Patents by Inventor Robert A. Hrabak

Robert A. Hrabak 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: 11358567
    Abstract: An automobile vehicle wiper arm system includes a wiper arm base rotatably connected to a fixed structural member. A wiper arm extension is slidably disposed to the wiper arm base during wiper arm base travel about an arc of travel. A motion link is rotatably connected to the wiper arm extension and is rotatably connected to the fixed structural member. The motion link induces the wiper arm extension to outwardly displace and inwardly displace opposite to the outward displacement during wiper arm base rotation about the arc of travel. A wiper blade is connected to the wiper arm extension and traverses an oval-shaped travel arc along a vehicle windshield by the slidable displacement of the wiper arm extension during wiper arm base rotation. A linkage group connects the wiper arm extension to a wiper motor with rotation of the wiper arm base induced by operation of the wiper motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan L. Oakes, Robert A. Hrabak, Jared Phillips
  • Patent number: 11254286
    Abstract: One general aspect includes a system to restrict vehicle operations, the system including: a memory configured to include one or more executable instructions and a processor configured to execute the executable instructions, where the executable instructions enable the processor to carry out the following steps: receiving a vehicle-occupant credential; determining whether the vehicle-occupant credential triggers an operation constraint; and when the operation constraint is triggered, restricting a vehicle from operating in an autonomous driving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Hrabak, Timothy Joseph Jurkiw
  • Publication number: 20210078531
    Abstract: One general aspect includes a system to restrict vehicle operations, the system including: a memory configured to include one or more executable instructions and a processor configured to execute the executable instructions, where the executable instructions enable the processor to carry out the following steps: receiving a vehicle-occupant credential; determining whether the vehicle-occupant credential triggers an operation constraint; and when the operation constraint is triggered, restricting a vehicle from operating in an autonomous driving mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Robert A. Hrabak, Timothy Joseph Jurkiw
  • Publication number: 20210070316
    Abstract: The present application relates to a method and apparatus including a microphone for receiving an utterance, a memory to store a map data, a processor operative to perform a voice recognition algorithm to recognize a navigational request in response to the utterance, to determine a location of a host vehicle, a micro destination in response to the navigational request and the map data, and a maneuver point between the location of the host vehicle and the micro destination and to generate a motion path between the location of the host vehicle, the maneuver point, and the micro destination, and a vehicle controller to control the host vehicle in response to the motion path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Hrabak, Paul R. Williams
  • Publication number: 20200223400
    Abstract: An automobile vehicle wiper arm system includes a wiper arm base rotatably connected to a fixed structural member. A wiper arm extension is slidably disposed to the wiper arm base during wiper arm base travel about an arc of travel. A motion link is rotatably connected to the wiper arm extension and is rotatably connected to the fixed structural member. The motion link induces the wiper arm extension to outwardly displace and inwardly displace opposite to the outward displacement during wiper arm base rotation about the arc of travel. A wiper blade is connected to the wiper arm extension and traverses an oval-shaped travel arc along a vehicle windshield by the slidable displacement of the wiper arm extension during wiper arm base rotation. A linkage group connects the wiper arm extension to a wiper motor with rotation of the wiper arm base induced by operation of the wiper motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Jonathan L. Oakes, Robert A. Hrabak, Jared Phillips
  • Patent number: 10691399
    Abstract: An apparatus configured to display applications provided by a single mobile device is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of displays, a wireless communication device configured to receive first output data corresponding to a first display of the plurality of displays and second output data corresponding to a second display of the plurality of displays from an external device consisting of one mobile device, and a controller configured to direct the received first output data from the wireless communication device to be displayed on the first display and direct the received second output data from the wireless communication device to be displayed on the second display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Fan Bai, Robert A. Hrabak, Robert A. Bordo, Amanda J. Damman, Valentin Bona
  • Publication number: 20200128375
    Abstract: A system and method of configuring vehicle electronics of a vehicle for compatibility with a mobile device. The method includes querying the vehicle electronics of the vehicle for vehicle identification information; sending the vehicle identification information and mobile device identification information of the mobile device to a remote facility, wherein the mobile device is separate from the vehicle electronics of the vehicle; receiving vehicle electronics configuration information from the remote facility, wherein the vehicle electronics configuration information is selected based on the vehicle identification information and the mobile device identification information; and causing the vehicle electronics to configure one or more vehicle system modules of the vehicle electronics to operate according to the vehicle electronics configuration information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Bassam S. Shahmurad, Robert A. Hrabak
  • Publication number: 20200073620
    Abstract: An apparatus configured to display applications provided by a single mobile device is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of displays, a wireless communication device configured to receive first output data corresponding to a first display of the plurality of displays and second output data corresponding to a second display of the plurality of displays from an external device consisting of one mobile device, and a controller configured to direct the received first output data from the wireless communication device to be displayed on the first display and direct the received second output data from the wireless communication device to be displayed on the second display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Fan Bai, Robert A. Hrabak, Robert A. Bordo, Amanda J. Damman, Valentin Bona
  • Patent number: 10569739
    Abstract: A system and method of managing virtual vehicle keys includes: receiving at a central facility a request to use a vehicle; receiving an identifier of a handheld wireless device at the central facility; generating at the central facility a virtual vehicle key that permits vehicle access using the handheld wireless device; and wirelessly transmitting the virtual vehicle key to the handheld wireless device and a vehicle the handheld wireless device has authorization to access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Nikola J. Pudar, Robert A. Hrabak, Amanda J. Kalhous
  • Patent number: 10567512
    Abstract: A portable system, for use in projecting proprietary host-data-based output to a host device using a dual-layer proprietary-data-provision arrangement including the host device and portable system. A storage component includes one or more first-layer components, of the dual-layer proprietary-data-provision arrangement, that, when executed by a hardware-based processing unit, communicates with the host device by a first wired communication channel or a first short-range wireless communication channel to receive the proprietary host data from the host device. The storage also includes a portable-system application that, when executed, generates, based on the proprietary host data, proprietary host-data-based app output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Hrabak, Fan Bai, Dan Shan, Donald K. Grimm
  • Publication number: 20190359173
    Abstract: A system and method of managing virtual vehicle keys includes: receiving at a central facility a request to use a vehicle; receiving an identifier of a handheld wireless device at the central facility; generating at the central facility a virtual vehicle key that permits vehicle access using the handheld wireless device; and wirelessly transmitting the virtual vehicle key to the handheld wireless device and a vehicle the handheld wireless device has authorization to access.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Nikola J. Pudar, Robert A. Hrabak, Amanda J. Kalhous
  • Patent number: 10430603
    Abstract: A gateway apparatus for managing local-device access to vehicle data, including an input/output component for receiving requests for vehicle data from a local device and sending vehicle data to the local device. The apparatus also includes a tangible processing unit in communication with the input/output component and the input/output component, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage device. An access unit of the apparatus has access-unit code that receives, by way of the input/output component, a request for the vehicle data from a local device and determines whether the gateway apparatus may satisfy the request. A control unit has control-unit code that, when executed by the processing unit, determines what vehicle data will be provided. A data unit has data-unit code that prepares the vehicle data to be provided to the local device, and sends the vehicle data to the local device by way of the input/output component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Hrabak, Fan Bai, Jinzhu Chen, Donald K. Grimm
  • Patent number: 10419984
    Abstract: A system and method of managing short-range wireless communication connections at a vehicle, the method including: receiving a wireless signal from a personal mobile device at the vehicle, wherein the wireless signal is received using a first short-range wireless communication (SRWC) technology; determining whether to perform a connection handover based on the received wireless signal; when it is determined that the connection handover is to be performed, then carrying out the connection handover that includes establishing an alternative carrier connection between a wireless communications device and the personal mobile device using a second SRWC technology, wherein the wireless communications device is installed in the vehicle; and when it is determined that the connection handover is not to be performed, then setting the wireless communications device to operate in a discovery mode, wherein the discovery mode includes sending an inquiry message indicating availability of a connection to the wireless communi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Hrabak, John Sergakis, Nikhil N. Neti
  • Patent number: 10384643
    Abstract: A system and method of managing virtual vehicle keys includes: receiving at a central facility a request to use a vehicle; receiving an identifier of a handheld wireless device at the central facility; generating at the central facility a virtual vehicle key that permits vehicle access using the handheld wireless device; and wirelessly transmitting the virtual vehicle key to the handheld wireless device and a vehicle the handheld wireless device has authorization to access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Nikola J. Pudar, Robert A. Hrabak, Amanda J. Kalhous
  • Patent number: 10384644
    Abstract: A system and method of managing virtual vehicle keys includes: receiving at a central facility a request to use a vehicle; receiving an identifier of a handheld wireless device at the central facility; generating at the central facility a virtual vehicle key that permits vehicle access using the handheld wireless device; and wirelessly transmitting the virtual vehicle key to the handheld wireless device and a vehicle the handheld wireless device has authorization to access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Nikola J. Pudar, Robert A. Hrabak, Amanda J. Kalhous
  • Patent number: 10368291
    Abstract: A system and method of controlling use of vehicular Wi-Fi hotspots by a handheld wireless device includes: detecting that the handheld wireless device is communicating via a Wi-Fi hotspot; determining at the handheld wireless device that that the Wi-Fi hotspot is provided by a vehicle; and enabling one or more default prohibitions against transmitting low-priority data from the handheld wireless device via a cellular wireless carrier system while the handheld wireless device communicates with the Wi-Fi hotspot provided by the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Robert A. Hrabak
  • Publication number: 20190158629
    Abstract: A portable system, for use in projecting proprietary host-data-based output utilizing a dual-layer proprietary-data arrangement including the portable system, a remote proprietary-data server, and a host device. The system having a first-layer arrangement component communicating with the server by way of a long-range channel, and a second-layer arrangement component communicating with the host device by wired or a short-range communication. The system also includes a portable-system application that generates, based on proprietary host data, proprietary-host-data-based app output. The first-layer includes a remote-server-communications client sub-module that receives the proprietary host data from the server. The application generates, based on the proprietary host data, proprietary host data-based app output data, for use in presentation via the host device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Robert A. Hrabak, Fan Bai, Dan Shan, Donald K. Grimm
  • Patent number: 10291763
    Abstract: A multi-modal projection system, such as a smartphone, a wearable, or a generic universal-serial-bus-class (generic USB-class), for use in projecting device output via a host apparatus, such as a transportation vehicle. The system includes a hardware-based processing unit (processor), and a base data-processing resource needed by each of a plurality of interface components to generate the output to be projected via the host apparatus. The system includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage component having the interface components that, when executed by the processing unit, generate the output to be projected via the host apparatus. The storage component further includes a plurality of virtual data-processing components being virtual representations of the base data-processing resource. The storage component further includes a mapping module that, when executed, controls access for the interface components to the base data-processing component by way of the virtual data-processing components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Dan Shan, Fan Bai, Robert A. Hrabak, Nikhil N. Neti
  • Publication number: 20190123952
    Abstract: In one aspect, the technology includes a portable system, for providing add-on resources to a host device, such as a vehicle host device. The portable system includes a portable-system resource, which in various embodiments is at least partially a part of a portable-system data storage. The data storage includes at least one companion application that, when executed, provides, based on operation of the portable-system resource, host-device output for use at the host device, wherein the host-device output is output that the host device could not produce on its own or is supplemental to output that the host device can produce on its own. Example portable-system resources include a central-processing unit, a graphics processor, an application shop, an app-refresh program, security or hardware accelerators, and a speech recognition or three-dimensional rendering program. The technology in various embodiments also includes the host device described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Robert A. Hrabak, Donald K. Grimm, Fan Bai, Dan Shan, Leonard C. Nieman, Karen Juzswik
  • Publication number: 20190116255
    Abstract: A portable system, for use in projecting proprietary host-data-based output to a host device using a dual-layer proprietary-data-provision arrangement including the host device and portable system. A storage component includes one or more first-layer components, of the dual-layer proprietary-data-provision arrangement, that, when executed by a hardware-based processing unit, communicates with the host device by a first wired communication channel or a first short-range wireless communication channel to receive the proprietary host data from the host device. The storage also includes a portable-system application that, when executed, generates, based on the proprietary host data, proprietary host-data-based app output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Hrabak, Fan Bai, Dan Shan, Donald K. Grimm