Curb Patents (Class 340/437)
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Patent number: 10571290Abstract: A method and system is provided for vehicle speed profile generation. The method is performed by receiving data pertaining to driver characteristics and characteristics of trips taken by said driver, creating driver profile by generating skill and aggression parameters for said driver, constructing trip parameters pertaining to said trips taken by the driver by processing the skill and aggression parameters, constructing acceleration dataset for said trips, constructing speed values from the acceleration dataset and processing the speed values for anomalies.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2017Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: Tata Consultancy Services LimitedInventors: Arijit Chowdhury, Tapas Chakravarty, Tanushree Banerjee, Balamuralidhar Purushothaman
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Patent number: 10220769Abstract: A computer is programmed to receive data indicating a state of a traffic signal. The computer is further programmed to activate a light source in a first vehicle to project a traffic signal symbol representing the state of the traffic signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2017Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Paul Kenneth Dellock, Stuart C. Salter, Venkatesh Krishnan
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Patent number: 10176386Abstract: A vehicle speed determination system and method receive image data of a field of view of a camera operably disposed onboard a vehicle. A speed and/or heading of the vehicle are determined as the vehicle is moving based at least in part on one or more differences in the image data. In one aspect, pixel intensities in different images or frames may be examined to identify one or more features of interest in the images or frames. Movement of the one or more features of interest in the images or frames is correlated to movement of the vehicle along the route, and the time difference between when the images or frames are obtained can be used to determine the vehicle speed.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2015Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Dattaraj Jagdish Rao, Scott Daniel Nelson, Nidhi Naithani, Nikhil Uday Naphade
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Patent number: 10108866Abstract: A method of detecting a curb. An image of a path of travel is captured by a monocular image capture device mounted to a vehicle. A feature extraction technique is applied by a processor to the captured image. A classifier is applied to the extracted features to identify a candidate region in the image. Curb edges are localized by the processor in the candidate region of the image by extracting edge points. Candidate curbs are identified as a function of the extracted edge points. A pair of parallel curves is selected representing the candidate curb. A range from image capture device to the candidate curb is determined. A height of the candidate curb is determined. A vehicle application is enabled to assist a driver in maneuvering a vehicle utilizing the determined range and depth of the candidate curb.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2016Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Carnegie Mellon UniversityInventors: Veronique C. Prinet, Jinsong Wang, Lee Jongho, David Wettergreen
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Patent number: 10002534Abstract: In a driving assistance apparatus mounted in a vehicle, a detector detects a lane change of the vehicle, a determiner determines a position of a lane traveled by the vehicle immediately after the lane change detected by the detector relative to a position of a lane traveled by the vehicle immediately before the lane change, and a verifier determines whether or not there is misrecognition of speed limits during travel of the vehicle based on a positional relationship between the lanes traveled by the vehicle immediately before and after the lane change detected by the detector and a comparison between recognized speed limits for the respective lanes traveled by the vehicle immediately before and after the lane change detected by the detector. If it is determined that there is misrecognition of speed limits, a reporter reports the recognized speed limit to a driver of the vehicle in a prescribed manner.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2016Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Jian Hu
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Patent number: 9694812Abstract: A method and device for determining a target curve incline of a motor vehicle during traveling of a curved roadway section is disclosed. A momentary transverse acceleration of the motor vehicle is determined depending on a momentary speed of the motor vehicle and a momentary roadway curvature of the curved roadway section determined by an optical detection system. A momentary target curve incline for the motor vehicle is calculated from the determined momentary transverse acceleration. A modified momentary target curve incline is calculated by weighting of the calculated target curve incline with a speed-dependent target curve incline weighting factor. The momentary roadway curvature is determined by additionally using a vehicle navigation system of the motor vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2013Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: Daimler AGInventors: Dieter Ammon, Claus-Michael Hainbuch, Magnus Rau
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Patent number: 9058249Abstract: The vehicle control system controls a vehicle based on an estimated gradient value of a travel road. Further, the vehicle control system includes a front/rear acceleration sensor and wheel speed sensors, and a control device for calculating the estimated gradient value. Further, when the vehicle travels, the control device determines whether or not the vehicle is traveling rearward. Then, when the vehicle is traveling forward, the control device calculates the estimated gradient value based on an output signal of the acceleration sensor and output signals of the wheel speed sensors. In contrast, when the vehicle is traveling rearward, the control device calculates the estimated gradient value based on an output signal of the acceleration sensor.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2011Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Takeshi Kanou
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Patent number: 8958947Abstract: A vehicle approach notification device 2 includes: position detection unit 21 that detects current positions of a vehicle; map database 22 storing map data; specific area travel determination unit 23 that determines the travel in a specific area by using the current position from the unit 21 and the map data from the database 22; specific area scale determination unit 24 that, when information from the unit 23 indicates a specific area, determines a scale of the specific area; storage unit 25 that stores a list of thresholds relating to the scale of the specific area; and notification control unit 28 that compares information of the scale from the unit 24 with the list of thresholds from the unit 25, and that when the threshold is satisfied, outputs a control signal for emitting a notification sound of the vehicle to notification sound control unit 30 that controls the sound.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2010Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Shigeru Inakazu, Mitsuo Shimotani
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Patent number: 8907815Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 8, 2009Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Aisin Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Jun Kadowaki, Kazuya Watanabe, Yumi Yamanaka
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Patent number: 8907839Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method and a system for recognizing a space of a road shoulder using an ultrasonic wave sensor, a radar and an imaging device. The method includes: controlling the radar to transmit a radar beam within a preset range based on the vehicle location; detecting a fixed object located within the preset range using a reflective wave of the radar beam received by the radar; calculating a distance between the fixed object and the vehicle using the radar when the fixed object is located within the preset range; detecting a solid line lane marking in a front image of a travel lane obtained from the imaging device; and recognizing the calculated distance between the fixed object and the vehicle as a space width of the road shoulder when the solid line lane is in the front image of the travel lane.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2012Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventors: Young Chul Oh, Surim Kwon
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Patent number: 8872643Abstract: A safety system for an ore processing facility using a mobile mechanisms such as dozer-type wheeled vehicles operating in proximity with an excavator providing ore to a remote milling site. The excavator or earth moving mechanism has a positioning sensor (such as GPS) generating data indicative of the location of the earth moving mechanism and each of the mobile mechanisms also include positioning sensors. An analysis mechanism receives the positioning sensor data from the earth moving mechanism and the positioning sensor data from said mobile mechanisms and creates a distance calculation which is used alert the alarm in the earth moving mechanism and the alarm in the mobile mechanism if said distance calculation is less than a prescribed value.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2013Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Inventor: William Ebert
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Patent number: 8803708Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuous, non-intermittent, detection of vehicles based on a light detector for detecting a change in illumination when a vehicle arrives or departs, and on a use of the light detection to activate a magnetic sensor, a sensitivity of which is adjusted to detect only those magnetic disturbances sufficiently large to be able to be attributed to a vehicle which is over the sensor. Both the light detector and the magnetic sensor are connected directly to a digital controller without a need for active electronic components or their own or a shared power supply source. The light detector may be fixed or portable, wireless or connected by cables, and may operate independently or as part of a sensor network.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2010Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: Universitat Politecnica de CatalunyaInventors: Ramon Pallàs Areny, Jaime Oscar Casas Piedrafita, Ernesto Sifuentes De La Hoya
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Patent number: 8786419Abstract: A device for controlling a device by using a rotation-rate sensor. In order to provide a device for determining a triggering signal for a safety device which allows a particularly compact implementation of the device, the device is set up to ascertain an acceleration variable on the basis of a first sensor signal for a first seismic mass of the rotation-rate sensor and the second sensor signal for a second seismic mass of the rotation-rate sensor and to control the device as a function of the acceleration variable.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2009Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Markus Ulm, Mathias Reimann, Harald Emmerich, Udo-Martin Gomez, Emma Abel
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Patent number: 8754761Abstract: A control unit for automatically guiding a vehicle, in particular during a parking procedure, has an interface to a monitoring unit of a brake operating unit of the vehicle to ascertain a braking readiness of the driver in such a way that automatic guiding of the vehicle is interrupted if a braking readiness of a driver is not detected.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2009Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Markus Koehler, Michael Scherl, Matthias Haug, Uwe Zimmermann
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Patent number: 8692687Abstract: A parking-assistant system for “multi-maneuver parking”, which is designed for generating, before the parking maneuver is started, a predetermined path, via the simulation of a maneuver of exit from a parking space. The control effected by the system, during the real parking maneuver, limits itself to comparing the effective position of the vehicle with respect to the predetermined path. Said control has somewhat low computational requirements so that the system is quite reliable.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2010Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A.Inventors: Guido Ghisio, Daniele Marenco
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Patent number: 8694195Abstract: A motor vehicle has a wheel-view camera with a wide-angle lens and an image sensor. The wheel-view camera is mounted in the housing of a side view mirror and points in a downward direction such that the wheel-view camera captures a front wheel. An image processing unit is operatively connected to the wheel-view camera unit for receiving image data from the wheel-view camera. The image processing unit is configured to process the image data such that the image processing unit performs a wide-angle lens correction, an image rotation and a viewpoint conversion. A display unit is operatively connected to the image processing unit. The display unit receives processed image data from the image processing unit and displays an image of the front wheel.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2007Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Volkswagen AGInventors: Jonathan Lee, Arne Stoschek
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Patent number: 8686875Abstract: A parking support device is provided for extracting detection point data corresponding to a corner portion of a parked vehicle 2 from detection point data showing a series of detection points at each of which the distance to the parked vehicle 2 is detected, performing a noise component removing process and a data complementing process using a curve approximation of the series of detection points on the extracted detection point data, estimating reflection points of a detection wave in the corner portion from the detection point data and sensor position data showing a moving path of a distance sensor 3, and measuring the length of a parking space adjacent to the parked vehicle 2 according to a corner position which is determined from the positions of the estimated reflection points to determine if a vehicle 1 can be parked in the parking space.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2009Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Satoru Inoue, Ryotaro Suzuki, Mitsuaki Akaza
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Patent number: 8669854Abstract: Described herein is a method for determining and signalling to a driver of a motor vehicle a condition of danger deriving from a potential collision of the motor vehicle itself with an obstacle. The method is able to: determine a path of travel of the motor vehicle along a stretch of road; define an area of detection of the obstacles in the stretch of road; detect the obstacles present in the area of detection in such a way as to generate a list of possible obstacles that might be hit; identify, from among the possible obstacles detected, a main obstacle; determine a level of risk associated to a condition of impact of the motor vehicle with the main obstacle detected; and finally generate a signal or alarm message regarding the level of risk determined.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2009Date of Patent: March 11, 2014Assignee: C.R.F. Societá Consortile per AzioniInventors: Carlo D'Ambrosio, Andrea Ghiro
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Patent number: 8576055Abstract: A collision avoidance assisting system for a vehicle, for expecting a risk of colliding upon a moving object (or a moving obstacle), including a pedestrian, more correctly, but without annoying a driver, excessively, by estimating the risk to be excessively high, comprises a moving object detecting means for detecting a moving object existing on periphery of the vehicle; a footway boundary detecting means for detecting a position and a configuration of a footway boundary object on periphery of the vehicle; a risk estimation means for estimating a risk that the moving object detected by said moving object detecting means collides on the vehicle; and an alarm means for calling an attention to a driver of the vehicle, upon basis of the risk of collision estimated by the risk estimation means, wherein the risk of collision between the moving object, which is detected by the moving object detecting means, and that vehicle is estimated by taking at least the position information of the moving object, the position iType: GrantFiled: February 3, 2010Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yoshitaka Hara, Yuji Hosoda, Masashi Koga
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Patent number: 8525655Abstract: In the case that a vehicle 1 is making a reverse movement, a control section 4 sets a braking control operation distance according to an angle formed by the vehicle 1's proceeding direction and an extending direction of a road on which an approaching vehicle is traveling. With this, a braking control is implemented at a delayed timing in a scene where the following possibility is high: the driver wishes to end the reverse movement operation as early as possible when a space for allowing the approaching vehicle to pass by is not present at the back of the vehicle 1. Thereby, the cumbersomeness or discomfort which may be felt by the driver with respect to the braking control can be decreased.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2009Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Kobayashi, Youji Hamaguchi, Takuya Inoue
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Patent number: 8487782Abstract: A method for detecting objects having a low height, using a system for obstacle detection in vehicles, the system for obstacle detection including distance sensors for ascertaining the distance from objects and an arrangement for evaluation. The method includes performing the following: (a) continually recording the distance from an object using the distance sensors or recording the distance from an object at specified intervals, (b) checking whether the object continues to be recorded by the distance sensors when approaching the vehicle, in response to falling below a specified distance, or whether it vanishes from the detection range of the distance sensors, (c) detecting the object, which vanishes from the detection range of the distance sensors, as being an object of low height. Also described is a method for supporting a driver during a driving maneuver.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2010Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Christian Pampus, Werner Urban, Meike Fehse, Bjoern Herder, Marco Knoblauch, Soenke Seifarth
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Patent number: 8471716Abstract: Signaling methods and apparatuses are described for preventing flood irrigation water from overflowing in a trench, field, or other area. Signaling devices may include indicators such as a reflector, a flag, a light, or a sound device provided on an end of an elongate member having its opposite end engaged with the ground. A stake is driven into the ground near the elongate member in the trench or other area where water will flow. A breakaway link such as a strip of paper is engaged to either the indicator or the elongate member and also to the stake, causing the elongate member to be bent downward, with the breakaway link located in the trench where water will flow. When exposed to the flow of water, the breakaway link weakens and eventually tears such that the elongate member springs upward carrying the indicator with it, signaling an operator that water has reached that location in the trench.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2010Date of Patent: June 25, 2013Inventor: Michael Hansen
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Patent number: 8433100Abstract: The lane mark recognition device is equipped with a lane mark detecting unit which executes a lane mark detection process in each predetermined control cycle, and adds a detection presence/absence data to a ring buffer, a detection presence/absence data addition inhibiting unit which inhibits addition of the detection presence/absence data to the ring buffer when the vehicle is traveling in the intersection, and a lane mark position recognizing unit which recognizes a relative position of the vehicle and the lane mark, when the lane mark is detected in the situation where a lane mark detection rate calculated from the data of the ring buffer is higher than a reliability threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2012Date of Patent: April 30, 2013Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takuma Nakamori, Tomoyoshi Aoki, Jun Tanaka, Sachio Kobayashi
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Patent number: 8423231Abstract: A driver assistance system includes a speed detector, a preceding vehicle detector having at least one video camera and at least one distance sensor for detecting the distance from a preceding vehicle, a device for determining the speed of the preceding vehicle, and an electronic control unit equipped to trigger an autonomous deceleration of the vehicle with the presence of predetermined brake trigger driving data and to terminate the autonomous deceleration with the presence of predetermined brake abortion driving data. The control unit effects: redundant detection of preceding vehicle driving data, and non-redundant detection of preceding vehicle driving data if a redundant detection is not possible. The non-redundantly detected preceding vehicle driving data is compared to preceding vehicle driving data redundantly detected within a predetermined time, and the non-redundantly detected data is used to control the autonomous deceleration if it corresponds to the redundantly detected data.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2009Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: WABCO GmbHInventors: Karsten Breuer, Guido Hoffmann
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Patent number: 8390440Abstract: A method for displaying a visual warning signal to warn a driver of a vehicle about a traffic situation that is determined to be critical. The visual warning signal displayed to the driver is based on sensor data furnished by at least one sensor unit that determines a line of sight of the driver. A display unit for displaying the visual warning signal is selected from a group of at least two separately controllable display units depending on the line of sight of the driver.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2009Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Wolfgang Krautter, Michael Dambier, Maria Rimini-Doering, Dietrich Manstetten
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Patent number: 8354932Abstract: A method and a device for driver assistance in which the warning threshold at which the driver is warned for example of a departure from the lane is adaptively adjusted as a function of the driver's state and/or the driving situation.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2005Date of Patent: January 15, 2013Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Carsten Schmitz
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Patent number: 8346436Abstract: A driving support system includes a lane detecting unit for detecting lanes around a vehicle, a route correcting unit for correcting a route along which the vehicle is expected to travel taking into consideration an obstacle on the route after the route has been recognized by lanes detected by the lane detecting unit, and a control unit for controlling the vehicle on the basis of the positional relation between the corrected route determined by the route correcting unit and the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2011Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Atsushi Yokoyama, Shinjiro Saito, Masatsugu Arai, Tatsuya Yoshida
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Patent number: 8306269Abstract: The lane mark recognition device is equipped with a lane mark detecting unit which executes a lane mark detection process in each predetermined control cycle, and adds a detection presence/absence data to a ring buffer, a detection presence/absence data addition inhibiting unit which inhibits addition of the detection presence/absence data to the ring buffer when the vehicle is traveling in the intersection, and a lane mark position recognizing unit which recognizes a relative position of the vehicle and the lane mark, when the lane mark is detected in the situation where a lane mark detection rate calculated from the data of the ring buffer is higher than a reliability threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2010Date of Patent: November 6, 2012Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takuma Nakamori, Tomoyoshi Aoki, Jun Tanaka, Sachio Kobayashi
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Patent number: 8290665Abstract: A method for driver support in a vehicle in which a driver assistance system monitors a driving situation of the vehicle. Support takes place after a confirmation or after the absence of an abort instruction, a dialogue about the extent of support the driver wishes being conducted between the driver and the driver assistance system.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2005Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Lars Placke, Lars Biester
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Patent number: 8275518Abstract: A target parking position setting section (23) is adapted to temporarily set a target parking position (p31, p32, p33) for the vehicle for each parking mode in a predetermined stop position. A parking mode determining section (25) is adapted to determine the parking mode and the target parking position corresponding to the parking mode based on an operation of a steering wheel performed by a driver after the target parking position (p31, p32, p33) is set. A guiding section (29) is adapted to guide the vehicle (1) to the determined target parking position (P3).Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2008Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Assignees: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazuya Watanabe, Jun Kadowaki, Tsuyoshi Kuboyama, Yu Tanaka, Yoichi Iwata, Tetsunori Haraguchi, Masahiko Yanagihara
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Patent number: 8264336Abstract: The vehicle-mounted alarm generating apparatus includes an extracting section configured to extract a road boundary marking representing a boundary of a lane from an image of a picture of a road surface ahead of a vehicle, a position setting section configured to set a first position and a second position more distant from the vehicle than the first position in accordance with extraction results by the extracting section, a first alarm generating section configured to generate a first alarm when a distance between the vehicle and the first position becomes shorter than a predetermined first distance, and a second alarm generating section configured to generate a second alarm, when a distance between the vehicle and the first position becomes shorter than a predetermined second distance. The configuration of the second alarm is different from that of the first alarm.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2010Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Denso CorporationInventor: Tetsuya Takafuji
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Patent number: 8213646Abstract: A stereophonic apparatus uses three speakers respectively installed toward a front of a vehicle on both shoulders of a seat back of a driver's seat and toward a back of the vehicle on an exact center in front of a driver. This configuration provides more effectively exerted positioning effects for a virtual sound source realized by using the three speakers, especially for the effects in a frontward field of sound.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2009Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Yuji Matsumoto, Sei Iguchi, Wataru Kobayashi, Kazuhiko Furuya, Keita Yonai
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Patent number: 8193925Abstract: A vehicle has a display device which widens the field of view (visible area) reflected by a side mirror or a back mirror mounted on the vehicle. To enable a driver driving the vehicle to confirm safety even when it is difficult for the driver to visually recognize some of objects surrounding the vehicle, a liquid crystal display device or an EL display device is provided in the side mirror (door mirror), the back mirror (room mirror) or in an interior portion of the vehicle. A camera is mounted on the vehicle and an image from the camera is displayed on the display device. Further, information read from a sensor (distance measuring sensor) having the function of measuring the distance to another vehicle, and a sensor (impact sensor) having the function of sensing an externally applied impact force larger than a predetermined value is displayed on the display device.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2011Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
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Patent number: 8099213Abstract: A method is provided for detecting road-side edges in a road segment using a light-based sensing system. Input range data is captured using the light-based sensing system. An elevation-based road segment is generated based on the captured input range data. The elevation-based road segment is processed by filtering techniques to identify the road segment candidate region and by pattern recognition techniques to determine whether the candidate region is a road segment. The input range data is also projected onto the ground plane for further validation. The line representation of the projected points are identified. The line representation of the candidate regions is compared to a simple road/road-edge model in the top-down view to determine whether the candidate region is a road segment with its edges. The proposed method provides fast processing speeds and reliable detection performance for both road and road-side edges simultaneously in the captured range data.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2008Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Wende Zhang, Varsha Sadekar
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Publication number: 20110267185Abstract: A monitoring system is presented. The monitoring system includes a plurality of sensing devices disposed at various locations of a vehicle to generate signals comprising vibration and acoustic data of the vehicle, a processing device configured to determine one or more events based upon the generated signals, and generate alert messages based upon the one or more events.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2010Publication date: November 3, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Li Zhang, Patricia Denise Mackenzie, Joseph James Salvo, John William Carbone, Charles Burton Theurer
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Patent number: 8009024Abstract: A display device of the present invention is mounted on an automotive vehicle. An obstacle located in front of the vehicle is detected by a camera, and its features including speed, distance, size, etc. are analyzed by electronic circuits. An image showing the features of the front object is outputted from a liquid crystal panel. The outputted image is reflected on the windshield, displaying a virtual image to a driver. The virtual image is displayed in a form of a spot encircling the front obstacle seen through the windshield. The ways of displaying the encircling spot are variously changed according to a degree of collision danger that is determined according to a period in which the vehicle reaches the obstacle. For example, if the degree of collision danger is high, the spot is shown in red-orange color and/or with a high brightness. Thus, the driver easily recognizes the front obstacle in a high degree of collision danger.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2009Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Takeshi Enya, Masaru Kakizaki
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Patent number: 7994903Abstract: A vehicle has a display device which widens the field of view (visible area) reflected by a side mirror or a back mirror mounted on the vehicle. To enable a driver driving the vehicle to confirm safety even when it is difficult for the driver to visually recognize some of objects surrounding the vehicle, a liquid crystal display device or an EL display device is provided in the side mirror (door mirror), the back mirror (room mirror) or in an interior portion of the vehicle. A camera is mounted on the vehicle and an image from the camera is displayed on the display device. Further, information read from a sensor (distance measuring sensor) having the function of measuring the distance to another vehicle, and a sensor (impact sensor) having the function of sensing an externally applied impact force larger than a predetermined value is displayed on the display device.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2009Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
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Patent number: 7965197Abstract: A vehicle blind spot occupation warning system includes a vehicle that has a front end, a rear end, a first lateral side and a second lateral side. A first rear view mirror is mounted on the first lateral side and a second rear view mirror is mounted on the second lateral side. A pair of heat detecting sensors is provided. Each of the first and second lateral sides has one of the sensors attached thereto and the sensors are positioned adjacent to the rear end. The heat detecting sensors detect heat from vehicles positioned at least within 30 feet laterally and rearwardly of the first and second lateral sides. At least one light emitter is in communication with the heat detecting sensors and emits light when the first or second sensor detects heat.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2008Date of Patent: June 21, 2011Inventor: Eric D. Engelmann
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Patent number: 7936283Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 24, 2008Date of Patent: May 3, 2011Assignee: Mando CorporationInventor: Dong-suk Kim
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Patent number: 7920056Abstract: A driving support apparatus has a display mounted in a vehicle, a driving information receiving unit receiving a steering angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle, and a control unit. The control unit produces a vehicle figure imitating a shape of the vehicle and a tire figure imitating a shape of a tire of the vehicle in a bird's-eye view, calculates a predicted running locus of the vehicle, detects positions of portions of an obstacle facing the vehicle one after another, and controls the display to display a driving support image including the vehicle figure, the tire figure, the running locus and obstacle detecting marks indicating the positions of the obstacle while changing a direction of the tire figure with respect to the vehicle figure according to the steering angle. A driver recognizes a turning rate of the vehicle from the direction of the tire figure.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2007Date of Patent: April 5, 2011Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.Inventors: Toshihiro Hattori, Kiyonari Kojima, Mitsuyasu Matsuura, Naoki Kamikawa, Mitsuru Fujita
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Patent number: 7881868Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates warning of collision between a primary principal and one or more non-primary principals. The system includes a triggering mechanism and a preliminary assessment mechanism. During operation, the triggering mechanism determines whether a trigger condition is met based on the state of the primary principal. When the trigger condition is met, the preliminary assessment mechanism generates one or more collision scenarios associated with the trigger condition, assesses a preliminary probability of collision in a collision scenario, and, based on the preliminary probability of collision in the collision scenario, activates a specialized assessment mechanism to assess a refined probability of collision in the collision scenario.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2007Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center IncorporatedInventors: Daniel H. Greene, Juan Liu, James E. Reich
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Patent number: 7864034Abstract: A system assists a driver occupying a seat within a vehicle traveling on a road. The system includes sensing apparatus that senses a plurality of different types of conditions regarding the vehicle. Information apparatus provides information regarding the different types of conditions to the driver by respective different types of haptic inputs.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2009Date of Patent: January 4, 2011Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shunsuke Hijikata, Masahiro Egami, Norio Kosaka
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Patent number: 7843362Abstract: A method is provided for controlling an at least partly automatically implementable driving maneuver by which a motor vehicle can be moved from an actual position into a desired position. In the environment of the motor vehicle, a virtual target object is generated in a target position for the motor vehicle in the environment of the motor vehicle by projection using projection devices provided on the motor vehicle. As a function of operating actions of an operator of the motor vehicle, the target position is changed, whereby also the target object is displaced in the environment of the motor vehicle. And, by way of a selecting action of the operator, the changed target position is selected and utilized as the desired position of the driving maneuver.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2007Date of Patent: November 30, 2010Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventor: Alexander Augst
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Patent number: 7825828Abstract: A parking assist device includes a monitor (10) for displaying a captured image from a camera (12), assist information output means for providing assistance during introduction of a vehicle into a parking position, and correction control means (31) for correcting an inappropriate operation performed when the vehicle is introduced into the parking position. When a steering operation, an accelerator operation, or a brake operation is inappropriate, the correction control means (31) performs control to correct the travel course and the stop position. Thus, even if the driver performs an inappropriate operation when introducing the vehicle into the parking position, the driver can appropriately introduce the vehicle into the parking position according to the display on the monitor (10).Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2006Date of Patent: November 2, 2010Assignees: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazuya Watanabe, Kosuke Sato, Hiroshi Yamauchi
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Patent number: 7792624Abstract: A cruise control system includes a curve state detecting section, a target deceleration rate calculating section, a deceleration control section, a map matching detecting section, a position evaluating section and a revising section. The deceleration control section is configured to execute deceleration control within a deceleration control region before a curve existing in front of the vehicle. The map matching detecting section is configured to detect whether a map matching operation caused a vehicle traveling position to move onto a traveling road. The revising section is configured to perform at least one of increasing a deceleration rate of the vehicle and extending an end position of a deceleration control region to a position inside the curve based on a positional relationship between the vehicle traveling position and the curve when the vehicle traveling position after the map matching operation is within the deceleration control region.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2006Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahide Nakamura, Shinji Matsumoto, Tatsuya Suzuki
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Patent number: 7746220Abstract: A moving object detection apparatus comprises a transmitter, a receiver, a detection portion, a binary conversion portion and a judgment portion. The transmitter emits energy waves with a first frequency to a detection area. When receiving incoming energy waves from the detection area, the receiver generates an electric signal corresponding to the incoming energy waves. The detection portion obtains a detection signal from a reference signal with the first frequency and the electric signal. The binary conversion portion compares the detection signal with a conversion threshold signal to obtain a binary signal. The judgment portion judges whether or not a moving object approaching or leaving the receiver exists in the detection area based on the binary signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2006Date of Patent: June 29, 2010Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshimasa Takagi, Fumihiro Kasano, Hidehiko Fujikawa
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Patent number: 7660669Abstract: A lane departure avoidance system is provided with a rumble strip sensing device and a lateral lane departure rate determining component. The rumble strip sensing device is configured to detect an input from a rumble strip to a vehicle wheel that is indicative of a rumble strip engagement amount. The lateral lane departure rate determining component is configured to determine a lateral rate of lane departure of a vehicle based on a detection result of the rumble strip sensing device.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2007Date of Patent: February 9, 2010Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc.Inventor: Hiroshi Tsuda
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Patent number: 7570156Abstract: The system comprises: a signaling device able to provide the driver with a sensorial alarm signal indicating a danger situation; detectors able to provide signals and/or data representing the situation outside the motor vehicle and/or the travel conditions of the vehicle itself; and electronic processing and control devices designed to analyze the signals and/or data provided by the detectors and determine the occurrence of predetermined operating situations, such as the presence of any obstacles along the travel path of the motor vehicle, and generate, under predetermined conditions and in accordance with a predefined procedure, warning signals and/or data which can be used for activating the signaling device. The signaling device comprises an electrically operated actuator associated with the accelerator pedal of the motor vehicle and able, when activated, to apply to said pedal a stress with predefined characteristics, which is perceivable by the driver's foot.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2006Date of Patent: August 4, 2009Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per AzioniInventors: Renzo Cicilloni, Patrizio Turco, Alessandro Gallione
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Patent number: 7561033Abstract: A vehicle has a display device which widens the field of view (visible area) reflected by a side mirror or a back mirror mounted on the vehicle. To enable a driver driving the vehicle to confirm safety even when it is difficult for the driver to visually recognize some of objects surrounding the vehicle, a liquid crystal display device or an EL display device is provided in the side mirror (door mirror), the back mirror (room mirror) or in an interior portion of the vehicle. A camera is mounted on the vehicle and an image from the camera is displayed on the display device. Further, information read from a sensor (distance measuring sensor) having the function of measuring the distance to another vehicle, and a sensor (impact sensor) having the function of sensing an externally applied impact force larger than a predetermined value is displayed on the display device.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2007Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
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Patent number: 7532109Abstract: A vehicle obstacle verification system and method is provided to improve the precision in which preceding objects are identified as being a potential obstacle to a host vehicle. The obstacle verification system (1, 2) uses at least two verification methods to make preliminary determinations as to whether a preceding object will become an obstacle in the future. The obstacle verification system (1, 2) also determines the precision of the verification results obtained with each of the verification methods. Additionally, the obstacle verification system (1, 2) calculates a verification result obtained using a verification method tailored to the traveling scene, the calculation being based on the verification results obtained using the plurality of verification methods, and makes a final determination as to whether the preceding object will become an obstacle based on the calculated verification result and the previously determined precisions.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2006Date of Patent: May 12, 2009Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Taku Takahama, Takeshi Kimura