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).
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Patent number: 7646884Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 12, 2008Date of Patent: January 12, 2010Assignees: Ford Motor Company, JP Morgan Chase BankInventors: Jeffrey T. Remillard, Kenneth E. Nietering, Willes H. Weber, David J. Scholl, Michael A. Marinelli
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Publication number: 20080210870Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2008Publication date: September 4, 2008Inventors: Jeffrey T. Remillard, Kenneth E. Nietering, Willes H. Weber, David J. Scholl, Michael A. Marinelli
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Patent number: 7319805Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 6, 2003Date of Patent: January 15, 2008Assignees: Ford Motor Company, Lear CorporationInventors: Jeffrey T. Remillard, Kenneth E. Nietering, Willes H. Weber, David J. Scholl, Michael A Marinelli
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Patent number: 7121685Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 12, 2003Date of Patent: October 17, 2006Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jeffrey T. Remillard, Willes H. Weber, Kenneth E. Nietering, Michael A. Marinelli
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Patent number: 5348599Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 5, 1993Date of Patent: September 20, 1994Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventor: Kenneth E. Nietering
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Patent number: 5229205Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 28, 1991Date of Patent: July 20, 1993Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventor: Kenneth E. Nietering
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Patent number: 5208095Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 28, 1991Date of Patent: May 4, 1993Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventor: Kenneth E. Nietering
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Patent number: 5171414Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 6, 1992Date of Patent: December 15, 1992Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventors: Charles J. Amberger, Hulya Demiryont, Kenneth E. Nietering
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Patent number: 5111329Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 28, 1990Date of Patent: May 5, 1992Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventors: Kenneth J. Gajewski, Ronald R. Hymore, Kenneth E. Nietering
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Patent number: 5106671Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 10, 1990Date of Patent: April 21, 1992Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventors: Charles J. Amberger, Hulya Demiryont, Kenneth E. Nietering
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Patent number: 5073450Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 17, 1990Date of Patent: December 17, 1991Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventor: Kenneth E. Nietering
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Patent number: 5069968Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 20, 1990Date of Patent: December 3, 1991Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventor: Kenneth E. Nietering