Cooperative Or Multiple Control (e.g., Suspension And Braking) Patents (Class 701/48)
  • Patent number: 9527415
    Abstract: A method for controlling the operation of an active suspension system for a motor vehicle passenger seat, where the active suspension system comprises an actuator that is constructed and arranged to place force on the seat in a first degree of freedom and a control system that is responsive to a sensor system that detects motor vehicle accelerations in at least the first degree of freedom, where the sensor system comprises an accident detection system that detects motor vehicle accident conditions, where the control system provides control signals that cause the actuator to exert a force on the seat in the first degree of freedom, wherein in normal active suspension operation mode the actuator is controlled to output forces that reduce acceleration of the seat so as to counteract motions of the seat in the first degree of freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Damian Howard
  • Patent number: 9495875
    Abstract: A vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous mode may engage in an obstacle evaluation technique that includes employing a sensor system to collect data relating to a plurality of obstacles, identifying from the plurality of obstacles an obstacle pair including a first obstacle and a second obstacle, engaging in an evaluation process by comparing the data collected for the first obstacle to the data collected for the second obstacle, and in response to engaging in the evaluation process, making a determination of whether the first obstacle and the second obstacle are two separate obstacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan Baldwin Dowdall, Jiajun Zhu
  • Patent number: 9488116
    Abstract: A secondary controller for controlling the performance of a vehicle is described. The secondary controller sends control commands to a vehicle controller while the vehicle is being driven to effect the operation of the vehicle's power train without requiring any modification of the vehicle controller and without falsifying any information sent to the vehicle controller. In some embodiments, the secondary controller communicates with the vehicle controller via the vehicle's diagnostic port, such as an OBD-II port. In one aspect, the secondary controller is used to direct the vehicle controller not to utilize a start/stop feature to automatically turn off the engine in the selected circumstances during normal operation of the vehicle. As such, the control command causes the vehicle controller to operate the vehicle in the selected operating mode in manner dictated by the engine controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: 128 Combustion, Inc.
    Inventors: Kendall J. Mosher, Chester J. Silvestri, Adam Raper, David R. Emberson
  • Patent number: 9457664
    Abstract: A display device includes: first setting means for setting a first operation amount to be performed by an occupant so as to increase an output in a state in which a vehicle speed is less than a predetermined threshold; second setting means for setting a second operation amount to be performed by the occupant such that an operation state of the vehicle can be shifted to a desired state in which optimal instantaneous fuel consumption is realized, by decreasing the output in a state in which the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold; and display means for displaying, on a display unit, at least one of the first operation amount and the second operation amount, and a present operation amount which is an operation amount performed at present by the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Amano, Kaoru Kubo, Taishi Hisano, Yasushi Ozawa
  • Patent number: 9457815
    Abstract: The processor-implemented control system for automotive vehicles assigns master control functionality separately to each controlled direction of motion. Within each master control, a multi-layered control architecture is implemented. At control level 0 multiple localized actuators associated with the controlled motion direction are monitored to ensure integrity but are otherwise allowed to operate on their own. At control level 1 the master control plays a supervisory role, coordinating behavior of the multiple actuators. At levels 2 and 3 the master control assesses trustworthiness of the driver and factors that trustworthiness into the control equation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: e-AAM Driveline Systems AB
    Inventors: Johan O. Hägnander, Sven E. Johansson, P. Stefan Elgåfoss
  • Patent number: 9446287
    Abstract: Determining pace or speed based on sensor data may include determining an amount of contact time a user's foot has with a workout surface such as the ground. Contact time may be determined by identifying samples in the sensor data that correspond to various events such as a heelstrike, a toe-off and a subsequent heelstrike. In one example, these events may be identified by determining a sequence of three sample values (e.g., a triplet) that exceeds corresponding thresholds. The validity of an identified triplet (e.g., heelstrike, toe-off and heelstrike) may be confirmed by determining whether a difference between a last event sample and a middle event sample is greater than a difference between the middle event sample and an initial event sample. Once confirmed, a contact time may be determined from the triplet. A linear or non-linear relationship may then be applied to the contact time to determine a speed or pace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron B. Weast, James M. Mullin
  • Patent number: 9440537
    Abstract: A method to control functions displayed on a display unit of a vehicle uses gestures carried out in three-dimensional space. When a first gesture carried out in three-dimensional space is detected it is determined whether the detected first gesture is allocated to an activation of an operation of a function. If it is determined that the detected first gesture is the gesture allocated to the activation of the operation of the function, then the function is activated. Next a second gesture carried out in three-dimensional space is detected and it is determined whether the detected second gesture is a gesture allocated to the operation of the function. If it is determined that the detected second gesture is the gesture allocated to the operation of the function then the operation of the function is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Volker Entenmann, Stefan Mattes, Joerg Reisinger, Tingting Zhang-Xu
  • Patent number: 9358910
    Abstract: A method for controlling the operation of an active suspension system for a motor vehicle passenger seat, where the active suspension system comprises an actuator that is constructed and arranged to place force on the seat in a first degree of freedom and a control system that is responsive to a sensor system that detects motor vehicle accelerations in at least the first degree of freedom, where the sensor system comprises an accident detection system that detects motor vehicle accident conditions, where the control system provides control signals that cause the actuator to exert a force on the seat in the first degree of freedom, wherein in normal active suspension operation mode the actuator is controlled to output forces that reduce acceleration of the seat so as to counteract motions of the seat in the first degree of freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Damian Howard
  • Patent number: 9329917
    Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for replacing a factory installed or similar air suspension controller in a vehicle with an augmentor, which sends correct status messages to the vehicle main computer when the air suspension is replaced with coil springs or shocks. The augmentor can includes a voltage regulator, an indicator and bus interface. At power on, the program initializes the microcontroller registers, timer registers, and control registers, then loop until an inquiry or command is received, then responds with status messages that are the same as the status messages sent by the original factory installed air suspension controller until power is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Arnott, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam M. Arnott, David P. Teichman, Robert P. Gardner
  • Patent number: 9292981
    Abstract: A construction machine controller includes: a first board operated by a construction machine embedded operating system; and a second board connected to the first board through a general purpose interface and operated by a general purpose PC operating system, wherein the first board includes a monitoring unit monitoring an operating state of the second board, and when the monitoring unit determines that the operating state of the second board is abnormal, the first board reactivates or stops the second board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasunori Kimura
  • Patent number: 9276846
    Abstract: A packet processor provides for rule matching of packets in a network architecture. The packet processor includes a lookup cluster complex having a number of lookup engines and respective on-chip memory units. The on-chip memory stores rules for matching against packet data. A lookup front-end receives lookup requests from a host, and processes these lookup requests to generate key requests for forwarding to the lookup engines. Based on information in the packet, the lookup front-end can optimize start times for sending key requests as a continuous stream with minimal delay. As a result of the rule matching, the lookup engine returns a response message indicating whether a match is found.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Cavium, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajan Goyal, Gregg A. Bouchard, Karen A. Szypulski, Charles D. Spackman
  • Patent number: 9256260
    Abstract: A microcomputer of an ECU which is a master determines whether to turn on or off the power supply of a slave ECU, and outputs a power supply control signal indicating power-on/off via serial communication on the basis of the result of determination. A signal superposition circuit accepts the output power supply control signal and transmits the accepted power supply control signal to a CAN bus to which a CAN transceiver is connected. In the slave ECU, a signal separation circuit individually receives a CAN communication signal and a serial communication signal transmitted to the CAN bus, while an input/output control circuit to which the serial communication signal is input as the power supply control signal outputs a signal to the power supply circuit to control power-on/off of the microcomputer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignees: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Hatta
  • Patent number: 9244750
    Abstract: A method for carrying out a plausibility check of a first driver input sensor with regard to a second driver input sensor which is different from the first driver input sensor of a motor vehicle includes the first and the second driver input sensors each monitoring interventions of a driver in a brake pedal or an accelerator pedal, or a steering wheel, or a selector lever of the motor vehicle, the measuring signals of the first and the second driver input sensors being detected and redundantly evaluated independently of one another in a first functional module and a second functional module which is independent of the first functional module, and the two evaluations being compared to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Andreas Kirsch
  • Patent number: 9216719
    Abstract: In a parking lock control device of a vehicle of the present invention, when a parking lock activation command is outputted, either one of parking lock mechanisms is activated. In this state, a movement of the vehicle is estimated or detected, and when the vehicle movement is a predetermined amount or more, the parking lock control device generates a torque that suppresses the vehicle movement by the motor connected to the other parking lock mechanism. Power consumption associated with the parking lock is then suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichi Hasegawa, Yasuhiro Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 9205760
    Abstract: An electric vehicle to automatically adjust output torque during travelling even when there is a difference in the output characteristic between two traction motor units that independently drive left and right drive wheels. The electric vehicle includes the motor units; a torque command unit that outputs torque command values to the motor units; a torque difference occurrence determiner that determines that a difference has occurred between actual driving forces TL, TR of the respective drive wheels even when the torque command unit applies the same torque command values TL*, TR* to the motor units; and a driving force difference reducer that, if the determiner determines that a driving force difference not less than a set value has occurred between the drive wheels, causes control of reducing the driving force difference to be performed during travelling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomoaki Makino
  • Patent number: 9199563
    Abstract: A method for controlling the operation of an active suspension system for a motor vehicle passenger seat, where the active suspension system comprises an actuator that is constructed and arranged to place force on the seat in a first degree of freedom and a control system that is responsive to a sensor system that detects motor vehicle accelerations in at least the first degree of freedom, where the sensor system comprises an accident detection system that detects motor vehicle accident conditions, where the control system provides control signals that cause the actuator to exert a force on the seat in the first degree of freedom, wherein in normal active suspension operation mode the actuator is controlled to output forces that reduce acceleration of the seat so as to counteract motions of the seat in the first degree of freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Damian Howard, Brian A. Selden
  • Patent number: 9189959
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for providing route guidance to a driver of a vehicle. Based on the current location of the vehicle, the navigation system determines a route to travel from the current location of the vehicle to a destination provided by the driver. The navigation system obtains information (e.g., past driving history of other drivers on the route) which is used to assess whether a super detail mode of operation (provides additional details than traditional GPS-based navigation systems thereby lessening the likelihood that the driver will get lost) should be enacted by the navigation system. The super detail mode of operation may be triggered by the navigation system based on a road condition (e.g., missed turn ratio of route exceeds a threshold) that warrants the super detail mode of operation where such a condition is determined to have occurred using the obtained information discussed above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Judith H. Bank, Lisa M. Bradley, Lin Sun
  • Patent number: 9187080
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle is configured to detect an abnormality of shock absorbers. When an abnormality detection means has detected an abnormality, braking/driving force posture control amount computation means computes an amount of braking/driving force posture control controlled by means of braking/driving force of the vehicle on the basis of target posture control amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hironobu Kikuchi, Katsuhiko Hirayama
  • Patent number: 9180862
    Abstract: A vehicle dynamic control apparatus is designed to control a plurality of controlled objects based on a first parameter associated with a motion of a vehicle in a same direction to fulfill a request value of a second parameter associated with the motion of the vehicle in the same direction and outputted from a control requester. The vehicle dynamic control apparatus includes an availability obtainer configured to obtain an availability of the first parameter of each of the controlled objects, and to output the availability of the first parameter of each of the controlled objects to the control requester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, ADVICS CO., LTD., AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Junpei Tatsukawa, Yasuhiko Mukai, Masaki Maruyama, Masatoshi Hanzawa, Hirofumi Nitta, Yuichi Mizutani
  • Patent number: 9174649
    Abstract: A vehicle sub-system controller is configured to receive a first message and a second message, wherein the first message includes at least a command for the controller, and the second message includes at least a target value for the controller to achieve. A fault may be detected with respect to the first message; and an adjustment to the sub-system may be locally determined in the sub-system controller to achieve the target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Rajit Johri, Andrew Brown, Scott J. Lauffer, Sarra Awad Yako, Shane Elwart, Douglas Scott Rhode, Alex Maurice Miller, Tobias John Pallett, John A. Lockwood
  • Patent number: 9176500
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle configured for active sensing may also be configured to weigh expected information gains from active-sensing actions against risk costs associated with the active-sensing actions. An example method involves: (a) receiving information from one or more sensors of an autonomous vehicle, (b) determining a risk-cost framework that indicates risk costs across a range of degrees to which an active-sensing action can be performed, wherein the active-sensing action comprises an action that is performable by the autonomous vehicle to potentially improve the information upon which at least one of the control processes for the autonomous vehicle is based, (c) determining an information-improvement expectation framework across the range of degrees to which the active-sensing action can be performed, and (d) applying the risk-cost framework and the information-improvement expectation framework to determine a degree to which the active-sensing action should be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Teller, Peter Lombrozo
  • Patent number: 9165469
    Abstract: A collision detection system of a land vehicle may be configured to coordinate sensor operation with one or more other sensing systems of one or more other land vehicles. The coordination may comprise configuring the other sensing systems. In some embodiments, the coordination comprises forming a multistatic sensor comprising one or more emitters and/or one or more receivers. The collision detection system may be configured to receive detection signal(s) emitted by one or more of the other sensing systems. The coordination may further comprise directing detection signals of the multistatic sensor. The collision detection system may use sensor data acquired by use of the coordinated sensing system(s) to generate a collision detection model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: ELWHA LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Geoffrey F. Deane, Roderick A. Hyde, Nathan Kundtz, Nathan P. Myhrvold, David R. Smith, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9165413
    Abstract: Embodiments of techniques or systems for customization of, diagnostic assistance, and driving analytics related to snapshot data of a vehicle are provided herein. For example, a snapshot can be taken. The snapshot can be based on a snapshot package customized according to symptoms experienced by a driver of a vehicle, and analyzed individually or in conjunction with other snapshots to determine a trend. Additionally, the snapshot can be based on a configuration of a vehicle. In this scenario, the snapshot and the configuration of the vehicle can be used to provide an enhanced troubleshooting guide by removing non-suspect areas from consideration, thereby mitigating troubleshooting time. The snapshot can be setup to record parameters related to wear and tear on components of the vehicle. Suggestions can be made to a driver of the vehicle to reduce or mitigate actions that negatively impact wear and tear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tim R. Jones, Rich Shannon
  • Patent number: 9159023
    Abstract: Provided is a system for predicting a driver's intention to change lanes at a high accuracy involving a minimum amount of time delay. A driver's intention to change lanes is predicted by a prediction unit (9) by comparing motivators and inhibitors (7, 8) which may be determined from the speed of the traffic in particular the vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle and the traffic in the adjacent lanes in relation to the traveling speed of the ego vehicle by using an ego vehicle sensor (1) and an environmental sensor (3, 4, 5) that may comprise a radio wave, optical or acoustic radar. The criteria for the motivators and inhibitors may be empirically or statistically determined, preferably by conducting a large number of tests on roads. As they can be determined before the vehicle operator starts a lane changing maneuver, the prediction made by the prediction unit may be used on a real time basis in a warning system or steering/acceleration assist system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sven Bone, Hermann Winner, Stefan Habenicht, Jan-Christoph Goos, Fabian Regh
  • Patent number: 9153129
    Abstract: The present principles are directed to in-vehicle drive pattern optimization for reduced road wear. A method includes monitoring statuses of various vehicle functions. The method further includes controlling the various vehicle functions to optimize the vehicle drive pattern for reduced road wear, responsive to an output of the monitoring step and known information at least about a road segment currently being or about to be traversed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy M. Lynar, Kent C. Steer
  • Patent number: 9145142
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle control system configured to select one of driving modes which are associated with abnormalities of control units and are previously defined in a mapping table, and to output an execution command via CAN bus to a corresponding control unit that achieves the selected driving mode. In the above process, the driving modes stored in a driving mode change instruction unit each provide a driving state which enables a vehicle to perform safety driving reliably, while maintaining a minimum necessary driving performance even when an abnormality occurs in the relevant control units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kouji Matsuno
  • Patent number: 9143347
    Abstract: Devices that are connected to each other by shorter distances, such as an audio switch 35 and an audio unit 21, the audio switch 35 and a volume control switch 41, a selector switch 43, and an audio mute switch 45 of a left handlebar switch unit 24, and a leveling unit 19 and a meter switch 32, a navigation panel switch 36, and an operation switch 46 of the left handlebar switch unit 24, communicate with each other by way of serial communications. Control units and vehicle-mounted devices which are connected to each other by longer distances, such as a TPMS unit 23, an FIECU 22, and a meter M, and the meter M, a leveling unit 19, a smart unit 23A, and an RVS unit 23B, communicate with each other via a CAN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masakuni Ando
  • Patent number: 9134986
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a microprocessor executable installation supervisor operable to determine, for a selected computational component to be installed in the vehicle, whether the selected computational component satisfies a requirement and/or restriction associated with the selected computational component, when installed, and, when the selected computational component can satisfy the requirement and/or restriction, create a set of data structures in the selected computational component and/or a computer readable medium on board the vehicle to bind the selected computational component to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 9132835
    Abstract: A device may estimate crosswind by a vehicle controller according to driver steering inputs indicative of driver intention and crosswind disturbance inputs indicative of a potential crosswind condition. The device may, if the estimated crosswind exceeds a predetermined threshold, utilize the vehicle controller to correct the crosswind condition to reduce vehicle control demand on the driver, the automatic correction including at least one of a steering angle adjustment and suspension stiffness adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hsin-Hsiang Yang, Kwaku O. Prakah-Asante, Jianbo Lu
  • Patent number: 9134956
    Abstract: An in-vehicle system has a control device that controls a vehicle, and a charging device provided in the vehicle, in which a portable terminal is chargeable. The charging device has a power supply part that supplies power to the portable terminal, and a communication part that communicates with the portable terminal when the portable terminal is installed on the charging device. The control device has an authentication part that authenticates first authentication information received by the communication part from the portable terminal, and a vehicle control part that controls whether to permit starting of the vehicle based on an authentication result of the first authentication information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: OMRON AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shuji Yamashita, Tetsuo Nishidai, Takahiro Inaguma, Yosuke Tomita
  • Patent number: 9128816
    Abstract: A control state of the vehicle is switched upon operation of a control switch. Besides, a mode of travel for a travel of a vehicle is selected by operation of a travel mode selection portion. Then, it is determined whether the recommended control state recommended for the selected mode of travel and the actual control state are the same. If it is determined that they are not the same, that is, that there is a deviation between the recommended control state and the actual control state, an operation method for a control switch for realizing the control state recommended for the selected mode of travel is presented to a driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihisa Nihei, Yasushi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9102333
    Abstract: A device may identify a first forgetting factor accounting for a rate of change of vehicle uncertainty and a second forgetting factor accounting for a rate of change of crosswind estimation. The device may utilize a recursive-least-squares heuristic executed by a crosswind and vehicle uncertainty estimator and specialized with the first and second forgetting factors to determine vehicle uncertainty and crosswind estimation from driver steering inputs and crosswind disturbance inputs, the first and second forgetting factors accounting for relatively slower-changing vehicle uncertainty and relatively faster-changing crosswinds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hsin-Hsiang Yang, Kwaku O. Prakah-Asante
  • Patent number: 9098087
    Abstract: A system for controlling movement of a machine includes a drive system, a position sensor, and a communications system. A controller is configured to determine the position of the machine and determine a signal transmission threshold based at least in part upon the position of the machine. The controller may stop movement of the machine upon an interruption in signal transmission from a remote system exceeding the signal transmission threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Friend, Jean-Jacques Clar, Brian G. Funke, Troy K. Becicka
  • Patent number: 9092914
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are described for detecting vehicle efficiency and recognizing a vehicle defect. A vehicle operating parameter may be measured and recorded at a specific vehicle location. The measurement may be compared to prior measurements of the same operating parameter at the same location previously recorded for the same vehicle or a comparable vehicle. A vehicle defect may be detected where the measurement shows a statistical deviation from previous measurements. The vehicle's operator, owner, lessee, or lessor may be notified of the defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ronald Muetzel, Thomas Roesch
  • Patent number: 9090262
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle that is capable of enhancing fuel efficiency of an internal-combustion engine. The vehicle is provided with at least one electronically controllable vehicle-mounted accessory that can be driven by the engine, and energy storage means for storing energy generated by the at least one vehicle-mounted accessory being driven by the engine. The apparatus includes regenerative control means for performing regenerative control during deceleration of the vehicle according to a deceleration instruction from a driver, and drive-control means for performing drive-control of the at least one vehicle-mounted accessory during a vehicle running period other than a regenerative control period so that the energy storage means has a margin in energy storage capacity for storing energy to be generated by the at least one vehicle-mounted accessory being driven by the engine during the regenerative control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Aoyagi
  • Patent number: 9083477
    Abstract: A data storage processor of an HV-ECU transmits frame data including ID information indicating a kind of data and data information indicating the contents of the data to a motor ECU. When the motor ECU receives the frame data from the HV-ECU, a calculation processor of the motor ECU determines that the data information of the received frame data is data regarding the kind of data indicated by the ID information of the received frame data and executes a predetermined calculating process based on the data information. When the ID information of the frame data received from the HV-ECU is a synchronization ID, a data storage processor of the motor ECU starts a process of transmitting, to the HV-ECU, the frame data to be transmitted within the communication period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED
    Inventors: Takashi Matsui, Shinichiroh Takatomi
  • Publication number: 20150149042
    Abstract: In response to detecting the entry condition, a determination is made as to when multiple mobile computing devices are present within the vehicle. An occupancy zone is determined for each multiple mobile computing device that is determined as being present within the vehicle. Profile information is determined for each mobile computing device. At least one of an operational or usage facet of the vehicle can be configured at each occupancy zone in which one of the mobile computing devices is determined to be present. The operational or usage facet of the vehicle at a location of each occupancy zone can be based at least in part on the profile information determined from the mobile computing device that is deemed to be present at that occupancy zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Rotem Cooper, Frank Lane, Sunvir Gujral, Paul Jacobs, Ravinder Chandhok, Liat Ben-Zur, Sandeep Sharma
  • Patent number: 9043094
    Abstract: An assembly is described for coupling a towing vehicle to a trailer having a towing vehicle-side coupling unit and a trailer-side coupling unit. A measuring device, which records and analyzes the force acting on the towing vehicle-side coupling unit in at least one direction, is assigned to the towing vehicle-side coupling unit. The measuring device is coupled to a vehicle immobilizer that prevents the towing vehicle from starting and/or being set in motion in response to the force recorded by the measuring device and/or a physical quantity derived therefrom exceeding a predefined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Marcus Wellhoefer, Stefanie Siefke
  • Publication number: 20150142272
    Abstract: Disclosed are a clutch operating system and a driving method of a clutch operating system. The system may include a clutch master cylinder connected to a clutch pedal and generating hydraulic pressure by operation of the clutch pedal, a piston provided in the clutch master cylinder and reciprocally moving according to the operation of the clutch pedal, and an integrated sensor detecting a stroke of the piston, selectively supplying power to a starting motor according to the stroke of the piston, and providing the stroke of the piston to an ECU (electronic control unit) to control a transmission and an EPB (electronic parking brake).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Bum Jun KIM, Eun Sik KIM
  • Patent number: 9037331
    Abstract: A two-wheeled inverted pendulum vehicle includes: single-winding first and second motors respectively rotating one of two wheels; first and second control systems respectively supplying drive currents to the first and second motors; a sensor detecting a physical quantity that varies with a turn of the vehicle; a dynamic brake unit being able to switch between active and inactive states of dynamic brake being applied to the first motor; and a control unit, when the control unit has determined that the vehicle is turning about the second motor side on the basis of the physical quantity while supply of drive current from the first control system to the first motor is inhibited, activating dynamic brake in the dynamic brake unit. The first control system, when an abnormality has been detected in the first control system, inhibits supply of drive current from the first control system to the first motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuya Taira, Hiroshi Bitoh
  • Patent number: 9037354
    Abstract: A vehicle entertainment system is controlled responsive to gestures that are formed by a passenger of the vehicle. The vehicle entertainment system includes a display device, at least one gesture control camera, and a processor. The gesture control camera generates a camera signal responsive to light reflected from at least one object within a field of view of the at least one gesture control camera. The processor analyzes the camera signal to identify a gesture made by a passenger moving the at least one object, and controls at least one operation of the vehicle entertainment system responsive to the identified gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Thales Avionics, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher K. Mondragon, Brett Bleacher, William W. Allen, David Reichert
  • Publication number: 20150134206
    Abstract: In a vehicle energy management device, a travel route calculator calculates a travel route of a vehicle, and an energy consumption-related information obtaining unit obtains energy consumption-related information along the travel route. An energy consumption amount computing unit calculates, based on the energy consumption-related information, an estimated value of an energy consumption amount by vehicle devices (required travel energy amount) when the vehicle travels along the travel route. A control plan preparing unit prepares a control plan for the vehicle devices based on the required travel energy amount. A feedback control unit performs feedback control of the vehicle devices to reduce a difference between the estimated value and an actual measured value of the energy consumption amount by the vehicle devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takanori MATSUNAGA, Hiroshi FUJIOKA, Akinobu SUGIYAMA, Kohei MORI, Masataka SHIROZONO, Nobutaka NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20150127226
    Abstract: A brake control device for a vehicle which can prevent occurrence of hunting or stepping during braking control operation and includes a pressure increasing or decreasing characteristic selecting portion which selects a pressure increasing characteristic when a target wheel cylinder pressure increases continuously for a predetermined operation judgment period and selects a pressure decreasing characteristic when the target wheel cylinder pressure decreases continuously for a predetermined operation judgment period. The brake control device further includes an output servo pressure setting portion which sets a target servo pressure based on the pressure increasing or decreasing characteristic selected by the pressure increasing or decreasing characteristic selecting portion and a servo pressure generating device which generates a servo pressure based on the target servo pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Kiyohito Takeuchi, Yoshio Maduda, Masaaki Komazawa, Yusuke Kamiya
  • Patent number: 9026311
    Abstract: When a trailer is pulled by a tow vehicle where the trailer begins to sway to the left and right of the tow vehicle a large sway can result in loss of control of the trailer and or tow vehicle. The field of the present invention is a system and method of controlling a trailer sway which comprises determining the sway of the trailer utilizing an electronic sensor and independently applying the left and or right trailer brakes at varying levels to reduce trailer sway the traditional single braking signal power from the tow vehicle is separated into two independent braking signals for each of the left and right brakes. All brakes are applied whenever the traditional braking signal goes active where trailer battery power is utilized to independently activate the left and or right brakes during trailer sway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Tuson RV Brakes, LLC
    Inventors: Donald Pieronek, Alan Hoogenakker
  • Publication number: 20150120148
    Abstract: An electric implement power management system includes an electronic controller that monitors total electric implement load and commands a transmission to reduce the speed of the traction drive wheels below the desired traction drive speed if the total electric implement load reaches a maximum allowable load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert A. Henson, Patrick W. Cross, Eric R. Funk
  • Patent number: 9020706
    Abstract: A vehicle motion control apparatus configured to control a plurality of control objects in a same direction of vehicle motion control to achieve a requested control amount is provided. The vehicle motion control apparatus includes a control object selection unit which is configured to determine priority of the control objects used for the vehicle motion control based on a priority determination condition, to select a control object from among the plurality of control objects. The control object selection unit includes a control object selection timing determination section configured to detect a change in the priority determination condition, and cause the control object selection unit to reselect a control object at a timing of the change detection as a selection timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignees: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Advics Co., Ltd., Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masatoshi Hanzawa, Masaki Maruyama, Hirofumi Nitta, Yuichi Mizutani, Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Yasuhiko Mukai, Junpei Tatsukawa
  • Patent number: 9020744
    Abstract: A method of controlling a three-wheeled vehicle comprises: determining a state of a load sensor associated with a portion of vehicle; selecting a first start mass when the load sensor is in a non-loaded state; selecting a second start mass when the load sensor is in a loaded state; determining at least one vehicle parameter during operation of the vehicle; determining a calculated mass based at least in part on the at least one vehicle parameter; determining an effective mass based at least in part on the calculated mass and a selected one of the first and second start masses; defining an output of an electronic stability system of the vehicle based at least in part on the effective mass; and controlling a stability of the vehicle using the output of the electronic stability system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Bombardier Recreational Products Inc.
    Inventor: Mario Dagenais
  • Patent number: 9014921
    Abstract: A method in which the driving behavior of a vehicle is influenced as a function of data on the surroundings in order to assist an avoidance maneuver, as soon as a risk of a collision is detected on the basis of the data from one or more environment sensors, in particular radar sensors and/or cameras, and the data from one or more vehicle sensors, in particular a steering angle sensor and/or yaw rate sensor and/or wheel speed sensors, and the vehicle has an electronically controlled brake system which permits a driver-independent buildup and modulation of the braking forces at the individual wheels of the vehicle, wherein when a risk of a collision is detected, in a first phase a turning-in operation by the driver is assisted and/or in a second phase a steering operation by the driver is damped. Furthermore, an electronic control unit for a brake system is defined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Kai Bretzigheimer, Daniel Förster, Ning Bian, Andreas Hartmann, Thorsten Staab
  • Patent number: 9014915
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and vehicles are provided for controlling active safety functionality for a vehicle. The active safety functionality provides an action during a drive cycle of the vehicle based on a predetermined threshold. Data pertaining to driving conditions, usage conditions of the vehicle, or both, is obtained for a drive cycle of the vehicle. A risk factor grade is calculated using the data. The risk factor grade corresponds to a level of situational risk for the drive cycle. The predetermined threshold of the active safety system is adjusted based on the risk factor grade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Aamrapali Chatterjee, Chad T. Zagorski, Paul R. Williams
  • Publication number: 20150105942
    Abstract: A wiper system and a control method thereof are provided. The wiper system includes a first camera provided inside a vehicle to photograph outside of the vehicle beyond a windshield glass. A wiper apparatus removes foreign materials from the windshield glass, and a body control module operates the wiper apparatus. The telematics module communicates with a driver terminal and controls the body control module. The telematics module determines whether an external view is extractable from an image acquired by the first camera during an engine stop, and applies a wiper operation signal to the body control module based on the communication result according to a communication with the driver terminal if the external view is not extracted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Kyung Ro LEE, Jae Han JUNG