Patents by Inventor Michelle R. Schaffran

Michelle R. Schaffran 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).

  • Apparatus and method of vehicle occupant sensing using multiple ultrasonic frequencies
    Patent number: 6563761
    Abstract: An apparatus (20) determines a vehicle occupant location characteristic. The apparatus (20) includes at least one sensor (e.g., 46) for echo ranging at first and second ultrasonic frequencies. A timer function portion (84) of a microcomputer (66) determines a time-of-flight for each frequency signal. The microcomputer (66) determines the occupant location characteristic using at least one of the determined times-of-flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventors: Michelle R. Schaffran, Dale W. McKim, Stephen R. W. Cooper, Edward J. Gillis