Patents Represented by Attorney Mark L. Mollon, Esq.
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Patent number: 5999955Abstract: An N.sup.th order infinite impulse response digital filter for long-delay filtering of signals representing a digital input sequence. The N.sup.th order infinite impulse response digital filter is synthesized by cascading in series N first order infinite impulse response filter stages. A filter stage operable on a digital computer with floating point capability is provided and comprises a multiplier which multiplies an input signal with a weighting factor. A summing element provides an output for the filter stage by summing the weighted input signal with a weighted and delayed output signal. A filter operable on a digital computer with fixed point capability is provided and comprises a summing element which sums an input signal with the output of a first multiplier, and the delayed output of a mask element. The output of the summing element is coupled to the input of a second multiplier and to the input of the mask element.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 1997Date of Patent: December 7, 1999Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Leighton Ira Davis, Jr., Robert Wayne Matteson
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Patent number: 5801893Abstract: A method for adaptively detecting when portion of a magnetic tape is wrapped around a capstan of a magnetic tape cassette player includes the steps of transferring the magnetic tape from a supply reel to a take-up reel for a first rotation of the take-up reel, passing the magnetic tape across the capstan when the magnetic tape is being transferred, measuring a first set of pulses of a signal during the first rotation of the take-up reel, measuring a subsequent set of pulses during each subsequent set of a take-up reel, and stopping the rotation of the take-up reel when the subsequent set of pulses varies from the subsequent of pulses immediately proceeding to prevent the magnetic tape from wrapping around the capstan.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 1996Date of Patent: September 1, 1998Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventors: Kenneth Christopher Miller, Max Cannon Chapman, Daniel Thomas Donaldson
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Patent number: 5784466Abstract: An interference detection assembly is disclosed for detecting interference generated from a plurality of signals received by a receiver having a single output signal, the interference detection assembly including a synchronous demodulator having an input line electrically connected to a receiver to receive the single output signal therefrom, the synchronous demodulator converting the single output signal to generate an intermediate frequency signal, the synchronous demodulator having a Q-channel output transmitting a phase of the single output signal out therefrom, and a pilot detector electrically connected to the Q-channel output to receive the phase of the output signal to detect interference.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 1997Date of Patent: July 21, 1998Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventors: John Elliott Whitecar, Richard Bruce Harris
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Patent number: 5751148Abstract: A method for detecting an electrical connection between an antenna system and a receiver for a motor vehicle, the receiver having an automatic gain control with a variable impedance and a PIN diode connected therebetween, includes the steps of increasing the variable impedance of the automatic gain control, measuring signal strength of a signal received from the antenna system, decreasing the variable impedance of the automatic gain control, measuring the signal strength of the signal receiving from the antenna system, correlating the signal strength to the variable impedance to generate a correlation, and determining whether the antenna system is electrically connected to the receiver based on the correlation of the signal strength to the variable impedance.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 1996Date of Patent: May 12, 1998Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventors: John F. Kennedy, Andrew Adrian
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Patent number: 5739695Abstract: A method is disclosed for dynamically testing a radio system having output terminals connectable to a speaker system in a motor vehicle wherein the method utilizes a dynamometer, a transverse electromagnetic cell, a signal generator and a signal analyzer and includes the steps of placing the motor vehicle in the transverse electromagnetic cell, connecting the output terminals to the signal analyzer, operating the motor vehicle on the dynamometer inside the transverse electromagnetic cell, generating a signal using the signal generator, transmitting the signal from the signal generator to the transverse electromagnetic cell, emitting the signal onto the motor vehicle, and measuring an output signal generated by the radio system at the output terminals using the signal analyzer.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 1996Date of Patent: April 14, 1998Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Richard David Zerod, Richard William Kautz
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Patent number: 5732382Abstract: A method for identifying engine combustion failure of an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, a crankshaft and a crankshaft position sensor includes the steps of operating the internal combustion engine to rotate the crankshaft, measuring rotational quantities of the crankshaft corresponding to events created by each of the plurality of cylinders during operation of the internal combustion engine, correcting the rotational quantities measured to remove periodic position irregularities to generate a corrected temporal signal, generating an acceleration signal of the crankshaft using the corrected temporal signals, and identifying combustion failures as a function of the acceleration signal. A time-lagged recurrent neural network utilizes the acceleration signal, along with other engine parameters to identify the cylinder-specific misfire events.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 1996Date of Patent: March 24, 1998Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Gintaras Vincent Puskorius, Lee Albert Feldkamp, Kenneth Andrew Marko, John Victor James, Timothy Mark Feldkamp
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Patent number: 5732372Abstract: A method for determining a center position of a vehicle steering system, said method comprising the steps of reading a plurality of predetermined inputs. The method includes the steps of roughly estimating a center position of the vehicle steering system after the vehicle begins moving based upon the read predetermined inputs and determining whether the steering wheel of the vehicle steering system is approximately straight. The method further includes the steps of accurately estimating a center position of the vehicle steering system if the steering wheel of the vehicle steering system is approximately straight and concluding that the accurately estimated center position is the center position of the vehicle steering system if the steering wheel of the vehicle steering system is approximately straight and Concluding that the roughly estimated center position is the center position of the vehicle steering system if the steering wheel of the vehicle steering system is not approximately straight.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 1995Date of Patent: March 24, 1998Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Douglas William Marsden
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Patent number: 5710548Abstract: A transmitter direction identifier is disclosed in conjunction with an automotive keyless entry assembly. The transmitter direction identifier includes a transmitter for sending a coded signal; a receiver for receiving the coded signal from the transmitter; a spatial differentiator for identifying the direction of the transmitter relative to a receiver from the coded signal received from the transmitter, the spatial differentiator creating a location signal; and a control unit electrically connected to the spatial differentiator wherein the control unit converts the location signal into command signal for subsequent use.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 1995Date of Patent: January 20, 1998Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventor: Thomas John LeMense
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Patent number: 5625518Abstract: A clamping circuit for protecting circuits operatively connected between a control circuit, a driving circuit, a power source, and an output circuit includes an inductive flyback circuit to add current to the output circuit through the driving circuit, and a reverse power protection circuit operatively connected between the inductive flyback circuit and the control circuit wherein the reverse power protection circuit opens the inductive flyback circuit and provides an electrical connection between the power source and the output circuit allowing current to flow through the output circuit when the power source is connected to the driving circuit incorrectly.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 1995Date of Patent: April 29, 1997Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventor: Gregory D. Bober
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Patent number: 5587524Abstract: A misfire detection assembly, used in conjunction with a motor vehicle having a fuel injector, an internal combustion engine and at least one output sensor, includes: a correlator which is electrically connected to the fuel injector and the output sensor wherein the correlator correlates firing events created by the fuel injector with an output signal created by the output sensor; a filter electrically connected to the correlator to receive the output signal and to compare the output signal against a variable threshold signal created by the filter; and a recorder, electrically connected to the filter, to record the firing events which exceed the variable threshold signal and those which do not exceed the variable threshold signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 1995Date of Patent: December 24, 1996Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventors: Richard J. Hampo, Kenneth A. Marko, Bruce D. Bryant
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Patent number: 5552781Abstract: A fault tolerant method of decoding an electronic key system includes the steps of reading a key return image from one or more actuated keys and comparing the read key return image to the previous key return image. The method also includes the steps of determining the actuated key from a net key return image between the read key return image and the previous key return image.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 1994Date of Patent: September 3, 1996Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventor: Paul M. Progar