Did You Know...
...Daniel Webster invented a "bull plow" to pull out tree stumps. It didn't catch on because it was huge and required four oxen to pull it!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8185285 | Transmission hydraulic pressure sensor based altitude measurement A control system of a vehicle includes a pressure sensor that generates a pressure signal based on a pressure in a transmission of the vehicle. A control module determines atmospheric pressure based on the pressure signal. The control module controls operation of at... | 05/22/2012 |
| 8126625 | Vehicle drive assist apparatus and method A vehicle drive assist apparatus for assisting in driving a vehicle by varying drive torque of wheels that includes: a torque-up mechanism increasing the drive torque; a step detecting mechanism detecting a step that may exist on a road surface in a traveling direct... | 02/28/2012 |
| 8099220 | Method for adapting shift schedule of an automatic transmission based on GPS/map information A powertrain control includes monitoring map preview information, determining a road gradient factor based upon the map preview information, and adapting a transmission shift schedule based upon the road gradient factor. ... | 01/17/2012 |
| 8095287 | Methods and systems for controlling an axle disconnect device for an all-wheel drive vehicle Methods and systems are described to automatically lock and unlock a front axle disconnect mechanism in an all-wheel drive (AWD) system responsive to driving conditions to reduce parasitic losses and increase fuel efficiency. A control algorithm is described which a... | 01/10/2012 |
| 8078373 | Vehicle dynamics prediction with lane/path information using a preview-correction-prediction approach A method for predicting the dynamics of a vehicle using information about the path on which the vehicle is travelling that has particular application for enhancing active safety performance of the vehicle, to improve driver comfort and to improve vehicle dynamics co... | 12/13/2011 |
| 8073603 | Method for controlling an automatic transmission An automatic transmission control method in which at least one of a starting clutch, a clutch coupling and transmission elements, for selection as well as engagement and disengagement of a gear step, are determined as a function of respectively existing variables re... | 12/06/2011 |
| 8050834 | Driving support device, driving support method and driving support program Information pertaining to a first zone set ahead of a host vehicle and a second zone farther ahead than the first zone is acquired. Based on the information, if a distance between an end point of the first zone and a start point of the second zone is shorter than a ... | 11/01/2011 |
| 8010266 | System and method for controlling thrust force of belt of continuously variable transmission The present invention relates to a system and a method for controlling the thrust force of a belt of a CVT. The method includes: determining whether a rough road condition is satisfied; continuously calculating, in a case that the condition is satisfied, a thrust fo... | 08/30/2011 |
| 7945365 | Method for influencing an automatic gearbox, taking into consideration the tractional resistance A method of influencing an automated transmission of a motor vehicle having a tractional resistance detection unit, the method comprising the steps of reading data, via the tractional resistance detection unit, containing at least information about a torque of a dri... | 05/17/2011 |
| 7739019 | Rough road detection A rough road detection system for a vehicle comprises a first acceleration sensor that measures vertical acceleration of a component of the vehicle. An adaptive acceleration limits module determines a first acceleration limit based upon a speed of the vehicle. A lim... | 06/15/2010 |
| 7720587 | Variable operation of vehicle transmissions using rough road sensing A method for variable operation of a vehicle transmission using rough road sensing includes defining a first set of parameters to calibrate the vehicle transmission for a smooth road condition and a second set of parameters to calibrate the vehicle transmission for ... | 05/18/2010 |
| 7509202 | Neutral idle hill detection A neutral idle hill detection system for a vehicle with an automatic transmission comprises a range selection input device that receives an operating range of a transmission. A throttle position input device receives a throttle position signal. A transmission output... | 03/24/2009 |
| 7395138 | Driving assist system for vehicle A driving assist system for vehicle comprises a state recognition device that detects vehicle conditions of a subject vehicle and a traveling environment for vehicle surroundings; a risk potential calculator that calculates a risk potential for vehicle surroundings ... | 07/01/2008 |
| 7369931 | Gear shift prevention A method for temporarily preventing automatic gear shifting in a vehicle, comprising the steps of: preventing gear shifting as long as a traction control system indicates that at least one driven wheel is spinning, calculating a vehicle acceleration, calculating a v... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7363116 | Method for determining the mass of a motor vehicle while taking into account different driving situations A method for determining the mass of a motor vehicle while taking different driving situations into consideration, involving an evaluation of a vehicle acceleration, wherein apart from a driving force of a vehicle drive unit, resistance forces resulting from rotatio... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7340335 | Controller of driver for vehicle A control apparatus for a vehicular drive system, including uphill-drive-force control means and constructed to reduce a degree of uneasiness to be given to the vehicle operator during an uphill-road running of a vehicle. The uphill-drive-force control means is arra... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7311638 | Mechanical automatic transmission apparatus During a period in which a clutch is in a partially engaged state at the time of start of a vehicle, a transmission ECU calculates load acting on the clutch (clutch-absorbed energy). When this load is large, generation of a shift signal based on a gear shift map is ... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7308961 | Vehicle cruise control device and method A maximum permissible acceleration is calculated so as to take into account vehicle stability, driver's comfort, road surface information and traffic information, driver's specific taste in acceleration and deceleration, and the like. An acceleration limiting proces... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7278316 | Rough road drive simulation and evaluation for vehicle control system A rough road drive simulation apparatus for testing a vehicle motion control system includes a real-time simulator. The real time simulator simulates a rough road driving state by entering, into a vehicle model representing a vehicle equipped with the vehicle motion... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7260465 | Ramp identification in adaptive cruise control A control system 20 for an automotive vehicle 22, such as an adaptive cruise control system, is provided including a navigation system 34. The navigation system 34 includes a global positioning system 38. The navigation system 3... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7257522 | Simulator for automatic vehicle transmission controllers A simulator comprising computer-aided design programs for simulating a shift control algorithm stored in an ECU of an automatic transmission having hydraulic clutches. In the simulator, a simplified hydraulic model describes the entire system so as to design a third... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7246535 | Method for the recognition of the synchronization position and the end of the synchronization operation of an automated shiftable transmission A method for recognition of the synchronization position and the end of the synchronization operation in an automated shiftable transmission with an electromotive shift actuator is disclosed, which is characterized in that the rotational speed of the shift actuator ... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7240540 | Rough road detection system A rough road detection system includes a collection module, a statistical module, and a comparison module. The collection module collects samples from a vibration sensitive signal. The statistical module removes a periodic anomaly from the samples and removes a rand... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7212904 | Constant speed control method for vehicle on inclined road A constant speed control method for a vehicle on an inclined road allows a constant speed control allowance to be one mile per hour on a flat road and two miles per hour on an inclined surface. If the vehicle speed decelerates two or more times of 1.5 miles per hour... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7170518 | Selective rendering of cartographic entities for a navigation system A method of selectively providing cartographic features on a video display of a navigation system for improved rendering is provided. The method includes the steps of determining an operational mode of the navigation system, selecting a desired cartographic entity f... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7146264 | Method and system for controlling an automatic transmission using a GPS assist having a learn mode A method and system for controlling an automatic transmission is disclosed. The method and system include obtaining positioning data using a global positioning satellite (GPS) and monitoring the automatic transmission to obtain transmission data. The method and syst... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7146272 | Navigation system and navigation method for movable body, program storage device and computer data signal embodied in carrier wave A navigation system for a movable body is provided with: a current position detection device (2) for detecting a current position of a movable body; a map information presentation device (3) for presenting map information corresponding to the detected ... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7108096 | Vehicle control system with slow-in-turn capabilities and related method A control system with slow-in-turn capabilities for use with a self-propelled, steerable vehicle, such as a lawn mower, is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system slows the vehicle speed when turns are made beyond a predetermined range and the speed is at or above ... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7092807 | Device for inclination determination and arrangement for the setting of a driver command The invention relates to a device for the determination of the inclination of the roadway in a vehicle, with an arrangement (4), for at least the indirect determination of parameters, which at least indirectly characterize the inclination of the roadway. Said... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7076355 | Shift control apparatus for vehicle step-variable automatic transmission A shift control apparatus for controlling shifting actions of a step-variable automatic transmission for a vehicle, which has a plurality of selectable groups of forward-drive positions having respective different sets of speed ratios, each one of the selectable gro... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7069132 | Method for modifying a defined adaptive driving strategy A method for modifying a defined adaptive driving strategy, which is stored in the control system for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, for adaptation to another type of driver with a different driving style, consists in that the parameters used for the ... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7054723 | Information presentation controlling apparatus and method based on driver's mental fatigue In information presentation controlling apparatus and method, a detecting section detects a running state of a mobile body and a running environment thereof, a mental fatigue calculating section calculates a mental fatigue that an operator of the mobile body (specif... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7037236 | Hydraulic transmission vehicle A hydraulic transmission (21) has an electric actuator (86) for changing its output/input rotation speed ratio. A controller 90 of the actuator memorizes a command current value to the actuator supposing that load is not applied on the hydraulic... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7029419 | Automatic transmission downshifts based on tire adhesion limits A shift control system that controls gear shifts in a vehicle includes a transmission and a controller. The controller detects driving conditions of the vehicle, estimates a traction load of the vehicle and determines a current traction load of the vehicle. The cont... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7021410 | Method and system for determining the torque required to launch a vehicle having a hybrid drive-train A method and system are provided for determining the torque required to launch a vehicle having a hybrid drive-train that includes at least two independently operable prime movers. The method includes the steps of determining the value of at least one control parame... | 04/04/2006 |
| 7000602 | Engine system and fuel vapor purging system with cylinder deactivation Various systems and methods are disclosed for carrying out combustion in a fuel-cut operation in some or all of the engine cylinders of a vehicle. Further, various subsystems are considered, such as fuel vapor purging, air-fuel ratio control, engine torque control, ... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6990400 | Load anticipating engine/transmission control system An engine and transmission control system is responsive to manipulation of manually operated control devices which can cause actions which result in increased load on the vehicle engine, before the engine actually begins to be effected by the load increase. The cont... | 01/24/2006 |
| 6982647 | Driving assist system for vehicle A vehicle driving assist system comprises a travel situation detection device that detects a vehicle condition and a traveling environment around a subject vehicle; a risk potential calculation device that calculates a risk potential around the subject vehicle based... | 01/03/2006 |
| 6968266 | Object detection in adaptive cruise control A control system 20 for an automotive vehicle 22, such as an adaptive cruise control (ACC) system, is provided including a controller 24. The controller 24 is electrically coupled to a radar system and a navigation system. The detection s... | 11/22/2005 |
| 6961648 | System and method for desensitizing the activation criteria of a rollover control system A method of densensitizing includes determining a relative roll angle, determining when the vehicle is in a transitional maneuver, and when the vehicle is in a transitional maneuver, setting a roll signal for control to the relative roll angle, reducing control effo... | 11/01/2005 |
