Patents Represented by Attorney Laurence S. Roach
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Patent number: 8339202Abstract: There is provided a current sense circuit (134). An exemplary current sense circuit (134) comprises a voltage-to-current converter circuit (218) that is adapted to receive a voltage that is proportional to a load current drawn from a battery (110) by a load (202) and to produce a current proportional to the load current, and a current-to-voltage converter circuit (228) that is adapted to receive the current proportional to the load current and to produce a voltage proportional to the load current based on a regulated voltage source (230).Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2007Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems of America, division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventor: Harold Arthur Smith
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Patent number: 8299901Abstract: An electronic system including a user interface for transmitting an operational parameter control signal in response to manual manipulation of the user interface. A processor is coupled to the user interface and adjusts an operational parameter of the electronic system in response to receiving the operational parameter control signal. An actuatable device is actuated by a user. In response to the user actuation, the actuatable device prevents the processor from adjusting the operational parameter of the electronic system.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2008Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of AmericaInventor: Robert E. Combs, Jr.
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Patent number: 8204258Abstract: An audio system includes an automatic level controller receiving at least one input audio signal from at least one audio medium. The automatic level controller includes a gain adjust module for producing an output audio signal based on the at least one input audio signal. A difference between a maximum sound level and a minimum sound level of the at least one input audio signal is greater than a difference between a maximum sound level and a minimum sound level of the output audio signal. A filter arrangement is communicatively coupled to the automatic level controller. The filter arrangement receives the output audio signal and divides the output signal into a plurality of filtered signals. Each of the filtered signals corresponds to a respective frequency band. A multiband dynamics controller is communicatively coupled to the filter arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2008Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventors: Larry V. Craig, Michael T. Burk
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Patent number: 8191400Abstract: A method of processing signals from an accelerometer/gyroscopic-based input device includes providing the input device within a vehicle. An accelerometer/gyroscopic-based second device is also provided within the vehicle. The input device is manually actuated while the vehicle is in motion. First signals are transmitted from the input device in response to the manually actuating step. Second signals are transmitted from the second device in response to the motion of the vehicle. The first signals are adjusted dependent upon the second signals.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2009Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of AmericaInventor: John Avery
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Patent number: 8189440Abstract: A method of controlling a head for a recording medium includes determining that the head is in an inoperative state, and activating a damping arrangement in response to the determination that the head is inoperative. A movement of the head while the head is inoperative is sensed. The damping arrangement is used in response to the sensing step to exert a force upon the head to thereby damp the movement, a magnitude of the force being dependent upon a parameter of the movement.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2008Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventors: James R. Christ, Michael P. Colalillo, Dallas D. Hickerson
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Patent number: 8073412Abstract: A method of configuring a tuner includes scanning at least one range of radio frequencies, measuring a signal quality metric for each of a plurality of the frequencies, and selecting a set of operational frequencies for the tuner. The selecting step is dependent upon the measuring step.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2007Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, division of Panasonic Coproration of North AmericaInventors: Shree Jaisimha, Mohammad Reza Kanji, Tatsuya Fujisawa
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Patent number: 8063786Abstract: A method of rectifying drowsiness of a vehicle driver includes capturing a sequence of images of the driver. It is determined, based in the images, whether a head of the driver is tilting away from a vertical orientation in a substantially lateral direction toward a shoulder of the driver. The driver is awakened with sensory stimuli only if it is determined that the head of the driver is tilting away from a vertical orientation in a substantially lateral direction toward a shoulder of the driver.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2009Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventor: Jesus Manotas, Jr.
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Patent number: 8064616Abstract: An infotainment system is for a vehicle having a body defining an interior space. The infotainment system includes a playback device receiving and processing a plurality of sets of infotainment data. The infotainment data is organized in a hierarchy. The playback device transmits a plurality of sound signals. Each sound signal corresponds to a respective one of the sets of infotainment data. A plurality of speakers are communicatively coupled to the playback device. Each speaker is disposed at a different respective location within the interior space. Each of the speakers is adapted to receive a respective one of the sound signals and convert the respective sound signal into a corresponding audible sound. A user interface is communicatively coupled to the playback device. The user interface enables a user to navigate between levels of the hierarchy of infotainment data by making selections. Each of the selections corresponds to a respective one of the sets of infotainment data.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2008Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of AmericaInventors: Michael McManus, Larry Vincent Craig, Jeff Senn, Jeremy Koempel
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Patent number: 8064857Abstract: A method of configuring a tuner includes sampling a radio frequency and measuring at least one signal quality metric for the sampled frequency. It is determined whether there is co-channel interference on the sampled frequency based on the measurement of the at least one signal quality metric. The sampled frequency is selected as an operational frequency for the tuner if it was determined in the determining step that there is an absence of co-channel interference on the sampled frequency.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2008Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventors: Shree Jaisimha, Tatsuya Fujisawa, Mohammed Reza Kanji
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Patent number: 7987487Abstract: A vehicle audio/video media system includes an adapter apparatus in electrical communication with an audio/video head unit. The adapter apparatus includes a digital input receiving digital audio/video content from an external source. A digital-to-analog converter is coupled to the digital input and converts the digital audio/video content into analog audio/video content. An output device is coupled to the digital-to-analog converter. The output device transmits the analog audio/video content to the audio/video head unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2006Date of Patent: July 26, 2011Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventors: Mark H. Rackin, Michael T. Burk, Bruce E. Kerkemeyer
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Patent number: 7948726Abstract: There is disclosed an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device and method. An electronic device (100) that employs an exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises an electronic component (106) having a signal input conductor (302). An exemplary ESD protection circuit (200) includes a spark gap (204) in series with a high pass quarter wave transformer (208). The exemplary ESD protection circuit (200) is adapted to discharge an ESD pulse from the signal input conductor (302) of the electronic component (106) to a ground plane (304) via the spark gap (204) and/or the high pass quarter wave transformer (208).Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2008Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventors: Hans A. Troemel, Jr., Brian R. McClure
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Patent number: 7782323Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a system (100) that is adapted to process digital video data. An exemplary embodiment of the system (100) comprises a processor (110) that produces a digital video data stream (112), and a character generator (200) that is adapted to select a pixel data value from one of a plurality of standard data lines (604, 606, 608, 610) to insert into the digital video data stream (112) based on a representation of a character stored in a memory (210) associated with the character generator (200).Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2006Date of Patent: August 24, 2010Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventors: Dallas Dwight Hickerson, Bruce Edward Kerkemeyer
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Patent number: 7756602Abstract: An entertainment system is for a vehicle and includes a vehicle environment sensor apparatus that captures data indicative of the vehicle's environment and that generates a vehicle environment data feed. A video game console is electronically coupled to the vehicle environment sensor apparatus and has an application program interface. The video game console receives the vehicle environment data feed, operates a game medium, and generates a video output signal based on both the game medium and the vehicle environment data feed. At least one controller is communicatively coupled to the video game console and directs the operation of the game medium. A display unit communicatively coupled with the application program interface receives the video output signal and displays images dependent upon the video output signal.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2007Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventors: Jeremy Koempel, Seung Chan Lim, Michael McManus
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Patent number: 7679685Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a system (100) that processes an analog video signal (502), the analog video signal (502) comprising luminance information (408), first chrominance information (410), and second chrominance information (410). An exemplary video system (100) comprises a first time-sampled analog filter (506) that extracts the luminance information (408) from a first aliased copy of the analog video signal (502), a second time-sampled analog filter (508) that extracts the first chrominance information (410) from a second aliased copy of the analog video signal (502), and a third time-sampled analog filter (510) that extracts the second chrominance information (410) from a third aliased copy of the analog video signal (502).Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2006Date of Patent: March 16, 2010Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems of America division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventors: Hans Alfred Troemel, Jr., Dallas Dwight Hickerson
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Patent number: 7477706Abstract: An input signal (IN) is filtered (605) to remove aliases and a switched capacitor network (610) undersamples this signal to provide a downconverted, near-baseband signal. An amplifier (615) adjusts the amplitude of this signal to match a digitizer (620). The digitized output is converted into first phase and second phase signals which are then filtered (640) and decimated (645) to further reduce the sampling rate. The downconverted first and second phase signals, rather than higher frequency signals, control the gain function (AGC) for the amplifier (615). The switched capacitor network (610) provides for both tuning and downconversion of the desired signal to a lower frequency for further processing, thus reducing the frequency and power requirements of an associated amplifier and analog-to-digital converter (digitizer).Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2002Date of Patent: January 13, 2009Assignee: Matsushita Communication Industrial Corporation of U.S.A.Inventor: Hans A. Troemel, Jr.
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Patent number: 7385809Abstract: A push release latch for a display device is provided according to an embodiment of the invention. The push release latch includes a slider portion adapted to slide substantially laterally within a latch receptacle of a housing with respect to an actuation axis A of the push release latch. The slider portion includes a latch projection adapted to engage and retain a display screen and at least one actuator projection that extends from the slider portion. The latch further includes a push portion adapted to travel within the latch receptacle substantially along the actuation axis A. The push portion includes at least one sloped actuation surface that engages the at least one actuator projection of the slider portion. The at least one sloped actuation surface forces the at least one latch projection and the slider portion to move substantially laterally in response to a depression force.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2006Date of Patent: June 10, 2008Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventor: Earl Brian Graffius
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Patent number: 7339117Abstract: A multi-conductor electrical connector member includes a plurality of electrical conductors arranged in a spaced apart and generally parallel side-by-side manner. The plurality of electrical conductors includes a signal source end. At least one electrical discontinuity is formed in a selected subset of the plurality of electrical conductors. The at least one electrical discontinuity is formed proximate the signal source end in order to improve the electromagnetic characteristics of the multi-conductor electrical connector member.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2006Date of Patent: March 4, 2008Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventors: Christopher Timothy Tarte, Hiroyasu Sugiyama
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Patent number: 7126580Abstract: The interface uses a combination of controls that retain essentially the same function throughout all modes and features and controls that vary based on the active mode or feature. The interface also includes a display. The display can provide text information, graphic information or a combination of text and graphics. The arrangement of the mode controls, the soft controls and the display is designed to facilitate the user's interaction with the system. The system provides some redundant controls so that the user can select the control that is most convenient or intuitive for that user.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2003Date of Patent: October 24, 2006Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of AmericaInventors: Kris Hanon, Michael T. Burk, Randall O. Tyner, Jr.
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Patent number: 7126581Abstract: The interface uses a combination of controls. Mode independent controls retain essentially the same function throughout all modes and features and mode dependent controls vary based on the active mode or feature. The arrangement of the mode controls, the soft controls and the display is designed to facilitate the user's interaction with the system. The system provides some redundant controls so that the user can select the control that is most convenient or intuitive for that user. The interface supports a multizone system having a primary zone and one or more secondary zones. Information for the active mode of the active zone is provided via the display.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2004Date of Patent: October 24, 2006Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of AmericaInventors: Mike T. Burk, Jerry A. Rathje, Daisuke Iino, Larry Craig
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Patent number: D530637Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2003Date of Patent: October 24, 2006Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America division of Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventors: Randall O. Tyner, Jr., Michael T. Burk