Vehicle Subsystem Or Accessory Control Patents (Class 701/36)
  • Patent number: 11383643
    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 turn signal is activated, and de-activate the system when the turn signal is no longer activated. This camera system can be retrofitted into older vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Klear-View Camera LLC
    Inventors: Steven R. Petrillo, Robert Michael Roeger
  • Patent number: 11385640
    Abstract: One embodiment describes a control system in an automation system including a first portion located at a first vehicle, which includes a first autonomous module that autonomously controls operation of the first vehicle to perform operations in a first area based at least in part on a first target operation result while the first portion is in an autonomous mode; and a second portion located at a second vehicle, in which the second portion includes a second autonomous module that autonomously controls operation of the second vehicle to perform operations in a second area based at least in part on a second target operation result while the second portion is in the autonomous mode and a first command module that determines the first target operation result and the second target operation result based at least in part on a global plan that indicates a total target operation result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignees: CNH Industrial America LLC, Autonomous Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher A. Foster, John H. Posselius, Bret T. Turpin, Daniel J. Morwood
  • Patent number: 11383721
    Abstract: A method for controlling vehicle systems includes receiving monitoring information from one or more monitoring systems and determining a plurality of driver states based on the monitoring information from the one or more monitoring systems. The method includes determining a combined driver state based on the plurality of driver states and modifying control of one or more vehicle systems based on the combined driver state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick
  • Patent number: 11384572
    Abstract: A door latch device includes: a meshing mechanism configured to be meshable with a striker; a locking/unlocking mechanism configured to be movable to an unlock position where an opening operation of an operation handle provided at the door is enabled and where meshing of the meshing mechanism is releasable, and to be movable to a lock position where the opening operation of the operation handle provided at the door is disabled and where meshing of the meshing mechanism is unreleasable; a smart lever configured to be operable in linking with the opening operation of the operation handle when the locking/unlocking mechanism is in the unlock position, and to be inoperable in linking with the opening operation of the operation handle when the locking/unlocking mechanism is in the lock position; and a smart lever detection switch configured to be detectable an operation of the smart lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUI KINZOKU ACT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daisuke Enomoto
  • Patent number: 11380107
    Abstract: A power and data center (PDC) can serve as a combined data concentrator and power distributor that delivers scalable and affordable network/power redundancy into an automotive electrical/electronic architecture (E/EA) that supports partially or fully autonomous vehicles. In some embodiments, a vehicle that includes the smart E/EA is divided into zones, where each zone includes one or more PDCs and one or more sensors, actuators, controllers, loudspeakers or other devices that are coupled to and powered by their zone PDC(s). Each PDC collects and processes (or passes through) raw or pre-processed sensor data from the one or more sensors in its zone. The sensors provide their data to the PDC by way of cost efficient, short-range data links. In some embodiments, one or more actuators in each zone are coupled to their respective zone PDC, and receive their control data from the PDC over a high-speed data bus or data link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Aptiv Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Lee Bauer, Martin Bornemann, Christian Schäfer
  • Patent number: 11377041
    Abstract: Audio systems and assemblies provide for a loudspeaker acoustically coupled to an interior of a vehicle and externally ducted to an exterior of the vehicle. The loudspeaker may therefore be subject to a pressure differential existing between the interior and the exterior that may cause undesirable operation, such as an altered acoustic response and/or damage to the loudspeaker. The systems and assemblies provide for various mitigating actions that may include altering an audio signal to change the acoustic response, turning off the loudspeaker, and/or isolating the loudspeaker from the pressure differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Bradford Kyle Subat, Tobe Z. Barksdale
  • Patent number: 11380314
    Abstract: A voice recognizing apparatus includes a sound input unit, a voice level calculating unit, a noise level calculating unit, a character converting unit, a reliability calculating unit, and a necessary voice level calculating unit. The sound input unit is configured to receive electrical signals as voice and noise signals converted from voice of a talker and noise in environment, respectively. The voice level calculating unit and the noise level calculating unit are configured to calculate, as voice and noise levels, levels of the voice and noise signals, respectively. The character converting unit is configured to perform conversion of a waveform of the electric signal as the voice signal into a character string. The reliability calculating unit is configured to calculate reliability of the conversion. The necessary voice level calculating unit is configured to calculate a necessary voice level on the basis of the voice and noise levels and the reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tatsuo Kano
  • Patent number: 11377099
    Abstract: A parking assist system includes: an external environment information acquiring device, a parking space extracting device, a display device, a selection input member, and a control device. The control device is configured to set a parking position candidate at a prescribed position in a parking space, to set the parking position candidate selected by a user as a target parking position, to calculate a first trajectory to the target parking position, and to execute a first driving process to autonomously move a vehicle along the first trajectory. The control device is configured to set a corrected parking position different from the target parking position, to calculate a second trajectory from the target parking position to the corrected parking position, and to execute a second driving process to autonomously move the vehicle along the second trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasushi Shoda, Syoichi Kobayashi, Yuki Hara
  • Patent number: 11370385
    Abstract: There is provided a method to stop or slow down a vehicle in an emergency, the method involving a vehicle comprising an emergency stop system which is able to cause the vehicle to stop or slow down, said emergency stop system comprising at least one microphone for detecting sounds in the vicinity of the vehicle, and a sound analysis unit for analysing sound, the method involving the steps: a) the microphone of the emergency stop system receiving a sound and sending a signal representing the sound to the sound analysis unit, b) the sound analysis unit of the emergency stop system determining that the received sound is a predetermined sound or a predetermined sound pattern, and c) the emergency stop system causing the vehicle to stop or slow down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventors: Elodie Abiakle Kai, Wissam Kai
  • Patent number: 11370269
    Abstract: Automotive Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning system includes a recirculation mode to control movement of cabin air in vehicle. Air is recirculated within the vehicle cabin space when the vehicle recirculation mode is on. Air is drawn from outside when the recirculation mode is turned off. Because of the buildup of carbon dioxide (CO2) inside the vehicle, the vehicle needs regular ventilation to maintain low CO2 levels in the vehicle cabin space. A method is described for determining and communicating recirculation mode in a vehicle for improving cabin air quality. The method comprises of capturing an image or video of the traffic ahead of the vehicle using a dashboard or windshield mounted smartphone camera or a vehicle camera, followed by analyzing the image or video of traffic to determine traffic condition as the weighted sum of the sizes of vehicles detected in traffic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventor: Sarang Goel
  • Patent number: 11374394
    Abstract: The application discloses an overcurrent protection method and a display panel, where the overcurrent protection method includes the steps of: setting at least two different detection times with respect to the level period of the drive current to enable at least two sets of corresponding overcurrent protection thresholds; detecting at least two real-time currents for at least two different detection times in one level period; comparing the real-time current value and the corresponding overcurrent protection threshold value respectively, and stopping the output of the drive current if one or more of the real-time current values exceed the corresponding overcurrent protection threshold value to enable the overcurrent protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: HKC CORPORATION LIMITED
    Inventor: Jidong Yang
  • Patent number: 11368825
    Abstract: A method, device, and system for managing a fleet of vehicles is disclosed. The method includes providing a telematics device for an electric vehicle of the fleet of vehicles, the telematics device being capable of obtaining data from the electric vehicle; using the telematics device to identify the electric vehicle based on the data obtained from the electric vehicle; providing a data definition set for the electric vehicle to the telematics device; and using the telematics device and the data definition set to determine whether the electric vehicle is in a vehicle mode based on the data obtained from the electric vehicle and the data definition set. The vehicle mode of the electric vehicle can be at least one of a charging mode, a driving mode, and a parked mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Geotab Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Mendes, Alexander K. Koch, Michael Giannikouris
  • Patent number: 11361213
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a neural network inference circuit for implementing a neural network that includes multiple computation nodes at multiple layers. Each of a set of the computation nodes includes (i) a linear function that includes a dot product of input values and weight values and (ii) a non-linear activation function. The neural network inference circuit includes (i) a set of dot product circuits to compute dot products for the plurality of computation nodes and (ii) at least one computation node post-processing circuit to (i) receive a dot product for a computation node computed by the set of dot product circuits, (ii) compute a result of the linear function for the computation node based on the dot product, and (iii) use a lookup table to compute the non-linear activation function of the computation node from the result of the linear function to determine an output of the computation node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: PERCEIVE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenneth Duong, Jung Ko, Steven L. Teig
  • Patent number: 11354143
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a user terminal device for executing an application or a function provided by the application, and a control method therefor. The present user terminal device comprises: a storage in which use pattern information of an application is stored; and a processor for providing a guide for guiding the execution of a function of at least one of a plurality of functions provided by the application on the basis of the use pattern information according to an execution point of the application when the application is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoon-sik Tak, Jong-myeong Ban
  • Patent number: 11351992
    Abstract: Described herein is a method and system for assisting a driver of a vehicle (1) to drive with precaution. Vehicle environment monitoring sensors (3a, 3b) determines other road users and particular features associated with a traffic situation of the vehicle (1) and hypotheses are applied related to hypothetical threats that may arise based thereupon. A driver level of attention, required to handle the hypothetical threats, and a time until that level will be required is estimated. A current driver level of attention is derived, from driver-monitoring sensors (4). If determined that the estimated required driver level of attention exceeds the current and the time until the estimated driver level of attention will be required is less than a threshold-time (tthres), there is produced at least one of visual (5), acoustic (6) and haptic (7) information to a vehicle driver environment, and/or triggered at least one of automated braking (8) and steering (9) of the vehicle (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignees: ZENUITY AB, VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mattias Brännström, Claes Olsson, Andrew Backhouse, Victor Trent
  • Patent number: 11351989
    Abstract: A vehicle driving controller, a system including the same, and a method thereof are provided. The vehicle driving controller includes a processor configured to apply a different warning level depending on at least one of a driving situation or a user state during autonomous driving and to provide a notification of a control authority transition demand to a user and a storage configured to store information associated with the driving situation and the user state and information associated with the different warning level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Su Jung Yoo, Dong Hwi Lee, Jin Su Jeong, Jae Yong Jeon
  • Patent number: 11345338
    Abstract: A movement path is regenerated within a movement capable region in accordance with an instruction to correct a movement path by a pointing unit, and the regenerated movement path is displayed on a display unit in a superimposed manner on a movement capable region for a user's own vehicle. As a result, without changing a parking space (position) in which a vehicle occupant desires to park, it is possible for parking to be performed along the desired movement path to the desired parking space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideharu Otake, Yuki Nakada
  • Patent number: 11345329
    Abstract: In connection with a user interface for a motor vehicle with a hybrid drive, a driver is able to select whether the hybrid drive is operated in an operating mode which consumes charge, or in an operating mode which retains charge. The user interface is configured to display the charge state of the energy store on a display, and to receive or calculate a charge state variable which is characteristic of the charge state. The charge state variable may be displayed with a first range of values in a first display area during operation of the hybrid drive in the charge-consuming operating mode. The charge state variable may be displayed with a second range of values, which is a subset of the first range of values, in a second display area during operation of the hybrid drive in the charge-retaining operating mode. The second display area is larger than a subrange of the first display area in which the second range of values is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Klaus Baumer, Thomas Christ
  • Patent number: 11347224
    Abstract: A peripheral data acquisition unit obtains peripheral data indicating a traveling state of a peripheral object traveling around a target object. A data writing unit stores the obtained peripheral data in a history storage unit in association with the position of the target object at the time when the peripheral data is obtained. A control specifying unit specifies a control method of the target object on the basis of, among the peripheral data stored in the history storage unit, the peripheral data stored in association with a current position of the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshie Imai
  • Patent number: 11345237
    Abstract: A drive mode selector for a drivetrain of a vehicle, a vehicle comprising such a drive mode selector, and a method of selecting a drive mode of a drivetrain. The drive mode selector comprises a controller for receiving a selection signal from a gesture sensor, the selection signal being indicative of a drivetrain drive mode associated with an identified selection gesture made by a user. The controller is also for receiving a status signal indicating a status of at least one vehicle component. The controller is configured to cause the drivetrain to enter the drive mode indicated by the selection signal when the status signal indicates that the drive mode can be selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventor: Parag Satam
  • Patent number: 11340877
    Abstract: A system and method of holistic application development and deployment in a distributed, heterogeneous computing environment. The method includes identifying an individual component from among a plurality of components in a target system as an identified component of a plurality of identified components, mapping each one of the identified components to respective ones of a target hardware node, generating intermediate code for each respective one of the target hardware nodes, generating serialization code for each respective communication interface between the target hardware nodes, transmitting the respective intermediate codes to each one of the target hardware nodes, and transmitting respective serialization codes to each communication interface of the target hardware nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: NETWORK NATIVE, INC.
    Inventors: Donald W Games, Michael C Brogioli, Richard Moats
  • Patent number: 11338848
    Abstract: An electronic control unit (ECU) may receive, from an autonomous vehicle controller, an instruction to set a hydraulic steering actuator, of a vehicle, to a particular machine steering angle setting. The ECU may provide, to a steering controller torque device, a current to set a steering controller, of the vehicle, to a particular steering controller angle that corresponds to the particular machine steering angle setting. The ECU may provide, to a hydraulic control system, a current to set the hydraulic steering actuator to the particular machine steering angle setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Wendell Dean Stahl, Jeremy T. Peterson
  • Patent number: 11338724
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating illuminance information of a vehicle and a method thereof are provided. The apparatus for generating illuminance information of a vehicle includes a camera configured to capture an image outside the vehicle, and a controller configured to generate vehicle external illuminance information that is provided for vehicle function control based on brightness of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Se Young Park
  • Patent number: 11338734
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method performed by an intention indicating system of a vehicle, for indicating to a potential vehicle occupant thereof an ongoing or impending autonomous kinematic action of the vehicle. The intention indicating system determines an ongoing or impending autonomous kinematic action of the vehicle. The intention indicating system further provides, with support from a light providing device including one or more light sources adapted to emit light, which light providing device is provided continuously and/or intermittently along a majority of a horizontal circumference of the vehicle, a visual light output visible at least from an inside of said vehicle representing the autonomous kinematic action. The disclosure also relates to an intention indicating system in accordance with the foregoing, and further to a vehicle including such an intention indicating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Mikael Ljung Aust, Trent Victor, Mikael Gordh, Tomas Omasta, Fredrik Folkestad
  • Patent number: 11336792
    Abstract: Systems and methods relate generally to exposure correction of an image transparency. In an example method thereof, an adaptable filter having an adjustable transparency panel and a microcontroller is obtained. The image transparency is backlit to obtain first analog image information by the adaptable filter. An exposure level associated with the first analog image information is sensed. A transparency level of the adjustable transparency panel is adjusted responsive to the sensed exposure level. Second analog image information is obtained from the adjustable transparency panel provided to a sensor array. The second analog image information is the first analog image information with the adjusted transparency level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Pugh
  • Patent number: 11329498
    Abstract: Charging control techniques for a vehicle including an engine that drives an alternator configured to charge a battery of the vehicle comprise modeling a fuel consumption of the alternator for each load level across a range of alternator loads using an engine torque model and a set of operating parameters of the engine, determining an energy output from the alternator for each load level across the range of alternator loads, calculating a cost-to-charge metric based on the modeled alternator fuel consumption and the determined alternator energy output for each duty cycle across a range of duty cycles of the alternator, determining an optimal cost-to-charge from the calculated cost-to-charge metrics, determining a target cost-to-charge metric based on a state of charge of the battery, and operating the alternator accordingly at an optimal duty cycle based on the metrics and current engine operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: David R Pedro, Arab Alsharif, Joydip Saha, Travis T Hamilton, Nikhil Patil, Geoffrey Giese, Basil M Khaja, Ganapathy Machamada Somaiah, Joseph B Adams, Paul Milligan
  • Patent number: 11326882
    Abstract: A vibrator device includes a vibrator element, and a support substrate configured to support the vibrator element. The vibrator element includes a drive arm provided with a drive signal electrode and a drive constant-potential electrode, and a detection arm provided with a detection signal electrode and a detection constant-potential electrode. The support substrate includes a base, and a drive signal interconnection electrically coupled to the drive signal electrode, a drive constant-potential interconnection electrically coupled to the drive constant-potential electrode, and a detection signal interconnection electrically coupled to the detection signal electrode all provided to the base, and the drive arm includes a first surface located at the support substrate side, and a second surface located at an opposite side to the first surface. Further, the drive constant-potential electrode is disposed on the first surface, and the drive signal electrode is disposed on the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventors: Seiichiro Ogura, Keiichi Yamaguchi, Ryuta Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 11318931
    Abstract: One or more parking sensors are configured to determine a distance between a vehicle and an obstacle. A controller is configured to determine a threshold parking distance based on an operating mode of the vehicle; compare the determined distance with the threshold parking distance; and provide an indication to a user of the vehicle based on the determined distance being less than or equal to the threshold parking distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James Nicholas Murray, Ben Moffatt
  • Patent number: 11318962
    Abstract: A method for providing operating mode transition for a vehicle includes receiving an input indicating a request to transition from a first operating mode of the vehicle to a second operating mode of the vehicle and determining a first planned trajectory corresponding to the first operating mode. The method also includes determining a second planned trajectory corresponding to the second operating mode. The method also includes determining a first road wheel actuator angle corresponding to the first planned trajectory and determining a second road wheel actuator angle corresponding to the second planned trajectory. The method also includes determining a difference between a current handwheel actuator angle and a handwheel actuator angle corresponding to the second road wheel actuator angle and, in response to a determination that the difference is less than a threshold, transitioning from the first operating mode to the second operating mode over a determined period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Salaheddine Safour, Rani Faddoul, Pierre C. Longuemare, Joachim J. Klesing
  • Patent number: 11318932
    Abstract: A vehicle driving controller, a system including the same, and a method thereof are provided. The vehicle driving controller includes a processor configured to apply a different warning level depending on at least one of a driving situation or a user state during autonomous driving and to provide a notification of a control authority transition demand to a user and a storage configured to store information associated with the driving situation and the user state and information associated with the different warning level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Su Jung Yoo, Dong Hwi Lee, Jin Su Jeong, Jae Yong Jeon
  • Patent number: 11312430
    Abstract: Example implementations described herein are directed to a system for lean angle estimation without requiring specialized calibration. In example implementations, the mobile device sensor data can be utilized without any additional specialized data or configuration to estimate the lean angle of a motorcycle. The lean angle is determined based on a determination of a base attitude of a mobile device and a measured attitude of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Serita, Chetan Gupta
  • Patent number: 11314389
    Abstract: A vehicular electronic device includes a first communication circuit; a second communication circuit, a first display corresponding to a driver-seat and a second display corresponding to a non-driver seat, and a processor, wherein the processor is configured, upon receiving content via the first communication circuit, to determine a display to present the received content among the first display or the second display, upon determination that the first display is to present the received content, to determine, based on vehicle information received from the second communication circuit, whether a user is in a driving mode, upon determination that the user is in the driving mode, to identify a type of the received content, when the received content is of a first type, to present the received content on the first display, and when the received content is of a second type, not to present the received content on the first display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Juyeon You, Yongjun Lim, Donghee Kang
  • Patent number: 11315026
    Abstract: Data processing techniques and systems for processing telematics data associated with a vehicle, such as an automobile, to classify how the vehicle is being operated by a driver. The telematics data can include the use of image data captured by a camera of the vehicle. The image data is processed in conjunction with vehicular telematics data such as position, speed, and acceleration data of the vehicle obtained from, for example, smartphone sensors. The image data is processed and used by a processing system to provide a context for the telematics data. The image data and the telematics data are classified by the processing system to identify driving behavior of the driver, determine driving maneuvers that have occurred, scoring driving quality of the driver, or a combination of them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Cambridge Mobile Telematics Inc.
    Inventors: Hari Balakrishnan, Samuel Ross Madden
  • Patent number: 11305787
    Abstract: A vehicle control system for controlling a vehicle and to a method of operating such a vehicle control system. The vehicle control system may include an inceptor adapted for controlling a servo-assisted control unit via a mechanical linkage, first and second force generating devices that are mechanically connected to the inceptor in parallel and provided for generating respective first and second forces that act in operation on the inceptor, a hands-on/off detection management unit, and a decoupling device that mechanically decouples the second force generating device from the inceptor based on a control signal from the hands-on/off detection management unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignees: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH, AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
    Inventors: Boris Grohmann, Thomas Rohr, Nicolas Avril, Axel Guse
  • Patent number: 11305772
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus can execute a deceleration assistance control, when there is a deceleration target ahead, of the vehicle in a course thereof. The driving assistance apparatus is provided with: a recognizer configured to recognize a surrounding situation of the vehicle; and a controller programed to execute the deceleration assistance control when a predetermined condition is satisfied. The controller is programed to suppress execution of the deceleration assistance control if a road as the recognized surrounding situation has a high extent of a downgrade, in comparison with a situation in which the road has a low extent of the downgrade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuta Ikezawa, Kohei Tochigi, Shogo Ito
  • Patent number: 11292406
    Abstract: An information processing system includes: an identifier management unit that manages a first identifier, a second identifier, and a third identifier by which a first vehicle, a second vehicle, and a user to switch from the first vehicle to the second vehicle are uniquely identified, respectively; a specification difference pinpointing unit that compares specification of a first operation unit and specification of a second operation unit, and that pinpoints an operation unit for which a specification of a function is common and a specification of the operation unit is different before and after the switching from the first vehicle to the second vehicle; and an assist information providing unit that provides assist information by which an operation of the pinpointed operation unit is assisted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akira Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11295505
    Abstract: A method of generating animation includes: determining a target element based on a received first instruction, setting a target state of the target element and/or detecting a target operation on the target element, and obtaining a current state animation parameter of the target element; obtaining a target animation model among pre-stored animation models; and generating animation of the target element based on the target animation model and an initial state animation parameter of the target animation model, where the current state animation parameter is taken as the initial state animation parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jiayan Li
  • Patent number: 11292308
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle motion state estimation device capable of estimating a vertical momentum of a vehicle with high accuracy from a wheel speed sensor signal during traveling such as acceleration or deceleration, turning, or the like where wheel slips in longitudinal and lateral directions occur. The present invention estimates and removes a variation component caused by a wheel slip from variation components of a wheel speed sensor signal to extract a variation component caused by a displacement of a suspension, and estimates a vertical momentum of a vehicle from the extracted variation component caused by the displacement of the suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Shingo Nasu, Junya Takahashi, Nobuyuki Ichimaru, Ryusuke Hirao
  • Patent number: 11290678
    Abstract: A system includes an outward facing video camera, a digital video recorder, a geolocation device, an interface, and a processor. The interface is configured to receive video data from the outward facing vehicle camera and receive location data from the geolocation device. The processor is configured to determine a digital video recorder storing state; disable transfer of video data to the digital video recorder in response to the digital video recorder storing state being a prohibited state; and enable transfer of the video data from the outward facing video camera to the digital video recorder for storage in response to the digital video recorder storing state being not the prohibited state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Lytx, Inc.
    Inventor: Brett Hoye
  • Patent number: 11285968
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to enabling roadside assistance to a vehicle that requires assistance having an autonomous driving mode. For instance, a technician may be assigned to the vehicle that requires assistance. A signal corresponding to user input at a remote computing device requesting a change to a state of the vehicle may be received. The signal may be based on details of the assigned technician. Based on the validation, an instruction may be sent to the vehicle to change the state of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Son-Ca Nguyen, Salil Pandit, Noah Eisen, Renaud-Roland Hubert, Lauren Tindal, Jessica Gong, Lorena Zalles
  • Patent number: 11285966
    Abstract: An apparatus for an autonomous vehicle may include a controller. The controller may monitor one or more components or systems of the autonomous vehicle. The controller may determine a fault condition of the autonomous vehicle, such as for a component or a system of the autonomous vehicle. The apparatus may include a human-machine interface for a user, such as an occupant of the autonomous vehicle. The apparatus may communicate, via the human-machine interface, an alert based on the fault condition. This may be in accordance with a profile associated with the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John William Whikehart, Michael K. Ingrody
  • Patent number: 11285940
    Abstract: Provided are a diagonal parking space detection method and device, and an automatic parking method and system. The diagonal parking space detection method includes: operation S11, determining a target diagonal parking space in multiple diagonal parking spaces arranged along a reference line, wherein the target diagonal parking space is located between a first reference parking space and a second reference parking space; operation S12, detecting a first reference point identifying an intersection point between the first reference parking space and the reference line; operation S13, calculating a slope of the target diagonal parking space; operation S14, detecting a second reference point identifying an intersection point between the second reference parking space and the reference line; and operation S15, calculating a width of the target diagonal parking space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: GUANGZHOU AUTOMOBILE GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ming Fan, Qiaojun He, Qinggui Pan, Hongshan Zha
  • Patent number: 11281208
    Abstract: Described herein is a framework for efficient task-agnostic, user-independent adaptive teleoperation of mobile robots and remotely operated vehicles (ROV), including ground vehicles (including legged systems), aircraft, watercraft and spacecraft. The efficiency of a human operator is improved by minimizing the entropy of the control inputs, thereby minimizing operator energy and achieving higher performance in the form of smoother trajectories by concurrently estimating the user intent online and adaptively updating the action set available to the human operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
    Inventors: Nathan Michael, Xuning Yang, Koushil Sreenath
  • Patent number: 11275957
    Abstract: A parking assistance apparatus is provided that is capable of improving convenience for a driver by determining that parking is possible in a case where the local vehicle will protrude from a parking frame but safety is ensured around a prescribed position that corresponds to the parking frame. The presence/absence of an obstacle around a prescribed position that corresponds to a parking frame is also determined for a parking frame from which the local vehicle will protrude. In a case where safety is ensured around the prescribed position that corresponds to the parking frame, it is determined that parking is possible, and the location of the parking frame is presented to a driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Matsuoka, Hiroyuki Kanai
  • Patent number: 11275372
    Abstract: A device is provided for controlling longitudinal guidance of a vehicle designed to be driven in an at least partly automated manner. The vehicle includes an actuation element for having a driver control longitudinal guidance, the actuation element being blockable within predefined limit positions in accordance with a variable representing the degree of automation of the vehicle and a first condition. The actuation element can be unblocked in accordance with the variable representing the degree of automation of the traveling vehicle and at least one second condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaf
    Inventors: Alexander Augst, Reiner Friedrich, Claus Dorrer
  • Patent number: 11270586
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system and method for providing information regarding a parking space. The system includes a terminal located in a vehicle desired to be parked and a server that obtains occupant information and vehicle information of vehicles parked in parking spaces through cameras installed in a parking lot, predicts departure time of the parked vehicles based on the occupant information and the vehicle information, and provides parking space information based on the predicted departure time to the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Se Min Oh, Hoo Young Lee
  • Patent number: 11267473
    Abstract: A vehicle lane change assist apparatus of the invention determines that objects approaching a vehicle and having a predicted reaching time equal to or shorter than a predetermined predicted reaching time, satisfy a first condition and selects the objects satisfying the first condition as condition-determining-target-candidate objects with the number of the condition-determining-target-candidate objects being limited to a first number. The apparatus selects the condition-determining-target-candidate objects satisfying a second condition, as condition-determining-target objects with the number of the condition-determining-target objects being limited a second number equal to or smaller than the first number when a lane change assist control is requested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kentaro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11263641
    Abstract: Providing a cognitive blockchain for user privileges is provided. A distributed secure encrypted ledger is established for storing information related to privileges for users across a plurality of nodes in a permissioned network with known identities. An internet of things (IoT) device node in the plurality of nodes records a first block in the distributed secure encrypted ledger containing activity information related to a privilege corresponding to a user of the IoT device node. A licensing node in the plurality of nodes evaluates information in the first block. The licensing node records a second block containing privilege information corresponding to the user of the IoT device node based on the evaluating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Hyman Chantz
  • Patent number: 11260863
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus can execute a deceleration assistance control, when there is a deceleration target ahead, of the vehicle in a course thereof. The driving assistance apparatus is provided with: a recognizer configured to recognize a surrounding situation of the vehicle; and a controller programed to execute the deceleration assistance control when a predetermined condition is satisfied. The controller is programed to suppress execution of the deceleration assistance control if a road as the recognized surrounding situation has a high extent of a downgrade, in comparison with a situation in which the road has a low extent of the downgrade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuta Ikezawa, Kohei Tochigi, Shogo Ito
  • Patent number: 11259091
    Abstract: Content of a video is parsed to identify one or more topics of the content. The video is divided into one or more video clips corresponding to a video playback of one or more topics. One or more titles corresponding to, and descriptive of, the one or more video clips are displayed. One or more visual effects corresponding to the one or more titles and indicative of corresponding playback statuses of the one or more video clip are displayed. A video clip is played, where the video clip is based on a particular title of the one or more titles selected from a time point determined based on a corresponding playback status of the video clip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Advanced New Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yixin Ma