With Indication Of Fuel Consumption Rate Or Economy Of Usage Patents (Class 701/123)
  • Patent number: 10657734
    Abstract: In order to reduce a driver-dependent variation in test result by enhancing the reproducibility of driving indices at the end of a test, a vehicle running test system includes a vehicle speed pattern display apparatus adapted to display a prescribed speed pattern and current vehicle speed on a graph with one axis as vehicle speed and the other axis as time or running distance is adapted to, while a vehicle is being driven, separately from the vehicle speed, display information based on driving indices indicating a driving state of the vehicle, simultaneously with the graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: HORIBA, LTD.
    Inventors: Masayuki Adachi, Masatsune Tokuhira, Yukio Hiroshima, Kenichi Goto
  • Patent number: 10654375
    Abstract: A drivable distance calculation device calculates a drivable distance that the vehicle equipped with the device can travel. The drivable distance calculation device includes a remaining battery capacity sensor which calculates a remaining capacity of a battery installed in the vehicle; and a arithmetic unit which calculates multiple power consumption ratios for different units of driving in accordance with variations in the remaining battery capacity calculated by the remaining battery capacity sensor and calculates the drivable distance based on the remaining battery capacity calculated by the remaining battery capacity sensor and a power consumption ratio selected from among the calculated multiple power consumption ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satomi Ota, Naoki Yamamoto, Kenichi Gotou
  • Patent number: 10636226
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a vehicle including a stop state detector configured to detect a stop state; a load state detector configured to detect a load state; a controller configured to determine, if the vehicle changes to the stop state, whether a load state has changed, and to acquire fuel efficiency information based on a driving distance, if determining that the load state has changed; and a display configured to display the fuel efficiency information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daeyun An, Seunghyun Woo, Seok-young Youn, Gi Beom Hong
  • Patent number: 10598734
    Abstract: Systems of an electrical vehicle and the operations thereof are provided. In particular, a vehicle is described with the ability to gather State of Charge (SOC) information as well as State of Health (SOH) information for one or more batteries in a vehicle and then display both SOC and SOH information to a driver of the vehicle as well as other interested parties. The displayed SOH information may be accompanied by suggestions to modify driving and/or charging behaviors that will improve or contribute to a slower degradation in the SOH of the batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Austin L. Newman, Alexander J. Smith, Adam H. Ing
  • Patent number: 10591341
    Abstract: A display controller calculates a driver-related fuel economy value and a performance value indicating an amount of difference between the calculated driver-related fuel economy value and a baseline value. The display controller displays the performance value on a display device during vehicle operation. A memory in the vehicle stores a number of initial fuel economy values that are replaced by the driver-related fuel economy values as new driver-related fuel economy values are calculated. An oldest fuel mileage value stored in the memory is replaced with a newly calculated fuel mileage. The baseline value used to calculate the performance value is an average of the number of the fuel economy values stored in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masayuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10538161
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes: a battery; a display; an input; and a processor configured to display a user interface for setting a distance-to-empty (DTE) value after charging or a charge time on the display, to receive a user input for setting a distance-to-empty (DTE) value after charging or for setting a charge time through the user interface, and to charge the battery according to the set DTE after charging or charge time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hyun Jong You, Ho Uk Nam
  • Patent number: 10525977
    Abstract: A server and a method for automatically controlling regenerative braking of an eco-friendly vehicle are provided. A regenerative braking level is calculated by considering driving information and a driving environment of a vehicle using a regenerative braking controlling server. The calculated regenerative braking level is transmitted to a regenerative braking controlling apparatus mounted within the vehicle and thus, even though a vehicle driver does not directly set the regenerative braking level, the regenerative braking level transmitted from the regenerative braking controlling server is received through the regenerative braking controlling apparatus of the vehicle to perform regenerative braking, thereby enhancing driving convenience and stability, and fuel efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jin Young You, Sang Woo Park, Jung Seob Park, Kang Ju Cha, Jang Yong Lee
  • Patent number: 10525965
    Abstract: A method for calculating in advance the consumption of a motor vehicle provided with at least one drive motor in a drivetrain, wherein the power levels of differentiated predicted energies describing the predicted operation of the motor vehicle, which are required to complete a route that is known in advance and include input data obtained from the route data, are determined, wherein the predicted energies are assigned in dependence on the associated power levels and at least one used operating strategy proportionally to the different efficiency models of the drive train, and while using the efficiency model from the predicted energy components associated with the efficiency model, the energy used from an associated energy storage device is determined as consumption or as a variable determining consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Markus Kaun, Boris Blasinski
  • Patent number: 10474147
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle includes an input unit configured to receive selection input of at least one of a time mode for driving to a set destination, a fuel efficiency mode, a safety mode, or a comfort mode. The autonomous vehicle further includes a power source driver configured to control an engine comprising a supercharger or a turbocharger or both and a controller configured to control the power source driver to turn the supercharger or the turbocharger on or off according to the selected mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Sangha Park
  • Patent number: 10460185
    Abstract: A system and method for roadside image tracing are described herein. The system includes a camera mounted on a vehicle configured to capture images of objects around the vehicle while driving along a route of a plurality of routes, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to receive the captured images from the camera and vehicle parameters including speed, a fuel level, and a mileage, extract objects and locations of the objects within the captured images including information related to driving, determine a route ranking based on the information collected from the objects during one or more trips along each route of the plurality of routes, generate route options based on the route ranking and the vehicle parameters, and transmit route options to a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan C. Hall, Tomohiro Matsukawa
  • Patent number: 10449916
    Abstract: A vehicle computer system (e.g., on-board vehicle computer system) obtains a fuel economy performance goal for a vehicle (e.g., an engine speed goal or a vehicle speed goal) that is based on a configuration of the vehicle; calculates a count of events in which a current value exceeds the goal; compares the count of events with a threshold count; and generates one or more notifications based at least in part on the comparison (e.g., for display on an operator interface). The vehicle computer system also calculates an engine speed and a vehicle speed score for a driver of the vehicle based at least in part on comparisons of current speeds with the speed goals. Scoring and other data may be displayed or stored for further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: PACCAR INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Seger, Zachary Slaton
  • Patent number: 10429840
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle includes an input unit configured to receive selection input of at least one of a time mode for driving to a set destination, a fuel efficiency mode, a safety mode, or a comfort mode. The autonomous vehicle further includes a power source driver configured to control an engine comprising a supercharger or a turbocharger or both and a controller configured to control the power source driver to turn the supercharger or the turbocharger on or off according to the selected mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Sangha Park
  • Patent number: 10429197
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media are provided for determining routes within a location. Location information for a location may be obtained. The location information may include terrain information for the location. A set of restricted regions within the location may be determined based on the location information. A set of paths within the location may be determined based on the set of restricted regions. An interface through which information describing the set of paths within the location is accessible may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Palantir Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: John Carrino, Joseph Kruse, Jasmine Peterson, Leah Anderson, Paul Ryan, Reese Glidden, Andrew Elder, Kevin Ng
  • Patent number: 10421420
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of displaying vehicle range includes receiving input corresponding to a level of charge remaining in a vehicle having at least a partial electric power source usable for vehicle locomotion. The method also includes determining a maximum remaining range which the vehicle can travel based at least on the level of charge. The method further includes displaying a maximum range boundary overlaid on a map, including at least an indicator at the center of the range indicating a current location of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Skaff, Derek Hartl, Paul Aldighieri, Jeffrey Allen Greenberg, David L. Watson, Dale Gilman, Craig Sandvig, Leslie Bodnar, Leann Kridner, Angela L. Watson
  • Patent number: 10423898
    Abstract: Techniques involving modeling and analysis of operational metrics in transportation industries are disclosed. Representative methods involve defining a set of fuel consumption performance factors having a potential to impact vehicle fuel economy. Fuel consumption performance factors are received, and categorical variables are identified from at least a subset of the fuel consumption performance factors to create one or more categorical groupings. The fuel consumption performance factors associated with at least one of the categorical groupings are processed to identify a hypothetical maximum fuel economy or “baseline” for the at least one of the categorical groupings, and to identify fuel economy deduction coefficients based on the fuel consumption performance factors that adversely impact the hypothetical maximum fuel economy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventors: Thomas S. Fansler, Ronald Edward Konezny
  • Patent number: 10394238
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for controlling one or more autonomous agricultural vehicles includes generating a number of mission plans for the one or more autonomous agricultural vehicles, determining a plan value for each of the number of mission plans, selecting a mission plan with the highest plan value, and executing the selected mission plan to control the one or more autonomous agricultural vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignees: CNH Industrial America LLC, Autonomous Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher A. Foster, Nathan Eric Bunderson, Daniel John Morwood, Bret Todd Turpin
  • Patent number: 10370002
    Abstract: An engine control method for preventing an engine of a vehicle from stalling on a sloped road includes steps of: detecting whether a shifting lever is in a neutral stage (N-stage); measuring a vehicle speed and a slope angle of the sloped road, and calculating a load acting on a vehicle body on the sloped road; accelerating an engine a first time to increase an engine RPM so that an engine torque is larger than the load; and accelerating the engine a second time to move the vehicle when the shifting lever enters into a driving gear stage (D-stage).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Tae-Kwang Eom, Jung-Suk Han, Chang-Hyun Lim, Hyeok-Jun Kwon
  • Patent number: 10366547
    Abstract: A system and method for selecting a fueling station for vehicle refueling, including receiving fuel information from a remote device corresponding to one or more fueling stations near a vehicle; upon the vehicle travelling to a selected one of the one or more fueling stations, setting a flag to a value based upon a fuel grade of fuel used to refuel the vehicle at the selected one of the one or more fueling stations; and capturing location information for at least one of the vehicle and the selected one of the one or more fueling stations. Subsequent to refueling at the selected one of the one or more fueling stations, the method further includes determining fuel information of the fuel used to refuel the vehicle; and sending the flag, the fuel information of the fuel used to refuel the vehicle, and the captured location information to the remote device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David Frankowski, Marvin L. Lynch
  • Patent number: 10354440
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward systems and methods for a virtual reality transportation system. In particular, the systems and methods described herein present a virtual reality experience including a virtual environment for display to a passenger including virtual inertial interactions that correspond to real-world inertial forces that a passenger experiences while riding in a vehicle. Additionally, the systems and methods described herein analyze historical sensory data to predict inertial forces that the passenger will experience while riding in the vehicle. The systems and methods also generate a virtual sensory view for display to a passenger to represent what an autonomous transportation vehicle sees by way of a sensor suite used for navigation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: LYFT, INC.
    Inventors: Ethan Duncan Eyler, Martin Conte MacDonell, Taggart Matthiesen, Jesse Jones McMillin, Robert Earl Rasmusson, Jr., Mark David Teater
  • Patent number: 10328930
    Abstract: A cruising distance coefficient is set that is smaller than a value of 1 and that becomes smaller as a use index indicating a degree of use of external charging gets smaller, and a cruising distance is calculated by multiplying a fuel quantity by the set cruising distance coefficient and a fuel consumption coefficient. Then, a display cruising distance is calculated by subtracting from the cruising distance a value obtained by subtracting a set-time travel distance Lset, obtained when the cruising distance is calculated, from a travel distance from a travel distance meter, and the calculated display cruising distance is displayed on a display device in front of a driver's seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shizuo Abe, Shinji Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 10317908
    Abstract: A system includes a speed sensor to detect a current speed, a camera to detect image data, and a GPS sensor to detect location data. The system also includes a memory to store a lookup table that maps efficient vehicle speeds to roadway speed limits. The system also includes an output device and an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU determines a current speed limit of the current roadway and determines that the vehicle is within a steady speed range when the current speed of the vehicle fluctuates less than a predetermined speed threshold over a predetermined time period. The ECU also compares the current speed limit to the lookup table to determine at least one efficient vehicle speed that corresponds to the current speed limit and controls the output device to output the at least one efficient vehicle speed when the vehicle is within the steady speed range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Geoffrey D. Gaither, Joshua D. Payne
  • Patent number: 10287986
    Abstract: A system and method of calculating a fuel pump life expectancy in a fuel burning engine is provided. The method includes tracking a fuel pump speed of the fuel burning engine, tracking a position value of at least one fuel actuated actuator in the fuel burning engine, and calculating a fuel pump life expectancy value based on the fuel pump speed and the position value of the at least one fuel actuated actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Floyd Richard Emmons, David A. Salminen
  • Patent number: 10286809
    Abstract: An electric motor is driven using a power stored in a storage battery as a power source. A power management system includes a power management device and a travel control device. The power management device includes a travel control planning unit and a section valid road slope information storage unit. The section valid road slope information storage unit stores section road slope information including information about a slope of a road section where a vehicle travels. On the basis of section valid road slope information read from the section valid road slope information storage unit, the travel control planning unit creates a travel control plan for traveling the vehicle. The travel control device performs travel control of the vehicle on the basis of the travel control plan. One of the section valid road slope information which shows a downward slope in traveling of the vehicle has a slope steeper than a predetermined slope depending on the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Igarashi, Masashi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10246099
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is a system (1) for the estimation of one or more parameters (L, D) related to the load of a vehicle. The system comprises: —one or more sensors for detecting one or more kinematic quantities of the vehicle (I) suitable to generate signals representing said vehicle kinematic quantities; —one or more modules (2) for determining one or more frequency spectra pairs (FFT1,FFT2), each pair associated to one of said one or more vehicle kinematic quantities (I), from the signal representing the respective vehicle kinematic quantity filtered in a first and in a second predetermined frequency bands; —One or more modules (7) for determining said one or more parameters (L, D) related to the load of the vehicle, from said one or more frequency spectra pairs (FFT1,FFT2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: E-NOVIA S.R.L.
    Inventors: Sergio Matteo Savaresi, Stefano Bottelli, Mara Tanelli, Ivo Boniolo
  • Patent number: 10239533
    Abstract: A method for anticipatory or predictive operation of a motor vehicle having a drive control system by which drive-relevant components of the drive-train are adjusted, and a detection system by which a travel route and anticipated driving time to a specified destination as well as the current position of the vehicle are determined. By way of the detection system and based on topographical information, a driving resistance profile of the route is prepared, to parameterize the drive control system such that the route is driven in a specifiable manner. If a need arises during the journey, a nominal arrival time or a travel route is specified or modified and, in accordance with the specified or changed nominal arrival time or route, the drive control system is dynamically re-parameterized so that the vehicle reaches its destination at the time concerned with regard to an efficient mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Cosmin Tudosie
  • Patent number: 10233855
    Abstract: A failure diagnosis apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided. The internal combustion engine is mounted on a vehicle. The failure diagnosis apparatus includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to: measure an abnormal time in which an abnormal state where an accelerator pedal operation amount is equal to or larger than a first specified operation amount and a rate of actual output torque to requested torque is smaller than a specified rate value continues; and record specified data for a failure diagnosis of the internal combustion engine on a recording device in the cases where the abnormal time is equal to or longer than a first specified time that is set in advance and the accelerator pedal operation amount is equal to or larger than a second specified operation amount that is larger than the first specified operation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Natsuhiro Kato, Masahiro Kachi, Tsutomu Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 10220855
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining a driving range for a motor vehicle. Initially, extra-vehicle data are received, whereby the extra-vehicle data include at least one weather parameter value. A vehicle-dependent parameter value, which depends on the extra-vehicle data, is determined. The driving range for the motor vehicle, which depends on the vehicle-dependent parameter value, is determined. Also disclosed is a motor vehicle that is configured to receive extra-vehicle data, including at least one weather parameter value. The motor vehicle is configured to determine a vehicle-dependent parameter value from the extra-vehicle data. The motor vehicle is configured to determine a driving range from the vehicle-dependent parameter value. In the method and motor vehicle embodiments, the extra-vehicle data are obtained from at least one additional motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Florian Schuller, Florian Haubner
  • Patent number: 10204462
    Abstract: A drive diagnosis device includes: a storage unit in which travel records of a moving body and past drive diagnosis results from past drive diagnoses executed for the moving body are stored; and a diagnosis processing unit that executes a drive diagnosis based upon driver's skills for driving the moving body, and personal characteristics of the driver and/or experience of the driver by using the travel records and the past drive diagnosis results stored in the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yosuke Isomura, Kenji Suzuki, Yoshifumi Izumi
  • Patent number: 10198891
    Abstract: A method and system for regulating fuel transactions is provided. Fuel consumption data may be received corresponding to a first and second vehicle location. The difference between the first and second fuel consumption is determined to obtain an overall or combined fuel consumption value. In some examples, the fuel consumption data is transferred from a vehicle data system to a carrier data system located remotely from the vehicle. The data is processed at the carrier data system and the overall fuel consumption is transmitted to a fueling point to limit the amount of fuel transferred to the vehicle. In some arrangements, the limit may be adjusted to include additional factors such as additional distance to travel to the fueling point, anticipated distance to be traveled in subsequent legs of the trip, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Epona LLC
    Inventor: Ernest Blas Betancourt
  • Patent number: 10175081
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a fluid consumption rate from a fluid tank is described. The fluid tank includes a fuel for an internal combustion engine and the internal combustion engine provides power to a powered system. The method includes determining instantaneous fluid consumption; determining an operating condition of the powered system, the powered system providing a load on the internal combustion engine; determining the load on the internal combustion engine and a state of the internal combustion engine; and calculating the fluid consumption rate based on the instantaneous fuel consumption, the load on the internal combustion engine, and the state of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: THERMO KING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pierce D. Kennedy, Robert Michael Lattin, Erich A. Lucht
  • Patent number: 10175058
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes determining algorithmically a a plurality of vehicle cost values for traveling a plurality of road segments in a vehicle based at least in part on vehicle cost data derived at least in part from position derivative data obtained from at least one vehicle that traveled the road segments (S1); associating each of the plurality of road segments with at least one of the vehicle cost values (S2); and storing the determined vehicle cost values in a memory device (S3). In at least one embodiment, a method for determining a route of travel from a first location to a second location is disclosed. Other embodiments include a map database, storable on a storage medium; a device including a memory (230) storing a map database, a processor (210) and an output device (260); and a device for use in a vehicle, where the device includes a GPS receiver (250), a memory (230) and a processor (210).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: TOMTOM GLOBAL CONTENT B.V.
    Inventor: Christopher Kenneth Hoover Wilson
  • Patent number: 10175054
    Abstract: A system for predicting variability of travel time for a trip at a particular time may utilize a machine learning model including latent variables that are associated with the trip. The machine learning model may be trained from historical trip data that is based on location-based measurements reported from mobile devices. Once trained, the machine learning model may be utilized for predicting variability of travel time. A process may include receiving an origin, a destination, and a start time associated with a trip, obtaining candidate routes that run from the origin to the destination, and predicting, based at least in part on the machine learning model, a probability distribution of travel time for individual ones of the candidate routes. One or more routes may be recommended based on the predicted probability distribution, and a measure of travel time for the recommended route(s) may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Dawn Woodard, Eric J. Horvitz, Galina Nogin, Paul B. Koch, David Racz, Moises Goldszmidt
  • Patent number: 10156454
    Abstract: A computer detects the receipt of a destination and mode of transportation from a user. The computer determines potential routes to the destination using static map information and splits the routes into shorter lengths known as segments. The computer determines a commute time for each of the segments based on static map information, known as a static segment commute time, and determines whether any of the segments have been previously commuted by the user. If so, the computer replaces the static segment commute times with the segment commute times recorded during previous commutes of the segment, known as habitual segment commute times. The computer then determines the total commute time of each potential route based on the static and habitual segment commute times and records additional habitual segment statistics as the user commutes the selected route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Avraham Leff, James T. Rayfield
  • Patent number: 10156453
    Abstract: An electric vehicle route guide system includes: a location sensor that measures a current location of an electric vehicle; a roadmap storage having link information and node information for providing a running route; a route calculator that searches for a route having a smallest total value of a compensation link cost that is generated by adding a time link cost in consideration of a running time to an energy-based link cost on each link basis from a departure point to a destination as an optimal energy route; a display that displays information for route guide of the optimal energy route; and a controller that controls operations of the location sensor, the roadmap storage, the route calculator, and the display for the search and route guide through a navigation program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Hyundai MNSOFT, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeonghan Park, Chang Kiun Kwark, Jung Woo Jin
  • Patent number: 10151595
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to vehicle navigation systems. The teachings may be embodied in methods for predicting fuel consumption and time of arrival, including: recording a destination user input; calculating a distance to the destination from a current location of the vehicle; recording a driving speed profile for the destination user input or for a route to the destination, as calculated by the vehicle navigation apparatus; storing the driving speed profile together with a driver feature; recording a user input comprising a desired speed, time of arrival, or fuel consumption trend; recording a second destination user input; and calculating the fuel consumption and the time of arrival for the new destination user input on the basis of a route to the further destination, as calculated by the vehicle navigation apparatus, and a consumption value representing fuel consumption of the stored driving speed profile applied to the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Tobias Huber
  • Patent number: 10140789
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring operation of a vehicle 1 by a driver, in order to monitor driver behavior using a personal mobile electronic device 2. The electronic device detects wireless signals and determines if the identity of a device 3 transmitting the signal is known in order to identify if the driver is driving a vehicle to be monitored. Monitoring is then carried out only by the electronic device. Monitoring only takes place when a signal from a known transmitting device is detected avoiding unnecessarily recoding journeys and preserving battery life of the electronic device. A set-up mode is provided to enable a user to identify vehicles for monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Trak (Global Solutions) Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas Charles Corrie, Peter Finch, Kamran Mahmoudzadeh, Alan William Clement Contrill
  • Patent number: 10124689
    Abstract: A vehicle charging control method is provided. The method includes recognizing scheduled charging information predetermined for vehicle charging and detecting charging equipment connected to the vehicle. Whether a scheduled charging is performed is determined based at least on whether charging information from the charging equipment corresponds to the scheduled charging information. Whether an automatic charging is performed is determined based at least on predetermined user set-up information when the charging information deviates from the scheduled charging information. A charging operation, including the scheduled charging and the automatic charging is then performed for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Ja Chun Han, Ho Joong Lee, In Seok Park, Seung Jae Yoo
  • Patent number: 10109218
    Abstract: Systems and methods for driver coaching are described. One embodiment of a method includes determining first vehicle efficiency data from a first vehicle as the first vehicle is traversing a route, where the vehicle efficiency data relates to a driving efficiency of a driver of the first vehicle. The method may also be configured for determining second vehicle efficiency data associated with a second vehicle that previously traversed the route and determining a driver score from the first vehicle efficiency data. Some embodiments may also be configured for comparing the driver score with the second vehicle efficiency data to determine whether the driver can improve the driving efficiency and in response to determining that the driver can improve, providing instructions for traversing a remaining portion of the route, based on actions taken by the third party in traversing that portion of the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua D. Payne, Craig Cauthen
  • Patent number: 10086948
    Abstract: A method for calculating an optimum maximum range cruise speed in an aircraft and its use is disclosed herein. The method includes receiving a plurality of flight parameters including weight of the aircraft, an aircraft bearing and an atmospheric pressure, an atmospheric temperature, a wind speed and a wind bearing at the altitude of the aircraft; calculating a weight coefficient of the aircraft, a wind Mach number and an absolute value of a difference between the wind bearing and the aircraft bearing. Additionally, the method includes calculating an optimum Mach number of the aircraft, which provides the optimum maximum range cruise speed. The calculation of the optimum Mach number includes the weight coefficient, the wind Mach number, and the absolute value of the difference between the wind bearing and the aircraft bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Eduardo Gallo Olalla
  • Patent number: 10090795
    Abstract: A motor drive according to the present invention includes an inverter, a motor rotational speed obtaining unit, a motor inertia information storage unit, a motor rotational energy calculator, a dynamic braking circuit, a tolerance information storage unit for storing the tolerances of resistors of the dynamic braking circuit, a power element operation unit, a dynamic braking circuit operation unit, and a tolerance comparator for performing a comparison between the rotational energy of a motor and the tolerance of the dynamic braking circuit. When the rotational energy exceeds the tolerance, power elements of one of arms are turned on, while power elements of the other arm are turned off, without actuating the dynamic braking circuit. When the rotational energy is equal to or less than the tolerance, the dynamic braking circuit is actuated, and the power elements of the one of the arms are turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaya Tateda
  • Patent number: 10082400
    Abstract: A method for determining and optionally additionally implementing an optimal route for a vehicle that has an electrical drive system having an energy storage device, and a converter to charge the energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: MAGNA STEYR Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Co KG
    Inventors: Philipp Gutruf, Julian Goellner, Michael Martin
  • Patent number: 10083588
    Abstract: A method of notifying a driver of a fault associated with a vehicle system is disclosed. The method includes receiving one or more fault signals from a vehicle system. Each fault signal includes a fault source, a fault time, and a fault description. The method includes determining a fault value associated with the received one or more fault signals. The fault value associated with a period of time or a number of events from an initial received fault signal. The method also includes executing on the computing processor a behavior system. The behavior system receives the fault signal and executes one or more behaviors from a first level of behaviors in response to the fault value being less than a first threshold value, and one or more behaviors from a second level of behaviors in response to the fault value being greater than the first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Kapoor, Robert M. Andres, Dennis Ziesmer
  • Patent number: 10065614
    Abstract: A system and method for variably controlling regenerative braking are provided. The system includes an imaging device that is configured to generate image information by photographing a front vehicle and a road situation and an accelerometer that is configured to sense acceleration of the front vehicle or a subject vehicle. A radar sensor is configured to sense a distance between the front vehicle and the subject vehicle. A vehicle controller is configured to recognize the acceleration of the front vehicle or the subject vehicle, the distance between the front vehicle and the subject vehicle, and whether a brake light of the front vehicle is turned on, to determine whether to actively decelerate the subject vehicle, and execute active deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Ba Ro Hyun, Sung Jae Kim
  • Patent number: 10052954
    Abstract: An information display system may include an information display including a gauge specifying energy consumption of a vehicle and an average efficiency indicator specifying an average of the energy consumption, and a controller, in communication with the information display, configured to calculate an average efficiency value based on an amount of the energy consumption per unit distance over time, and adjust the average efficiency indicator based upon the average efficiency value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Skaff, Dale Gilman, Paul Aldighieri
  • Patent number: 10040459
    Abstract: A system for determining a driver fuel score an input interface and a processor. The input interface is to receive a fuel efficiency measure for a vehicle or a vehicle type for a plurality of drivers. The processor is to determine a relative fuel performance score based at least in part on the relative fuel performance and determine a driver performance score based at least in part on the relative fuel performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Lytx, Inc.
    Inventor: Muskan Kukreja
  • Patent number: 10037631
    Abstract: A smart dongle device may comprise a connector configured to plug into and be removable from an ECU/diagnostic connector of a vehicle, a transceiver configured to communicatively connect with a remote device, and a processor and a memory having a program communicatively connected to the processor. The processor may be configured to read vehicle information including at least one ECU output from the ECU connector, store the vehicle information, process the vehicle information, and send the vehicle information to the remote device. The processor may further be configured to determine energy levels stored by a vehicle before and after a trip and generate a remaining range and a total energy capacity based in part on the energy levels, wherein the total energy capacity of the vehicle is not directly available through the ECU/diagnostic connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: Alex Berkobin
  • Patent number: 10024676
    Abstract: A method of creating map data is disclosed, the map data including a plurality of navigable segments representing segments of a navigable route in the area covered by the map with each segment being arranged to have speed data associated therewith. In at least one embodiment, the method includes processing speed data relating to a plurality of the segments of the navigable route covered by the map to generate a set of generated speed profiles, with each generated speed profile within the set being an approximation to traffic speed along one or more of the segments of the navigable route and each speed profile varying with respect to time; and associating at least one speed profile from the set with a navigable segment within the map data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: TOMTOM TRAFFIC B.V.
    Inventors: Geert Hilbrandie, Ralf-Peter Schäfer, Peter Mieth, Ian Malcom Atkinson, Martin Wolf, Ben Rutten
  • Patent number: 10017039
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling the operation of a vehicle equipped with a hybrid electric front end motor-generator system during vehicle platooning operations to maintain a predetermined separation distance between vehicles in the vehicle platoon. The motor-generator is operated to generate vehicle acceleration and deceleration by outputting torque to an engine crankshaft to accelerate the vehicle or generating a regenerative braking load via the crankshaft on the vehicle, in place of the vehicle's internal combustion engine and braking systems, when the required vehicle accelerations and/or decelerations needed to maintain the desired vehicle separation distance are small and within the torque output or torque load capacity of the motor-generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventor: David Colavincenzo
  • Patent number: 10013821
    Abstract: A computer programmed to transmit a message from a vehicle to a second vehicle, including a request to analyze exhaust gas, receiving a message at the vehicle from the second vehicle including exhaust gas analysis, and pilot the vehicle based on the exhaust gas analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Aed M. Dudar
  • Patent number: 9987928
    Abstract: For testing a traction battery (5) of an electric vehicle (1), which battery is both chargeable and dischargeable via a charging-discharging interface (2), a control command for initiating a discharging process of the traction battery (5) is generated. The discharging process is monitored by a testing apparatus (10). At least one characteristic quantity of the traction battery (5) is determined depending on the monitored discharging process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: OMICRON ELECTRONICS GMBH
    Inventors: Ulrich Klapper, Oliver Janke