Patents by Inventor Steven John Bigham

Steven John Bigham 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).

  • High and low side driver tests for airbag module
    Patent number: 6597181
    Abstract: A method of testing a high-side driver and a low-side driver in an airbag squib circuit includes preliminary testing of squib resistance and squib leakage for a plurality of trials. Next, one of the drivers is turned on while keeping the other one of the drivers off. A current-limited power supply supplies an intermediate voltage to a squib terminal and the voltage at the terminal is continuously compared with a predetermined voltage range which includes the intermediate voltage. The one driver is turned off in response to the voltage at the point being outside the predetermined voltage range, thereby detecting that the one driver is operating properly. If the voltage at the point remains in the predetermined voltage range for a predetermined time period, then the one driver is turned off and an indication is made that the one driver has failed. If the first driver passed, then the other driver is tested in the same manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Colm Peter Boran, Paul Douglas Bingham, Steven John Bigham, David Matthew Mantey
  • High and low side driver tests for airbag module
    Publication number: 20020050826
    Abstract: A method of testing a high-side driver and a low-side driver in an airbag squib circuit includes preliminary testing of squib resistance and squib leakage for a plurality of trials. Next, one of the drivers is turned on while keeping the other one of the drivers off. A current-limited power supply supplies an intermediate voltage to a squib terminal and the voltage at the terminal is continuously compared with a predetermined voltage range which includes the intermediate voltage. The one driver is turned off in response to the voltage at the point being outside the predetermined voltage range, thereby detecting that the one driver is operating properly. If the voltage at the point remains in the predetermined voltage range for a predetermined time period, then the one driver is turned off and an indication is made that the one driver has failed. If the first driver passed, then the other driver is tested in the same manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Inventors: Colm Peter Boran, Paul Douglas Bingham, Steven John Bigham, David Matthew Mantey
  • Method and apparatus for controlling the clutch of an air conditioning compressor on an automotive vehicle
    Patent number: 5761917
    Abstract: An air conditioner compressor clutch control that senses operator demands for acceleration from low vehicle speeds and several other variables, to release the engagement of the clutch for a period of time that is dependent on vehicle speed, throttle position or a maximum time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: William Clayton Corcoran, Steven John Bigham, Vasant Babaldas Patel, Darwin Allen Becker