With Powered, Ground-engaging Means For Producing, Or Assisting In The Production Of, Lateral Movement Of The Vehicle (e.g., For Parking) Patents (Class 180/199)
  • Patent number: 11912361
    Abstract: The vehicular parallel parking system is a mechanical structure. The vehicular parallel parking system is configured for use with a vehicle. The vehicular parallel parking system rotates the primary sense of direction of the vehicle by 90 degrees such that the vehicle can be driven directly into a parking spot during parallel parking activities. The vehicular parallel parking system incorporates a plurality of suspension structures, and a control circuit into the vehicle. The vehicle further comprises a vehicle engine, a vehicle chassis, and a plurality of wheels. The plurality of suspension structures attach the plurality of wheels to the vehicle chassis. Each of the plurality of suspension structures are rotating structures. The rotation of each of the plurality of suspension structures changes the primary sense of direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Inventor: Gemma Alexander
  • Patent number: 11873023
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for assisting a user with parking a vehicle in a parking space. In various embodiments a method includes: receiving, by a processor, user input indicating a position of a virtual line displayed on a display screen of the vehicle, wherein the virtual line is adjustable by a user; storing, by the processor and in a datastore, the position of the virtual line and a vehicle position associated with a parking space; and selectively displaying, by the processor, an appearance of the virtual line on the display screen when the vehicle is within a range of the vehicle position to assist a user in parking the vehicle in the parking space, wherein the selectively displaying is based on a comparison of a boundary within a scene associated with the parking space and the virtual line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Yun Qian Miao, Jason J Parks, Norman J Weigert, Mark T Gaylord
  • Patent number: 11731557
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes: a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver configured to receive a signal from a GNSS; a guide lamp installed on a front portion of the vehicle; and a controller electrically connected to the GNSS receiver and the guide lamp, wherein the controller is configured to: identify an entry of the vehicle into a parking lot based on a GNSS signal acquired by the GNSS receiver; and control the guide lamp to display a light line representing a path to be travelled by the vehicle and an area to be occupied by the vehicle on a road ahead of the vehicle based on the entry of the vehicle into the parking lot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Kijun Sung
  • Patent number: 11702281
    Abstract: A computer-controlled rubbish container includes a power bank, a control circuit, and a wheel assembly coupled to a bottom portion of a rubbish container. The wheel assembly includes an electric motor coupled to a wheel, wherein the wheel rotates upon a wireless signal sent from a computer to the control circuit. In some embodiments, the wheel assembly is configured to engage and disengage from a ground surface such that the rubbish container is capable of manual pushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Pacific Robotics LLC
    Inventor: Troy Collins
  • Patent number: 11458786
    Abstract: A powered trailer hitch apparatus is provided. In one aspect, the apparatus includes a casing fixedly mounted to a frame of the vehicle and a ram at least partially disposed within the casing. The ram includes an extension member and a trailer-connecting member. The trailer-connecting member is external to the casing and fixed to an end of the extension member. The trailer-connecting member is configured to be selectively coupled to the trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Inventor: Terry Schieber
  • Patent number: 10913496
    Abstract: A parking assistance device includes a detection unit that detects a parkable area in a surrounding area of a vehicle, a route calculation unit that calculates a parking guidance route for guiding the vehicle from the current position of the vehicle to a parking target position contained in the parkable area, and a control unit that guides the vehicle to the parking target position according to the parking guidance route, completes the guidance when the vehicle has fit into the parkable area with a certain attitude and has reached the parking target position, and varies a completion extension period until the guidance of the vehicle is completed according to the stop mode of the vehicle when the vehicle has entered the parkable area with the certain attitude and the vehicle has stopped before reaching the parking target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignees: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohisa Yamashita, Masaya Kato, Hiroyuki Tachibana, Hidehiko Miyoshi, Yu Tanaka, Takatomo Asai, Motonari Obayashi, Hironobu Ishijima, Keisuke Oyama, Kiyoshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10814865
    Abstract: A parking device mountable on a vehicle and capable of parking autonomously includes an autonomous-parking-command receiver, a vehicle-occupant detector, and a determination unit. The autonomous-parking-command receiver receives a parking command given by a user to park the vehicle. The vehicle-occupant detector detects whether a vehicle occupant is in the vehicle. The determination unit determines whether to permit the vehicle to park. In a case where the autonomous-parking-command receiver receives the parking command and the vehicle-occupant detector does not detect the vehicle occupant, the determination unit determines permits parking and allows the vehicle to park autonomously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junya Seki
  • Patent number: 10611019
    Abstract: Robotic systems include a frame or body with two or more wheels rotatably mounted on the frame or body and a motor for independently driving each wheel. A system controller generates a signal for actuating each motor based on information provided by one or more sensors in communication with the system controller for generating feedback signals for providing reactive actuation of the motors for generating one or more functions selected from the group consisting of forward motion, backward motion, hopping, climbing, and balancing. A power source is included for providing power to operate the drive motors, system controller and the one or more sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Thomas R. Bewley, Christopher M. Schmidt-Wetekam
  • Patent number: 10597006
    Abstract: A parking system for a vehicle provides a self-contained vehicle lift with jacks on wheels and mounted on a vehicle frame, wherein the jacks are operable between a retracted position permitting the vehicle to move in a normal fashion, and an extended position effective to raise the entire vehicle off the ground to allow the wheels move the vehicle into the parking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Inventor: Darren Betz
  • Patent number: 10116196
    Abstract: A prismatic actuator for imparting a hopping motion to a supported load such as a leg of robot. The apparatus includes a direct drive motor, such as a voice coil, operable to provide translational motion. The apparatus includes a spring element and a prismatic guide assembly. The guide assembly is configured to support the direct drive motor to constrain the translational motion to be along a drive axis and support the spring element to constrain compression and expansion of the spring element along a longitudinal axis parallel to the drive axis. The apparatus includes a controller that: (1) first controls the direct drive motor to compress the spring element during a first time period beginning when the apparatus initially contacts a surface; and (2) second controls the direct drive motor to expand the spring element when the apparatus has zero velocity while contacting the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Joohyung Kim, Katsu Yamane, Zachary Batts
  • Patent number: 9892642
    Abstract: Tracking movements of mobile devices may provide insight into parking space availability for transports deemed to be associated with those mobile devices. One example method of operation may include identifying a transport speed of a particular transport vehicle is moving above a first threshold speed, identifying a first change in direction of the transport and confirming a new transport speed after the first change in direction is less than a second threshold speed. The method may also include initiating a monitoring event to track movement of the transport responsive to the first change in direction of the transport or the confirmed new transport speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Open Invention Network LLC
    Inventor: David Gerard Ledet
  • Patent number: 9878709
    Abstract: A system for parking a vehicle is disclosed. In various embodiments, the system includes a vehicle including a motor, sensors, a steering system, a processor, and a memory; an autopark program operatively connected to the vehicle's steering system; a navigation program operatively connected to the vehicle and configured to determine the vehicle's speed and lane with the sensors, to evaluate the data, and in response to the evaluation, to automatically execute the autopark program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oleg Yurievitch Gusikhin, Omar Makke, Kevin Lee Helpingstine
  • Patent number: 9810317
    Abstract: A method for controlling driving of a vehicle includes diagnosing whether or not a wheel speed sensor has failed when a shift lever is changed to an R-range while a vehicle travels in a lowest forward gear provided on a same shaft as a reverse gear is provided, disengaging the lowest forward gear and then engaging the reverse gear when the wheel speed sensor is diagnosed to be in a normal state, and calculating a vehicle speed using the wheel speed sensor in a simultaneous disengagement range, in which an odd gear and an even gear are simultaneously disengaged, during gear engagement in the disengagement of the lowest forward gear and then engaging the reverse gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Young Min Yoon
  • Patent number: 8958986
    Abstract: A parking assistance apparatus includes a display unit that displays an image of a scene behind a host vehicle. At least when the host vehicle moves forward or when the host vehicle is stopped, the display unit displays an indication including a plurality of kinds of trajectories along which the host vehicle is able to back up from a point at which the host vehicle is currently positioned, in a manner such that the indication is superimposed on the image of the scene behind the host vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazunori Kagawa, Yuka Sobue, Satoru Niwa, Shin Tanaka, Akihisa Yokoyama, Kazuhiro Morimoto, Junichi Wakita, Chika Yoshioka, Yu Hiei, Ryuji Okamura
  • Patent number: 8947260
    Abstract: A parking assistance system includes a usage status acquisition unit configured to acquire usage status information indicating a usage status at a plurality of parking positions in a parking lot, a moving vehicle information acquisition unit configured to acquire a position of a vehicle moving in the parking lot, a control unit configured to select a parking position for the vehicle in accordance with the usage status information and the position of the vehicle, and transmit guidance image information for guiding the vehicle to the selected parking position, and a projection unit configured to project a guidance image based on the guidance image information onto an inside of the parking lot to present the parking position to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Takaaki Fukushima
  • Publication number: 20150014077
    Abstract: Method-system of parking a vehicle using only front road course and placement of the rear of the vehicle in a final parking position by an auxiliary mechanism. A method-system of parking a vehicle along parking provision, where the only thing that the driver has to do is to place the front of the vehicle, using front road course, both near to the front parked vehicle, as well as to the clay of the pavement. The installation of the rear of the vehicle to the final position for the vehicle's immobilization, occurs by an auxiliary side shift mechanism mounted to the back and lower part of the rear of the vehicle. The auxiliary facility consists of one or more wheels, of a relatively small diameter, and, as for their movement, are vertically installed to the stable wheels of the vehicle. They are also connected to the lower part of a mechanism that can lift enough the vehicle; in order the side shift is capable, when the order is given.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventor: Panagiotis Tsitimakis
  • Patent number: 8918254
    Abstract: A control device may assist in parking maneuvers of a vehicle. The control device may include an interface to a sensor unit for detecting a boundary of a parking space in the surroundings of the vehicle. An arithmetic unit may determine a trajectory into a parking position in the parking space. In some embodiments the arithmetic unit is configured to calculate a trajectory into the parking position, taking into account a potential extension of parts of the body of the vehicle beyond the boundary of the parking space. Devices and methods are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Krautter, Michael Scherl, Clemens Guenther, Matthias Haug
  • Patent number: 8907815
    Abstract: A parking support device capable of reliably supporting a parking driving operation by a driver, comprising an image acquisition portion for acquiring an image peripheral to a vehicle captured by a vehicle-mounted image pickup device; an image display portion for displaying the peripheral image; and an indicator output portion for superimposedly displaying an indicator, comprising a pair of left and right vehicle width extension lines extending rearwards of the vehicle, on the peripheral image in order to guide a driver during a parking operation by the driver. The parking support device supports parallel parking, comprising a first turning step, in which the vehicle is reversed while being turned and driven into a parking area, and a second turning step, in which the vehicle is aligned in a parallel direction while being turned in a direction opposite to that in the first turning step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Kadowaki, Kazuya Watanabe, Yumi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 8880288
    Abstract: A method and a system of determining a driving direction of a vehicle traveling at a low speed. The method includes determining whether the vehicle is in one of three states: (1) an uphill state in which the vehicle is located on an upward sloping surface, (2) a downhill state in which the vehicle is located on a downward sloping surface, and (3) a flat surface state in which the vehicle is located on a flat surface. The method also includes obtaining information from a plurality of vehicle sensors and determining a direction of movement of the vehicle based upon the determined state of the vehicle and information from the plurality of vehicle sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Qingyuan Li, Hsien-cheng (Kevin) Wu, Tim Hoerauf, Jiamu Hu, Timothy Ridley
  • Patent number: 8818700
    Abstract: The motor vehicle of the invention is provided with at least three wheels and includes a driving cab capable of accommodating a single person in the width direction. The motor vehicle comprises a bend-balancing means that acts by the inclination of at least the portion of the chassis that bears the driving cab. According to the invention, the vehicle is also provided with speed, acceleration and/or inclination sensors, and the balancing means are automatically controlled when the information supplied by the sensors is lower than a main predetermined threshold. The invention also provides that the automatic control of the balancing means is deactivated when the information provided by the sensors is higher than said main threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Inventors: Daniel Moulene, Thierry Moulene
  • Patent number: 8779939
    Abstract: A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle when parking in a parking space is disclosed. The method involves measuring a possible parking space, calculating a parking trajectory on the basis of a current parking space geometry determined from the measurement of the parking space and on the basis of a vehicle position relative to the parking space, and a parking process is subsequently carried out during which the vehicle is steered along the parking trajectory into the parking space, continuing to determine, during the parking process, the current parking space geometry and is compared with a previous parking space geometry determined before the start of the parking process, where, if the two parking space geometries differ from one another, a deviation which is present is evaluated and the parking trajectory corrected and/or re-calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignees: VALEO Schalter und Sensoren GmbH, Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Harald Barth, Nicolas Jecker
  • Patent number: 8599043
    Abstract: A parking assist apparatus includes a parking target position setting section for setting a parking target position when a vehicle is to be parked by reversing, a parking pathway determining section for determining possibility/impossibility of direct parking for parking the vehicle to the parking target position without turnaround, and a report outputting section for effecting reporting to allow a driver engaged in parking to recognize the possibility/impossibility of the direct parking based on the result of determination by the parking pathway determining section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Kadowaki, Kazuya Watanabe, Yu Tanaka, Kosuke Sato, Atsuo Fukaya, Hiroyuki Tachibana, Motokatsu Tomozawa, Kenji Kodera
  • Patent number: 8542130
    Abstract: A vehicle has a global positioning system and an active parking assist system. The global positioning system is configured for providing information designating a present location of the vehicle and for providing information designating configuration of a target parking location proximate to the present location of the vehicle. The active parking assist system is configured to affect maneuvering of the vehicle into the target parking location. The active parking assist system is coupled to the global positioning system for acquiring the present location information therefrom and the target parking location information therefrom. The active parking assist system determines a type of assisted parking functionality to implement for affect maneuvering of the vehicle into the target parking location dependent upon the present location information and the target parking location information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies
    Inventor: Erick Michael Lavoie
  • Patent number: 8336912
    Abstract: A system for and method of facilitating or enabling a lateral maneuver by a vehicle, including and utilizing a plurality of selectively engaged low friction components, such as rollers, bearings, balls, or high durometer high abrasion resistant low loss modulus rubber treads, and an actuator, such as at least one inflatable bladder, pivotal support strut, or active material element, drivenly coupled to the components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Alan L. Browne, Christopher E. Borroni-Bird, Mark A. Kramarczyk
  • Patent number: 8319663
    Abstract: A parking assist system which, after a vehicle has passed the side of a parking area formed between parked vehicles, assists parking of the vehicle from a stopped position of the vehicle to the parking area, the parking assist system comprising: a distance sensor that emits radio waves or ultrasonic waves and detects the distance to the parked vehicles on the basis of the reflected waves; parking area detecting apparatus that measures, when the vehicle passes the parked vehicles and the side of the parking area, the distance to the parked vehicles with the distance sensor and detects, after the vehicle has passed the side of the parking area, the parking area on the basis of the measurement result; parking target position calculating apparatus that calculates a parking target position of the vehicle on the basis of the parking area that has been detected by the parking area detecting apparatus; and vehicle trajectory calculating apparatus that calculates, on the basis of the parking target position of the veh
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Von Reyher, Masafumi Naya, Hisashi Chiba
  • Patent number: 8276701
    Abstract: An apparatus capable of omni-directional movement including a belt layer made of a plurality of interlocking flexible rings and a surface layer made of a laterally inelastic and longitudinally flexible material that surrounds the exterior of the belt layer. The device has a bladder located in the interior of the belt layer that provides structural support for the belt layer and surface layer and a hub that is in contact with the surface layer and is connected to an axle. Longitudinal motion occurs as the bladder, the belt layer, the surface layer, and the hub rotate together. Lateral motion occurs as the belt layer and the surface layer rotate around the bladder. Longitudinal motion is induced by a plurality of electromagnetic curvilinear motor drive rings that are located around the hub and are in contact with the surface layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Inventor: Jonathan D. Shultz
  • Patent number: 8267206
    Abstract: A patient support including a traction device for powered movement of the patient support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.
    Inventors: John David Vogel, Thomas W. Hanson, Craig Crandall, Joseph A. Kummer, Michael M. Frondorf, David P. Lubbers, Ronald P. Kappeler, Bradley T. Wilson, Darrell L. Metz, Doug K. Smith, Jeffrey A. Ruschke, John Vodzak, Terry J. Stratman, Eric W. Oberhaus
  • Patent number: 8248220
    Abstract: A surrounding recognition support system includes a distance marker display section displaying a distance marker on a monitor for a user to identify the distance marker, which indicates a distance from the user to a predetermined area and allows the user to visually sense the distance when the user looks at the monitor, and a sound output section emitting a special sound corresponding to the distance indicated by the distance marker when the distance marker is displayed on the monitor by the distance marker display section. The sound output section emits the special sound in response to a result of detection of an object detection portion detecting the object existing around the user within the predetermined area defined by the distance indicated by the distance marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noboru Nagamine, Kazuya Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8205704
    Abstract: A parking assist apparatus includes a guidance mode setting portion specifying a forward turning guidance controlling portion to perform a control when determining that a direct guidance control for driving a vehicle rearward to a target parking position without once driving the vehicle forward is unachievable. The forward turning guidance controlling portion includes an auxiliary guidance controlling device generating an auxiliary guidance path and driving the vehicle rearward by an automatic steering along the auxiliary guidance path and a guidance possibility determining device determining whether or not the vehicle is directly guided rearward to the target parking position based on a position and a steering angle of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving forward by a manual steering. The forward turning guidance controlling portion includes a final guidance controlling device guiding the vehicle to the target parking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Kadowaki, Kazuya Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8115653
    Abstract: In a method and a corresponding device for outputting parking instructions to a driver of a vehicle, the parking process is divided into a multiplicity of sections each having a constant specified steering angle, and there being situated between each two sections a stopping point that is to be approached after a corresponding stop instruction within a stopping path. A respective tolerance band is defined for the stopping path and/or for the steering angle, a corresponding stop instruction, corresponding to a specified stopping path, and/or a corresponding specified steering angle being defined for each section, taking into account the respective tolerance band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Scherl, Peter Preissler
  • Patent number: 8100213
    Abstract: A parking device for motor vehicles to facilitate and expedite the parallel parking operation especially when the space available between two parked vehicles is not abundant. The device is typically operated after the car has entered the parking spot diagonally so that one of the front wheels is touching the sidewalk curb. The device is normally mounted on the bottom surface of a motor vehicle, preferably in the rear part of a motor vehicle. The device consists essentially of a powered wheel that is lowered to the ground and it is further pushed down to raise the rear part of a motor vehicle until the rear wheels are no longer in contact with the ground. The lowered wheel, perpendicular to the other wheels of the motor vehicle, is then powered to turn in either directions to cause the rear part of the motor vehicle to move toward the sidewalk until the motor vehicle is parallel to the sidewalk curb and mostly aligned with the other parked vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Inventor: Danilo Offer
  • Patent number: 8083013
    Abstract: Examples and implementations of various robotic mechanisms, devices, components, systems and techniques are provided, including multimodal robotic devices and systems. For example, a multimodal robot can be configured to autonomously reconfigure between two or more primary modes of operation. Such robots may be used in a wide range of applications, including reconnaissance, exploration, search and rescue, military, sports, personal assistance, education, and entertainment and toys. Described examples of multimodal robots can be wheeled robots that use two or more drive wheels to perform various motions and operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Thomas R. Bewley, Christopher Schmidt-Wetekam, Joseph Moore, Jerimiah DiMatteo, Mark Ramirez, David Zhang, Sean Summers
  • Patent number: 8065058
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for steering a vehicle to be parked in reverse into a parking gap where a nominal parking trajectory of the vehicle is determined by a control unit and where a steering angle of the steered wheels of the vehicle that must be set for negotiating the parking gap is determined on the basis of the nominal parking trajectory. The nominal parking trajectory (yB(x)) is determined on the basis of a position of the vehicle from two reference trajectories (yLower(x); yUpper(x)), and the reference trajectories (yLower(x); yUpper(x)) represent parking trajectories for parking, starting from different start points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventor: Stefan Lüke
  • Patent number: 8051931
    Abstract: A patient support including a traction device for powered movement of the patient support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.
    Inventors: John David Vogel, Thomas W. Hanson, Craig Crandall, Joseph A. Kummer, Michael M. Frondorf, David P. Lubbers, Ronald P. Kappeler, Bradley T. Wilson, Darrell L. Metz, Doug K. Smith, Jeffrey A. Ruschke, John Vodzak, Terry J. Stratman, Eric W. Oberhaus
  • Patent number: 8002653
    Abstract: A power unit includes an engine having a crankshaft, and a continuously variable transmission having a drive pulley operatively connected with the crankshaft, a driven pulley, and a belt extended between and wrapped around the drive pulley and the driven pulley. The power unit further includes a transmission input clutch, which allows or interrupts the transmission of a rotational drive force of the crankshaft to the drive pulley, mounted on a drive pulley shaft; and a starter clutch, which allows or interrupts the transmission of a rotational drive force of the driven pulley to the drive wheel, mounted on a driven pulley shaft. The transmission input clutch and the starter clutch are arranged such that a continuously variable transmission is sandwiched therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoo Shiozaki, Toshimasa Mitsubori, Erika Hara
  • Patent number: 7977917
    Abstract: An electric power supply control system has a battery, a vehicular alternator, large electric power systems, operation limitation target systems, and a battery condition management device. Each large electric power system generates a rush current when initiating its operation by electric power supplied. Each operation limitation target system is capable of limiting its operation for a demand during the operation of the large electric power systems. The large electric power systems and the operation limitation target systems change their operation conditions based on an allowable electric power (or an allowable electric current) supplied from the battery condition management device in order to maintain a terminal voltage of the battery which is not less than a limitation voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Tadatoshi Asada
  • Patent number: 7936283
    Abstract: A parking space is detected by using a range sensor. Distance data in a predetermined period is collected by using the range sensor according to a user's selection and mapping the collected distance data on a coordinates system based on a parking space searching vehicle. The collected distance data are classified into short distance data and long distance data. Parking-available distance data, is calculated. Whether the parking space exists based on the calculated parking-available distance data is checked. The parking space searching vehicle is stopped by controlling an active braking apparatus or recommending a driver to stop the parking space searching vehicle by means of a voice and alarm sounds when it has been checked that the parking space exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Mando Corporation
    Inventor: Dong-suk Kim
  • Patent number: 7931108
    Abstract: Exemplary apparatus and system for repositioning a semi-trailer are described. The repositoner may comprise two pivoting arms, each comprising a mechanical actuator attached to an underside area of the semi-trailer, wherein the pivoting arms are disposed substantially parallel to the underside of the semi-trailer in a first position and are configured to be pivoted away from the semi-trailer in a second position substantially perpendicular to the underside of the semi-trailer; two wheels mounted at an angle from a rear plane of the semi-trailer such that the semi-trailer moves in a circular path when the wheels turn, with each wheel operatively coupled to a motor; and a lower frame mounted to the mechanical actuators of the arms, the lower frame comprising two opposing wheel housing couple to the wheels; wherein, lowering the hydraulic jack arms can hydraulically lift the semi-trailer, and further wherein the wheels can maneuver the semi-trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Erich Feldhaus
    Inventor: Erich Hadden Feldhaus
  • Publication number: 20110083921
    Abstract: A system for and method of facilitating or enabling a lateral maneuver by a vehicle, including and utilizing a plurality of selectively engaged low friction components, such as rollers, bearings, balls, or high durometer high abrasion resistant low loss modulus rubber treads, and an actuator, such as at least one inflatable bladder, pivotal support strut, or active material element, drivenly coupled to the components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2009
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Alan L. Browne, Christopher E. Borroni-Bird, Mark A. Kramarczyk
  • Patent number: 7921952
    Abstract: A parking assistance system includes front and rear auxiliary wheel assemblies mounted to a chassis of the vehicle and adjacent front and rear wheels of the vehicle. Each of the front and rear auxiliary wheel assemblies includes two auxiliary wheels and an auxiliary motor coupled to the auxiliary wheels for driving the auxiliary wheels to rotate in a forward or backward direction. A plurality of lift devices are mounted between the auxiliary wheels and the chassis and control upward and downward movement of the auxiliary wheels. At least one parking assistance controller is coupled to the auxiliary motors. A control unit is coupled to the at least one parking assistance controller and manually operable to control a rotating direction and speed of the auxiliary motors via the at least one parking assistance controller, controlling a moving distance and direction of the auxiliary wheels in the forward or backward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: National Pingtung University of Science & Technology
    Inventors: Chyuan-Yow Tseng, Hsing-Hui Huang, Chien-Hsiung Tsai
  • Patent number: 7903842
    Abstract: A target position setting device includes a distance meter, an imager, first and second calculating portions, a determination portion, and a setting portion. The distance meter measures a distance to an object around a vehicle. The imager takes an image of an environment around the vehicle. The first calculating portion calculates a first candidate of a target position of the vehicle according to a measuring result of the distance meter. The second calculating portion calculates a second candidate of the target position of the vehicle according to an imaging result of the imager. The determination portion determines whether a relationship between the first candidate and the second candidate meets a given condition. The setting portion sets the target position according to the second candidate of the target position when the determination portion determines that the relationship between the first candidate and the second candidate meets the given condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisashi Satonaka
  • Patent number: 7882915
    Abstract: A vehicle lateral-motion apparatus that, under the direction of a user, moves a vehicle to which it is mounted in a generally perpendicular direction to a vehicle axis that extends between the front and rear of the vehicle includes a vehicle lifting assembly for elevating the vehicle above a roadway and lowering the vehicle back to the roadway as directed by a user and lateral-motion assembly coupled to the lifting assembly for displacing the vehicle to one side or the other of the vehicle axis while the vehicle is elevated above the roadway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Inventor: Randell J. Wishart
  • Patent number: 7878284
    Abstract: A tire that is capable of moving a vehicle in both longitudinal and lateral directions has been developed. The tire is mounted on a circular hub with a center opening and a concave groove around the outer edge. The groove contains an electromagnetic drive mechanism that provides lateral drive to the tire. An axle that provides longitudinal drive to the tire is attached to the center opening. The tire further includes a surface layer that is in contact the groove of the hub, a belt layer comprising a that is connected to the interior of the surface layer and a bladder located in the interior of the belt layer that provides structural support to the tire so that the tire stays within the groove of the hub when the tire is moving laterally. The tire also includes a pair of rigid roller rings made of incrementally spaced roller bearings. Longitudinal movement of the tire is generated by rotating the axle and lateral movement of the tire is generated by the electromagnetic drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Inventor: Jonathan D. Shultz
  • Patent number: 7828092
    Abstract: A patient support including a traction device for powered movement of the patient support. The traction device includes a storage position and a use position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.
    Inventors: John David Vogel, Thomas W. Hanson, Craig Crandall, Joseph A. Kummer, Michael M. Frondorf, David P. Lubbers, Ronald P. Kappeler, Bradley T. Wilson, Darrell L. Metz, Doug K. Smith, Jeffrey A. Ruschke, John Vodzak, Terry J. Stratman, Eric W. Oberhaus
  • Patent number: 7755511
    Abstract: In a parking assistance apparatus disclosed herein, a position and a yaw angle of a vehicle are acquired continuously from an initial stop position A, and a vehicle mark C2? in moving the vehicle backwards with a steering angle maintained during a backward movement operation from a backward movement start position B in parking the vehicle in a target parking space S is displayed on a display. The vehicle mark C2? is displayed in a shifting manner on the display such that the target parking space S is traced based on a momentary steering angle and a momentary yaw angle of the vehicle, which result from backward movement of the vehicle. When the vehicle mark C2? deviates from the target parking space S during the backward movement operation, a driver adjusts the steering angle. The vehicle mark C2? is shifted on the display based on a change in the steering angle to be turned into a vehicle mark C4 at a suitable position corresponding to the target parking space S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamamoto, Kazunori Shimazaki, Tomio Kimura
  • Patent number: 7739008
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system in a vehicle for assisting a driver of a vehicle when reversing, having at least one sensor unit which detects objects within the surroundings to the rear of the vehicle, having a computing unit which is connected to the sensor unit and has the purpose of processing the detected objects, and having an actuator unit which is connected to the computing unit. According to the invention, the computing unit generates a virtual driving tube within which the vehicle can move backward without colliding with the detected objects. The actuator unit is a steering actuator which is actuated by the computing unit and has the purpose of outputting haptic information which informs the driver of the vehicle about the steering direction, which is to be adopted next for reverse travel within the driving tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Cieler, Vera Donk, Guido Meier-Arendt, Thomas Sulzbach
  • Patent number: 7706944
    Abstract: A parking assist device detecting a parking stall line from an image, which is captured by a capturing portion; setting a parking target position on the basis of the parking stall line; and assisting the vehicle to travel to the parking target position; the parking assist device includes a vehicle detecting portion for detecting a movement of the vehicle, a memorizing portion for memorizing the movement detected by the vehicle detecting portion, as a vehicle moving trajectory, a temporary parking target position estimating portion for assuming a temporary parking target position on the basis of variations of the vehicle moving trajectory, which has been memorized by the memorizing portion, and a parking stall line searching area setting portion for setting a parking stall line searching area, within which a parking stall line is searched on the basis of the temporary parking target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yu Tanaka, Toshiaki Kakinami
  • Patent number: 7672765
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a vehicle roll stability indicator that dynamically estimates the probability for vehicle rollover. The system determines vehicle kinematics from various vehicle sensors. From these kinematic values, the system estimates a roll angle of the vehicle and a bank angle of the vehicle. The estimated bank angle is used to correct the roll angle. The system determines a roll energy of the vehicle and a roll energy rate of the vehicle from the corrected roll angle. The system also calculates a tire lateral load transfer of the relative forces on the vehicle tires, and the duration that any of the tires have been off of the ground. From the roll energy, the roll energy rate, the tire lateral load transfer and the wheel airborne duration, the system calculates the roll stability indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technnology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Nikolai K. Moshchuk, Shih-Ken Chen, Flavio Nardi
  • Patent number: 7610126
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining the alignment of the wheels of a motor vehicle, which comprises sensing devices adapted to detect the coordinates, with respect to a same reference system, of at least three base points which belong to the supporting surface that supports the motor vehicle for which wheel alignment is to be determined, to detect the coordinates of at least two chassis points identified in symmetrical positions of the chassis of the motor vehicle with respect to the longitudinal centerline plane of the motor vehicle, and to detect the coordinates, with respect to the reference system, of four wheel points, which belong to a preset wheel plane that is at least tangent with respect to the rim of the wheel whose alignment is to be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Spanesi S.p.A
    Inventor: Orazio Spanesi
  • Patent number: 7536245
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided with an optimum suspension/chassis state and run for a first period of time under a predetermined condition, for storing information related to outputs of force sensors, as a reference value. The state of the vehicle may change due to the use thereof, thus it is run for a second period of time under the predetermined condition. An analyzing apparatus analyzes a change of an alignment state of the vehicle on the basis of information stored from the first and second periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Naruse, Shinichi Furuya