Patents by Inventor Frederick James Porter

Frederick James Porter has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6985076
    Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system (12) for a vehicle (10) has a plurality of tires (14a, b, c and d) in respective rolling locations and a spare tire (14e) generating a spare tire identification. A controller (22) starts the timer (44) and sets a tire status to a rolling status, a pending rolling status, a spare status or a pending spare status in response to the timer and the vehicle speed. The controller (22) stores the status and the spare tire identification in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Bennie, Frederick James Porter, Leena Shah, Thomas Michael McQuade, Thomas Lee Miller
  • Patent number: 6982636
    Abstract: A pressure monitoring system (12) for a tire (14a) of an automotive vehicle includes a first pressure sensor (94) coupled to the wheel, a pressure transmitter (90) coupled to the pressure sensor (94) whereby the transmitter generates a pressure signal. A controller (22) is coupled to the pressure transmitter. The controller (22) receives the pressure signal and in a first stage, compares the pressure signal to a pressure threshold to obtain a sensor status. In a second stage, the controller (22) qualifies the sensor status signal by generating a warning status in response to the sensor status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Bennie, Dilip B. Patel, Frederick James Porter, Leena Shah, Thomas Michael McQuade, Thomas Lee Miller
  • Patent number: 6952160
    Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system (12) for a vehicle (10) has a plurality of tires (14a-d) in respective rolling locations having a respective plurality of tire transmitters (16a-d) that generate a respective plurality of transmitter identification signals. A controller (22) is coupled to a counter that counts ignition cycle transitions. The controller enters a learn mode in response to the count and the brake condition signal. The system may also include a display for signaling the vehicle operator to perform a desired action. The controller generates a plurality of display signals on the display indicative of the respective plurality of tire locations and activates a timer when the plurality of transmitter identification signals are received before a predetermined time is counted by the timer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Bennie, Frederick James Porter, Leena Shah, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Thomas Michael McQuade, Thomas Lee Miller
  • Patent number: 6945087
    Abstract: A system (10) and method is provided for calibrating a tire pressure monitoring system using an EM transmitter (14). The present invention includes a first pressure sensor coupled to a wheel of an automotive vehicle (12). The EM pressure transmitter (14) is coupled to the pressure sensor (32). The transmitter (14) has a serial number associated therewith. An EM calibration device has a transmitting range. The EM transmitter device has an actuator. When the actuator is activated, a calibration signal (34) is transmitted within the transmitting range. The calibration signal causes the EM pressure transmitter (32) to transmit a serial number. A controller (16) is EM coupled to the pressure transmitter. The controller (16) receives the serial number and associates the serial number with a tire location of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Frederick James Porter, John LeBeau Rust, John Tenbusch, Thomas Michael McQuade, Thomas Lee Miller
  • Publication number: 20040255663
    Abstract: A system (10) and method is provided for calibrating a tire pressure monitoring system using an EM transmitter (14). The present invention includes a first pressure sensor coupled to a wheel of an automotive vehicle (12). The EM pressure transmitter (14) is coupled to the pressure sensor (32). The transmitter (14) has a serial number associated therewith. An EM calibration device has a transmitting range. The EM transmitter device has an actuator. When the actuator is activated, a calibration signal (34) is transmitted within the transmitting range. The calibration signal causes the EM pressure transmitter (32) to transmit a serial number. A controller (16) is EM coupled to the pressure transmitter. The controller (16) receives the serial number and associates the serial number with a tire location of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Frederick James Porter, John LeBeau Rust, John Tenbusch, Thomas Michael McQuade, Thomas Lee Miller
  • Patent number: 6750762
    Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system (12) for a vehicle (10) includes a warning status memory (26) having warning statuses therein and a plurality of tires (14a, b, c and d) in respective rolling locations, each of said plurality of tires having a transmitter (90). When one of the tires has been filled with air, the controller (22) receives a pressure signal from one of the tire transmitters generated in response to a predetermined increase in pressure. The controller (22) clears the warning statuses from the warning status memory (26) when the pressure signal is in a normal range and, thereafter monitors the tires in the rolling locations and generates warning statuses therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Frederick James Porter, James Edwin Blatchford, Thomas Michael McQuade
  • Patent number: 6745624
    Abstract: A system (10) and method is provided for calibrating a tire pressure monitoring system using an EM transmitter (14). The present invention includes a first pressure sensor coupled to a wheel of an automotive vehicle (12). The EM pressure transmitter (14) is coupled to the pressure sensor (32). The transmitter (14) has a serial number associated therewith. An EM calibration device has a transmitting range. The EM transmitter device has an actuator. When the actuator is activated, a calibration signal (34) is transmitted within the transmitting range. The calibration signal causes the EM pressure transmitter (32) to transmit a serial number. A controller (16) is EM coupled to the pressure transmitter. The controller (16) receives the serial number and associates the serial number with a tire location of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Frederick James Porter, John LeBeau Rust, John Tenbusch, Thomas Michael McQuade, Thomas Lee Miller
  • Publication number: 20030145645
    Abstract: A system (10) and method is provided for calibrating a tire pressure monitoring system using an EM transmitter (14). The present invention includes a first pressure sensor coupled to a wheel of an automotive vehicle (12). The EM pressure transmitter (14) is coupled to the pressure sensor (32). The transmitter (14) has a serial number associated therewith. An EM calibration device has a transmitting range. The EM transmitter device has an actuator. When the actuator is activated, a calibration signal (34) is transmitted within the transmitting range. The calibration signal causes the EM pressure transmitter (32) to transmit a serial number. A controller (16) is EM coupled to the pressure transmitter. The controller (16) receives the serial number and associates the serial number with a tire location of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick James Porter, John LeBeau Rust, John Tenbusch, Thomas Michael McQuade, Thomas Lee Miller