Indication Or Control Of Braking, Acceleration, Or Deceleration Patents (Class 701/70)
  • Patent number: 12384244
    Abstract: An automatic speed control device includes: an upper limit lateral acceleration degree setting part for setting an upper limit lateral acceleration degree; a road curvature acquiring part for acquiring a value of a curvature parameter relating to curvature of a road; an upper limit speed setting part for calculating a speed of the vehicle at which if the vehicle runs on that road, the lateral acceleration degree of the vehicle becomes the upper limit lateral acceleration degree and setting the calculated speed as the upper limit speed; and a speed control part for controlling the speed of the vehicle to be less than or equal to the upper limit speed. The upper limit lateral acceleration degree when running on a connecting road is set lower than the upper limit lateral acceleration degree when running on a main road of a motorway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masao Ueyama
  • Patent number: 12378923
    Abstract: A control system and method for operating a gasoline engine comprising a turbocharger having a compressor and a turbine is provided. The system includes a throttle, vanes on the turbine, at least one cam, and a controller. The controller controls a transition into vane braking and is configured to: command the throttle to move to the closed position; command the vanes to the open position; determine whether additional negative torque is required; activate vane braking based on the determination that additional negative torque is required; command the vanes to the closed position; command the at least one cam to a maximum volumetric efficiency position; determine whether the at least one cam is at a maximum volumetric efficiency position; and command the throttle to the open position based on the determination that the at least one cam is at the maximum volumetric efficiency position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Bindal Patel, Joseph Falcon, William P Attard
  • Patent number: 12377838
    Abstract: A driving assistance device is configured to: refer to an output of a first detection device for detecting that an object is located in front of a vehicle; execute one or both of instructing a brake device of the vehicle to stop the vehicle and instructing a steering device of the vehicle to avoid a collision with the object by steering when an indicator value is less than a first threshold; execute a first preliminary operation when the indicator value is less than a second threshold; execute a second preliminary operation when the indicator value is less than a third threshold and it is determined that there is no travel path along which the vehicle is able to travel on both lateral sides of the object after the vehicle avoids the collision with the object by steering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Keisuke Oka
  • Patent number: 12377910
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for a steer-by-wire steering system of a motor vehicle, the system having at least one steering function that requests one or more steering angle changes as target steering angles for at least at one vehicle axle. An arbitration unit (AE) weights the steering angle changes as target steering angles (SLw_i) and, taking into account at least one target steering angle (SLw_i), determines an overall target steering angle (G_SLw). Before the overall target steering angle (G_SLw) is set by an actuator of the steer-by-wire steering system, a check is carried out to see whether a gradient of the overall target steering angle (G_SLw) is smaller than or equal to the gradient of the at least one target steering angle (SLw_i).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Dominik Vogt, Ingo Dasch
  • Patent number: 12371078
    Abstract: A vehicle monitoring system and method receive a selection of at least one vehicle-of-interest onboard a vehicle system moving along one or more routes in a transportation network. The at least one vehicle-of-interest is disposed on the one or more routes in the transportation network. One or more locations of the at least one vehicle-of-interest are monitored from onboard the vehicle system. The one or more locations of the at least one vehicle-of-interest are displayed on a display device disposed onboard the vehicle system. A determination is made whether to change display of the one or more locations of the at least one vehicle-of-interest on the display device based on an update to a notified state of the at least one vehicle-of-interest being received onboard the vehicle system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Angel, Ann Grimm
  • Patent number: 12371004
    Abstract: A driving/braking force control apparatus includes a front-wheel longitudinal force generator, a rear-wheel longitudinal force generator, a tire slip angle output unit, a tire lateral force output unit, a slip ratio output unit, a tire lateral force change rate output unit, a target yaw moment setting unit, and a driving/braking force distribution control unit. The driving/braking force distribution control unit performs a control of an output allocation ratio between the front-wheel longitudinal force generator and the rear-wheel longitudinal force generator based on a target value of an additional yaw moment, a change rate of a tire lateral force of a front wheel to a slip ratio of the front wheel, and a change rate of a tire lateral force of a rear wheel to a slip ratio of the rear wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Matsuno, Takeshi Yoneda
  • Patent number: 12372971
    Abstract: Aspects of the technology relate to exception handling for a vehicle. For instance, a current trajectory for the vehicle and sensor data corresponding to one or more objects may be received. Based on the received sensor data, projected trajectories of the one or more objects may be determined. Potential collisions with the one or more objects may be determined based on the projected trajectories and the current trajectory. One of the potential collisions that is earliest in time may be identified. Based on the one of the potential collisions, a safety-time-horizon (STH) may be identified. When a runtime exception occurs, before performing a precautionary maneuver to avoid a collision, waiting no longer than the STH for the runtime exception to resolve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Dong Li, Matthew McNaughton, Shir Yehoshua, Aida Khosroshahi, Ioan-Alexandru Sucan
  • Patent number: 12370903
    Abstract: A method for torque control of an electric vehicle on a slippery road surface and a terminal device are provided. The method includes: presetting a torque-lower-limit-value; setting, when an anti-lock braking system of the electric vehicle is activated, the torque-lower-limit-value as a second numerical value to reduce an absolute value of a reverse torque exerted on the vehicle wheel due to the energy recovery, and the vehicle wheel enters an anti-lock state; maintaining the anti-lock state of the vehicle wheel for a preset first time period; comparing the currently requested torque value with a preset third numerical value after the first time period is passed; and resetting the torque-lower-limit-value to the first numerical value to enable the vehicle wheel to exit the anti-lock state, if the currently requested torque value is greater than the third numerical value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: GREAT WALL MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Xuechen Zang, Xiaojie Wang, Leiming Du
  • Patent number: 12365233
    Abstract: A hybrid power transmission system including an engine, a power split device, a first electric machine, a second electric machine, a power controller, an energy storage module, and a wheel. The power split device is connected to the engine. The first electric machine is connected to the power split device. The second electric machine is connected to the power split device. The power controller is coupled to the first electric machine and the second electric machine. The energy storage module is coupled to the power controller. The wheel is connected to the second electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: APh ePower Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheng-Ta Chung, Chien-Hsun Wu, Hsiu-Hsien Su, Shang-Zeng Huang
  • Patent number: 12365321
    Abstract: An electronic brake system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first pedal travel sensor and a second pedal travel sensor each including two internal sensors and outputting a pedal detection signal according to an operation of a brake pedal; and a first ECU (electronic control unit) may receive a first pedal detection signal from a first internal sensor of the first pedal travel sensor and receive a second pedal detection signal from a second internal sensor of the second pedal travel sensor, and a second ECU may receive a third pedal detection signal from a third internal sensor of the first pedal travel sensor and receive a fourth pedal detection signal from a fourth internal sensor of the second pedal travel sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: HL MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kyungran Cho
  • Patent number: 12365326
    Abstract: A method for checking intended pressure medium-conducting contacting of circuit branches, associated with one another, of separate brake circuits of an electronically slip-controllable power brake system with two actuator units, contacted for conducting pressure medium, for generating and controlling brake pressure, in particular for a motor vehicle, and an electronic control unit for such a power brake system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Sabrina Lutz, Ralf Kinder, Samuel Bubeck
  • Patent number: 12358473
    Abstract: A motor-driven trailer and towbar system includes a towbar having a vehicle side end configured to connect with the vehicle and a trailer side end configured to connect with a trailer coupling. The towbar is pivotably coupled to the trailer and configured to pivot along a pivoting path (P) between a lowered position (L) and a raised position (R) with respect to the trailer. At least one first sensor element is configured to detect a position of the towbar along the pivoting path (P). A control unit (TCU) is in communication with the at least one first sensor element and is configured to switch the system between an operating mode and a parking mode. The system is switched into the parking mode when the towbar is in a raised position (R) and is switched into the operating mode when the towbar is in a lowered position (L).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: NÜWIEL GMBH
    Inventors: Fahad Aman Khan, Muhammad Ali Qammar
  • Patent number: 12358497
    Abstract: A vehicle travel control apparatus includes an actuator and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to determine whether a driver of a vehicle is in an abnormal state where the driver loses an ability of driving the vehicle. The electronic control unit is also configured to stop the vehicle at an abnormality determination time point onward, and control a vehicle speed by using the actuator such that the vehicle speed does not become lower than a lower limit vehicle speed in a period from the abnormality determination time point to a time point when the vehicle is stopped. The lower limit vehicle speed is set in accordance with a road shape influencing timing when a driver of another vehicle traveling behind the vehicle visually recognizes the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Matsumura, Hirotada Otake
  • Patent number: 12351148
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for securing a vehicle, preferably a commercial vehicle, in an emergency braking situation, wherein the vehicle has a vehicle bus system and a braking system, the method having the following steps: monitoring signals on the vehicle bus system; detecting an emergency brake signal provided by a driver assistance system on the vehicle bus system; ascertaining whether the vehicle is at a standstill; bringing a braking device of the braking system into a braking position if a standstill of the vehicle is ascertained. The disclosure also relates to a control unit for a vehicle, a computer program, a braking system for a vehicle, and a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: ZF CV Systems Global GmbH
    Inventors: Thilo Klostermann, Ruediger Meyer, Gerd Roters, Thomas Schmidt, Alexander Wendlandt
  • Patent number: 12351178
    Abstract: Provided is a driving assistance device (1) including: a traffic light recognition device configured to recognize a lighting mode of a traffic light existing in front of an own vehicle; and a control device configured to determine a predetermined position in a periphery of the traffic light as a target position, execute deceleration control of decelerating the own vehicle until the own vehicle reaches the target position, calculate a predicted speed being a speed of the own vehicle at a time point at which the own vehicle reaches the target position in a case in which the own vehicle is decelerated from a current time point in a predetermined deceleration mode, execute the deceleration control in a first situation in which the predicted speed is equal to or lower than a threshold value determined based on the lighting mode of the traffic light, and to avoid executing the deceleration control in a second situation in which the predicted speed is higher than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Doi
  • Patent number: 12344055
    Abstract: The towed vehicle connection determination system includes a towed vehicle presence determination unit that determines whether or not the towed vehicle is connected, based on at least two or more pieces of information among the weight estimation equipment, the peripheral condition detection equipment, and the vehicle rear monitoring equipment. Therefore, it is possible to improve the accuracy of determining whether or not the towed vehicle is connected as compared with the case of determining whether or not the towed vehicle is connected based on only one piece of information such as the weight estimation value and the captured image of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki Horikawa
  • Patent number: 12344274
    Abstract: A vehicle traveling control apparatus includes an autonomous sensor, a braking controller, a determination unit, a calculator, and a steering controller. The autonomous sensor recognizes an obstacle ahead of a vehicle. The braking controller determines possibility of contact on the basis of a relative distance and a relative speed between the vehicle and the obstacle, and, upon determining that the vehicle is likely to contact the obstacle, executes a strong braking control of reducing the relative speed to “0”. The determination unit calculates a predicted travel distance to be traveled until the relative speed is reduced to “0”, and permits steering intervention when the predicted travel distance is longer than the relative distance. The calculator calculates time-to-contact to be taken until the vehicle contacts the obstacle. The steering controller executes a steering control when the steering intervention is permitted and the time-to-contact becomes a time threshold or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shuu Ogino
  • Patent number: 12337808
    Abstract: An apparatus for updating a pre-stored setting value for controlling boost power of an electric booster, includes: a control unit including a processor; and a storage medium recording one or more programs configured to be executable by the processor, the one or more programs including instructions; and a measuring unit of measuring braking characteristics including pedal stroke, deceleration, and hydraulic pressure applied from the electric booster to a braking unit during braking through a braking test of a vehicle, wherein the control unit is configured for updating the pre-stored setting value so that the deceleration includes desired target deceleration based on the measured braking characteristics, and wherein the pre-stored setting value may be proportional to the pedal stroke, and may be a value for setting a magnitude of the hydraulic pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jae Young Kim
  • Patent number: 12337812
    Abstract: A method for braking one or more trailers in a tractor-trailer combination. The method comprises establishing a maximum continuous brake pressure for trailer brakes of wheels of the one or more trailers of the tractor-trailer combination. The method further comprises establishing an on-off cycling frequency for pulsing of the brakes of the one or more trailers of the tractor-trailer combination at brake pressures above the maximum continuous brake pressure. The method further comprises establishing applying the brakes of the one or more trailers continuously at brake pressures up to the established maximum continuous brake pressure and by pulsing according to the established on-off cycling frequency at brake pressures above the established maximum continuous brake pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventor: Chidambaram Subramanian
  • Patent number: 12337704
    Abstract: Traction control using multiple actuators is provided. A system can identify a slip for a vehicle wheel based on a difference between a wheel motion and a vehicle motion. The system can determine an amount of torque to apply to the wheel to adjust the slip to satisfy the slip target. The system can distribute a first portion of the torque to apply to the wheel via a first actuator of the plurality of actuators and a second portion of the torque to apply to the wheel via a second actuator of the plurality of actuators. The system can provide commands to cause the first actuator to apply the first portion of the amount of torque and cause the second actuator to apply the second portion of the amount of torque to adjust the slip of the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Hien Nguyen, Bhuvanesh Sainath, Shuyang Wang
  • Patent number: 12337724
    Abstract: A method of open loop control of a retardation torque of a vehicle is presented. The method comprises obtaining of a current vehicle acceleration indicator, obtaining of one or more current vehicle state indicators, and determining of an open loop retardation torque based on the vehicle acceleration indicator and the one or more vehicle state indicators. The method further comprises controlling of a resulting retardation torque based on the open loop retardation torque. The resulting retardation torque is applied by one or more propulsion sources of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mattias Andreasson, Anders Vikström, Bincheng Jiang
  • Patent number: 12330609
    Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning of a brake disc may include: a processor; and a storage medium in which one or more programs configured to be executable by the processor are recorded, and the one or more programs includes instructions for: a determination unit configured to determine whether a mode change has occurred from a first mode of transporting a shipped vehicle to a second mode of delivering the vehicle to a customer; and a braking controller configured to remove rust generated on a surface of a brake disc by performing braking according to a cleaning mode of the brake disc when it is determined that the mode change has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sung Keun Song, Sung Min Park
  • Patent number: 12325392
    Abstract: A vehicle braking device includes: an electric cylinder in which a piston driven by an electric motor slides in a cylinder to supply fluid; a hydraulic pressure output unit connected to the electric cylinder by way of a first liquid passage, the hydraulic pressure output unit pressurizing or depressurizing a hydraulic pressure in the first liquid passage and outputting the hydraulic pressure to a supply liquid passage connected to a first wheel cylinder; and a control unit that causes at least one of the electric cylinder and the hydraulic pressure output unit to generate the hydraulic pressure in the first wheel cylinder according to a relative position between the piston and the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasunori Sakata
  • Patent number: 12325453
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a vehicle handover system that monitors an environment of a vehicle. The vehicle handover system receives a transition request to change control of the vehicle from an automated driving mode to a passenger of the vehicle. The vehicle handover system detects a key event that may be relevant to the transition request and the detection of the key event is based on the monitored environment. The vehicle handover system may generate a handover scene that includes images associated with the key event, and the images include an image sequence over a time-period of the key event. Before the vehicle handover system changes control of the vehicle from the automated driving mode to the passenger, the handover scene is displayed to the passenger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ignacio J. Alvarez, Michael Paulitsch, Rafael Rosales, Cornelius Buerkle, Florian Geissler, Fabian Oboril, Frederik Pasch, Yang Peng
  • Patent number: 12326615
    Abstract: An optical system includes a negative lens and a positive lens adjacent to each other, wherein the following inequalities are satisfied: 0.00?DAB?1.00, and 0.80?RA/RB?1.20, where DAB[mm] denotes a distance on an optical axis between the negative lens and the positive lens, and RA and RB denote curvature radii of facing lens surfaces of the negative lens and the positive lens, respectively, and wherein specific inequalities are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoto Doujou, Kazuhiko Kajiyama
  • Patent number: 12325396
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to determine brake pad wear are disclosed herein. An example vehicle disclosed herein includes a brake, memory, and a processor to execute instructions to detect the vehicle is in operation on a road, determine a deceleration capability of the brake in response to a first brake check event, compare the deceleration capability of the vehicle to a first threshold, and in response to determining the deceleration capability of the vehicle does not satisfy the first threshold, cause the vehicle to navigate to an exit of the road prior to a portion of the road with a grade higher than a threshold grade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Brendan Diamond, Timilehin Ogunbekun, Ryan O'Gorman, David Brian Glickman, Kenneth Patrick McHugh
  • Patent number: 12325408
    Abstract: A method is for operating a brake system of a motor vehicle. The brake system includes at least one service brake and a transmission device having an output rod, by way of which a braking force is transmitted to the at least one service brake. The brake system further includes at least one parking brake having a trigger device for activating the at least one parking brake. The method provides increased safety and simplified implementation by (i) using an adjustment travel of the output rod to ascertain a deceleration acting on the motor vehicle due to the at least one service brake, and (ii) activating the at least one parking brake, when the trigger device is actuated, when the motor vehicle is ascertained as being stationary, taking into consideration the deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Baehrle-Miller, Benjamin Heer
  • Patent number: 12325391
    Abstract: A device for controlling a braking system of a vehicle may include a position sensor device which is designed to detect a position of a brake pedal and/or a piston of a main brake cylinder actuated by the brake pedal at multiple times, a pressure sensor device which is designed to detect a pressure in a fluid located in the cylinder at multiple times, and a control device which is designed to shift a braking assistance device into an activated state. The control device may make the shift when a temporal change of the detected position exceeds a predefined position gradient threshold value and/or if the distance between two detected positions exceeds a predefined position threshold value, wherein the position gradient threshold value or the position threshold value is provided according to a change in the detected pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Thomas Toelge
  • Patent number: 12319261
    Abstract: Method for estimating a brake factor parameter, the brake factor parameter being defined as a ratio of a braking torque over a braking pressure, the braking torque being applied on a wheel of a vehicle by a braking wheel sub-system of a braking system of the vehicle, the braking pressure being applied by the braking wheel sub-system to achieve the braking torque on the wheel of the vehicle, the method comprising collecting input parameters and estimating the brake factor parameter as a function of the at least one input parameter, an output of the step of estimating being an open loop estimation of the brake factor parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventor: Chidambaram Subramanian
  • Patent number: 12311924
    Abstract: A driving support apparatus comprises a sensor for detecting an object, and a controller for prohibiting a collision control when an override condition is satisfied. The controller executes the collision control in a case where the override condition is satisfied during an erroneous operation, determines that an acceleration operation is the erroneous operation in a case where a predetermined normal erroneous operation condition is satisfied, or in a case where a predetermined relaxation erroneous operation condition is satisfied when a predetermined relaxation condition is satisfied, and determines that the relaxation condition is satisfied when a number of executions of the collision control during the erroneous operation in one trip is greater than or equal to a first threshold number or when a number of determinations that the acceleration operation is the erroneous operation in one trip is greater than or equal to a second threshold number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mafune Kakeshita, Toshifumi Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 12311943
    Abstract: A vehicle driving assistance apparatus predicts (i) a first consumed energy amount corresponding to a consumed energy amount consumed by a driving apparatus of an own vehicle when executing a first following control and (ii) a second consumed energy amount corresponding to the consumed energy amount consumed by the driving apparatus of the own vehicle when executing the second following control. The apparatus executes the second following control when the second consumed energy amount is smaller than the first consumed energy amount. On the other hand, the apparatus executes the first following control when the second consumed energy amount is equal to or greater than the first consumed energy amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya Ito, Hideki Kamatani
  • Patent number: 12311946
    Abstract: A vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a vehicle control system according to the present invention estimate, in response to a deceleration command to a vehicle, the first deceleration generated by a frictional braking force based on characteristics of deceleration with respect to a force acting on a friction pad of a frictional braking device, determine the second deceleration by subtracting the first deceleration from the deceleration command, output the first command for generating the frictional braking force based on the deceleration command, and output the second command for generating the regenerative braking force based on the second deceleration. This allows compensating for uncertainty in achieving deceleration by frictional braking, and improving the accuracy of the actual deceleration with respect to the deceleration command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Iba, Kentaro Ueno, Daisuke Noma
  • Patent number: 12296804
    Abstract: An autonomous emergency braking apparatus is provided for a host vehicle having one or more sensors providing one or more sensor signals indicative of status of at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle. The autonomous emergency braking apparatus comprises a vehicle controller arranged to (i) monitor the one or more sensor signals indicative of the status of the at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle, and (ii) provide at least one control signal for controlling extent of deceleration of the host vehicle based upon the status of the at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle in the event of the host vehicle colliding with a vehicle in front of the host vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey M. Carbaugh
  • Patent number: 12296802
    Abstract: A vehicle brake fluid pressure control device that restrains a brake fluid pressure from decreasing counter to driver's intent during a vehicle stop time pressure holding control is disclosed. The vehicle brake fluid pressure control device is capable of exercising a vehicle stop time pressure holding control under which a brake fluid pressure is held when it is determined that a vehicle has been stopped. During the vehicle stop time pressure holding control (time t2 to t3), if a first condition which includes an amount of lateral motion (yaw rate Y) of the vehicle being equal to or greater than a specified value (Yth), and an absolute value (G) of frontward/rearward acceleration undergone by the vehicle being equal to or greater than a first threshold (G1) is fulfilled, the vehicle stop time pressure holding control is canceled (time t3) even without operation of an operation member for operating the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO UEDA, LTD.
    Inventor: Kanako Kogure
  • Patent number: 12291207
    Abstract: A system has memory that stores instructions executable by the processor to instruct operation of at least one vehicle system (e.g., braking system, propulsion system, steering system, suspension system) in a minimum time mode for travel of the vehicle from a starting point to a destination point of a roadway. The system collects roadway data for the roadway from the starting point to the destination point. Based on the roadway data, the system determines a minimum time path from the starting point to the destination point and speed along the minimum time path. In response to a maximum acceleration input from a human driver of the vehicle when the vehicle is at the starting point, the system initiates the minimum time mode and instructs operation of at least one vehicle system to pursue the minimum time path and speed along the minimum time path from starting point to destination point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jordan Barrett, Brendan Francis Diamond, Keith Weston, Andrew Denis Lewandowski, Aaron L. Mills
  • Patent number: 12291204
    Abstract: A downhill target acceleration control system for a vehicle is provided, which includes the vehicle, a road grade sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a processor. The processor stores an acceleration target value, determines the mass of the vehicle, and detects whether a downhill acceleration of the vehicle exceeds the target value by more than a threshold amount. If so, the processor is configured to receive and implement a driver-initiated change to the downhill target acceleration value, without input from the accelerator or brake. Based on the downhill acceleration, the target value, and the mass, the processor generates a negative power train torque request to reduce the downhill acceleration of the vehicle. If the acceleration of the vehicle is then below the target acceleration by more than a second threshold amount, the processor reduces the negative power train torque request to increase the downhill acceleration of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Thomas S. Hawley
  • Patent number: 12291178
    Abstract: An apparatus for changing a brake mode using a brake pedal, includes a processor; and a storage medium recording at least one program configured to be executable by the processor, the at least one program including instructions; a first determination unit configured for determining whether a first condition for changing the brake mode is satisfied, wherein the brake mode refers to driver's required deceleration including a different inclination according to a pedal stroke or a pedal effort of the brake pedal, is satisfied; a second determination unit configured for determining whether the pedal stroke of the brake pedal and a pressing time of the brake pedal satisfy a second condition, in response that the first condition is satisfied; and a control unit of changing a current brake mode for a brake system including the brake pedal, in response that the second condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Sang Bum Koh
  • Patent number: 12286087
    Abstract: An automatic brake control apparatus for a vehicle is configured to control a brake device of the vehicle in a control of a driving assist system of the vehicle. The automatic brake control apparatus includes electronic control units. The electronic control units include a first electronic control unit and are communicably coupled to each other and configured to exchange data with each other. The first electronic control unit is configured to control the driving assist system. The first electronic control unit is configured to send, to one or more of the electronic control units, an instruction that controls the brake device and that includes a first instruction for controlling a behavior of the vehicle and a second instruction that has an instruction content different from an instruction content of the first instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yusuke Ando
  • Patent number: 12280847
    Abstract: A driver assistance system 1 for a motorcycle is provided with: a driving force output device 82 that generates a backup output for reversing a drive wheel and backing up a vehicle body; a brake lever 810 squeezably operable by a rider; a ACC main switch 43 and an ACC lever 44 operable by the rider; and a back out assistance controller 64 that controls the driving force output device 82 on the basis of the operation of the lever 810, the switch 43, and the lever 44. The back out assistance controller 64, after causing the driving force output device 82 to generate the backup output when triggered by receiving an operation of turning the lever 44 to a “SET/?” side, continues to cause the backup output to be generated until the lever 810 is operated, or until the switch 43 or lever 44 is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Katayama, Hiroki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 12280783
    Abstract: Techniques for dividing a lane into a first virtual lane and a second virtual lane are described. A narrow track vehicle may determine that the narrow track vehicle is traversing a lane that is at least 10 feet wide. The narrow track vehicle may divide the lane into a first virtual lane and a second virtual lane and traverse one of the first virtual lane or the second virtual lane based at least in part on location (e.g., when traversing a highway lane, residential lane, etc.) and/or speed of traffic (e.g., when traffic is traveling at or below a threshold speed). In examples, the narrow track vehicle may traverse the environment in between a first lane and a second lane upon determining that a distance between a first object in the first lane and a second object in the second lane meets a threshold distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Commuter Cars Corporation
    Inventor: Richard Winston Woodbury
  • Patent number: 12280756
    Abstract: A vehicle driving assistance apparatus includes a control unit configured to, in a case where the control unit determines, based on radar target object information, that at least one target control object that is approaching so as to intersect with a predicted traveling path of the host vehicle is present, when a line of vision of the driver detected by a driver monitor device is not directed to the target control object that will reach the intersecting position at the earliest time, perform at least one of a host vehicle traveling suppression control (e.g., a brake hold control to prohibit the host vehicle from moving) and an attention seeking warning control to generate a warning sound so as to cause the driver to recognize that there is a warning sound source in a direction along which the target control object is approaching the host vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yusuke Fukui, Yuzo Kaneshige
  • Patent number: 12275436
    Abstract: Automated driver assistance systems and methods for towing predict vehicle/trailer instabilities and adapt automated driving control to avoid them. A tow-vehicle includes a controller that, through an actuator system, controls speed and/or steering. A map system and/or a sensor system monitor a roadway on which the vehicle is travelling to identify a road profile located ahead of the vehicle over a prediction horizon. A projected trajectory for navigating the vehicle through the road profile over the prediction horizon and considering environmental conditions is determined. Before travel over the road profile, whether the projected trajectory through the road profile will result in exceeding a vehicle dynamic threshold is determined. When the projected trajectory will result in exceeding the vehicle dynamic threshold through the road profile, a control action is determined to prevent instability and optimize driver experience. The vehicle is operated through the road profile using the control action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Mohammadali Shahriari, Ashraf Abualfellat, Reza Zarringhalam, Mehdi Abroshan, Michael B. Peppard
  • Patent number: 12269503
    Abstract: A method includes receiving planned path data, road data, and speed profile data, determining anticipatory constraints for each of the plurality of steps along a planned path using the planned path data, the road data, and the speed profile data, determining a plurality of control actions using a Model Predictive Control (MPC). The prediction model of the MPC is updated in real time with the plurality of anticipatory constraints for each of the plurality of steps along the planned path and the road data for each of the plurality of steps along the planned path. The method further includes controlling the vehicle using the plurality of control actions to cause the vehicle to autonomously follow the planned path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Yubiao Zhang, Bakhtiar B. Litkouhi
  • Patent number: 12269450
    Abstract: A park brake controller with multiple communication channels and failsafe methods for use therewith are provided. In one embodiment, a park brake controller is provided comprising a plurality of transceivers. In response to at least one of the plurality of transceivers not being able to receive, from a communication network in a vehicle, a park brake request and vehicle sensor data, the park brake request and vehicle sensor data are sent in a different, more-robust form to be received by another one of the plurality of transceivers. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: Amit Babalal Nahar, Akshay Mishra, Jeswanth Samayamantula, Thomas J. Hayes
  • Patent number: 12269472
    Abstract: Methods and systems determine resistance related constants for use by a vehicle towing a trailer. A system for controlling functions of the vehicle and the trailer includes sensors that provide sensor data. A processor performs a readiness check, based on the sensor data, by determining whether the sensor data exceeds predetermined thresholds. When the readiness check is passed, meaning the thresholds are not exceeded, and based on the sensor data, the processor computes values for constants that represent aerodynamic resistance and rolling resistance of the vehicle and the trailer. Based on the constants, the processor controls functions of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Todd J. Brinkman, Matthew Giuffre
  • Patent number: 12269465
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus starts driving trouble tackling control designed to decelerate and stop an own vehicle when it is determined that a driver is in a driving trouble state where the driver has trouble driving the own vehicle, then start a deceleration process at a predetermined timing as a process of driving trouble tackling control, and then start a hazard lighting process at a predetermined timing as another process of driving trouble tackling control. The vehicle control apparatus stops driving trouble tackling control when a hazard switch is operated during the performance of the hazard lighting process, and starts the hazard lighting process without stopping the driving trouble tackling control when the hazard switch is operated between a timing when it is determined that the driver is in the driving trouble state and a timing when the hazard lighting process is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yusuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 12257994
    Abstract: An electric system of a vehicle including an electronically controlled braking system. The electric system has a steering angle sensor unit, at least one control module, at least one first inertia sensor and an electronic braking system central control unit EBS ECU. The at least one control module is external to the steering angle sensor unit. The at least one control module is also external to the EBS ECU. At least one of the at least one control module has mounted within it one of the at least one first inertia sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FUER NUTZFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Huba Nemeth, Levente Balogh, Csaba Horvath, Falk Hecker
  • Patent number: 12257987
    Abstract: The electronic parking brake system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first ECU (electronic control unit) and a second ECU respectively connected to a plurality of motors for providing a driving force to a wheel to control the plurality of motors, wherein the second ECU includes a power reserve system for storing power supplied from a battery; a switch for switching to connect the plurality of motors to the first ECU or the second ECU based on the operating state of the first ECU; and a second MCU for identifying an operating state of the first ECU, controlling the switch to connect the plurality of motors from the first ECU to the second ECU based on the operating state being an inactive state, and controlling the plurality of motors through the power stored in the power reserve system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: HL MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Min Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 12254767
    Abstract: A control system for an ego-vehicle traveling in a first direction in a first lane on a road segment where the vehicle has a driver support function for autonomously maneuvering the vehicle. The control system includes control circuitry configured to obtain sensor data including information about a surrounding environment of the vehicle. The control circuitry determines a relative velocity of at least one external vehicle traveling in a second lane adjacent to the first lane based on the obtained sensor data. Moreover, the control circuitry is configured to generate a control signal in to control an availability of the driver support function for the road segment based on the comparison in order to make the driver support function available for an occupant of the vehicle if at least one external vehicle of the external vehicle(s) has been confirmed to have a relative velocity below the maximum velocity threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Zenuity AB
    Inventors: Jonathan Jonsson, Mathias Westlund
  • Patent number: 12252106
    Abstract: A brake system for a vehicle is configured to mix a brake request signal corresponding to a level of a brake request with a variable frequency and a variable amplitude (e.g. torque tickle) when generating a signal for controlling a brake. The brake system comprises: one or more brakes configured to apply braking to one or more vehicle wheels; memory; and a processor configured to mix a brake request signal corresponding to a level of a brake request with a variable frequency and a variable amplitude to generate a signal for controlling the one or more brakes, wherein the variable frequency is retrieved from one or more predetermined frequencies stored in the memory, and the variable amplitude is calculated based on the level of the brake request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: HL MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeff Lauman, Bryan Freed, Jeremy Dobbs, Ed Fullman