Having Coefficient Of Friction Or Road Condition Determining Means Patents (Class 701/80)
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Patent number: 12247925Abstract: An estimation apparatus performs non-contact estimation of a friction coefficient of a road surface. The estimation apparatus includes at least one processor. The processor determines a state of the road surface and determine which of preset road-surface states the state of the road surface belongs to. The processor performs primary identification of a first range of a friction coefficient corresponding to the determined road-surface state on the basis of friction coefficient information and the determined state of the road surface. The friction coefficient information is sectioned for each of the road-surface states. The processor narrows down a range of the friction coefficient from the first range to a second range on the basis of the identified first range of the friction coefficient, and thereby perform secondary identification of the friction coefficient of the road surface. The second range is narrower than the first range.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2022Date of Patent: March 11, 2025Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATIONInventor: Fumiya Sato
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Patent number: 12145583Abstract: A method for operating a driver assistance function to support a lateral control of a vehicle is provided. A permissible range for a steering torque component which the driver assistance function is able to exert on the steering of the vehicle is predefined. The permissible range is specified by upper and lower limits. The upper and lower limits of the permissible range be adapted as a function of a current vehicle state. The vehicle state is given relative to a lane center, for example, by the position, the velocity, the acceleration and the sudden motion, by the respective component of this variable in the lateral direction. An adjustable range of the driver feedback is determined based on the vehicle state and the lateral acceleration. From this and the consideration of a disturbance compensation, the permissible range of the steering torque component of the assistance function is ascertained.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2022Date of Patent: November 19, 2024Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBHInventor: Thomas Baechle
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Patent number: 12145559Abstract: A control method for distribution of braking force of an autonomous vehicle may include a vertical load determination step in which a controller is configured to recognize an object existing in an interior of the vehicle and recognizes data of at least one among a position in the vehicle, a size, volume, density, weight, and center of gravity of the corresponding object, and determines a vertical load applied to each wheel of the vehicle according to the recognized data, wherein the controller transmits data of the determined vertical load of each wheel to a brake controller electrically connected to the controller, and the brake controller 40 determines an amount of the distribution of the braking force for each wheel of the vehicle according to the received data of the vertical load and drives a brake actuator electrically connected to the brake controller according to the determined amount of the distribution of the braking force.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2021Date of Patent: November 19, 2024Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia CorporationInventors: In-Su Kim, Myung-Ki Yeom
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Patent number: 12128904Abstract: The invention concerns a method and a system for recognizing the presence of any irregularities of any road pavement.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2020Date of Patent: October 29, 2024Assignee: Bridgestone Europe, NV/SAInventors: Alessandro Boldrini, Marco Pascucci, Alessandra Magliozzi, Valerio Bortolotto, Lorenzo Alleva, Vittorio Nicolosi
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Patent number: 12101042Abstract: A system includes a reference speed module and a motor control module. The reference speed module is configured to determine a reference speed range based on a speed of a left wheel of a pair of front or rear wheels of a vehicle and a speed of a right wheel of the pair of front or rear wheels. The right wheel is disconnected from the left wheel. The motor control module is configured to control at least one of a first electric motor and a second electric motor based on the reference speed range. The first electric motor is connected to the left wheel. The second electric motor is connected to the right wheel.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2021Date of Patent: September 24, 2024Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Shaochun Ye, Robert L. Morris, Jordan Billet
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Patent number: 12084079Abstract: Technologies and techniques for operating an assistance system in a motor vehicle with which a driving a shoulder by the motor vehicle is detected by means of at least one detection device in the assistance system, and with which a control signal is generated by means of an electronic computing device in the assistance system for engaging with a functional unit in the motor vehicle. The shoulder that is detected is evaluated in terms of the type of shoulder, and a critical or non-critical driving of the vehicle on the shoulder is determined on the basis of the type of shoulder, and the control signal is generated in the case of a critical driving on the shoulder. The present disclosure also relates to an assistance system.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2021Date of Patent: September 10, 2024Assignee: Volkswagen AktiengesellschaftInventors: Arne Bartels, Frank Bärecke, Timo Klingemann, Thomas Kolms
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Patent number: 12078493Abstract: A worksite management system for a worksite includes a sensor module associated with each of one or more machines working on the worksite. The sensor module generates a signal indicative of a location of a corresponding one of a machine from the one or more machines. An on-board controller associated with each of the one or more machines receives the signal corresponding to the location of the corresponding one of the machine on the worksite, and looks up the location of the corresponding one of the machine in at least one of a pre-generated or learned terrain map of a network of haul routes. The on-board controller identifies at least one condition of the haul route at the looked-up location, and then generates an alert for an operator to perform one or more recommended actions with respect to an operating parameter of the corresponding one of the machine.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2018Date of Patent: September 3, 2024Assignee: Caterpillar SARLInventors: David Richard Wisley, Paul Minniss, Jonathan Moses, Christopher Mullins, Russell Pugh, Anthony James Pollock, David Thompson, Thomas Henry Abel
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Patent number: 12043263Abstract: Sound signals are received by one or more microphones disposed at an ADV. The sound signals are analyzed to extract a feature of a road on which the ADV is driving. A road condition of the road is determined based on the extracted feature. A path planning and speed planning is performed to generate a trajectory based on the road condition. The ADV is controlled to drive autonomously according to the generated trajectory.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2021Date of Patent: July 23, 2024Assignee: BAIDU USA LLCInventors: Wei Wang, Qi Luo, Kecheng Xu, Hongyi Sun, Wesley Reynolds, Youling Zou, Zejun Lin
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Patent number: 11987119Abstract: A tire failure detection device includes a steering angle sensor for sensing a steering angle, a yaw rate sensor for sensing a yaw rate, and a control unit. The control unit calculates side-slip energy based on the output signal of the steering angle sensor and the output signal of the yaw rate sensor, and determines that a failure has occurred in a tire when the side-slip energy exceeds a first threshold.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2018Date of Patent: May 21, 2024Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATIONInventor: Hiroo Yamazaki
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Patent number: 11987252Abstract: Systems and methods for determining whether a vehicle is in an understeer or oversteer situation. The system includes a controller circuit coupled to an IMU and an EPS, and programmed to: calculate, for a steered first axle, an axle-based pneumatic trail for using IMU measurements and EPS signals and estimate a saturation level as a function of a distance between the axle-based pneumatic trail and zero. The system estimates, for an unsteered second axle, an axle lateral force curve with respect to a slip angle of the second axle, and a saturation level as a function of when the axle lateral force curve with respect to the slip angle transitions from positive values to negative values. The saturation level of the first axle and the second axle are integrated. The system determines that the vehicle is in an understeer or oversteer situation as a function of the integrated saturation levels.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2021Date of Patent: May 21, 2024Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Naser Mehrabi, Saurabh Kapoor, Seyedeh Asal Nahidi, SeyedAlireza Kasaiezadeh Mahabadi, James H Holbrook, Hualin Tan, Bakhtiar B Litkouhi
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Patent number: 11970171Abstract: A road-surface state determination apparatus for a vehicle is provided. The road-surface state determination apparatus includes an acquiring unit and a control unit. The acquiring unit acquires, as a first detection signal, information on a changed pixel of which a luminance value changes based on an absolute displacement of a road-surface state or a relative displacement of the road-surface state relative to a moving vehicle. The control unit determines a type of the road-surface state using the first detection signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2021Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Takahisa Yokoyama, Noriyuki Ido
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Patent number: 11938999Abstract: A lane keeping control apparatus, a vehicle system including the same, and a method thereof may include a processor configured to determine a target turning radius to reach a center portion of a lane, to determine a required steering angle based on the target turning radius, and to correct the required steering angle by use of a difference between an actual yaw rate and a target yaw rate during lane keeping control; and a storage configured to store data and algorithms driven by the processor.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2021Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATIONInventor: Seung Hyun Kim
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Patent number: 11801826Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus to be applied to a vehicle includes a first traveling motor, a second traveling motor, and a control system. The control system estimates a first friction coefficient between a first wheel and a road surface and a second friction coefficient between a second wheel and a road surface. When the vehicle starts in a situation in which any of the first and second friction coefficients is less than a first threshold and a difference between the first and second friction coefficients is greater than a second threshold, the control system increases a power running torque of the first traveling motor after elapse of a first delay time after increasing a power running torque of the second traveling motor, if the first friction coefficient is smaller than the second friction coefficient. The first delay time is set on the basis of the first friction coefficient.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2022Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATIONInventor: Shuuto Mizuno
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Patent number: 11787414Abstract: A vehicle and a system and method of controlling the vehicle. The system includes a sensor and a processor. The sensor obtains a first estimate of a force on a tire of the vehicle based on dynamics of the vehicle. The processor is configured to obtain a second estimate of the force on the tire using a tire model, determine an estimate of a coefficient of friction between the tire and the road from the first estimate of the force and the second estimate of the force, and control the vehicle using the estimate of the coefficient of friction.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2021Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Nikolai K. Moshchuk, David Perez-Chaparro, Kausalya Singuru, Hualin Tan, Jin-Jae Chen, Ping Mi
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Patent number: 11781882Abstract: A system and method for utilizing aggregated weather data (AWD) for deriving road surface condition (RSC) estimates. This system and method supplements road friction estimates (RFEs) made at the vehicle level with AWD in the cloud to form the RSC estimates, which are then transmitted to the vehicles such that more accurate RFEs can be made locally, and so on. Conventional RFE physics-based models are replaced with enhanced RFE trained machine learning (ML) models accordingly. Global RSC estimates are derived for each geographical region using weather and location constraints. Thus, improved autonomous driving and driver assist functions may be implemented, better driver warnings may be provided, and safer road trips may be planned in advance based on a thorough analysis of the drivable conditions.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2020Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Srikar Muppirisetty, Niklas Ohlsson, Minming Zhao, Mats Jonasson
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Patent number: 11772641Abstract: Systems and method are provided for controlling a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving a first surface value associated with a first road surface area in an upcoming environment of the vehicle; receiving a second surface value associated with a second road surface area in the upcoming environment of the vehicle; determining a change in surface value based on the first surface value and the second surface value; and in response to the change in surface value being greater than a threshold, adapting at least one of vehicle collision warning messages, vehicle braking control, vehicle steering control, and path planning based on the second surface value.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2021Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Nikolai Moshchuk, Bakhtiar Litkouhi, Qingrong Zhao
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Patent number: 11760417Abstract: A brake noise at stationary steering is prevented while brake hold being in operation, in automated steering with parking assist control.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2020Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuhei Shingai, Yuki Nakada, Masaaki Kawano, Yasushi Shoda, Daisuke Hanzawa
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Patent number: 11543343Abstract: Techniques are described for dynamically selecting vehicles to perform road friction probing maneuvers and estimating road friction based on sensor data collected while a vehicle performs the road friction probing maneuvers. In one example, a computing system is configured to select, from a plurality of vehicles, based on an amount of elapsed time since each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles has performed a road friction probing maneuver, a vehicle to perform the road friction probing maneuver within a road segment of a roadway, and responsive to selecting the vehicle, output, to the vehicle, a command causing the vehicle to perform the road friction probing maneuver within the road segment.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2019Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Derong Yang, Mats Jonasson
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Patent number: 11541893Abstract: A system for estimating the friction between a road surface and a tire of a vehicle includes at least one first sensor and at least one vehicle processing device containing a friction estimation algorithm which is arranged to estimate the friction between the road surface and the tire of the vehicle based on friction related measurements is provided. The vehicle processing device is arranged to: receive an estimate of the expected friction between the road surface and the tire of the vehicle from a central processing device, from a storage device in the vehicle, or from at least one second sensor in the vehicle; adapt the friction estimation algorithm based on said received estimate of the expected friction; receive at least one friction related measurement from the at least one first sensor in the vehicle; and use the adapted friction estimation algorithm to perform an estimation of the friction between the road surface and the tire of the vehicle based on the at least one friction related measurement.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2018Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: Nira Dynamics ABInventors: Gustav Kristiansson, Tobias Hammarling, Per Magnusson
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Patent number: 11535259Abstract: A method for determining a friction coefficient for a contact between a tire of a vehicle and a roadway. The method includes processing sensor signals in order to generate processed sensor signals. The sensor signals represent state data that are read in at least by at least one detection device and that are correlatable with the friction coefficient. The processed sensor signals represent at least one preliminary friction coefficient. The method also includes ascertaining the friction coefficient using the processed sensor signals and a regression model.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2018Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Christian Lellmann
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Patent number: 11472289Abstract: A speed control device which is satisfactory in response and tracking to a speed setting, and can adjust an acceleration-and-deceleration feel according to preferences, is provided. The speed control device 6 controls a speed of a ship so that the speed automatically follows a speed setting set by a ship operator. The speed control device 6 includes a target speed setting module 63 and a change rate adjusting module 64. The target speed setting module 63 sets a target speed that is a target of the speed of the ship to follow, for every unit time, according to the speed setting, to change the target speed based on a given rate of change. The change rate adjusting module 64 decreases the rate of change by adjusting the rate of change at multiple stages, when the target speed set by the target speed setting module 63 approaches the speed setting.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2020Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITEDInventors: Shigeki Osaki, Hideki Ueno
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Patent number: 11465677Abstract: A control device for a steer-by-wire type vehicle calculates a target turn angle being represented as a function of a steering angle of a steering wheel, and controls a turning device such that a turn angle of a wheel becomes the target turn angle. A variation range of the steering angle includes: an effective steering range in which the steering angle is an effective maximum steering angle or smaller; and an adjustment steering range in which the steering angle is between the effective maximum steering angle and a predetermined maximum steering angle. The target turn angle calculated according to the effective maximum steering angle is an effective maximum turn angle. The control device variably sets the function according to a road surface condition such that the effective maximum turn angle in a case of a low-? condition is smaller than that in a case of a high-? condition.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2019Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Junro Yamamoto, Yoshikazu Kameda, Koichi Nishimura
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Patent number: 11453437Abstract: A control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit determines a right steering command value and a left steering command value. The electronic control unit acquires path information indicating a target path for the vehicle. The electronic control unit corrects a steering command value such that the vehicle travels along the target path. The electronic control unit corrects the right steering command value and the left steering command value so as to bring the distribution ratio between a skid angle of a right steered wheel and a skid angle of a left steered wheel to a target distribution ratio.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2020Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATIONInventors: Yuichi Miura, Takashi Kojima, Yuji Kariatsumari
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Patent number: 11453400Abstract: A method for estimating a value representing the frictional behavior of a vehicle being driven on a road segment, including receiving operating parameters of a vehicle including at least, a driving wheel angular velocity, an angular velocity of a free wheel of the vehicle, and vehicle a dynamic characteristic; computing a first ratio between the driving wheel angular velocity and the angular velocity of a free wheel of the vehicle, which are acquired when the vehicle is moving substantially in a straight line at a velocity greater than or equal to a first preset threshold; determining, from the received operating parameters, a second ratio between the driving wheel radius and the free wheel radius; determining a slip rate from a product of the first and second determined ratios; and obtaining a value representing the vehicle's frictional behavior by normalizing the determined slip rate using at least the vehicle's dynamic characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2020Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Inventors: Simon Piriou, Andrea Laruelo, Anais Goursolle
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Patent number: 11447193Abstract: A system is configured to mitigate hydroplaning of a vehicle having an adjustable aerodynamic-aid element configured to generate a selectable downforce on the vehicle body in response to a movement of ambient airflow relative thereto. The system includes a mechanism for varying a position of the adjustable aerodynamic-aid element relative to the body to regulate the downforce and sensor(s) configured to detect a vehicle dynamic parameter indicative of hydroplaning of the vehicle. The system additionally includes an electronic controller in communication with the sensor(s) and programmed to regulate the mechanism. The controller is configured to determine a target position for the adjustable aerodynamic-aid element in response to signal(s) from the sensor(s). The controller is also configured to set the adjustable aerodynamic-aid element to the target position via the mechanism to regulate the downforce on the vehicle body and mitigate the hydroplaning of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2019Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Dale Cattell, Jason D. Fahland
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Patent number: 11364915Abstract: In the present invention, when a road surface condition is determined based on information acquired by a camera installed in a vehicle, a route of a host vehicle is predicted and the is determined. A road surface condition determination method and device determines a road surface condition of a predicted route based on information acquired by a camera installed in a host vehicle. A controller predicts a route of the host vehicle by determining a road surface friction coefficient of the predicted route based on information acquired by the camera. The determining of the road surface friction coefficient of the predicted route includes: dividing an ahead-of-vehicle image acquired by the camera in a left-right direction and determining a road surface condition for each of the determination areas, and determining the road surface friction coefficient in the determination areas through which the predicted route will pass.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2017Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takuma Hayashi, Atsuhiro Mori
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Patent number: 11358573Abstract: A method for controlling a parking brake of a vehicle, including: receiving an activation signal which represents a manual operating unit of a parking brake being activated by a driver; reading a speed decrease signal which represents a value of a speed decrease of the vehicle upon receiving the activation signal; and emitting a delay signal as a function of the value of the speed decrease, wherein the delay signal is configured for delaying a complete engagement of the parking brake. Also described are a related apparatus/device, and a computer readable medium.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2018Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbHInventors: Oliver Udvardy, Peter Kerner
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Patent number: 11295556Abstract: Systems and methods of a vehicle for visually displaying a current state of a vehicle in regards to operational constraints of the vehicle are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: generate output signals conveying operational information regarding the vehicle; visually present information; determine, based on the output signals, the operational information; determine, based on the operational information, a current vehicle state of the vehicle; determine, based on the operational information, predicted boundaries of the current vehicle state; determine a metric value of a metric representing a difference between the current vehicle state and the predicted boundaries of the current vehicle state; and effectuate display of the metric upon the visual display unit.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2019Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.Inventors: Selina Pan, Carrie Bobier-Tiu, Avinash Balachandran
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Patent number: 11285928Abstract: Disclosed are an EPB compatible with an autohold function, a starting method and a vehicle. According to the EPB, during starting, by converting the vehicle from a brake state where the EPB acts into a brake state where an autohold function acts and enabling the vehicle to start from the brake state where the autohold function acts, the vehicle is started stably, the starting noise of the vehicle is reduced and the driving experience is improved.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2017Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: GUANGZHOU AUTOMOBILE GROUP CO., LTD.Inventors: Wei Xu, Liang Huang, Huantao Li, Qinglin Chen, Saisai Li
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Patent number: 11198442Abstract: A method for estimating a tire property of a vehicle based on tire-to-road friction properties for a fleet of vehicles. The method includes: determining a tire-to-road friction for a plurality of vehicles, belonging to the fleet of vehicles, at a plurality of specified locations; determining a reference tire-to-road friction for the fleet of vehicles at each specified location; in a vehicle, determining a current tire-to-road friction at a first location being one of the specified locations; determining a difference between the current tire-to-road friction and the reference tire-to-road friction of the fleet for the first location; and estimating a tire property of the vehicle based on the determined difference. There is also provided a system configured to perform the described method.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2019Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Mats Jonasson, Niklas Ohlsson, Srikar Muppirisetty, Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Minming Zhao
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Patent number: 11084486Abstract: A method performed by a vehicle system for handling conditions of a road on which a vehicle travels. The vehicle system detect that a first part of the road has a first condition which is different from a second condition of a second part of the road. The vehicle system estimates friction of the first part and evaluates the estimated friction. The vehicle system determines that the vehicle's motion should be adjusted when a result of the evaluation indicates that the estimated friction of the first part of the road affects the vehicle's expected motion, and initiates adjustment of the vehicle's motion on the road as determined.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2019Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Jonas Nilsson, Mats Jonasson, Mattias Brännström
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Patent number: 10946861Abstract: A hydroplaning determination device that determines occurrence of a hydroplaning phenomenon in a vehicle includes a tire mount sensor including a vibration detection unit, a signal process unit and a transmission unit, and a vehicle body system including a receiver, a condition determination unit and a hydroplaning determination unit. The vibration detection unit is attached to a rear surface of a tire provided in a vehicle and outputs a detection signal according to a magnitude of vibration of the tire. The signal process unit generates a vibration data based on the detection signal. The hydroplaning determination unit determines, based on the vibration data, whether a hydroplaning phenomenon has occurred when the condition determination unit determines that a road surface condition is a wet condition in which a water film exists between the tire and a road surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2017Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Takatoshi Sekizawa, Masashi Mori, Nobuya Watabe, Hideyuki Ikemoto, Yoichiro Suzuki
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Patent number: 10864916Abstract: A method and device for determining a coefficient of friction of a passable supporting surface with the aid of an ego vehicle, including a step of acquiring first data values, which represent a moisture level in the surrounding area of the ego vehicle, a step of checking the plausibility of the acquired, first data values by comparison with at least one second data value, and a step of determining third data values, which represent the coefficient of friction of the passable supporting surface; the determination taking place as a function of the plausibility check of the first data values, using the at least one second data value.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2017Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Nils Hagenlocher
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Patent number: 10837793Abstract: A system and method for utilizing aggregated weather data (AWD) for deriving road surface condition (RSC) estimates. This system and method supplements road friction estimates (RFEs) made at the vehicle level with AWD in the cloud to form the RSC estimates, which are then transmitted to the vehicles such that more accurate RFEs can be made locally, and so on. Conventional RFE physics-based models are replaced with enhanced RFE trained machine learning (ML) models accordingly. Global RSC estimates are derived for each geographical region using weather and location constraints. Thus, improved autonomous driving and driver assist functions may be implemented, better driver warnings may be provided, and safer road trips may be planned in advance based on a thorough analysis of the drivable conditions.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2018Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Sohini Roy Chowdhury, Srikar Muppirisetty, Niklas Ohlsson, Minming Zhao, Mats Jonasson
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Patent number: 10824883Abstract: A road condition is classified based on spray water occurring at a wheel of the vehicle. To this end, the space around a wheel of the vehicle is imaged by a camera and the image captured by the camera is analyzed to detect spray water therein. A distinction can be made between a dry road, a wet road or a road having a risk of aquaplaning on the basis of the detected spray water, e.g. based on the angle, direction or projection range of the spray water.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2018Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHGInventor: Bernd Hartmann
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Patent number: 10690774Abstract: A pathway measurement system hereof includes a rigid frame and a mobility system attached to the frame. The mobility system includes at least one movable element which is adapted to contact a surface of a pathway via which the frame may be moved relative to the pathway. The pathway measurement system further includes at least one sensor adapted to measure at least one characteristic of a pathway. The pathway measurement system has a first mode of operation in which the mobility system moves the frame along the pathway to move the at least one sensor relative to the pathway. The at least one sensor is connected to the pathway system such that a distance between the at least one sensor and an axis of rotation of one of the moveable elements remains constant in the first mode of operation. In general, the at least one sensor is isolated from any compliance or suspension system.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2018Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignees: University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, The United States Government as represented by the Department of Veterans AffairsInventors: Jonathan L. Pearlman, Eric Joseph Sinagra, Jonathan Aaron Duvall, Joshua D. Brown, Dianna Rae Stuckey, Tianyang Chen, Ian Patrick McIntyre, Rory Alan Cooper
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Patent number: 10530948Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including an image forming unit to form an image on a recording medium, includes a storage unit storing the recording medium and disposed to be drawable toward a front side of the image forming apparatus, a first stacking unit, an image reading unit disposed at an image forming apparatus upper portion, a document stacking unit disposed above the first stacking unit and at an image reading unit front side, and a second stacking unit. The first stacking unit stacks the recording medium having the image and which is discharged toward the front side. The image reading unit reads an image formed on a document having the image formed thereon in advance. The document stacking unit stacks the document. The second stacking unit stacks the document having the image read by the image reading unit and which is discharged toward an image reading unit back side.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2018Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazuhiko Aono, Kazushi Suzuki
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Patent number: 10522054Abstract: Dynamic industrial vehicle monitoring for modification of vehicle operator behavior comprises identifying a metric that characterizes an event associated with the operation of an industrial vehicle, the metric having at least one behavior modification action and at least one performance parameter to evaluate the event against. Monitoring operation of the industrial vehicle is carried out for the event. Upon detecting an occurrence of the event, event data is recorded that characterizes a response of a vehicle operator to the event. The recorded event data is evaluated against at least one performance parameter associated with the corresponding metric to determine whether the vehicle operator demonstrated appropriate behavior for the event. A vehicle operator score is updated based upon the evaluation and the updated vehicle operator score is communicated.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2017Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: Crown Equipment CorporationInventors: Lewis H. Manci, Philip W. Swift, Lucas B. Waltz
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Patent number: 10471952Abstract: A method of controlling a driving force of a four-wheel drive vehicle includes causing a control unit to acquire a vehicle speed, a lateral acceleration, a driving force of a wheel, a road surface friction coefficient, and a ground contact load of the wheel when the vehicle is traveling, determine whether a road surface is rough based on the acquired road surface condition, correct, when the road surface is determined to be rough, the load of the wheel, by applying thereto a load change rate set according to the roughness, predict a slip occurrence of the wheel by comparing a product of the corrected load and the road surface friction coefficient to a total force of the driving force and a lateral force caused by a lateral acceleration in cornering, and reduce, when the slip occurrence is predicted, the driving force so as to prevent the slip occurrence.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2018Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Yasumasa Imamura, Yasushi Yagi, Daisuke Kofu, Akihiro Tatara, Naoki Nobutani
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Patent number: 10408638Abstract: A system for controlling a vehicle a sensor to sense measurements indicative of a state of the vehicle and a memory to store a motion model of the vehicle, a measurement model of the vehicle, and a mean and a variance of a probabilistic distribution of a state of calibration of the sensor. The motion model of the vehicle defines the motion of the vehicle from a previous state to a current state subject to disturbance caused by an uncertainty of the state of calibration of the sensor in the motion of the vehicle. The measurement model relates the measurements of the sensor to the state of the vehicle using the state of calibration of the sensor.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2018Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Karl Berntorp, Stefano Di Cairano
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Patent number: 10328942Abstract: A motor vehicle controller configured to: receive a drive demand signal indicating an amount of net drive to be applied to one or more driving wheels of a vehicle, estimate a value of a parameter indicative of a surface coefficient of friction between one or more driving wheels and a driving surface, and apply a net torque to one or more wheels of a vehicle. The amount of net torque applied is determined in dependence at least in part on the received drive demand signal. The controller is configured to increase an amount of net torque applied to one or more driving wheels independently of the drive demand signal and to update an estimate of the parameter in dependence on a change in speed of the at least one driving wheel when the amount of net torque applied to the at least one driving wheel is increased.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2015Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover LimitedInventors: James Kelly, Alex Bean, Paul Beever, Nick Brockley, Jon Parr, Jan Prins, Andrew Fairgrieve, Daniel Woolliscroft, Charlotte Cooke
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Patent number: 10289920Abstract: A method and a device are for determining the presence and type of a roadway coating by a vehicle camera system. The vehicle camera system records at least one image of the surroundings of the subject vehicle. The at least one image is evaluated to detect indications of the presence of a roadway coating including a characteristic feature of the roadway coating that results as the roadway is traveled over by the subject vehicle or by another vehicle. The detected indications and characteristic feature are taken into consideration in the determination of the presence and type of a roadway coating. The result of the determination of the roadway coating, or a friction coefficient estimation derived therefrom, is output to a driver assistance function, a vehicle control function or as information to the driver.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2014Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHGInventor: Bernd Hartmann
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Patent number: 10272919Abstract: Methods and systems for determining road surface information in a vehicle. In one embodiment, the method includes: determining at least one condition assessment value based on steering data; determining a feature set to include at least one of self-aligning torque (SAT), slip angle, SAT variance, steering rate, and lateral acceleration based on the condition assessment value; processing steering data obtained during a steering maneuver and associated with the feature set using a pattern classification technique; and determining a surface type based on the processing.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2014Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, LLCInventors: Youssef A. Ghoneim, Qingrong Zhao, Qi Zhang, Bakhtiar B. Litkouhi, Yingmei Si, David M. Sidlosky, Valarie V. Boatman, Sami Ahmed
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Patent number: 10275662Abstract: A friction estimation system for estimating friction-related data associated with a surface on which a vehicle travels, may include a camera array including a plurality of imagers configured to capture image data associated with a surface on which a vehicle travels. The image data may include light data associated with the surface. The friction estimation system may also include an image interpreter in communication with the camera array and configured to receive the image data from the camera array and determine friction-related data associated with the surface based, at least in part, on the image data. The image interpreter may be configured to be in communication with a vehicle control system and provide the friction-related data to the vehicle control system.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2016Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: Zoox, Inc.Inventor: Jacob Lee Askeland
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Patent number: 10112444Abstract: A wear amount detection device to detect that a tire is in a worn state, during running, without a special sensor. The device includes a rotation sensor detecting rotation of a wheel to measure a speed of an automobile; a signal processing extracting rotation speed fluctuations synchronized with rotation, from a rotation signal detected by the rotation sensor, and obtain a rotation speed fluctuation pattern synchronized with rotation, from rotation speed fluctuations over a plurality of rotations; and a wear state determination configured to obtain, from the obtained pattern, a value of a component induced by a characteristic embodied in a tire of the wheel, the value varying in accordance with a wear state of the tire, to estimate a wear state of the tire, and to output the state.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2016Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: NTN CORPORATIONInventors: Toru Takahashi, Kentaro Nishikawa, Nobuo Masaki, Yasumichi Wakao
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Patent number: 10093321Abstract: A tire of a vehicle is calibrated based on a motion model of the vehicle relating control inputs to the vehicle with a state of the vehicle and a measurement model of the vehicle relating measurements of the motion of the vehicle with the state of the vehicle. The motion model of the vehicle includes a combination of a deterministic component of the motion and a probabilistic component of the motion, wherein the deterministic component of the motion is independent from the state of stiffness and defines the motion of the vehicle as a function of time. The probabilistic component of the motion includes the state of stiffness having an uncertainty and defining disturbance on the motion of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2017Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Karl Berntorp, Stefano Di Cairano
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Patent number: 9671225Abstract: A method for determining a transverse gradient of a road surface, on which a two-wheeler travels, the two-wheeler having at least one wheel, whose rolling circumference changes as a function of an inclination of the two-wheeler relative to the road surface, an inclination of the two-wheeler relative to the road surface being determined from a variable, which depends on the rolling circumference of the at least one wheel, and the transverse gradient of the road surface being determined from the tilt of the two-wheeler and the inclination relative to the road surface. A corresponding device and a computer program product are also described.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2013Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Matthias Moerbe
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Patent number: 9598087Abstract: Systems and methods use an image of a road surface that is generated by a camera. The image includes a pattern from a light source. A region of interest in the image is determined based on the pattern from the light source. A total area is determined that includes at least part of the region of interest and an area adjacent the region of interest. A feature vector is extracted based on the region of interest and the total area. A road condition is determined based on the feature vector and a classifier.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2014Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Qingrong Zhao, Qi Zhang, Jinsong Wang, Bakhtiar Litkouhi, Wende Zhang
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Patent number: 9533666Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods related to determining observed applied brake force of an aircraft braking system. In various embodiments, a system for calculating observed applied force comprises a current sensor in communication with a controller, a position sensor in communication with the controller and configured to measure a rotational speed of a motor shaft, and a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the controller.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2015Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: Goodrich CorporationInventors: Efrem E. Ayichew, Richard Kolk
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Patent number: 9517774Abstract: A vehicle and a vehicle system are provided with a controller that is configured to generate output indicative of a static road gradient estimation based on a filtered longitudinal acceleration. The filtered longitudinal acceleration is dependent upon a derivative of a longitudinal acceleration. An initial value of the static road gradient estimation corresponds to at least one of a kinematic road gradient estimation and a dynamic road gradient estimation.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2013Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: Hai Yu