Including Compensated Direction Finder (e.g., For Compass Deviation, Etc.) Patents (Class 701/530)
  • Patent number: 11965940
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for a self-locating compass for use in navigation are disclosed. The self-locating compass is operable to provide position and/or velocity without information from a global positioning system (GPS) device. The self-locating compass includes a direction finder and a Lorentz force detector. The method includes determining orientation with respect to Earth's magnetic field, measuring a Lorentz force proportional to rate of change of location with respect to the field, determining a change in location, and updating location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: ARCHAIUS INC.
    Inventor: Frederick Vosburgh
  • Patent number: 11835637
    Abstract: A method for radio direction finding using a direction finding system having an antenna, a magnetic field sensor and a control unit, the method comprising: receiving a radio frequency signal of at least one emitter via the antenna by the control unit obtaining a received signal; receiving a magnetic measurement value of the magnetic field at the direction finding system via the magnetic field sensor; correcting the magnetic measurement value obtaining a corrected magnetic measurement value; correcting the received signal obtaining a corrected signal; and determining the precise bearing of the emitter based on the corrected received signal and the corrected magnetic measurement value. Further, a direction finding system and a platform are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Andreas Baumeister
  • Patent number: 11434114
    Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring and regulating winch line pull for winches are disclosed. A tension measuring system may be mounted to a winch mounting bracket for measuring tension in the winch line during use. The tension measuring system may comprise at least one load cell for measuring the tension in the winch line. A control system may receive a measured tension value for the winch line, compare the measured tension value to a target tension value, and consequently adjust the motor. The control system may be configured to hold the winch line at a substantially constant tension. The measured tension values may be logged and graphically displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Altec Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian R. Graham, William Naber
  • Patent number: 11136022
    Abstract: Example implementations as described herein are directed to the use and detection of asymmetrical markers in conjunction with an autonomous mode for a human operated vehicle system. In example implementations, the vehicle system adjusts at least one of a position, orientation and speed based on the detection of asymmetrical markers, which can be utilized for vehicle navigation as well as autonomous valet parking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yukti Matta, Kota Irie, Taisetsu Tanimichi
  • Patent number: 11004192
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for selecting aerial images for image processing to identify Energy Infrastructure (EI) features is provided. The method includes performing image processing on aerial images of a portion of global terrain captured at different times to determine differences in terrain content the captured images. Aerial images are selected for further image processing according to identified differences in terrain content. The selected images are imaged processed via an EI feature recognition type to identify EI features within the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: SOURCEWATER, INC.
    Inventor: Joshua Adler
  • Patent number: 10770130
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for maintaining a duty cycle error counter. An example apparatus may a duty cycle detect circuit configured to receive a clock signal and to detect a duty cycle error of the clock signal. The duty cycle detect error includes a counter configured to store a count value indicating the duty cycle error using Gray code. The counter is adjusted in response to detection of non-zero duty cycle error, and the counter is configured to convert the count value from Gray code to binary code as a binary count value. The duty cycle detect circuit is further configured to provide a duty cycle error signal based on the binary count value. The example apparatus further comprising a duty cycle correction circuit configured to adjust a duty cycle of the clock signal based on the duty cycle error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuo Satoh, Tyler J. Gomm
  • Patent number: 10473731
    Abstract: A reading circuit for a magnetic-field sensor, provided with a detection structure generating an electrical detection signal as a function of an external magnetic field, has a signal-conditioning stage, which is electrically coupled to the detection structure and generates an output signal as a function of the electrical detection signal; the reading circuit is provided with a full-scale-control stage that is able to select automatically a full-scale value for the signal-conditioning stage, as a function of the value of the external magnetic field, such as to prevent saturation of the same conditioning stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Carlo Alberto Romani, Enrico Pozzati, Fabio Bottinelli
  • Patent number: 10438648
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for maintaining a duty cycle error counter. An example apparatus may a duty cycle detect circuit configured to receive a clock signal and to detect a duty cycle error of the clock signal. The duty cycle detect error includes a counter configured to store a count value indicating the duty cycle error using Gray code. The counter is adjusted in response to detection of non-zero duty cycle error, and the counter is configured to convert the count value from Gray code to binary code as a binary count value. The duty cycle detect circuit is further configured to provide a duty cycle error signal based on the binary count value. The example apparatus further comprising a duty cycle correction circuit configured to adjust a duty cycle of the clock signal based on the duty cycle error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuo Satoh, Tyler J. Gomm
  • Patent number: 10429516
    Abstract: A positioning control apparatus is provided, which includes: an acquisition unit that acquires predictive ephemeris data from outside of the positioning control apparatus; a setup unit that sets up, based on a predetermined condition different from an expiration date that has been set up in the predictive ephemeris data, a switching condition as to whether the predictive ephemeris data acquired by way of the acquisition unit should be used for positioning calculation to calculate location information that indicates a current location of the positioning control apparatus; and a control unit that switches, based on the switching condition that has been set up by way of the setup unit, whether the predictive ephemeris data should be used for the positioning calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD
    Inventor: Ryuji Shingyoji
  • Patent number: 10362257
    Abstract: A communication interface device is disclosed. The communication interface device includes a plurality of terminals configured to receive a differential signal from an external device, a filter configured to include a low pass filter connected to at least one of the plurality of terminals, and a controller configured to determine whether a differential signal is input from the external device based on a change of an output value of the low pass filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tae-hoon Kim, Je-hwan Seo, Seung-il Yoon
  • Patent number: 10345193
    Abstract: A bearing gauge arrangement including a holding frame dimensioned to replace a load-carrying element between an inner race and an outer race of a bearing, at least one distance gauge arranged in the holding frame to measure a distance between the inner race and the outer race during operation of the bearing, and an evaluation unit configured to evaluate measurements from a distance gauge relative to a bearing reference dimension. A generator including a main bearing between rotor and stator, and a bearing gauge arrangement, and a method of detecting a deformation of a bearing is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY A/S
    Inventor: Jeppe Jakobsen
  • Patent number: 10339646
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for selecting aerial images for image processing to identify Energy Infrastructure (EI) features is provided. The method includes performing image processing on aerial images of a portion of global terrain captured at different times to determine differences in terrain content the captured images. Aerial images are selected for further image processing according to identified differences in terrain content. The selected images are imaged processed via an EI feature recognition type to identify EI features within the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: SOURCEWATER, INC.
    Inventor: Joshua Adler
  • Patent number: 10247831
    Abstract: A navigation signal processing device includes circuitry configured to perform positioning of an antenna based on navigation signals received by the antenna from navigation satellites, set an elevation angle mask that causes inhibition of utilization of the navigation signals that are received from a specific angle range as viewed from the antenna in the positioning of the antenna, and obtain three-dimensional point cloud position data that includes data of multiple points of the surroundings as viewed from the antenna. The multiple points are obtained by a laser scanner or a stereoscopic camera and have determined three-dimensional coordinates. The circuitry is further configured to set the elevation angle mask that causes inhibition of utilization of the navigation signals that are received from a straight line direction connecting the antenna and each of the multiple points of the three-dimensional point cloud position data as viewed from the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: TOPCON CORPORATION
    Inventors: You Sasaki, Tadayuki Ito
  • Patent number: 10074275
    Abstract: A determination processor, when determining a driving action of a subject vehicle traveling on a route, determines a scene which the subject vehicle encounters. The determination processor extracts a plurality of events which the subject vehicle encounters when traveling on a first route, and rearranges the extracted plurality of events in the order of encounters with the subject vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motonobu Aoki, Tomoko Kurotobi, Noriaki Fujiki, Susumu Fujita, Hikaru Nishira
  • Patent number: 9886088
    Abstract: A physically-modulated friction stylus system and method for physically modulating friction between a styli tip and a surface of a computing device to emulate the “feel” of different types of writing instruments writing on different types of surfaces (such as pen on paper or a paintbrush on canvas). The actual friction between the stylus and the surface is modulated to produce the “feel.” The friction is physically modulated “on the fly” meaning that friction can be modulated while the stylus tip is in contact with the surface and while the stylus is moving. The friction is modulated dependent on a location of the stylus on the surface and the posture and orientation of the stylus. In addition, the friction can be modulated based on a direction and a velocity that the stylus tip is moving across the surface. Audio may also be used to improve the emulation experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Henry Dietz, Kenneth Paul Hinckley, Anoop Gupta, Tristan Thomas Trutna
  • Patent number: 9726488
    Abstract: A heading calibration method, adapted for a compass sensor is provided. The heading calibration method includes the following steps. R data segments are sequentially generated by rotating the compass sensor by a predetermined angle, wherein the data segments includes a plurality of magnetic data respectively. A partial calibration process is executed to calibrate a reference point coordinate according to the magnetic data in rth data segment and a initial value of the reference point coordinate, wherein r is between 1 and the R. Parts of the magnetic data in the rth data segment is extracted as whole data, and a whole calibration process is executed according to the whole data to update an initial value of the reference point coordinate. The partial calibration process is executed according to the updated initial value of the reference point coordinate and the magnetic data in a (r+1)th data segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: ITE Tech. Inc.
    Inventors: Sheng-Yang Peng, Tzu-Yi Wu
  • Patent number: 9689707
    Abstract: A system, method, and indicator for distributing, generating, and presenting relative locations of points of interest to a viewer are disclosed. A distribution system may include a discovery datagram generator and a flight navigation datagram generator for broadcasting a discovery datagram and flight navigation datagram, respectively, to a portable electronic device (PED), where the flight navigation datagram may be comprised of navigation data representative of flight navigation information. A generating method may be performed by the PED configured to listen for and receive the discovery datagram; listen for and receive the navigation datagram continuously; and generate a display data set representative of the indicator continuously, where the indicator includes a directional pointer, a first rounded indicator, a second rounded indicator, and one or more location indicators, where each location indicator indicates a relative bearing to a point of interest measured with reference to the directional pointer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Ara J. Derderian, Marc B. LeBlanc, Michael T. Diekmann
  • Patent number: 9109905
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems of estimating a location of a device are disclosed. One method includes determining a first position of the device, sensing at least one magnetic anomaly at the first position, estimating a location of the magnetic anomaly relative to the first position by determining a plurality of magnetic properties of the magnetic anomaly based on sensed signals of at least a magnetic sensor, and estimating a second position of the device based on a sensed change in a distance from the magnetic anomaly to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: PNI Sensor Corporation
    Inventor: George Hsu
  • Publication number: 20150142312
    Abstract: A method of estimating a moving direction of a user of an apparatus is provided. The method includes obtaining change information of acceleration according to motions of the user from an acceleration sensor mounted in an apparatus for estimating the moving direction of the user, calculating a reaction vector of force applied to a ground surface by feet of the user based on the change information of the acceleration, calculating an included angle between the moving direction of the user based on the reaction vector and an axis of a geomagnetic sensor that is included in the apparatus and detects change information of a magnetic field according to a position of the user, and determining the moving direction of the user based on a moving direction measurement value of the geomagnetic sensor mounted in the apparatus and the included angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Seung-hyuck SHIN, Chan-gook PARK, Jae-myeon LEE, Hyun-su HONG
  • Publication number: 20150025801
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems are presented for compensating for gyroscopic drift in a stabilized gimbal system mounted on a vehicle. When the vehicle is parked and the gimbal is not being commanded to move by an operator, encoders or resolvers of the gimbal stabilized system are read and periodically read thereafter. When the vehicle begins to move or the gimbal is commanded to move, the last periodic reading of the resolvers is used to determine the amount that the gimbal has moved during the rest period. A gyroscopic drift rate is computed by dividing the amount of angular movement by the time period between the readings, and the gyroscopic drift rate is used for corrections while the vehicle is moving or gimbal is commanded to move. Each time the vehicle stops, the gyroscopic drift rate is re-computed and updated. The gyroscope can be heated until the drift rate is constant with respect to temperature, further helping the calibration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: DRS Sustainment Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas D. Linton, Michael T. Fox, Bruce E. Exely
  • Patent number: 8909432
    Abstract: A vehicular illuminating device includes a first illuminating part configured to illuminate in a traveling direction of a vehicle, a second illuminating part configured to be able to emit light by using an illumination pattern different from that of the first illuminating part, and a control part configured to control the second illuminating part so that the second illuminating part can illuminate in a direction of a recommended route by using the illumination pattern different from that of the first illuminating part if a route guiding part is guiding the vehicle to a destination along the recommended route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsuya Takagaki
  • Publication number: 20140350849
    Abstract: A method includes receiving location data corresponding to a physical location of a user at a computing device and receiving prey data corresponding to a relative position of an animal at the computing device from a gun scope. The method further includes determining a location of the animal relative to the computing device based on the location data and the prey data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: TRACKINGPOINT, INC.
    Inventors: John Francis McHale, John Hancock Lupher
  • Patent number: 8857357
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of controlling the position of a spread moored marine vessel (1). In particular, the method of the present invention substantially maintains the position of a spread moored vessel (1) in, or on the boundary of a target area (2) using thruster assistance. This is done by monitoring the position of the vessel and when the vessel (1) is positioned outside of the target area (2) applying a position correcting thrust (7) to the vessel (1) in the direction of an aim position located on the boundary of the target area (2) and when the vessel (1) is positioned within the target area (2) reducing the position correcting thrust (7) applied to the vessel (1) or maintaining the position correcting thrust (7) applied to the vessel (1) at zero. The present invention may also apply a damping thrust (7) to the vessel (1) in order to damp the positional variation of the vessel (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: GE Energy Power Conversion Technology Limited
    Inventors: John Charles Flint, Richard Ian Stephens, Anthony John Howard Wilkins
  • Patent number: 8718938
    Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to the control and utilization of multiple sensors within a device. For an example, motion of a device may be detected in response to receipt of a signal from a first sensor disposed in the device, and a power state of a second sensor also disposed in the device may be changed in response to detected motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas G. Wolf, Leonid Sheynblat, Alexander Hodisan
  • Patent number: 8666626
    Abstract: A turning control device for a vehicle which generates a yaw moment in the body of a vehicle includes: a steering wheel turning amount detection device which detects a steering wheel turning amount of the vehicle; a vehicle speed detection device which detects a vehicle speed of the vehicle; a feedforward control amount calculation unit which calculates a feedforward control amount based on at least the steering wheel turning amount; a braking force control amount calculation unit which determines a braking force control amount based on the feedforward control amount; a braking control device which controls the braking force based on the braking force control amount; and a steering direction determination device which determines whether a steering direction is an incremental steering direction or a returning-steering direction. The feedforward control amount calculation unit includes a feedforward control amount correction unit which corrects the feedforward control amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Futamura, Takeshi Kojima, Kazutaka Ohmura
  • Patent number: 8571761
    Abstract: A vehicular illuminating device includes a first illuminating part configured to illuminate in a traveling direction of a vehicle, a second illuminating part configured to be able to emit light by using an illumination pattern different from that of the first illuminating part, and a control part configured to control the second illuminating part so that the second illuminating part can illuminate in a direction of a recommended route by using the illumination pattern different from that of the first illuminating part if a route guiding part is guiding the vehicle to a destination along the recommended route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsuya Takagaki
  • Patent number: 8543586
    Abstract: A method, a system, and a computer program product are provided for determining points of interest using intelligent agents and semantic data. The method is implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions operable for receiving a media data comprising a location data comprising where media was captured. The instructions are also operable for determining at least one point of interest based on the media data, tying the media data to the at least one point of interest, and providing the media data tied to the at least one point of interest to an end user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mathieu J. R. Glachant, Alvin Jenkins, Sri Ramanathan, Matthew A. Terry, Matthew B. Trevathan
  • Patent number: 8543266
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are described herein for using a modified Kalman filter to generate attitude error corrections. Attitude measurements are received from primary and secondary attitude sensors of a satellite or other spacecraft. Attitude error correction values for the attitude measurements from the primary attitude sensors are calculated based on the attitude measurements from the secondary attitude sensors using expanded equations derived for a subset of a plurality of block sub-matrices partitioned from the matrices of a Kalman filter, with the remaining of the plurality of block sub-matrices being pre-calculated and programmed into a flight computer of the spacecraft. The propagation of covariance is accomplished via a single step execution of the method irrespective of the secondary attitude sensor measurement period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Rongsheng Li, Tung-Ching Tsao, Arunkumar P. Nayak
  • Patent number: 8527201
    Abstract: An azimuth detecting device mounted in a mobile object and having: a geomagnetic sensor; GPS signal receiving means; and measuring means for measuring a position of the mobile object by using a GPS signal, the azimuth detecting device being characterized in calculating a gain correction amount by means of a method of least squares, using an output value of the geomagnetic sensor when a level of the GPS signal received by the GPS signal receiving means is lower than a predetermined level, and calculating a declination correction amount and/or an inclination correction amount on the basis of information obtained from the GPS signal and correcting the output value of the geomagnetic sensor, when the level of the GPS signal is at least the predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Ueda, Iwao Maeda, Kiyomi Nagamiya, Naoto Shibata
  • Patent number: 8504296
    Abstract: A method for determining an item of travel information for a vehicle includes: determination of a speed of the vehicle; comparison of the speed with at least one specified comparison speed; if the speed is greater than the at least one specified comparison speed, determination of a yaw rate of the vehicle and determination of the item of travel direction information on the basis of the determined yaw rate; and, if the speed is less than the at least one specified comparison speed, determination of a first wheel path of a first wheel of an axle of the vehicle and a second wheel path of a second wheel of the axle, and determination of the item of travel direction information on the basis of the first wheel path and the second wheel path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Volker Niemz
  • Patent number: 8473210
    Abstract: A method for transmitting additional information in a satellite navigation system includes providing a navigation message having a plurality of parameters, selecting at least one parameter from the plurality of parameters for the transmitting of the additional information, replacing the at least one parameter, at least partially, by the additional information so as to form a changed navigation message, and sending the changed navigation message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Astrium GmbH
    Inventor: Hans L. Trautenberg
  • Publication number: 20120323491
    Abstract: A method of movement mode determination comprising measurement of vehicle's position and orientation and calculation of movement parameters, a compass on the vehicle, is azimuthally oriented along the prevailing and is mostly used movement direction (“forward” direction), a movement vector measurement unit, is used for measuring the azimuth of movement vector. A calculation unit being used for measuring an angle between vehicle movement vector azimuth measured by the movement vector measurement unit and vehicle azimuth measured by the compass fixed on the vehicle; movement is regarded as ‘backward” if the calculated angle is greater than 90 degrees, and “forward” if the calculated angle is smaller than 90 degrees. Also, an apparatus for movement direction determination includes a compass and a computation unit and further comprises a movement vector measurement unit for determining vehicle movement azimuth and connected through a signal connection to the computation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: TOPCON POSITIONING SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Alexey V. Zhdanov, Eugene I. Zintsov
  • Patent number: 8224573
    Abstract: An azimuth detecting device mounted in a mobile object and having: a geomagnetic sensor; GPS signal receiving means; and measuring means for measuring a position of the mobile object by using a GPS signal, the azimuth detecting device being characterized in calculating a gain correction amount by means of a method of least squares, using an output value of the geomagnetic sensor when a level of the GPS signal received by the GPS signal receiving means is lower than a predetermined level, and calculating a declination correction amount and/or an inclination correction amount on the basis of information obtained from the GPS signal and correcting the output value of the geomagnetic sensor, when the level of the GPS signal is at least the predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Ueda, Iwao Maeda, Kiyomi Nagamiya, Naoto Shibata