Route Correction, Modification Or Verification Patents (Class 701/411)
  • Patent number: 8996295
    Abstract: Vehicle range projection is implemented by a host system having logic executable thereon. The logic identifies a starting location of a vehicle and identifies destination locations for the vehicle. The logic also builds routes from the starting location to the destination locations based on routing objectives and travel constraints. The logic further outputs at least a portion of at least one route and travel cost information associated with the at least a portion of at least one route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Edward D. Tate, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8990009
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and portable devices which reduce the power used by a portable device to receive/process satellite navigational system signals and/or to compute the portable device's position using satellite navigational system signals are provided. A method includes retrieving information concerning power usage characteristics based on aggregate data corresponding to a current location of the portable device; and selecting a power saving mode based on the retrieved power usage information from the aggregate data, where each of the plurality of power saving modes reduces power usage in at least one of receiving the satellite navigational system signals, processing the satellite navigational system signals, and computing the portable device's position using the satellite navigational system signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Gary Lennen, Andy Milota
  • Patent number: 8990014
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable storage media are presented for directional scaling of inertial path data to satisfy ranging constraints. The presented techniques take into account scaling confidence information. In addition to bounding potential scale corrections based on the reliability of the inertial path and the magnetic heading confidence, the techniques bound potential scale parameters based on constraints and solve for directional scale parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: TRX Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Funk, Dan Hakim, John Karvounis, Carole Teolis
  • Patent number: 8990010
    Abstract: A method and system for searching for points of interest along a route is disclosed. A relation that includes records that associate link identifiers, point of interest identifiers, and distances between the links and the points of interest is generated during the compilation process of a first version of a geographic database. The relation is stored in compiled database products. When a compiled database product is being used by a navigation system, for example, navigation application software programs use the relation to accurately and efficiently find points of interest along a computed route. Navigation systems can also use the relation to service skyline queries and responsively generate skyline graphs of points of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Martin Pfeifle, Jonghyun Suh, Boris Gumhold
  • Patent number: 8990007
    Abstract: An identification unit identifies a departure point of a travel locus of a vehicle. The vehicle departs through the departure point from a departure road stored beforehand in map data. The map data has map link information including multiple links. An exit point set unit sets an exit point on a link included in the map link information. The link corresponds to the departure point of the departure road identified by the identification unit. A learning unit learns a new road based on the exit point set by the exit point set unit and the travel locus of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Shikimachi, Osamu Kanematsu
  • Patent number: 8990005
    Abstract: Georeferenced predictive information is provided by a backend server system to vehicles. Such provided predictive information may be specifically relevant to a provided planned or estimated route of the particular vehicle, and may be used by the vehicle to reconstruct a digital map specific to such planned or estimated route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Robert Hein, Andreas Winckler
  • Patent number: 8977488
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a navigation system may include one or more processors, a display, a satellite antenna, one or more memory devices, and map data. A route distance icon can be presented on the display, automatically, when the current location is not coincident with the route and the start offset distance is less than a predetermined distance. The route distance icon can provide the on-the-route distance. A geodesic distance icon can be presented on the display, automatically, when the current location is not coincident with the route and the start offset distance is greater than the predetermined distance. The geodesic distance icon can provide a geodesic distance from the current location to the destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey E. Pierfelice
  • Patent number: 8977487
    Abstract: A navigation device and a guide route search method prevents searching for a detour route, and shortens the time required for setting an eventual guide route. A first partial route is extracted from a first guide route found in accordance with map data divided into three hierarchical levels, based on information about a road network. The first guide route is the route from the current location to a destination. A second partial route is obtained by performing a route search between the nodes at opposite ends of the first partial route, based on the map data containing the lowest level. A second guide route is obtained by replacing the first partial route in the first guide route with the second partial route, and is set as the eventual guide route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Shinobu Doi
  • Patent number: 8972161
    Abstract: Described herein are devices, systems, and methods for managing the power consumption of an automotive vehicle, and thereby for optimizing the power consumption of the vehicle. The devices and systems for managing the power consumption of the vehicle typically include power management logic that can calculate an applied power for the vehicle engine based on information provided from the external environment of the vehicle, the operational status of the vehicle, one or more command inputs from a driver, and one or more operational parameters of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Invent.ly, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Koebler, Nicole G. Goldstein, Stephen J. Brown, Jason H. Harper
  • Patent number: 8970632
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to temporarily rendering a display on a display device using map data stored in a high speed memory of the display device while the display device is waiting to receive updated data from a display device persistent memory or a remote map data database in response to a user initiated request for updated data. The present disclosure also relates to a display device high speed memory management module for managing the contents of a high speed memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ronghui Zhu, Michael Siliski
  • Patent number: 8972162
    Abstract: Described herein are devices, systems, and methods for managing the power consumption of an automotive vehicle, and thereby for optimizing the power consumption of the vehicle. The devices and systems for managing the power consumption of the vehicle typically include power management logic that can calculate an applied power for the vehicle engine based on information provided from the external environment of the vehicle, the operational status of the vehicle, one or more command inputs from a driver, and one or more operational parameters of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Invent.ly, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Koebler, Jason H. Harper, Stephen J. Brown, Nicole G. Goldstein
  • Patent number: 8972170
    Abstract: A mobile device can obtain wireless network signal strength map data that indicates, for various nearby geographical regions, the wireless network signal strength in each such region. A mobile device can transmit that data to a vehicular navigation system responsible for automatically selecting a high-quality route of vehicular travel between a specified source and destination. The system can take the wireless network signal map data into account when selecting that route. When selecting from among multiple different routes of vehicular travel between a specified source and destination, the system may employ an algorithm that considers wireless network signal strengths along those routes, in addition to the other factors. Consequently, the system can select a longer route having better signal strength over a shorter route having worse signal strength. The system can present the selected route within a set of suggested routes, potentially along with reasons for each route's suggestion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Swapnil R. Dave, Devrim Varoglu
  • Patent number: 8965684
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a mobile terminal having an autonomous navigation function, said mobile terminal comprising: a map application which performs map matching on the current position of the mobile terminal on a route to a destination; a measurement unit which detects the movement of the mobile terminal, and which provides sensor information representing the number of steps and travel direction; a position calculation unit which determines the current position of the mobile terminal; a travel direction correction unit which, when it has been estimated that a user is walking straight by determining whether the amount of change of the user's travel direction is within a prescribed range in a prescribed period, corrects the user's travel direction according to the orientation of the straight parts when the user is walking straight on the route; and a current position correction unit which, on the basis of the corrected travel direction and the starting time and starting point when walking straight,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventor: Makoto Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8965685
    Abstract: A feature for a motor vehicle that takes precautionary actions in response to conditions on the road network in the vicinity ahead of the vehicle. The feature uses a data representation of the road network extending from the current vehicle position out to an extent. The data representation of the road network is used to identify conditions, if any, that warrant taking a precautionary action. The type of conditions about which actions are to be taken may be identified in a data file. A precautionary action is taken as the vehicle approaches the location of the condition. The precautionary action may be a message provided to the vehicle driver to alert the driver about the condition. Alternatively, the action may be a modification of the vehicle operation, such as slowing down or stopping the vehicle, speeding up the vehicle, changing direction, and so on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventor: Robert Denaro
  • Patent number: 8965683
    Abstract: A vehicle navigation system disposed in a vehicle executes a route guidance function that calculates a first route by prioritizing a special lane over a normal lane as a route calculation condition and performs route guidance when a special lane use option is turned on. A determination unit determines whether the vehicle is traveling in a parallel route section in which the special lane and normal lane are in parallel. If the vehicle is traveling in the parallel route section, a second route calculation unit calculates a second route towards the destination based on an assumption that the vehicle is traveling in the normal lane. In addition, a second route guidance unit outputs a second guidance phrase at a second guidance point, such that the second guidance phrase includes a conditional phrase that conveys that the vehicle is not in the special lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomoo Nomura
  • Patent number: 8958983
    Abstract: A server arranged to process GPS data to generate enhanced map data is disclosed. The enhanced map data includes a plurality of navigable segments representing segments of a navigable route in an area covered by a map. In at least one embodiment, the server is connected with a wireless telecommunications transceiver arranged to receive GPS fixes by wireless telecommunication from a plurality of navigation devices and send the received GPS fixes to the server, the server includes a processor arranged to generate at least one speed profile for each segment from the GPS fixes from at least two of the plurality of navigation devices, each speed profile comprising an expected speed of travel through the segment, and the server is arranged to subsequently cause the transceiver to send the speed profiles to the navigation devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: TomTom International B.V.
    Inventors: Ralf-Peter SchƤfer, Peter Mieth, Ian Malcolm Atkinson, Martin Wolf, Ben Rutten, Karine Hilbrandie
  • Patent number: 8958988
    Abstract: A system for identifying a fastest possible travel route is disclosed. A traveler data processor collects traffic speed data and associates the traffic speed data with road segments. The road segments collectively represent one or more possible travel routes from a start point to an end point. A forecast engine determines a predicted travel time for each of the road segments based on, for example, the traffic speed data for each of the road segments. A routing engine determines the fastest possible travel route from the start point to the end point. The fastest possible travel route is the possible travel route from the one or more possible travel routes with the shortest predicted travel time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Pelmorex Canada Inc.
    Inventor: Andre Gueziec
  • Patent number: 8958979
    Abstract: The present invention provides system and method for creation of a road map, the system comprising a plurality of navigation devices; and an application server to receive from the plurality of navigation devices time series of location points, and to create a road map based on the time series of location points. The method comprising receiving location points from plurality of navigation devices, along with respective time stamps indicating the time of recordation of each of the location points; identifying at least one route according to the location points and respective time stamps; and creating a road map based on the at least one route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Uri Levine, Amir Shinar, Ehud Shabtai
  • Patent number: 8954217
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to determining whether an autonomous vehicle should be driven in an autonomous or semiautonomous mode (where steering, acceleration, and braking are controlled by the vehicle's computer). For example, a computer may maneuver a vehicle in an autonomous or a semiautonomous mode. The computer may continuously receive data from one or more sensors. This data may be processed to identify objects and the characteristics of the objects. The detected objects and their respective characteristics may be compared to a traffic pattern model and detailed map information. If the characteristics of the objects deviate from the traffic pattern model or detailed map information by more than some acceptable deviation threshold value, the computer may generate an alert to inform the driver of the need to take control of the vehicle or the computer may maneuver the vehicle in order to avoid any problems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Steven Montemerlo, Hyman Jack Murveit, Christopher Paul Urmson, Dmitri A. Dolgov, Philip Nemec
  • Patent number: 8954266
    Abstract: Providing directions from point A to point B may be treated as an information retrieval problem. In one example, actual routes that are traveled by people are received, and are stored in a database. When a person requests directions from point A to point B, a system searches the database to determine whether a route from A to B exists. If the route does exist, then the route may be provided as directions in response to the request. If no such route exists, then the system looks in the database for routes that have some amount of overlap with each other, and attempts to construct a route from A to B by joining known routes that overlap with each other. Rules may govern the degree of overlap that routes are to have before they can be joined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Eyal Ofek, Jeffrey Couckuyt, Gur Kimchi, Brian Beckman
  • Patent number: 8949020
    Abstract: A map matching apparatus and method are provided. The map matching apparatus comprises a location determining unit configured to determine whether a GPS receipt location is located within planar data for a road, and a map matching unit configured to perform map matching on the GPS receipt location depending on whether the GPS receipt location is located within the planar data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Thinkwaresystems Corp.
    Inventor: Jungho Lee
  • Patent number: 8942918
    Abstract: A navigation system and related operating methods are provided for instructing an operator of a vehicle. The navigation system obtains a destination location and generates a proposed route to the destination location. The proposed route is defined by one or more driver decision points and associated driving maneuvers. Before the vehicle reaches an approaching driver decision point, the navigation system pre-calculates alternate routes between the approaching driver decision point and the destination location, and saves the alternate routes for subsequent activation. Pre-calculated alternate routes can also be used to determine and indicate the relative importance of an approaching driving maneuver. The driver can consider the importance of driving maneuvers when deciding whether or not to follow the recommended route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Cody R. Hansen, Andrew W. Gellatly, John P. Weiss, Matthew M. Highstrom, Bhavna Mathur
  • Patent number: 8942915
    Abstract: Method for identifying an airplane in connection to parking of the airplane at a gate or a stand, for possible connection of a passenger bridge (1) or a loading bridge to a door of an airplane, where the airplane is positioned and stopped at a predetermined position using a touchless measurement of the distance between the airplane and a fixed point, where the distance is indicated on a display (6) mounted in front of the pilot of the airplane on for instance an airport building (7), which display (6) shows the position of the airplane (5) in relation to a stop point for the airplane and shows the current airplane type, where the distance measurement and display are caused to be activated by a computer system (20) belonging to the airport or manually, and wherein an antenna (16) is caused to receive information (17) transmitted by an airplane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: FMT International Trade AB
    Inventor: Per Thelander
  • Publication number: 20150025790
    Abstract: A method for geo-location services is described. In one embodiment, the method includes storing in a database an appointment with one or more attendees and monitoring, via a sensor, a location of an attendee in relation to a time and location of the appointment. In some embodiments, the method includes determining a route for the attendee to take to the location of the appointment based on the current location of the attendee.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Jungtaik Hwang, Matthew J. Eyring, James E. Nye, Jeremy B. Warren
  • Patent number: 8938348
    Abstract: A method determines a run-curve of a motion of a vehicle as a function of at least a speed of the vehicle and a position of the vehicle in a continuous space. First, the method determines Markov decision process (MDP) with respect to a set of anchor states selected from the continuous space, such that a control moving the vehicle to a state transitions the MDP to an anchor state with a probability determined as a function of a distance between the anchor state and the state in the continuous space, and solves the MDP subject to constraints to determine an MDP policy optimizing a cost function representing a cost of the motion of the vehicle. Next, the method determines the run-curve based on the MDP policy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Nikovski, Bernard Lidicky
  • Patent number: 8924142
    Abstract: A route comprises interconnected road segments that can be traveled to get from a location to a destination. Previously, routes are represented by display of the spatial arrangement of such road segments (e.g., a map). Here, a route is depicted as a linear shape, and portions of the linear shape represent portions of the route, regardless of their spatial arrangement. A scale is applied between a characteristic of the route and the linear shape. Information elements can be depicted at points on the linear shape that correspond, based on the scale, to locations on the route where such information applies. Portions of the linear shape can be colored or cross-hatched according to traffic congestion conditions. Incident reports can be represented by indicators along the linear shape. Alternate routes (detours) can be represented by respective separate linear shapes; lead lines can connect such linear shapes to points of the route linear shape where each such detour would be taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Daniel Edward Fink, Alastair Gourlay, Roger James Petersen
  • Patent number: 8924137
    Abstract: According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided an apparatus and method to synchronize trajectories from independent systems such as from a flight management system and the ground Air traffic control during the entire history of a flight. Since a number of trajectory discrepancy factors will intervene during the lifetime of a flight, such as a change in flight intent, controller intervention, or large deviations of the actual flight from the predicted trajectory due to prediction errors, there is need to dynamically monitor these deviations and control a dynamic synchronization cycle. A dynamic trajectory synchronization algorithm attempts to bring each of the systems back into balance whenever a disturbance causes an imbalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: David So Keung Chan, Joel Klooster, Sergio Torres
  • Patent number: 8924156
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, computer program and user interface wherein the method includes: obtaining coordinate information from a first application where the coordinate information uniquely identifies an address as a location in a coordinate space; storing, using a second application, the coordinate information so that the coordinate information is associated with contact information indicative of the address; detecting user selection of a control element associated with the stored contact information; and in response to the detection of the user selection of the control element providing the coordinate information to the first application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Ari O. Tourunen, Timo V. Kinnunen, Aqdas A. Malik, Suvi M. Peltomaki
  • Publication number: 20140379251
    Abstract: A navigational aid for use primarily by the visually impaired in the form of a virtual walking stick, comprising a location sensor and an inertial measurement unit, which can provide angle-dependent navigation directions to a user, and which can be used to record the three-dimensional locations of new objects of interest for later uploading and integration into a global map set of the region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Jonathan Louis Tolstedt, Maxwell Louis Tolstedt
  • Patent number: 8918282
    Abstract: Turn restrictions are identified and associated with an intersection. Geographic data is collected over a period of time from mobile devices located near the intersection. A geometric pattern is derived from the geographic data. A comparison between the geometric pattern and predefined geometric patterns associated with turn restrictions is performed. A turn restriction for the intersection is determined based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventor: Leon Stenneth
  • Publication number: 20140372021
    Abstract: Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for providing navigation routes and/or providing navigation route updates. According to various embodiments of the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a navigation application can be configured to obtain route data from a routing service. The routing service can be configured to use navigation data locally stored and/or obtained from a number of sources to generate navigation routes and/or to update navigation routes. The generated and/or updated navigation routes can be provided to the user device as route data that can be used to provide navigation directions to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventor: Dimitrios Dimitriadis
  • Patent number: 8903646
    Abstract: A method for automatically determining emission locations of selected emitted substances originating from a selected immission location. In this context, on the basis of input values which relate directly or indirectly to the emitted substances and by using defined rules of a propagation model suitable for determining propagation of the emitted substances, the emitted substances are traced back spatially, with accompanying indication of distribution values. Furthermore, a determining system carries out the determining method, and a traffic control system carries out a traffic control method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Sebastian Althen, Paul Mathias
  • Patent number: 8903645
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a three-dimensional map data storage unit for storing three-dimensional map data for use in projecting a three-dimensional space on a map onto a plane, a location information storage unit for storing location information including a type of geographical objects at points spaced at predetermined intervals on the map, a present position storage unit for storing a present position on the map, an operation input receiving unit for receiving an operation input, a collision determination unit for determining the possibility of occurrence of collision in a course from the present position to an end point, a correction unit for correcting the end point based on the determined possibility of occurrence of collision and shifting the present position to the corrected end point, and a drawing unit for drawing a three-dimensional image, the three-dimensional image produced by projecting onto the plane the three-dimensional space on the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Asai, Junpei Ito, Takeki Osada, Satoshi Suzuno
  • Patent number: 8903648
    Abstract: The field sampling method provides a mobile device, a central memory and a data transfer interface. The mobile device has a main storage, which contains GPS receiver, a mapping program, an external TSP algorithm program and at least one database. The mapping program displays a plurality of sampling point on the user interface of the mobile device. The user has the ability to select a set of sampling points on the user interface. The sampling points are written to a first database. The selected sampling points are processed by the external TSP algorithm program to determine an optimal route. The external TSP algorithm program sends the optimal route to the mapping program. The mapping program displays the optimal route on the screen of the mobile device such that the user can visit points and collect sampling data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Forestech Consulting, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Berzinis, Mark Milligan
  • Patent number: 8903647
    Abstract: An apparatus performs a space map matching on a position of a user terminal measured through a positioning process and display the measured positions of the user terminal on a map in which a plurality of spaces are constructed. The space map matching is performed to determine in which space the user terminal is located among the plurality of spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Mnsoft, Inc.
    Inventor: Dong Kwon Suh
  • Patent number: 8897917
    Abstract: An electronic controller defining an autonomous mobile device includes a self-location estimation unit to estimate a self-location based on a local map that is created according to distance/angle information relative to an object in the vicinity and the travel distance of an omni wheel, an environmental map creation unit to create an environmental map of a mobile area based on the self-location and the local map during the guided travel with using a joystick, a registration switch to register the self-location of the autonomous mobile device as the position coordinate of the setting point when the autonomous mobile device reaches a predetermined setting point during the guided travel, a storage unit to store the environmental map and the setting point, a route planning unit to plan the travel route by using the setting point on the environmental map stored in the storage unit, and a travel control unit to control the autonomous mobile device to autonomously travel along the travel route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Tanaka, Tsuyoshi Nakano
  • Patent number: 8897999
    Abstract: A section setting method calculates information relating to an attainable actual fuel efficiency under a vehicle operation performed in consideration of fuel efficiency. To that end, the section setting method collects fuel-efficiency information that is information relating to the fuel efficiency required for a movement from a start point to a destination point of the vehicle, which is obtained under a plurality of kinds of vehicle operations, along with positional information of the vehicle at each time. The section setting method compares change pattern parts of the collected fuel-efficiency information with each other, thereby sequentially connecting the change pattern parts of the fuel-efficiency information from the start point to the destination point. The section setting method sets, as a section used to calculate the actual fuel efficiency, a section obtained by sectioning at points corresponding to the connection points of the change pattern parts connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shojiro Takeuchi, Hiroki Nakashima, Satomi Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 8897932
    Abstract: Disclosed is a flight control support device which sets a flight restricted area W along a terrain, thereby achieving improvement in safety of a small aircraft A and sufficiently securing the degree of freedom of flight course selection of a pilot. The flight control support device includes a terrain information acquirer, an aircraft information acquirer, a flight restricted area setter which sets the flight restricted area W along the terrain on the basis of the terrain information acquired by the terrain information acquirer and the aircraft information acquired by the aircraft information acquirer, and a flight control supporter which supports flight control of a flying object on the basis of the flight restricted area set by the flight restricted area setter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kosuke Komatsuzaki, Masatsugu Ishiba
  • Patent number: 8886452
    Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to a mobile terminal having an autonomous navigation function, including an anchor management unit configured to acquire a directional change point, set the acquired directional change point as an anchor point and store the anchor point, wherein the directional change point is assumed for a user to change direction on a route from a departure point to a destination point of the user of the mobile terminal on map information, a measurement unit configured to detect movement of the mobile terminal and provide sensor information indicative of the movement, a position calculation unit configured to calculate a current position of the mobile terminal based on the sensor information, a rotation detection unit configured to detect rotation of the user based on the sensor information and determine a rotation point associated with the detected rotation and a current position correction unit configured to determine an anchor point corresponding to the determined rotation poin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventor: Makoto Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8880334
    Abstract: A control system is disclosed for use with a plurality of machines operating at a worksite. The control system may have a plurality of communicating devices, and a plurality of onboard controllers, each mountable to the plurality of machines. The control system may also have an offboard controller in communication with the plurality of onboard controllers via the plurality of communicating devices. The offboard controller may be configured to selectively assign each of a plurality of sequentially arranged dump targets for use by each of the plurality of machines based on an order in which the plurality of machines arrive at a dump location. The offboard controller may be further configured to make a determination that lanes extending to two dump targets of the plurality of sequentially arranged dump targets overlap, and selectively skip assignment of one of the two dump targets based on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Anath P. Kini, Joshua C. Struble, Andrew J. Vitale, Craig L. Koehrsen, Bryan J. Everett, Mark H. C. Banham, Dean G. Povey, Matthew A. Holmes
  • Patent number: 8880339
    Abstract: A schematic display for presenting vertical navigation (VNAV) data is disclosed. A planned route such as a flight plan is divided into a series of VNAV legs, and only a VNAV schematic that corresponds to the active VNAV leg is displayed. The VNAV schematic in accordance with the present disclosure is a profile-view schematic for the active VNAV leg, providing a visual representation indicating the locations of the upcoming Top of Climb (TOC) or Top of Descent (TOD). Additional VNAV data may also be presented to provide content context. Since the schematic display in accordance with the present disclosure only displays VNAV data relevant to the active VNAV leg at a given time, the complexities associated with displaying the VNAV schematic is reduced, making the VNAV data easy to read and understand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins Inc.
    Inventors: Seth A. Cooper, David A. Gribble, David L. Leedom, Geoffrey A. Shapiro, Daniel E. Russell, James E. Winfield
  • Patent number: 8874713
    Abstract: Methods and systems for location correction are provided. In one exemplary method, a first routing identifier of a first location associated with a location correction may be identified. The first location and the first routing identifier may be stored. A second routing identifier associated with a location request may be identified. A second location based at least in part on a comparison of the first routing number and the second routing number may be predicted. Finally, the location request may be responded to with the second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Fiona Herring, Krzysztof Duleba, Keekim Heng, Luuk Van Dijk, Bernhard Seefeld
  • Patent number: 8874361
    Abstract: Techniques and systems are disclosed that provide for creating an accurate representation of a roadway network, such as for planning vehicle travel routes. Positioning data is obtained, such as GPS data points from a plurality of vehicles, which mark traces of vehicular travel. A location of a trace is clarified using adjustment forces that are related to the traces, for example, to form coherent groups of traces. From these groups of clarified traces, a graph line is created by merging the traces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: John Krumm, Lili Cao
  • Patent number: 8874345
    Abstract: A method includes receiving an input size of a wheel of a vehicle, determining a derived speed of the vehicle that is based on the input size of the wheel, determining a reference speed of the vehicle as the vehicle moves, comparing the derived speed with the reference speed of the vehicle, and identifying an error in the input size of the wheel based on a difference between the derived speed and the reference speed. A system includes a control unit configured to determine a derived speed of a vehicle that is based on an input size of the wheel and a reference speed of the vehicle as the vehicle moves. The control unit compares the derived speed with the reference speed of the vehicle in order to identify an error in the input size of the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Vishram Vinayak Nandedkar, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Patricia Sue Lacy, Pavan Vempaty
  • Patent number: 8868301
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a work machine system having a work machine and work tool. Operational characteristics of both the work machine and work tool are configured by a machine controller based upon the type of work tool attached to the work machine, the operating environment of the work machine, and the location of work site personnel or other observers relative to the machine or work tool. The operational characteristics of both the work machine and work tool may then be automatically altered during operation of the work machine system to limit or expand functions of the work machine system in response to changes in the operational environment or movement of personnel or observers relative to the work machine system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: The Charles Machine Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Kelvin P. Self, Nathan Kiner
  • Patent number: 8868331
    Abstract: A navigation apparatus in a vehicle displays road names of cross roads that crosses a to-be-traveled road along the to-be-traveled road at positions that area adjacent to respective cross roads. In this manner, a user of the navigation apparatus easily recognizes the road names of the roads to be traveled by the vehicle in his/her view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motohiro Fukumoto, Tomoo Nomura
  • Patent number: 8868302
    Abstract: A control system is disclosed for use with a mobile loading machine operating at a first location and a plurality of mobile haul machines configured to move material received at the first location to a second location. The control system may have a plurality of control modules, each associated with one of the mobile loading machine and the plurality of mobile haul machines, and a worksite controller. The worksite controller may be configured to make a determination that a position of the mobile loading machine has changed, and to generate a new travel path for the plurality of mobile haul machines based on the determination. The worksite controller may also be configured to selectively communicate the new travel path to each of the plurality of control modules. The new travel path between the first and second locations may be automatically determined in accordance with at least one user-selected goal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan J. Everett, Andrew J. Vitale, Craig L. Koehrsen, James D. Humphrey
  • Publication number: 20140309925
    Abstract: A visual positioning system for indoor locations with associated content is provided herein. The system has a map creator and a viewer. The map creator maps the indoor location by acquiring plans thereof, detects paths through the location and associates with the paths frames relating to objects and views of the paths. The viewer allows a user to orient in the indoor location by locating the user with respect to a path. The viewer enhances GPS/WIFI/3G data by matching user-captured images with the frames, and then interactively displaying the user data from the mapped paths with respect to user queries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Pablo Garcia MORATO, Frida ISSA
  • Patent number: 8862403
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining altitudes for a vehicle to travel are provided. In one example, a method comprises receiving information indicating a desired location for a balloon and a time period for traveling to the desired location. A region may include the desired location, and the region can be divided into a plurality of cells. The method may include determining estimated cell locations that can be reached by the balloon over a time interval by following a wind at a given altitude. The method may also include assigning a cost value to each cell based on a proximity of the estimated cell locations to a cell including the desired location. The method may further include determining for each cell an altitude for the balloon to travel based on the assigned cost value, and storing information indicating the cost value and the altitude for the balloon to travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Daniele P. Piponi, Bradley Rhodes
  • Patent number: 8862386
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for selecting a path defining a journey through a time-tabled transportation network comprises determining forming a data set comprising a sequence of K shortest paths through the transportation network from an origin location ā€œoā€ to a destination location ā€œdā€, each path with an increasing cost; and selecting a path from the K shortest paths based upon a filter criteria which may be one not used in the determination of the K shortest paths. The network comprises a public transportation network. The filter criteria not used in the determination of the K shortest paths may be one that does not obey the principal of optimality. The determining step is performed utilizing an algorithm that filters the available paths through the network according to a selected filter criteria plus a selected buffer amount ? of the filter criteria. The selecting step utilizes only the rankings of the K shortest paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Owen Griffiths