Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Diefenbaker

Thomas A. Diefenbaker 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: 7146959
    Abstract: A vehicle engine control having an automatic start and stop feature for idling the engine to maintain the battery charge includes adjustment for the battery voltage threshold at which the engine is started to recharge the battery. Preferably, the adjustment results from use of an ambient air temperature sensor and a look up table in the control that varies the threshold based on a predetermined relationship between battery voltage and ambient air temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Detroit Diesel Corporation
    Inventors: Marleen Thompson, Thomas Diefenbaker, John E. Longnecker, Richard Avery, Tomislav Golub
  • Publication number: 20060137643
    Abstract: A vehicle engine control having an automatic start and stop feature for idling the engine to maintain the battery charge includes adjustment for the battery voltage threshold at which the engine is started to recharge the battery. Preferably, the adjustment results from use of an ambient air temperature sensor and a look up table in the control that varies the threshold based on a predetermined relationship between battery voltage and ambient air temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Marleen Thompson, Thomas Diefenbaker, John Longnecker, Richard Avery, Tomislav Golub
  • Patent number: 7036477
    Abstract: An engine control practices a method for engine control in a vehicle control system having an automated start and stop system that keeps a battery charged and an engine temperature in a preselected range, the run time for the engine being extended beyond a preset run time when said control senses that a time interval between start up and the last shut off is shorter than a preset start up time limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Detroit Diesel Corporation
    Inventors: Marleen Thompson, Thomas Diefenbaker, Richard Avery, Tomislav Golub
  • Patent number: 7003395
    Abstract: A control system for vehicle engines includes an automatic start and stop idling feature. The control starts engine running in response to detected engine conditions such as oil temperature of battery voltage in at least one mode, and in response to a thermostatic mode by a comfort thermostat in a cabin in at least a thermostat mode of operation. The thermostat mode operation is modified to terminate responses to inputs from the thermostat after an extended period for operation matches programmed threshold representative of no occupation in the area with the thermostat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Detroit Diesel Corporation
    Inventors: Marleen Thompson, Thomas Diefenbaker, Richard Avery, Tomislav Golub
  • Patent number: 4989222
    Abstract: A hubodometer (10) for attachment to a vehicle's wheel structure for sensing a rotation of the wheel structure and for converting the sensed rotation to a distance travelled. The hubodometer comprises an outer housing (12) having a permanent magnet (28) affixed thereto for generating a magnetic field and a coupler (14) for coupling the housing to the wheel structure such that the outer housing rotates therewith. The hubodometer further comprises an anti-rotation mechanism (16) rotatably coupled within the outer housing, the mechanism having a plurality of components (18,20,22,24,30) coupled thereto, the components being stabilized against rotation thereby. The components include an electronic controller (20) and a plurality of magnetic field sensors (30). The plurality of sensors are disposed relative to the housing such that as the magnet rotates thereabout all of the plurality of magnetic field sensors do not simultaneously sense the magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1991
    Assignee: Stemco Inc.
    Inventors: William P. Lutts, Thomas A. Diefenbaker, George Fedorovich