Patents by Inventor Steve Skikun
Steve Skikun 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: 11897437Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for sanitization of a vehicle interior, activating an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) system and operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the vehicle interior above an upper threshold temperature for a threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while the UVGI system may supplement the heat sanitizing.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2020Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Fred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, M. Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco
-
Patent number: 11807072Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, while receiving power from an external power source and responsive to receiving a request for cleaning an interior of a vehicle, operating an electric heater of a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the interior above an upper threshold temperature for a first threshold duration using the power received from the external power source. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while vehicle battery power and fuel are conserved by using power supplied from the external power source.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2020Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Fred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, M. Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco
-
Patent number: 11673535Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for sanitization of a vehicle interior, operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the vehicle interior above an upper threshold temperature for a threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2020Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Manfred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, M. Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco, Venkatesh Krishnan
-
Patent number: 11623610Abstract: Vehicular pursuit intervention systems and methods are provided herein. An example method includes determining unauthorized use of an emergency vehicle, causing the emergency vehicle to perform a controlled stop, locking access points of the emergency vehicle, closing windows of the emergency vehicle, and locking a weapon within the emergency vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2019Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Robert S. Kern, Jon Ohland, Steve Skikun, Adam Rainey
-
Patent number: 11346674Abstract: A transportation system comprising a logic node configured to determine an optimized rendezvous location for a vehicle in an area based at least in part on traffic data associated with a plurality of vehicles in the area; and a communication element adapted to communicate the optimized rendezvous location to the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2019Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: John Walpuck, Jovan Zagajac, Steve Skikun, Samer Ibrahim, Helen Elizabeth Kourous-Harrigan
-
Publication number: 20220118952Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for sanitization of a vehicle interior, activating an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) system and operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the vehicle interior above an upper threshold temperature for a threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while the UVGI system may supplement the heat sanitizing.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2020Publication date: April 21, 2022Inventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Fred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco
-
Publication number: 20220118951Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for cleaning an interior of a vehicle, adjusting a position of a sun shade based on at least one of an ambient temperature outside of the vehicle and a sun load of the vehicle, and operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the interior above an upper threshold temperature for a first threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2020Publication date: April 21, 2022Inventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Fred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco
-
Publication number: 20220118822Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, while receiving power from an external power source and responsive to receiving a request for cleaning an interior of a vehicle, operating an electric heater of a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the interior above an upper threshold temperature for a first threshold duration using the power received from the external power source. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while vehicle battery power and fuel are conserved by using power supplied from the external power source.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2020Publication date: April 21, 2022Inventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Fred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco
-
Patent number: 11292430Abstract: This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for automatically securing a vehicle such as a police truck or an emergency response vehicle and/or the contents of the vehicle after a bailout by the driver. In one exemplary method, a computer is configured to use a sensor system to detect that a driver of a vehicle has bailed out of the vehicle. Based at least in part on detecting that the driver has bailed out of the vehicle, the computer can execute operations such as automatically locking a door of the vehicle, logging out a computer located in the vehicle, locking a first component inside the vehicle such as a gun vault, and/or disabling an operation of another component in the vehicle such as a trunk release or an ignition switch.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2019Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Robert S. Kern, Adam Rainey, Steve Skikun, Arie Groeneveld, William Gubing, Jon Ohland, Michael Ehlert
-
Patent number: 11192548Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle speed limiter. In one example, a method may include decreasing a vehicle top speed in response to the vehicle being arranged in a geofenced area via the vehicle speed limiter. In at least one example, adjusting a magnitude of the vehicle top speed limiter to decrease a limiting of the vehicle top speed may be in response to an override request, where the override request is signaled via one or more of depression of a pedal of the vehicle in a pattern and a siren of the vehicle being activated. Further, in one or more examples, the vehicle may be the only vehicle of a plurality of vehicles comprising one or more of a solar cell and a wireless modem.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2019Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Allen Magolan, Steve Skikun
-
Publication number: 20210339712Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for sanitization of a vehicle interior, operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the vehicle interior above an upper threshold temperature for a threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2020Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Manfred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, M. Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco, Venkatesh Krishnan
-
Publication number: 20210155201Abstract: Vehicular pursuit intervention systems and methods are provided herein. An example method includes determining unauthorized use of an emergency vehicle, causing the emergency vehicle to perform a controlled stop, locking access points of the emergency vehicle, closing windows of the emergency vehicle, and locking a weapon within the emergency vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2019Publication date: May 27, 2021Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Robert S. Kern, Jon Ohland, Steve Skikun, Adam Rainey
-
Publication number: 20210039644Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle may include determining if a vehicle speed is controlled by a driver, and if the vehicle speed is controlled by the driver, determining if the vehicle is operating during night conditions. If the vehicle is operating during night conditions, activating a night drive mode that limits a maximum speed of the vehicle without regard to road speed limits.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2019Publication date: February 11, 2021Inventors: Allen Magolan, Steve Skikun
-
Publication number: 20210041253Abstract: A transportation system comprising a logic node configured to determine an optimized rendezvous location for a vehicle in an area based at least in part on traffic data associated with a plurality of vehicles in the area; and a communication element adapted to communicate the optimized rendezvous location to the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2019Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: John Walpuck, Jovan Zagajac, Steve Skikun, Samer Ibrahim, Helen Elizabeth Kourous-Harrigan
-
Publication number: 20200369283Abstract: This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for automatically detecting an impending bailout from a vehicle such as a police truck or an emergency response vehicle. In one exemplary method, a computer is configured to detect a driving pattern of the vehicle that would indicate that the driver of the vehicle is about to bail out. The driving pattern can include an acceleration sequence and a braking sequence that is indicative of a police chase or an emergency response situation. In another exemplary method, the computer may determine that the driver of the vehicle is about to bail out based on detecting one or more cue words uttered by the driver or included in a conversation over a radio communications device between the driver and a person outside the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2020Publication date: November 26, 2020Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Robert S. Kern, Steve Skikun, Jon Ohland, Adam Rainey, Michael Ehlert, William Gubing, Arie Groeneveld
-
Publication number: 20200369240Abstract: This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for automatically securing a vehicle such as a police truck or an emergency response vehicle and/or the contents of the vehicle after a bailout by the driver. In one exemplary method, a computer is configured to use a sensor system to detect that a driver of a vehicle has bailed out of the vehicle. Based at least in part on detecting that the driver has bailed out of the vehicle, the computer can execute operations such as automatically locking a door of the vehicle, logging out a computer located in the vehicle, locking a first component inside the vehicle such as a gun vault, and/or disabling an operation of another component in the vehicle such as a trunk release or an ignition switch.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2019Publication date: November 26, 2020Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Robert S. Kern, Adam Rainey, Steve Skikun, Arie Groeneveld, William Gubing, Jon Ohland, Michael Ehlert
-
Patent number: 10829127Abstract: This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for automatically detecting an impending bailout from a vehicle such as a police truck or an emergency response vehicle. In one exemplary method, a computer is configured to detect a driving pattern of the vehicle that would indicate that the driver of the vehicle is about to bail out. The driving pattern can include an acceleration sequence and a braking sequence that is indicative of a police chase or an emergency response situation. In another exemplary method, the computer may determine that the driver of the vehicle is about to bail out based on detecting one or more cue words uttered by the driver or included in a conversation over a radio communications device between the driver and a person outside the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2020Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Robert S. Kern, Steve Skikun, Jon Ohland, Adam Rainey, Michael Ehlert, William Gubing, Arie Groeneveld
-
Publication number: 20200307578Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle speed limiter. In one example, a method may include decreasing a vehicle top speed in response to the vehicle being arranged in a geofenced area via the vehicle speed limiter.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2019Publication date: October 1, 2020Inventors: Allen Magolan, Steve Skikun
-
Patent number: 10710596Abstract: This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for automatically detecting an impending bailout from a vehicle such as a police truck or an emergency response vehicle. In one exemplary method, a computer is configured to detect a driving pattern of the vehicle that would indicate that the driver of the vehicle is about to bail out. The driving pattern can include an acceleration sequence and a braking sequence that is indicative of a police chase or an emergency response situation. In another exemplary method, the computer may determine that the driver of the vehicle is about to bail out based on detecting one or more cue words uttered by the driver or included in a conversation over a radio communications device between the driver and a person outside the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2019Date of Patent: July 14, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Robert S. Kern, Steve Skikun, Jon Ohland, Adam Rainey, Michael Ehlert, William Gubing, Arie Groeneveld