-closing time is less than a first threshold time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Bush, Zachariah E. Tyree, Prabhjot Kaur
  • Patent number: 11181063
    Abstract: Engine control modules as well as methods and systems implementable in a vehicle are disclosed, in which the engine control module includes a processing unit operative to control a target vehicle speed. The processing unit receives current status information and lookahead information regarding a route to be taken by the vehicle, performs a lookahead power requirement calculation based on the current status information and the lookahead information to determine an event, calculates a plurality of offsets with respect to an isochronous speed of the vehicle based on the determined event, and sets a target vehicle speed curve by applying the plurality of offsets to the isochroous speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph R. Dynes
  • Patent number: 11148665
    Abstract: Provided are a vehicular motion control device and method such that, even when a vehicle is turning, the target trajectory can be followed while maintaining traveling stability, with a reduced sense of incongruity felt by the driver. This vehicular motion control device is equipped with: a target trajectory acquisition unit that acquires a target trajectory for a vehicle to travel; and a speed control unit that increases or decreases the longitudinal acceleration generated in the vehicle, the longitudinal acceleration being positive in the vehicle travel direction. If the vehicle deviates from the target trajectory during turning, the speed control unit performs longitudinal acceleration control to increase or decrease the longitudinal acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Junya Takahashi, Atsushi Yokoyama, Masamichi Imamura
  • Patent number: 10967858
    Abstract: A vehicle speed-limit control method is provided. The method includes determining whether a speed-limit control inactivation condition is satisfied by accelerator pedal engaged when speed-limit control is activated. In response to determining that the inactivation condition is satisfied, a candidate value of an accelerator pedal sensor (APS) and a candidate gear shift stage are determined and a speed margin is determined based on the candidate value of the APS, the candidate gear shift stage and a vehicle speed. The speed margin is compared with a predetermined threshold. The candidate gear shift stage is determined as a transition gear shift stage and the candidate value of the APS is determined as a transition value of the APS when the speed margin is equal to or greater than the threshold. The vehicle is operated based on the transition gear shift stage and the transition value of the APS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jin Kyeom Cho, Hui Un Son, Joon Young Park, Sung Deok Kim
  • Patent number: 10745031
    Abstract: To provide an alarm system for a vehicle that can reduce alarms that can irritate a driver. An alarm system 1 for a vehicle includes a determination and alarm part 52 that determines whether or not an object will cross a right alarm line 61 or a left alarm line 62 within a predetermined time and activates an alarm unit when it is determined that the object will cross the alarm line within the predetermined time. When the relative velocity of the object with respect to the right alarm line 61 or the left alarm line 62 is decreasing, the determination and alarm part 52 performs an alarm reduction control to reduce operation of the alarm unit compared with when the relative velocity is not decreasing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Yoshida, Koji Hirai
  • Patent number: 10744939
    Abstract: To provide an alarm system for a vehicle that can reduce alarms that can irritate a driver. An alarm system 1 for a vehicle includes an alarm line setting part 51 that sets a right alarm line 61 and a left alarm line 62 in front of a vehicle 2, and an alarm unit control part 55 that activates a speaker 41 and a display 42 when the velocity of the vehicle 2 is equal to or less than a predetermined velocity and a collision determination part 53 determines that an object will cross the right alarm line 61 or the left alarm line 62 within a predetermined time. When the vehicle 2 is decelerating, the alarm unit control part 55 performs an alarm reduction control that suppresses operation of the speaker 41 compared with when the vehicle 2 is not decelerating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiki Yoshihara, Yoshitsugu Hanada, Kazuhito Hayashi, Koji Kagami, Hiromichi Nomura, Kazuya Maruoka, Yuki Okamoto, Yuki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10669953
    Abstract: An engine control system comprises: an engine 10 capable of switching between a reduced-cylinder operation mode in which combustion is stopped in a part of a plurality of cylinders 2 and an all-cylinder operation mode in which combustion is performed in all the plurality of cylinders 2; and a PCM 50 configured to stop fuel supply to the cylinders 2 when a given fuel cut-off condition is satisfied. The PCM 50 is operable, during a transition from a state in which the engine 10 is operated in the reduced-cylinder operation mode to a state in which the fuel cut-off condition is satisfied, to stop the fuel supply to the cylinders 2 at a timing earlier than that during a transition from a state in which the engine 10 is operated in the all-cylinder operation mode to the state in which the fuel cut-off condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiichi Hiwatashi, Hiroyuki Morioka, Yuto Sakasegawa, Kenichi Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 10604153
    Abstract: A driving assist ECU calculates a speed deviation ?V which is a magnitude of a deviation between a target speed Vset and a speed limit Vlim in a situation in which the target speed Vset and the speed limit Vlim are different from each other. When the speed deviation ?V is equal to or smaller than a threshold A, the driving assist ECU sets an accept prohibition flag to “1”. When the speed deviation ?V is higher than the threshold A, the driving assist ECU sets the accept prohibition flag to “0”. When the accept prohibition flag is “1”, the driving assist ECU regards/treats a long-push operation of an operating unit not as an accept operation, but as an acceleration operation or a coast operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Inoguchi, Keiji Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10407061
    Abstract: ECU 10 is configured to: detect an object (a parked vehicle 3, a pedestrian 6, a traffic signal 7) external to the vehicle 1; determine a speed distribution area 40 extending at least in a lateral area of the object in the travelling direction and defining a distribution of an allowable upper limit of the relative speed of the vehicle 1 with respect to the object in a travelling direction; calculate the relative speed with respect to the object in the travelling direction; and execute an avoidance control (S14) for restricting the relative speed so that the relative speed does not exceed the allowable upper limit. The speed distribution area 40 is determined such that the allowable upper limit is made lower as a lateral distance from the object becomes smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ohmura
  • Patent number: 10358129
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to operating a vehicle while in traffic. In one embodiment, a method includes, in response to detecting that a present level of the traffic proximate to the vehicle satisfies a traffic threshold, determining a control profile according to at least the present level of traffic. The control profile indicates at least an acceleration input and a target cruising speed for the vehicle that avoids braking to decelerate the vehicle while traveling in the traffic. The method includes controlling one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle according to the control profile to cause the vehicle to substantially maintain the target cruising speed while traveling in the traffic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua D. Payne, Geoffrey David Gaither
  • Patent number: 10352256
    Abstract: A method for regulation of a concentration/fraction of one or several substances comprised in an exhaust system in a motor vehicle through control of its driveline: The driveline includes a combustion engine which may be connected to a gearbox via a clutch device, wherein the gearbox has several discrete gears, and an exhaust system for removal of an exhaust stream from the combustion engine; the method includes obtaining one or several first parameters P1 related to at least one first concentration/fraction C1/X1 of one or several substances comprised in the exhaust system; and controlling the gearbox, and thus an operating point in the combustion engine, based on the parameters P1 for regulation of a concentration/fraction CEx/XEx of one or several substances in the said exhaust system. Further, a computer program, a computer program product, a system and a motor vehicle comprising such a system are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: SCANIA CV AB
    Inventors: Ola Stenlåås, Fredrik Roos
  • Patent number: 10343694
    Abstract: A vehicle drive assistance system is provided, which includes a processor configured to execute a required driving ability estimating module to estimate a driver's driving ability required for driving a vehicle based on a traffic environment around the vehicle and drive assistance provided to the driver by the vehicle, a current driving ability estimating module to estimate a driver's current driving ability, and a changing module to perform reduction processing in which the required driving ability is reduced when the current driving ability is lower than the required driving ability, the required driving ability being reduced less in a case where the current driving ability is lower than a given threshold compared to a case where the current driving ability is equal to or higher than the given threshold, even when a difference between the required driving ability and the current driving ability is constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yuka Minegishi, Keiichi Tomii, Takahiro Tochioka
  • Patent number: 10336324
    Abstract: Based on the assumption that a preceding vehicle does not brake to a halt, but only reduces its speed for a certain time, an improved TTC (Time To Collision) can be calculated. By means of the difference between the TTC with braking to a halt and the improved TTC, a probability for the occurrence of a hypothesis concerning the further behavior of the preceding vehicle can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Gutmann, Thomas Diepolder, Clemens Schnurr
  • Patent number: 10272915
    Abstract: A driving support apparatus derives position prediction data when T=Tn, which is when a predicted time Tn has elapsed from the present time, based on acquired map data, position data and speed data. Direction prediction data indicating a traveling direction of a vehicle 1 at the time T=Tn is derived based on acquired map data and derived position prediction data. A yaw angle which is an angle formed by a traveling direction D0 represented by e direction data and the traveling direction Dn represented by direction prediction data is derived. A target speed Vn of the vehicle is then derived.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Isaji, Teppei Miyake, Minoru Okada
  • Patent number: 10247654
    Abstract: A method and a device for calculating a consumed lifespan are provided. The method includes: controlling an electric motor of a purifier to rotate at a predetermined speed; acquiring a value of a sampled parameter of the electric motor, the sampled parameter being at least one of a sampled current and a sampled voltage of the electric motor; and determining a consumed lifespan of the purifier according to the acquired value of the sampled parameter, wherein the consumed lifespan is in positive correlation with the acquired value of the sampled parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: XIAOMI INC.
    Inventors: Jiuping Yu, Dongxu Liu, Nuo Yang
  • Patent number: 10249192
    Abstract: A system and method provide notification regarding an estimated movement path of a vehicle. A first vehicle includes an identification feature. A second vehicle includes an identification feature detection unit, an output unit and a transmission unit. A heuristic unit is configured to determine an estimation of an imminent movement path of the first vehicle. A position detection unit is configured to detect a current position of the first vehicle and/or the second vehicle and to transmit the detected current position to the heuristic unit. The identification feature detection unit is configured to detect and transmit the identification feature to the heuristic unit via the transmission unit. The heuristic unit is configured to transmit the current estimation for the first vehicle to the output unit via the transmission unit. The output unit is configured to communicate the estimation to a driver of the second vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Marten Wittorf, Peter Kahler
  • Patent number: 10086840
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing perception of transitions from shifting a transmission from neutral to drive are described. In one example, the transmission is shifted from neutral to drive in response to brake pedal motion before the brake pedal is fully released so that timing of pressurizing clutches and engaging a forward gear is advanced to occur while the brake pedal is still applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ralph Wayne Cunningham, Zhengyu Dai, Yang Xu, Sathish Atluri, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Patent number: 10081362
    Abstract: A braking force control system includes: a brake device and at least one electronic control unit. The brake device is configured to generate a braking force commensurate with a brake operation amount of a driver. At least one electronic control unit is configured to execute vehicle speed control for controlling a speed of a vehicle to a target speed by controlling a driving force and a braking force. The electronic control unit is configured to cause the brake device to generate an actual braking force corresponding to a total value of an additional braking force and an operational braking force when brake operation is performed during execution of the vehicle speed control. The additional braking force corresponds to a controlled braking force required by the vehicle speed control. The operational braking force is required through the brake operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Kozuka
  • Patent number: 10059337
    Abstract: A cruise control apparatus is provided with: a controlling device configured to start a determination period, which is a period for determining whether or not to continue the intermittent operation mode, on condition that a change amount of the accelerator opening degree exceeds a predetermined change amount, during implementation of the intermittent operation mode, and configured to set an accelerator following period, which is a period for allowing the driver's accelerator operation to follow torque of the vehicle, after an end of the determination period, if it is determined that the intermittent operation mode is to be continued according to a change width of the accelerator opening degree obtained in the determination period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Amano
  • Patent number: 10035500
    Abstract: A method for regulation of a concentration/fraction of one or several substances in an exhaust stream in a motor vehicle through control of its driveline. The motor vehicle includes a driveline comprising a combustion engine; a driveline comprising a combustion engine connected to a gearbox, and an exhaust system for removal of an exhaust stream from the engine. The method includes the step: controlling the driveline for activation or deactivation of coasting of the vehicle based on one or several first parameters P1 for the regulation of a concentration/fraction CEXIXEX of one or several substances TEX in the exhaust stream, where at least one of the or several first parameters P1 are a first concentration/fraction difference between the first concentration/fraction C1/X1 in the exhaust stream and a reference concentration/fraction CRefIXRef. Further, a computer program, a computer program product, a system and a motor vehicle such a system are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: SCANIA CV AB
    Inventors: Ola Stenlåås, Fredrik Roos
  • Patent number: 10029684
    Abstract: Method for operating a longitudinal driver assistance system (13) of a motor vehicle (12) which is designed to regulate the speed of the motor vehicle (12) to a control speed, wherein—depending on environment data describing the operating environment in which the motor vehicle (12) is currently operated—the control speed can be changed from a desired speed (3) provided by a driver to a target speed (5) (which is provided for an upcoming operating environment (2) and/or can be determined from the environment data), wherein, when there is a change of the desired speed (3) to a new target speed (5) for an upcoming operating environment (2), for a predetermined time period and/or a predetermined distance in the upcoming operating environment (2), an intermediate speed (6) deviating from the target speed (5) in the direction of the current speed of the motor vehicle (12) is initially regulated to, which intermediate speed (6) is between the current speed of the motor vehicle (12) and the target speed (5), before t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Stefan Schuberth, Ralf Held, Florian Brücklmaier
  • Patent number: 9791844
    Abstract: A method for influencing a control program having a plurality of first functions and at least one of the first functions is configured to control an actuator, and a memory is provided and the memory has memory regions occupied by subprograms assigned to the first functions, whereby there is a branch address in the program code of the control program when one of the first functions is called up that points to a memory address of the subprogram associated with the function call. The control program is analyzed for the occurrence of function calls, and the branch addresses, associated with the function calls, and addresses of the return commands are ascertained. One of the first functions is selected to be deleted. The first function is replaced by a second function, in which the program code of the selected first function is overwritten by the program code of the second function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: dSPACE digital signal processing and control engineering GmbH
    Inventors: Andre Rolfsmeier, Thorsten Hufnagel
  • Patent number: 9694815
    Abstract: A vehicle driving control apparatus is provided for controlling an own vehicle to track a target vehicle. The vehicle driving control apparatus includes: (1) means for acquiring an actual relative speed of the target vehicle to the own vehicle; (2) means for setting a target acceleration of the own vehicle based on the product of a relative speed gain and the actual relative speed acquired by the acquiring means, the relative speed gain being normally set to a reference gain; (3) means for detecting occurrence of an event which causes the target acceleration set by the setting means to discontinuously change; and (4) means for correcting, upon detection of occurrence of the event by the detecting means, the relative speed gain so as to gradually increase the relative speed gain from a value that is less than the reference gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuma Sudou, Jin Kurumisawa, Tatsuya Namikiri
  • Patent number: 9671782
    Abstract: There is provided an autonomous driving device that improves the convenience for a driver in the switching between autonomous driving and manual driving. When the driver discovers an obstacle which cannot be detected by an autonomous driving device, and performs a driving operation which causes a manual driving switching threshold value to be exceeded for an operation time less than or equal to an operation threshold value so as to avoid the obstacle, a control unit of the autonomous driving device switches autonomous driving to manual driving, and then the control unit switches manual driving to autonomous driving even if the driver does not perform an autonomous driving switching operation. For this reason, it is possible to improve the convenience for the driver in the switching between autonomous driving and manual driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Yamaoka, Kohshi Katoh, Eishi Takeuchi, Tomoyuki Kuriyama, Hikaru Sato
  • Patent number: 9616711
    Abstract: An apparatus for achieving magnetically harnessed locomotion may include (1) a housing that at least partially houses a wheeled machine, (2) a plurality of wheels attached to a plurality of independently rotatable axles that are oriented substantially opposite one another along a plane of the wheeled machine, (3) a plurality of motors having shafts oriented substantially perpendicular to the independently rotatable axles, (4) at least one magnet positioned between the independently rotatable axles within the housing such that a magnetic force of the magnet (A) pulls the independently rotatable axles toward an inward point of the wheeled machine and (B) causes the wheels attached to the independently rotatable axles to press against the shafts of the motors. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Inventor: Jon Bills
  • Patent number: 9409574
    Abstract: A vehicle acceleration suppression device and a vehicle acceleration suppression method, capable of activating acceleration suppression control appropriately, include a travel controller configured to determine a type of the obstacle (such as a wall, another vehicle, an edge stone, or a natural thing) based on at least a first-time detection distance that is the distance between a vehicle and an obstacle detected for the first time and a height determination distance that is the distance between the vehicle and the obstacle detected when the obstacle is determined to be a tall obstacle. Then, acceleration suppression control is carried out in a control manner depending on the determined type of the obstacle when it is determined that the vehicle has approached the obstacle at an approach degree equal to or higher than a predefined approach degree based on the distance between the vehicle and the obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimichi Gokan, Takuya Inoue, Takeshi Sugano, Kazutomo Otani
  • Patent number: 9389613
    Abstract: Turning radius of a tractor-trailer is calculated by certain dimensional relationships in the tractor-trailer and rotational velocities of axle wheel groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Craig Robert Czlapinski, Ilya Sagalovich
  • Patent number: 9376100
    Abstract: A system for operating a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission and a vehicle road speed limiter (RSL) which is programmable to limit the maximum vehicle speed for a given transmission gear includes at least on controller. The at least one controller is operable, when the speed limiter (RSL) is active, to determine if the vehicle is operating in a shuttle shifting range based on the current status of preselected operating parameters. When the vehicle is operating in a shuttle shifting range, the at least one controller is operable to control transmission operation to prevent shifting under conditions where shifting would otherwise normally occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Ravi Rayala, Rogelio Rodriguez, Tashmin Lopa
  • Patent number: 9364188
    Abstract: With an X-ray apparatus for round visit of this invention, when a brake operation is carried out, a CPU performs deceleration control (braking current control at c and short brake control at e) of a movable carriage instead of immediately driving electromagnetic brakes, and drives the electromagnetic brakes at time f. Therefore, a great shock does not occur to the apparatus, and there is no possibility of the operator colliding with the apparatus. Since the deceleration control of the movable carriage is carried out in advance, the apparatus does not stop suddenly and does not impair the floor. As a result, the X-ray apparatus for round visit is realized, in which no great shock occurs to the apparatus at times of deceleration, and which is also safe for the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomoharu Okuno
  • Patent number: 9255528
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an exhaust brake of a vehicle may measure rotation speed (RPM) of an engine, transmit the rotation speed of the engine to a control unit, determine an opening of a valve which opens/closes an exhaust pipe of the engine in the control unit based on the rotation speed of the engine to maintain the back pressure of exhaust gas generated by the exhaust brake to be constant, and control the valve according to the valve opening determined by the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Jong Yun Jeong
  • Patent number: 9248836
    Abstract: At least one reference value is determined for controlling a vehicle's speed by a method that includes predicting, in a first prediction, a first speed based an engine torque that retards the vehicle as compared with a conventional cruise control along a horizon, and, in a second prediction, a second speed based on an engine torque that accelerates the vehicle as compared with the conventional cruise control; comparing the first and second speeds with a lower limit value and/or an upper limit value which delineate a speed range within which speed is maintained, with an offset added to said lower and/or upper limit values if the vehicle is in a route segment that includes a steep hill; and determining the at least one reference value based on the respective comparisons and the first and second predicted speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: SCANIA CV AB
    Inventors: Oskar Johansson, Maria Södergren, Fredrik Roos
  • Patent number: 9221452
    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: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Zhijun Tang, Michael P. Nowak, Benjamin Saltsman, Dnyaneshwar L. Ambhore, Benjamin Morris, Vasilios Tsourapas, Chinmaya B. Patil, Hassan Al-Atat
  • Patent number: 9212616
    Abstract: Methods and systems for disabling a fuel shut-off state of a vehicle. One method includes counting, by a controller, a number of transitions of an engine included in the vehicle between a fuel shut-off state and a fuel state, determining, by the controller, whether the number exceeds a predetermined threshold, and issuing a disable command, by the controller, to the engine included in the vehicle. The disable command causes the engine to exit a current fuel shut-off state. Another system includes a controller configured to determine whether acceleration is requested while an engine included in the vehicle is in a fuel shut-off state. When acceleration is requested while the vehicle is in a fuel shut-off state, the controller is configured to issue a disable command to the engine prior to issuing an acceleration command. The disable command causes the engine to exit the fuel shut-off state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Oliver Schwindt
  • Patent number: 9114809
    Abstract: A cruise controller and method are provided for motor vehicles for the purpose of adjusting the vehicle speed on the basis of a predefined setpoint speed. The cruise controller includes a monitoring device, which is designed to evaluate the vehicle state variables steering wheel angle, lateral acceleration, and/or yaw rate. If one of the evaluated vehicle state variables exceeds a predefined first vehicle state variable limit value, the cruise control function is switched into a standby mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Pei-Shih Huang
  • Patent number: 9102235
    Abstract: A method for reactivating an interrupted cruise control function of a cruise control system of a vehicle is provided. When the vehicle is not in the stationary state, in order to allow the driver to reactivate intuitively the interrupted cruise control function, the driver may reactivate the interrupted cruise control function by actuating a gas pedal of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Bayerisch Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Pei-Shih Huang
  • Patent number: 9086719
    Abstract: A throttle control apparatus is configured to be capable of easy assembly. The throttle control apparatus also includes a rotor and an intermediate casing, which surrounds a portion of the rotor. The intermediate casing also houses a position sensor for detecting a rotational angle of the rotor. The rotor and the intermediate casing are both encased in an outer housing, which is configured and adapted to be mounted on a motorcycle handlebar. A return spring, for returning the rotor to an original position, has one end engaged with a first retaining pin on the rotor, and the other end of the return spring is engaged with a second retaining pin on the intermediate casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Nomura, Kunihiko Tanaka, Kenji Tamaki, Nobuo Shigemizu, Masaru Nakayama
  • Patent number: 9069030
    Abstract: Various embodiments for determining a voltage rating of a solenoid in an electropneumatic valve are disclosed. A braking system controller comprises a power switch electrically connected to an associated first solenoid. The power switch provides a low current regulated voltage to the associated first solenoid. The current through the solenoid is converted to a voltage. The voltage is compared to a predetermined voltage range to determine the voltage rating of the associated first solenoid. In another embodiment, the control logic is capable of determining the voltage rating of multiple solenoids in each of the electropneumatic valves connected to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: Daniel P. Zula, Kirit A. Thakkar, Thomas J. Weed, Julie A. Miller
  • Patent number: 9020732
    Abstract: A vehicle may include a sensor configured to detect a rearward approaching object and at least one controller configured to cause the vehicle to accelerate in response to the sensor detecting a rearward approaching object while the vehicle is moving forward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Pilutti, Peter Gyumyeong Joh, Matthew Y. Rupp, Dorian Jack Spero, Aaron L. Mills
  • Patent number: 8938343
    Abstract: A method of dissipating power on a propelled machine includes setting a target ground speed for the machine, and, if the throttle position is less than a first predetermined minimum and if the machine is on a negative grade in the direction of travel no greater than a second predetermined minimum, and the calculated machine resistance power is less than the calculated grade power, the method include engaging at least a portion of the energy-dissipating electrically or electrohydraulically controlled accessories to retard the machine to maintain the machine within a set range of a target speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Jensen
  • Patent number: 8733489
    Abstract: An articulated vehicle is provided having a cab portion, a trailer portion, and a coupling assembly positioned between the cab portion and the trailer portion. A front wheel assembly may support the cab portion, and a rear wheel assembly may support the trailer portion. The vehicle may include an overspeed protection system configured to protect the vehicle from an overspeed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Karl G. Heine, David R. Didelot, David F. Rindfleisch, Carl R. Starkey
  • Patent number: 8634939
    Abstract: Methods are provided for controlling a vehicle speed during a downhill travel. Based on the estimated grade of the downhill travel and further based on an input received from the operator, different combinations of an engine braking torque and a regenerative braking torque are used to maintain the vehicle speed during the downhill travel. A battery rate of charging is also adjusted based on the duration or distance of the downhill travel, as indicated by the operator input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Raymond Martin, Matthew Allen Warner, Mathew Alan Boesch, Fazal Urrahman Syed
  • Patent number: 8630795
    Abstract: Method and arrangement for setting a speed limit for vehicle travelling on a road includes monitoring conditions of the road, determining a speed limit for travel of vehicles on the road based on the monitored conditions, and transmitting the determined speed limit to the vehicles to thereby notify operators of the vehicles of the determined speed limit. Monitoring conditions of the road may entail monitoring weather conditions around the road, monitoring visibility for operators of the vehicles on the roads, monitoring traffic on the road, monitoring accidents on the road or emergency situations of vehicles on the road and/or monitoring the speed of vehicles travelling on the road and a distance between adjacent vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC
    Inventors: David S. Breed, Wendell C. Johnson, Wilbur E. DuVall
  • Patent number: 8630792
    Abstract: Vehicle operating conditions are computed and the instant variable cost of operation is displayed, enabling operators to learn to operate the vehicle in ways that maximize value, minimize fuel consumption, and reduce or avoid operations that are excessively costly or wasteful. The display quantity is termed “Dynamic Fuel Cost” or DFC, usually measured and displayed in currency (such as Dollars or Euros) per hour. Once every second or so, up to six modes of vehicle operation are detected, including steady speed, acceleration, deceleration by coasting (reduced power or parasitic drag), regenerative braking (in vehicles so equipped such as hybrids), friction braking, and zero speed idling. Then DFC is computed and displayed to the operator. Operators can choose to operate the vehicle in ways that maximize the value of their time and minimize fuel consumption and resulting emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Inventor: David B. Smith
  • Patent number: 8599005
    Abstract: A method for making it possible to set the link between all the types of vehicles and roads with the rolling limits on the roadway is described. This setting can be established from the existing road data bases and from the characteristics of the known vehicles. This method is capable of determining the vehicle rolling limits. A device which can be fitted on any vehicle and capable of implementing the method according to the invention is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: NODBOX
    Inventors: Thierry Fargas, Dominique Clarac