Patents by Inventor Kenneth E. Nietering

Kenneth E. Nietering 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: 7646884
    Abstract: A vision system (10) for a vehicle (14) includes a light source (46) that generates an illumination beam (20). A receiver (62) generates a first image signal and a second image signal. The first image signal is generated in response to a reflected portion of the illumination beam (20). A controller is coupled to the light source (46) and the receiver (62). The controller generates an image in response to the first image signal and the second image signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignees: Ford Motor Company, JP Morgan Chase Bank
    Inventors: Jeffrey T. Remillard, Kenneth E. Nietering, Willes H. Weber, David J. Scholl, Michael A. Marinelli
  • Publication number: 20080210870
    Abstract: A vision system (10) for a vehicle (14) includes a light source (46) that generates an illumination beam (20). A receiver (62) generates a first image signal and a second image signal. The first image signal is generated in response to a reflected portion of the illumination beam (20). A controller is coupled to the light source (46) and the receiver (62). The controller generates an image in response to the first image signal and the second image signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventors: Jeffrey T. Remillard, Kenneth E. Nietering, Willes H. Weber, David J. Scholl, Michael A. Marinelli
  • Patent number: 7319805
    Abstract: A vision system (10) for a vehicle (14) includes a light source (46) that generates an illumination beam (20). A receiver (62) generates a first image signal and a second image signal. The first image signal is generated in response to a reflected portion of the illumination beam (20). A controller is coupled to the light source (46) and the receiver (62). The controller generates an image in response to the first image signal and the second image signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignees: Ford Motor Company, Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey T. Remillard, Kenneth E. Nietering, Willes H. Weber, David J. Scholl, Michael A Marinelli
  • Patent number: 7121685
    Abstract: A color-corrected lighting system for night vision applications includes a near infrared light source and a thin-sheet optical element disposed a distance from the near infrared source. The optical element includes an input surface for receiving light from the near infrared source and an output surface for emitting the received light in a desired emission pattern. The system also includes a visible, non-red light source in the form of a plate having a plurality of non-red LEDs arranged thereon. The plate is proximate a surface of the optical element such that the output surface of the optical element emits the visible light to mask the emitted near infrared light. A camera is adapted to receive the near infrared light from the near infrared light source reflected off an object within a camera field of view, and a display images objects detected within the camera field of view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey T. Remillard, Willes H. Weber, Kenneth E. Nietering, Michael A. Marinelli
  • Patent number: 5348599
    Abstract: A method of making a glazing unit comprises sputter coating surface of a substrate ply with a first film of dielectric material and then a substantially transparent, electrically conductive coating, and then laminating the coated surface of the substrate ply to a laminating ply of polymeric material. The first film of dielectric material is sputtered onto the surface of the substrate followed by sputtering, in a non-oxidizing atmosphere, an electrically conductive film of silver metal over the first dielectric film. An adhesion film of copper or zinc is sputtered over the silver metal film in a non-oxidizing atmosphere. A film of tantalum pentoxide is then sputtered over the adhesion film. Applications include, for example, glazing units for solar load reduction and electrically heated glazing units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Nietering
  • Patent number: 5229205
    Abstract: A glazing unit comprises a substrate ply and a laminating ply laminated to a surface of the substrate ply. A coating on the laminated surface of the substrate ply is a film stack comprising an electrically conductive film of silver metal covered by a tantalum pentoxide dielectric film immediately adjacent the laminating ply. Between the silver film and the tantalum pentoxide film is an adhesion film of metal selected from zinc and copper. Applications include, for example, glazing units for solar load reduction and electrically heated glazing units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Nietering
  • Patent number: 5208095
    Abstract: A glazing unit comprises a substrate ply and a laminating ply laminated to a surface of the substrate ply. A coating on a laminated surface of the substrate ply is a film stack comprising a film of electrically conductive material covered by a film of dielectric material. The film of dielectric material immediately adjacent the laminating ply comprises a layer of silicon dioxide immediately adjacent the laminating ply and a layer of dielectric material of refractive index greater than 1.5 between the silicon dioxide and the conductive material. Applications include, for example, glazing units for solar load reduction and electrically heated glazing units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Nietering
  • Patent number: 5171414
    Abstract: An anti-reflective coating employing silicon as a high refractive index material in a film pair together with silicon dioxide as a low refractive index material is found to be substantially transparent to visible light and to provide good anti-reflectance where the silicon film is ultra-thin, preferably less than about 50 Angstroms and the thickness of the silicon dioxide film is matched to that of the silicon film. Laminated glazing units having such anti-reflective film can be used, for example, even in applications requiring high transmittance of visible light, such as motor vehicle windshields, in view of the substantial transparency of the coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1992
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Charles J. Amberger, Hulya Demiryont, Kenneth E. Nietering
  • Patent number: 5111329
    Abstract: A laminated glazing unit is disclosed having controllable transparency to visible light and a solar load reduction element which preferentially excludes infrared radiation while being substantially transparent to visible light. The solar load reduction element comprises a Fabry-Perot interference filter which includes a film stack deposited on the laminated surface of the outer ply of the glazing unit. The film stack includes at least a zinc oxide film followed by a silver metal film followed by a second zinc oxide film followed by a second silver metal film followed by a dielectric film which provides good long term adhesion durability to an adjacent laminating layer of PVB or like material. The dielectric film preferably is zinc oxide with a thin overcoat of chromium oxide, SiO.sub.2 or, alternatively, is tantalum pentoxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Gajewski, Ronald R. Hymore, Kenneth E. Nietering
  • Patent number: 5106671
    Abstract: An anti-reflective coating employing silicon as a high refractive index material in a film pair together with silicon dioxide as a low refractive index material is found to be substantially transparent to visible light and to provide good anti-reflectance where the silicon film is ultra-thin, preferably less than about 50 Angstroms and the thickness of the silicon dioxide film is matched to that of the silicon film. Laminated glazing units having such anti-reflective film can be used, for example, even in applications requiring high transmittance of visible light, such as motor vehicle windshields, in view of the substantial transparency of the coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Charles J. Amberger, Hulya Demiryont, Kenneth E. Nietering
  • Patent number: 5073450
    Abstract: A glazing unit comprises a substrate ply and a laminating ply laminated to a surface of the substrate ply. A coating on a laminated surface of the substrate ply is a film stack comprising a film of electrically conductive material covered by a film of dielectric material. The film of dielectric material immediately adjacent the laminating ply comprises a layer of silicon dioxide immediately adjacent the laminating ply and a layer of dielectric material of refractive index greater than 1.5 between the silicon dioxide and the conductive material. Applications include, for example, glazing units for solar load reduction and electrically heated glazing units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1991
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Nietering
  • Patent number: 5069968
    Abstract: A glazing unit comprises a substrate ply and a laminating ply laminated to a surface of the substrate ply. A coating on the laminated surface of the substrate ply is a film stack comprising an electrically conductive film of silver metal covered by a tantalum pentoxide dielectric film immediately adjacent the laminating ply. Between the silver film and the tantalum pentoxide film is an adhesion film of metal selected from zinc and copper. Applications include, for example, glazing units for solar load reduction and electrically heated glazing units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1991
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Nietering