Patents by Inventor Michael John Schnars
Michael John Schnars 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: 6498453Abstract: A method for controlling a two-phase stepping motor gauge for an instrument cluster includes the steps of: providing a two-phase motor for displaying information to a driver, determining a desired position of the two phase motor at a rate and in a manner consistent with an intended application; updating a waveform to the input of a first inverter coupled to one of the motor coils; integrating the waveform using a first and second inverter to energize one of the motor coils. Thus, the present invention allows the control of a conventional two-phase motor coil using only one control signal. Additionally, the present invention requires low actual current to maintain gauge position.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2000Date of Patent: December 24, 2002Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Douglas Jay King, Ronald Kenneth Selby, Michael John Schnars
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Patent number: 6302552Abstract: An illuminated pointer member for an instrument panel. A hollow tubular shaft member conveys light from a light source through its hollow interior to the pointer member for illumination. A rotating mechanism, such as a gear mechanism and/or motor mechanism is connected to the tubular member for rotating the tubular member and pointer member.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2000Date of Patent: October 16, 2001Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.Inventors: David Alan Ross, Michael John Schnars, Douglas Jay King, Stephen Lynn Miller, Ronald Kenneth Selby
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Patent number: 5982158Abstract: A voltage regulator circuit having a series device external to an integrated circuit voltage regulator. The external series device provides a voltage drop prior to the voltage being input to the voltage regulator during high power applications. Depending on the power level, low or high, one of two transistors will be activated. For low power applications, a transistor attached directly to the input voltage is active and the external series device is bypassed. For high power applications, the external series device provides a voltage drop prior to the input voltage reaching the second transistor thereby lowering the power to be dissipated by the integrated circuit.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 1999Date of Patent: November 9, 1999Assignee: Delco Electronics CorporaitonInventors: Michael John Schnars, Raymond Lippmann, James Edward Nelson
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Patent number: 5941122Abstract: A circuit board has an arcuate array of conductor segments each subject to a digital waveform differing in phase for the various segments, and a concentric pickup conductor. A rotary encoder disk has a conductive pattern which sums and couples the waveforms from selected segments, depending on rotary position, to the pickup conductor. A synchronous phase detector generates a phase signal from the summed waveforms and the zero crossing of the phase signal is detected. A counter develops count signals used to generate the digital waveforms. The count signals are input to a latch which is clocked at the zero crossing point to latch the count value which is a digital measure of the encoder angle.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 1997Date of Patent: August 24, 1999Assignee: Delco Electronics CorporationInventors: James Edward Nelson, Ronald Kenneth Selby, Raymond Lippmann, Michael John Schnars
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Patent number: 5936603Abstract: An IC driver mounted on a LCD display package contains a sensor for determining temperature of the LCD cell, and a digital value of the temperature is serially transmitted to a remote microprocessor which determines compensated voltage and sends voltage command data back to the IC driver which produces a drive voltage by a charge pump. A digital code on the LCD cell identifies cell response characteristics and the code is used by the microprocessor to calculate the desired voltage. A ROM in the IC driver stores many bit-mapped images which are selected by the microprocessor for display.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1996Date of Patent: August 10, 1999Assignee: Delco Electronics CorporationInventors: Raymond Lippmann, Michael John Schnars, James Edward Nelson, Mark James Miller
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Patent number: 5783939Abstract: A high frequency AC probe signal is applied to one coil of a stepper motor to induce a signal on the other coil. The induced signal varies in amplitude according to rotor position. The stepper motor is driven by a microprocessor in microsteps. The position of a mechanical stop is determined by monitoring the induced signal while driving the rotor to the stop. When the induced signal no longer changes in amplitude the number of the last microstep yielding movement is recorded as the rotor position corresponding to the stop position. Also by measuring the induced signal at each microstep over a whole rotor rotation and the signal when the rotor stops, a more precise value of the stop position is determined by interpolation. Alternatively, the flip back position of the gauge and thus the stop position is determined on the basis of the induced signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 1996Date of Patent: July 21, 1998Assignee: Delco Electronics CorporationInventors: Raymond Lippmann, Gail Monica Sylvester, Michael John Schnars, Jeffrey Lynn Shepard, Ronald Kenneth Selby, James Edward Nelson
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Patent number: 5752409Abstract: The maximum full level is determined in a fuel tank of undetermined size using a fuel level sender referenced to the tank bottom. A minimum full value is selected for a given type of tank and when the sender signal goes below a percentage of that value and subsequently goes above the minimum full value, a fueling event is recognized and the current fuel sender value is adopted as the maximum full value. Where a heavily filtered signal is used to minimize the effects of fuel slosh, the maximum full value is subject to increasing to higher values occurring during a short period after fueling to allow recovery of the filtered signal. An empty value is calibrated before the vehicle is initially fueled. A maximum empty level is initially set and if a lower level is measured when the ignition is turned on, the lower level is set as the empty value. This calibration is terminated when the tank is fueled above the minimum full value.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 1994Date of Patent: May 19, 1998Assignee: Delco Electronics CorporaitonInventors: Raymond Lippmann, Michael John Schnars, James Edward Nelson, Ivan Roy Brouwer
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Patent number: 5736865Abstract: A circuit board has an arcuate array of conductor segments each subject to a digital waveform differing in phase for the various segments, and a concentric pickup conductor. A rotary encoder disk has a conductive pattern which sums and couples the waveforms from selected segments, depending on rotary position, to the pickup conductor. A synchronous phase detector generates a phase signal from the summed waveforms and the zero crossing of the phase signal is detected. A counter develops count signals used to generate the digital waveforms. The count signals are input to a latch which is clocked at the zero crossing point to latch the count value which is a digital measure of the encoder angle.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 1996Date of Patent: April 7, 1998Assignee: Delco Electronics CorporationInventors: James Edward Nelson, Ronald Kenneth Selby, Raymond Lippmann, Michael John Schnars
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Patent number: 5736641Abstract: A circuit board has an arcuate array of conductor segments each subject to a digital waveform differing in phase for the various segments, and a concentric pickup conductor. A rotary encoder disk has a conductive pattern which sums and couples the waveforms from selected segments, depending on rotary position, to the pickup conductor. A synchronous phase detector generates a phase signal from the summed waveforms and the zero crossing of the phase signal is detected. A counter develops count signals used to generate the digital waveforms. The count signals are input to a latch which is clocked at the zero crossing point to latch the count value which is a digital measure of the encoder angle. Two encoders mounted on orthogonal horizontal axes are used as an accelerometer or attitude sensor. Each disk is eccentrically weighted to seek a position vertically below the axis to serve as an attitude sensor when the unit is stationary.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 1996Date of Patent: April 7, 1998Assignee: Delco Electronics CorporationInventors: Ronald Kenneth Selby, Michael John Schnars, Jerry Alan Gohl, James Edward Nelson, Raymond Lippmann
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Patent number: 5709576Abstract: An elastomeric connector couples the terminal pads of an LCD with corresponding terminal pads of a printed wiring board (PWB). Conductive elements in the connector are subject to skewing at such an angle that the LCD must be adjusted relative to the PWB to attain pad alignment. Sense pads on the terminal strips are coupled to contact pads and are arranged so that a continuity test on substantially opposed contact pads will verify pad alignment. In one embodiment, one sense pad is narrower than the terminal pads so that even marginal continuity will assure proper alignment of the terminal pads. In another embodiment, a pair of sense pads on either one of the LCD and the PWB is bracketed by a pair of spaced pads on the other such that continuity is evidence of non-alignment.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 1996Date of Patent: January 20, 1998Assignee: Delco Electronics CorporationInventors: Raymond Lippmann, Michael John Schnars, James Edward Nelson, Mark James Miller, Gerard Arnold Streelman, Victor David Kruppa
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Patent number: 5701330Abstract: Two or more communication modules are coupled by a one wire transmission line. A feed module impresses dc power and a sine wave carrier signal on the line. Each module generates a square wave signal synchronous with the carrier, each period of the signal representing one data bit. Data is written onto the line by a module by attenuating the carrier wave for selected bits and read by another module by sampling the bits and detecting those which are attenuated. Address and message data is transmitted in packets of n bits, the first bit always being an attenuated bit. Addressing is accomplished by generating a sequence of n unattenuated bits and then writing packets of address data. An address is valid when it matches a stored address in a module and that module is then activated to read or write.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 1994Date of Patent: December 23, 1997Assignee: Delco Electronics CorporationInventors: Raymond Lippmann, Michael John Schnars, James Edward Nelson, James Robert Chintyan
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Patent number: 5695269Abstract: An LCD display is backlit by a main light pipe with LEDs of a first color along one edge or opposed edges which uniformly flood the display with the first color, and with an LED of a second color coupled by a second light pipe to another edge to introduce light to local areas of the main light pipe. Filters of the second color over the local areas are illuminated by the second color LED. Prismatic sheets between the main light pipe and the LCD aid in the uniform distribution of the first color and improve display brightness by directing light toward the operator's eyebox.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1996Date of Patent: December 9, 1997Assignee: Delco Electronics CorporationInventors: Raymond Lippmann, Michael John Schnars, James Edward Nelson, Mark James Miller
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Patent number: 5665897Abstract: A rotary gauge driven by a stepper motor has a stop near the zero point of the gauge graphics. A factory calibration procedure rotates the gauge field in reverse direction to move the gauge pointer against the stop and continues field rotation until the rotor becomes unstable and flips back in the forward direction, and then moved to a rotor rest position. The angle of flip back, the rest position and the number of steps to the zero position are stored in non-volatile memory. In the vehicle, when the ignition is off, the microprocessor or the stepper motor wakes periodically and exercises the gauge, using the stored values to reset the gauge to the stable position. When ignition is turned on, the microprocessor moves the gauge directly to the zero position.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 1996Date of Patent: September 9, 1997Assignee: Delco Electronics CorporationInventors: Raymond Lippmann, Gail Monica Sylvester, Ronald Kenneth Selby, James Edward Nelson, Michael John Schnars