External Condition Vehicle-mounted Indicator Or Alarm Patents (Class 340/901)
  • Patent number: 11017672
    Abstract: A rear side alarm area expansion method of a tractor-trailer combination vehicle according to the present invention includes determining whether a trailer is connected to a tractor using a rear side alarm sensor when a tractor-trailer combination vehicle travels, changing a normal mode to an expansion mode if it is determined that the trailer is connected to the tractor, adjusting a rear side alarm area based on a predetermined length of the trailer in the expansion mode, calculating an actual length Ym of the trailer, and resetting the rear side alarm area. According to the configuration of the present invention, since the alarm area is set on the basis of the actual length of the trailer, the vehicle may safely change lanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Dong Myeong Kim
  • Patent number: 11017663
    Abstract: A traffic-monitoring system includes a gateway that includes a gateway radio and that is connected to a server and traffic-monitoring devices arranged along a road. Each of the traffic-monitoring devices includes a housing, a microcontroller that is located within the housing, at least one sensor that is located within the housing, that is connected to the microcontroller, and that collects traffic and/or environmental data, and a monitor radio that sends data to the gateway or an adjacent traffic-monitoring device. The microcontroller processes data collected by the at least one sensor to reduce an amount of data to be sent to the gateway or the adjacent traffic-control device and sends processed data to the gateway or the adjacent traffic-monitoring device in real time or near real time using the monitor radio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Tsumori, Go Yuasa
  • Patent number: 11001264
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling drive of a vehicle includes an input device, and a control circuit. The control circuit performs a lane keeping control on a driving lane of the vehicle for a first time duration, when receiving a first input for changing a lane from the driver through the input device, performs a line access control such that the vehicle moves toward a line positioned in a direction of a target lane for the changing of the lane, after completing the lane keeping control for the first time duration, when receiving a second input for changing the lane from the driver through the input device after receiving the first input, and performs a lane entrance control toward the target lane when the line access control is completed within a second time duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Beom Jun Kim, Hoi Won Kim, Doo Jin Um, Dae Young Kim, Chan Il Park, Jin Su Jeong, Dong Eon Oh
  • Patent number: 10994657
    Abstract: A camera system is installed on the front end of a vehicle, either on the left front, the right front, or both sides. The camera is linked via wired or wireless connection to an onboard computer and a navigation display that is located within the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The driver reviews a visual description on the display of any oncoming traffic in the form of motor vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, animals and the like on the navigation display via a single screen, split screen or alternating screens. The camera system can include a speed sensor that detects when the vehicle reaches a threshold speed to activate or de-activate the camera. Alternatively, the computer can activate the system when a tum signal is activated, and de-activate the system when the tum signal is no longer activated. This camera system can be retrofitted into older vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Klear-View Camera, LLC
    Inventors: Steven R. Petrillo, Robert Michael Roeger
  • Patent number: 10984449
    Abstract: A device and method for increasing revenues in a transit system is provided wherein specific localized advertising of goods and services is generated and transmitted through the announcement system of transit vehicles. The device includes a transit vehicle equipped with means to track its location and produce an audio message within the vehicle based on its location. The method includes means to sell advertisement space to businesses that would otherwise not find transit advertising effective and means to cause the advertisements of local merchants and service providers to be broadcast in a vehicle in proximity to the advertiser or a specific outlet and software to run the method. Revenue from such advertisements will provide the transit authority or municipality with additional funds without the need for an investment is infrastructure and if done in accordance with the suggested method will cause little disturbance of passengers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Commuter Advertising, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Gottesman, Katherine Gottesman
  • Patent number: 10946791
    Abstract: An out-of-vehicle notification device includes a moving person detecting unit configured to detect a moving person who is to be notified of information by means of light based on a result of detection performed by an outside situation detecting unit, a plurality of light emitting units, a light emission control unit configured to cause the light emitting units to emit light, and an operating state detecting unit configured to detect operating states of blinkers of the host vehicle. When an operation of the blinker is detected, the light emission control unit forbids light emission of the light emitting unit that is provided within a predetermined area around the blinker in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junichi Morimura, Seiji Arakawa
  • Patent number: 10949680
    Abstract: A method for identifying a loading bay at a facility to which a vehicle is reversing, the method including determining, at a sensor apparatus connected with the vehicle, that the vehicle is reversing; capturing an image of the loading bay; and determining, from the image, the loading bay at the facility to which the vehicle is reversing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Conrad Delbert Seaman, Derek John Kuhn, Stephen West
  • Patent number: 10937313
    Abstract: At a roadway intersection controlled by an electronic traffic signal controller system, a potentially dangerous “dilemma zone” problem arises where a driver must quickly decide whether to stop or continue through the intersection. The problem is mitigated by leveraging data provided by an approaching vehicle itself as the source of detection. Based on the vehicle data itself, an “artificial detection” message is sent to the traffic signal controller to attempt to extend the green time, and thus permit a subject vehicle to safely pass through the intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: TRAFFIC TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Jingtao Ma, Thomas Bauer
  • Patent number: 10922971
    Abstract: A driving support device includes: an intersection information acquiring unit 3 to obtain signal light information about traffic signals installed at one or more intersections ahead of a road along which the vehicle is traveling and to obtain distances to the intersections; a vehicle state detector 4 to detect a position and speed of travel of the vehicle; a signal passableness deciding unit 5 to decide a passable or impassable state of the traffic signals by the vehicle from the signal light information, the distances to the intersections, and the position and speed of travel of the vehicle; and a display controller 7 to display the passable or impassable state of the traffic signals decided by the signal passableness deciding unit 5 by changes of color on the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Maeda
  • Patent number: 10913458
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling drive of a vehicle includes an input device, and a control circuit. The control circuit performs a lane keeping control on a driving lane of the vehicle for a first time duration, when receiving a first input for changing a lane from the driver through the input device, performs a line access control such that the vehicle moves toward a line positioned in a direction of a target lane for the changing of the lane, after completing the lane keeping control for the first time duration, when receiving a second input for changing the lane from the driver through the input device after receiving the first input, and performs a lane entrance control toward the target lane when the line access control is completed within a second time duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Beom Jun Kim, Hoi Won Kim, Doo Jin Um, Dae Young Kim, Chan Il Park, Jin Su Jeong, Dong Eon Oh
  • Patent number: 10905042
    Abstract: A controller for a master work vehicle, includes a wireless circuit, an acquisition circuit, a message generation circuit, and a display control circuit. The wireless circuit is to receive, from a slave work vehicle configured to travel automatically, first information indicating a state of work travel of the slave work vehicle. The master work vehicle is configured to work in cooperation with the slave work vehicle. The acquisition circuit is configured to acquire second information indicating a state of work travel of the master work vehicle. The message generation circuit is configured to generate a first message based on the first information and a second message based on the second information. The display control circuit is configured to control a display to display the first message and the second message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Shinkai, Megumi Suzukawa, Kenji Tamatani, Izuru Shimamoto, Takafumi Morishita, Kazuo Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 10909843
    Abstract: A traffic circle identification system and method employ a receiver and a controller. The receiver is disposed onboard a host vehicle and configured to receive remote vehicle information representing a travel condition of at least one remote vehicle. The controller is configured to determine whether a traffic circle exists along a current travel path of the host vehicle based on the remote vehicle information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Chambers, Roy Goudy, Neal Probert
  • Patent number: 10911709
    Abstract: An onboard apparatus provided in a vehicle with an automatic transmission, includes a peripheral image display unit configured to capture a periphery of the vehicle and display a captured image, an acquisition unit configured to acquire information concerning brightness on the periphery of the vehicle, and a setting change unit configured to change a setting of the peripheral image display unit based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit and a shift range of the automatic transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mutsuki Hirooka, Kenta Takenaka
  • Patent number: 10909854
    Abstract: A vehicle predicts acceleration or deceleration of another vehicle based on the state of a traffic light, and determines the risk of collision based on the predicted acceleration or deceleration of the another vehicle. The vehicle includes a communication device that receives traffic light state information from a road infrastructure, a radar that senses the speed of the another vehicle traveling in a direction intersecting with a traveling direction of the vehicle, and a controller that determines the probability of collision with the another vehicle by using the traffic light state information received by the communication device and the speed information of the another vehicle detected by the radar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sungmin Ji, Yonjun Jang, Jaewoong Choi, Jong Chul Kim, HyeongMin Ko
  • Patent number: 10896605
    Abstract: A traffic control system consisting of sets of traffic lights each capable of energizing a red, yellow or green traffic light in accordance with the commands issued by an electric traffic controller. The traffic controller being operatively coupled to at least one infrared transmitter configured to send out coded binary infrared signals which are coordinated to match the traffic mode of the associated traffic lights. The infrared signals being beamed by the infrared transmitter to the vehicular traffic in front of the corresponding traffic light. One or more of these vehicles having an infrared receiver coupled to an LED display, the LED display capable of displaying a red, yellow or green light. The infrared receiver configured to decode the coded binary signals sent by the infrared transmitter and capable to activate a LED light in the vehicle display that will match the color of the corresponding traffic light that is energized at any given time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Inventors: Juan Manuel Miranda, Daniel Ernesto Miranda
  • Patent number: 10893482
    Abstract: Wireless stations may operate to configure direct communication with neighboring wireless stations (direct communication between wireless stations without an intermediate access point). Mechanisms for near-field device-to-device communications are disclosed. A wireless station may be configured to determine a minimum power level for a near-field device-to-device datapath. The wireless device may determine an average channel interference for a first discovery channel and compare the average channel interference to a first threshold. If the average channel interference is less than the first threshold, the wireless device may select a first transmission mode associated with a first power level and determine a maximum data rate for the first transmission mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Liu, Christiaan A. Hartman, Jarkko L. Kneckt, Su Khiong Yong
  • Patent number: 10878699
    Abstract: Electronic equipment in vehicles may transmit and receive wireless messages. Each wireless message that is transmitted by a transmitter may include information on the vehicle from which it is being transmitted, information on the location of the transmitter within the vehicle, and other vehicle status information. Receiving equipment in vehicles may be used to receive the transmitted messages. Received signal strength indicator information may be associated with the transmitted messages. Using the received signal strength indicator information and information on the locations of the transmitters within the vehicles in which the transmitters are installed, equipment in a receiving vehicle may determine locations for nearby vehicles. Alerts may be presented to a driver of a vehicle and other suitable actions may be taken based on the locations of nearby vehicles, vehicle type information, and other information regarding traffic in the vicinity of the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Devrim Varoglu, Ravisastry Parupudi
  • Patent number: 10870435
    Abstract: A notice management apparatus controls a notice instrument that provides a notice to an occupant of a vehicle. The notice instrument is mounted to the vehicle together with a vehicle control apparatus that achieves an assistance function assisting a lane change of the vehicle. The notice management apparatus includes a start time obtainer section and a notice adjuster section. The start time obtainer section obtains the information which indicates a steering start point of time at which the vehicle control apparatus starts a lane change of the vehicle. The notice adjuster section causes the notice instrument to provide continuously a notice indicating a decrease in a residual period of time up to the steering start point of time obtained by the start time obtainer section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Fujisawa, Norio Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10854087
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an assistance system for a first vehicle, comprising a detection unit for detecting accident- and/or breakdown-related data from at least one device in a vehicle, a position determining unit for determining the current position of the first vehicle, an evaluation unit for evaluating data detected by the detection unit and the position determining unit, and a communication unit for issuing data using radio signals—automatically or following the triggering of an actuating unit in the vehicle—concerning an area around the current position of the first vehicle to be avoided by other road users using the communication unit if the evaluation unit has determined—based on the evaluation of the data collected—that the first vehicle has suffered an accident or that the first vehicle has experienced a breakdown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Florian Schwensfeier
  • Patent number: 10839688
    Abstract: The invention relates to a radio communication device for a vehicle, said device having at least one antenna unit, the emission of which can be controlled in one or more directions, and having a control unit coupled to the at least one antenna unit, for controlling the latter. The control unit is coupled to a control application and configured to control the at least one antenna unit in an application-controlled geo-beamforming operating mode, such that the emission of the at least one antenna unit is restricted to the course of the road in the current location of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: David Gozalvez Serrano, Adrian Posselt, Sebastian Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 10825341
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to generating emergency vehicle warnings, alternate vehicle routing recommendations and/or insurance-related data based upon emergency vehicle warning data. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to generating data representative of emergency vehicle warnings and/or alternate routing based upon real-time information related to an emergency vehicle. The information related to the emergency vehicle may include emergency vehicle origination location data, emergency vehicle current location data, emergency vehicle route data, and/or emergency vehicle destination location data. An emergency vehicle warning and/or alternate vehicle routing for non-emergency response vehicles may be generated based further on information related to a non-emergency vehicle. In one aspect, an emergency vehicle may wirelessly communicate with the non-emergency vehicle and/or an insurance provider remote server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventor: Rosemarie Geier Grant
  • Patent number: 10823882
    Abstract: A rearview assembly for use in a vehicle. The rearview assembly includes a rearview device operably coupled with a carrier. The rearview device includes a first substrate and a second substrate. The first substrate is disposed in front of the second substrate and includes a first surface and a second surface. The second substrate includes a third surface and a fourth surface. A bezel extends around a peripheral edge of the rearview device. A portion of the bezel extends behind the fourth surface of the second substrate. An applique is disposed over a front surface of the rearview device proximate the peripheral edge thereof. The applique includes an aesthetic design configured to closely match trim styling of an interior of the vehicle. A protective layer is disposed over the applique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bradley R. Hamlin, Danny L. Minikey, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10818176
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a vehicle comprising a wireless transceiver for communicating with a second vehicle, a processor configured to send, to the second vehicle, a request for route guidance to a destination and receive, from the second vehicle, a series of navigational directions to the destination, and a user interface for presenting the series of navigational directions as at least one of audio messages and textual messages. Embodiments also includes a wireless communication system comprising a wireless unit included in a first vehicle and configured to transmit, to a second vehicle, a request for route guidance to a destination, and a telematics unit included in the second vehicle and configured to transmit, to the first vehicle, a series of navigational directions to the destination, the directions including one or more of maneuvers, street names, and driving distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Oliver Lei
  • Patent number: 10793066
    Abstract: A system and method for a vehicular alert that detects a person or animal, determines an environmental noise level from a microphone, determines an alert characteristic response to detection of the person or animal, and emits the alert signal based on the determined alert characteristic, which is adjusted based on the environmental noise level. The alert signal draws the attention of the person or animal to the vehicle to reduce the likelihood of an accident.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: 2236008 Ontario Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Vincent, Leonard Charles Layton
  • Patent number: 10789491
    Abstract: A traffic light recognition device includes: a camera that captures an image around a vehicle; a map information acquisition unit configured to acquire map information around the vehicle; a self-position detector configured to detect the position of a self-position on a map; a traffic light position estimator configured to estimate the position on an image of a traffic light on the basis of the self-position and the map information; a vehicle behavior estimator configured to estimate a vehicle behavior; a traffic light detection area calculator configured to set a detection area of the traffic light onto the image based on the estimated position on the image of the traffic light and an amount of displacement of the position on the image of the traffic light due to a behavior of the vehicle; and a traffic light recognition unit configured to detect a traffic light from the detection area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daiki Yamanoi, Haruo Matsuo, Takahiko Oki, Akira Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10789842
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for detection and notification of icy conditions using integrated vehicle sensors. An example apparatus includes a sensor to detect an icy condition adjacent to a door of a vehicle, a processor to determine if a person is exiting the vehicle, and a human-machine interface to alert the person exiting the vehicle of the icy condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Karen Langona
  • Patent number: 10789851
    Abstract: Vision sensor detection systems and methods for mobile platforms that proactively prepare for impending lighting scenarios. The method includes determining or predicting a lighting scenario (LS) as a function of GPS data and wirelessly received mapping data. An on-board camera system is then operated in the LS using an associated predefined profile (PDP) having a tone-mapping setting associated with the LS. Received sensor data and camera data is used to confirm each predicted and current LS; Each predicted LS change results in retrieval of an associated PDP with its tone-mapping setting. Each confirmed LS results in using the sensor data and camera data to customize the tone-mapping setting. The method cycles during operation of the mobile platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jay H. Sim, Xiaofeng F. Song, Sai Vishnu Aluru, Valor Yaldo
  • Patent number: 10773707
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at the vehicle and having a field of view at least rearward of the vehicle, and may include at least one non-imaging sensor disposed at the vehicle so as to sense a region at least rearward of the vehicle. During a reversing maneuver of the vehicle along a pathway, the control, responsive to processing of image data captured by the camera, determines edges of the pathway. During the reversing maneuver of the vehicle along the narrow pathway, the control, responsive to processing of data sensed by the non-imaging sensor, determines distances to objects present at or near the determined pathway and rearward and sideward of the vehicle. The control, responsive to determination of the pathway and determination of objects present along the pathway, steers the vehicle along the pathway to reverse the vehicle along the pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Anthony N. Rinaldo
  • Patent number: 10778899
    Abstract: A camera control apparatus of the present disclosure includes an interface and a controller. The interface receives first image data generated by a first camera performing image capturing, second image data generated by a second camera performing image capturing, and altitude information relating to altitude, the altitude information being output by an altitude sensor, and transmits a drive signal to a first actuator capable of changing an image capturing direction of the first camera and to a second actuator capable of changing an image capturing direction of the second camera. The controller outputs the drive signal driving at least one of the first actuator and the second actuator to the interface so that an image capturing region of composite image data in which the first image data and the second image data are combined is narrower when the altitude indicated by the altitude information is lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daiki Sato, Keijiroh Nagano
  • Patent number: 10769865
    Abstract: Implementations of a licensing and ticketing system is provided. In some implementations, a computer-implemented method comprises receiving a request for licensing information at a first computing device. In some implementations, the computer-implemented method further comprises retrieving at the first computing device licensing information from storage on the first computing device wherein the retrieved licensing information includes a unique license number issued by a governmental entity, a name, and a pre-stored photograph. In some implementations, the computer-implemented method further comprises capturing a current photograph at the first computing device after receiving the request for licensing information. In some implementations, the computer-implemented method further comprises transmitting at the first computing device the retrieved licensing information including the pre-stored photograph and the current photograph over a network to the second computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Inventor: Charlena L. Thorpe
  • Patent number: 10762781
    Abstract: A driving support device includes: an intersection information acquiring unit 3 to obtain signal light information about traffic signals installed at one or more intersections ahead of a road along which the vehicle is traveling and to obtain distances to the intersections; a vehicle state detector 4 to detect a position and speed of travel of the vehicle; a signal passableness deciding unit 5 to decide a passable or impassable state of the traffic signals by the vehicle from the signal light information, the distances to the intersections, and the position and speed of travel of the vehicle; and a display controller 7 to display the passable or impassable state of the traffic signals decided by the signal passableness deciding unit 5 by changes of color on the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Maeda
  • Patent number: 10761540
    Abstract: An autonomous driving system has: an information acquisition device configured to acquire driving environment information indicating driving environment for a vehicle; and an autonomous driving control device configured to control autonomous driving of the vehicle based on the driving environment information. A forward event is an event that exists in front of the vehicle and causes the autonomous driving control device to change a travel state of the vehicle. The autonomous driving control device performs: event detection processing that detects the forward event based on the driving environment information; visually-recognizing timing estimation processing that estimates a visually-recognizing timing at which a driver of the vehicle is able to visually-recognize the forward event; and travel control processing that proposes or executes, at or after the visually-recognizing timing, travel control that changes the travel state according to the forward event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryuta Hashimoto, Yoshinori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10755562
    Abstract: A system for increasing awareness of a traffic sign is provided. The traffic sign has a visual sign having an image representing a traffic instruction. The system includes a signal transmitter and at least one receiving device. The signal transmitter is associated with the visual sign and is configured for transmitting an encoded electromagnetic wave with encoding indicative of the traffic instruction. The receiving device is associated with a user or a vehicle of the user and is configured to detect the electromagnetic wave when the signal receiver is in line of sight of and within a predetermined distance from the visual sign, decode the detected electromagnetic wave to extract information indicative of the traffic instruction, and emit an output indicative of the traffic instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Inventor: Renato Martinez Openiano
  • Patent number: 10752247
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes an electric control unit that performs a preceding vehicle trading control which makes an own vehicle trail a preceding vehicle as an adaptive cruise control, and performs a first brake control which automatically applies a first braking control to the own vehicle when a time-to-collision to a target object is less than a first threshold. In a case where a performing condition for the first brake control has been determined to be satisfied during a performance of the adaptive cruise control, the electric control unit continues performing the adaptive cruise control without performing the first brake control when a deceleration control by the adaptive cruise control is being performed, whereas stops performing the adaptive cruise control when the deceleration control by the adaptive cruise control is not being performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuki Fukaya, Wataru Ike, Kazuki Nemoto, Yuta Takashina, Yuzo Kaneshige, Jun Tsuchida, Yumi Shimanaka, Masayasu Tanase
  • Patent number: 10733461
    Abstract: An information processing device includes a first communication control unit that receives a first signal from one or more terminals carried by one or more detection objects around a vehicle, a detection unit that detects the detection objects in a predetermined range from image data created by photographing the predetermined range that can be seen from the vehicle, a determination unit that determines whether the one or more detection objects can be seen from the vehicle based on a detection result generated by the detection unit and the first signal received by the first communication control unit, and an information providing unit that provides information on a detection object that cannot be seen from the vehicle when the one or more detection objects include the detection object that cannot be seen from the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Oe, Hirofumi Kamimaru
  • Patent number: 10726276
    Abstract: A method of an electronic apparatus for providing a sight securing image to a vehicle is provided, in which the method for providing a sight securing image includes determining at least one external vehicle from among a plurality of external vehicles, acquiring an external image at the determined external vehicle, acquiring an external vehicle image of the determined external vehicle, generating a sight securing image corresponding to a view obstructed by the external vehicle, by compositing at least part of the acquired external image and at least part of the acquired external vehicle image, and providing the generated sight securing image to a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seong-won Han, Woo-jin Park, Dae-hyun Ban, Kyu-haeng Lee, Sangsoon Lim
  • Patent number: 10726722
    Abstract: A driving support device includes: an intersection information acquiring unit 3 to obtain signal light information about traffic signals installed at one or more intersections ahead of a road along which the vehicle is traveling and to obtain distances to the intersections; a vehicle state detector 4 to detect a position and speed of travel of the vehicle; a signal passableness deciding unit 5 to decide a passable or impassable state of the traffic signals by the vehicle from the signal light information, the distances to the intersections, and the position and speed of travel of the vehicle; and a display controller 7 to display the passable or impassable state of the traffic signals decided by the signal passableness deciding unit 5 by changes of color on the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Maeda
  • Patent number: 10703271
    Abstract: An image acquisition unit acquires an image around a vehicle. A generator generates a bird's-eye image based on the acquired image. A road surface information acquisition unit acquires information on a road surface around the vehicle. A road surface determination unit determines whether a road surface that requires attention is found by referring to the acquired information on the road surface. When it is determined that a road surface that requires attention is found, an image processor superimposes an image showing the road surface that requires attention on the bird's-eye image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: JVC KENWOOD CORPORATION
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Nagai
  • Patent number: 10701299
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a display system (1) for generating a composite view of a region behind a vehicle (V) towing a trailer (T). A first camera (C1) is provided for outputting first image data corresponding to a first image (IMG1), the first camera (C1) being configured to be mounted in a rear-facing orientation to the vehicle (V). A second camera (C2) is provided for outputting second image data corresponding to a second image (IMG2), the second camera (C2) being configured to be mounted in a rear-facing orientation to the trailer (T). An image processor (5) receives the first image data and said second image data. The image processor (5) is configured to combine said first image data and said second image data to generate composite image data corresponding to a composite image (IMG3). The present disclosure also relates to a corresponding method of generating a composite image (IMG3), and to a rig made up of a vehicle (V) and a trailer (T).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: Jeremy Greenwood, Giovanni Strano
  • Patent number: 10691134
    Abstract: A conveying apparatus for conveying laden or unladen load carriers, having a first conveying unit and a second conveying unit, wherein each conveying unit can be displaced on ground-level rollers and the first and the second conveying units can be moved relative to one another and independently of one another. A device is provided for determining the position and the location of the first conveying unit relative to the second conveying unit, the device having a camera, which is arranged on the first conveying unit, and having a feature arranged on the second conveying unit, or a combination of features arranged on the second conveying unit, wherein the feature or the combination of features has an extent in the direction of travel and an extent perpendicular to the direction of travel, wherein the extents can be sensed by the camera. A conveying unit for a conveying apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: EISENMANN SE
    Inventor: Herbert Schulze
  • Patent number: 10683016
    Abstract: An advanced driver assistance system designed to receive and process motor-vehicle position-related data and motor-vehicle motion-related data of a host motor vehicle and of neighbour motor vehicles detected in the vicinity of the host motor vehicle and which have been determined as entering the same roundabout in which the host motor vehicle will enter, to provide assistance to the driver of the host motor vehicle for negotiating the roundabout. A degree of proximity of the host motor vehicle and the neighbour motor vehicle to the roundabout based on motor-vehicle position-related data is determined and a determined alert level is provided the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: C.R.F. SOCIETÀ CONSORTILE PER AZIONI
    Inventors: Filippo Visintainer, Luciano Altomare, Alessandro Marchetto
  • Patent number: 10672141
    Abstract: An image processing device includes an input unit, a detecting unit, a calculating unit, and a determining unit. The input unit is configured to receive a recognized image representing an object. The detecting unit is configured to detect at least one surface of the object from a corresponding recognized image corresponding to the recognized image, the corresponding recognized image being on a frequency image indicating frequencies on a plane, the frequencies being of distance values corresponding to pixels of the recognized image. The calculating unit is configured to calculate an angle of the at least one surface with respect to a predetermined direction. The determining unit is configured to determine, based on the at least one surface detected by the detecting unit and the angle calculated by the calculating unit, whether or not the recognized image is to be rejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Motohashi, Sadao Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10661714
    Abstract: A rearview device for a motor vehicle includes a moveable head assembly, an actuator assembly having a fixed part and a moveable part, the moveable part being attached to the head assembly, a motor cradle configured to attach the actuator assembly to the moveable head assembly. A method of assembling a rearview device comprises providing the rearview device and attaching the actuator assembly to the moveable head assembly using the motor cradle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: SMR Patents S.à.r.l.
    Inventors: Andrew Lettis, Graham Rehill, Callum Scott-Collins
  • Patent number: 10665099
    Abstract: A driving support device includes: an intersection information acquiring unit 3 to obtain signal light information about traffic signals installed at one or more intersections ahead of a road along which the vehicle is traveling and to obtain distances to the intersections; a vehicle state detector 4 to detect a position and speed of travel of the vehicle; a signal passableness deciding unit 5 to decide a passable or impassable state of the traffic signals by the vehicle from the signal light information, the distances to the intersections, and the position and speed of travel of the vehicle; and a display controller 7 to display the passable or impassable state of the traffic signals decided by the signal passableness deciding unit 5 by changes of color on the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Maeda
  • Patent number: 10661794
    Abstract: A driving assistance device includes a recognition unit, a region setting unit, a travel setting unit, and a travel control unit. Based on the relative speed of a vehicle with respect to an object recognized by the recognition unit, the region setting unit sets a prohibited travel region where the vehicle is prohibited from entering around the object, and further sets a region of a travel path that excludes the prohibited travel region as a permitted travel region where the vehicle is to travel. The travel setting unit sets at least one of a target vehicle speed and a target travel trajectory of the vehicle that is to travel in the permitted travel region set by the region setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Niino, Masao Ohoka, Takahiro Narita
  • Patent number: 10654492
    Abstract: A method for displaying in a transportation vehicle braking operations of transportation vehicles driving ahead wherein the transportation vehicles driving ahead are detected; data are collected on the acceleration of the transportation vehicles driving ahead; and, from the data on the acceleration, first transportation vehicles driving ahead with a first acceleration are determined, the first acceleration being a negative acceleration, the magnitude of which is greater than or equal to a specified threshold value. On a display area, first graphical objects are generated, each first transportation vehicle driving ahead being assigned a first graphical object which indicates that the first transportation vehicle driving ahead assigned to the first graphical object has the first acceleration. Also disclosed is a device for displaying accelerations of transportation vehicles driving ahead in a transportation vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Nils Quander
  • Patent number: 10656647
    Abstract: A system for operating a vehicle includes an object-detector, and operator-monitor, and a controller. The object-detector is used to detect one or more targets proximate to a host-vehicle, said host-vehicle operable in an autonomous-mode and a manual-mode. The operator-monitor is used to detect a gaze-direction of an operator of the host-vehicle. The controller-circuit is in communication with the object-detector and the operator-monitor. The controller-circuit is configured to determine a classification of each target detected by the object-detector. The classification includes a primary-target and an ignored-target. The controller-circuit is further configured to determine that a hand-over of operation of the host-vehicle from the autonomous-mode to the manual-mode is recommended, perform a verification that the operator has gazed at each primary-target more recently than a primary-time, and in response to the verification, execute the hand-over.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Aptiv Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Nandita Mangal, Michael H. Laur
  • Patent number: 10614727
    Abstract: A content reproduction system includes a content reproduction device that reproduces a content in a movable room, an input device that accepts operation by a user responsive to the content, and a sensor that detects a disturbance acting to disturb the operation. The content reproduction device provides assistance to the user in response to a result of the detection by the sensor during reproduction of the content while associating the assistance with the operation accepted by the input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Asahi, Yuji Takahashi, Kenichi Shiba, Jun Usui, Kouki Hayafuchi, Kenichi Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 10614780
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and system of displaying information, applied to a transparent display configured on a vehicle. The method includes: capturing an image including a target at a first time point; identifying the target in the image, so as to acquire a first relative position of the target; acquiring first identification information of the target; acquiring relative moving information between the vehicle and the target; estimating a first estimated position and first estimated time of the target that appears in a display region of the transparent display according to the first relative position of the target, the first time point and the relative moving information; and displaying prompting information corresponding to the target on the transparent display according to the first estimated time, the first estimated position of the target and the first identification information of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignees: Industrial Technology Research Institute, Intellectual Property Innovation Corporation
    Inventors: Chih-Chia Chang, Yu-Hsin Lin, Jian-Lung Chen, Pi-Hsien Wang, Shin-Hong Kuo
  • Patent number: 10616488
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a vehicle display device, configured to be mounted on a sun visor frame, including: a controller for receiving surrounding images, labeling a reference object in the surrounding images, and determining a first image to be displayed from the surrounding images according to a comparison of the reference object and a real object corresponding to the reference object; a non-transparent display screen for displaying the first image in a driver's sightline, wherein the non-transparent display screen is connected to the controller; and a plurality of image acquisition modules including a front camera, two side view cameras, and a rear view camera for capturing front images, left-side images, right-side images, and rear images of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Wenbo Li