Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Mark Mollon
  • Encapsulated product and method of manufacture
    Patent number: 5319522
    Abstract: A method is provided for encapsulating an object with a heat-shrinkable material prior to subjecting the encapsulated object to insert, injection molding. The encapsulation protects the object from thermal damage by preventing contact with the injected polymer. In addition, the encapsulation protects the object from contact by any liquids or other foreign materials which penetrate the molded enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Rajendra M. Mehta
  • Dual mode phase-locked loop
    Patent number: 5315623
    Abstract: A phase-locked loop is provided for operating in either a steady-state mode or a transient mode. The steady-state mode obtains high rejection of noise disturbances to maintain lock of the phase-locked loop. The transient mode provides a near deadbeat response in order to quickly acquire a new phase-locked loop frequency when a new frequency command is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1994
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Yao H. Kuo
  • Integrated active vibration cancellation and machine diagnostic system
    Patent number: 5313407
    Abstract: A machine analyzer is connected to an active vibration cancellation system in order to identify the operating status of the moving machinery while using a minimum of additional parts and taking advantage of signal processing already occurring in the active vibration cancellation system. A preferred embodiment employs a neural network pattern classifier in connection with detecting operating states such as cylinder misfires in an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Timothy A. Tiernan, Earl R. Geddes, Mark L. Mollon
  • System and method for filtering a misfire detecting data stream to yield optimum measurement of misfire rate
    Patent number: 5305635
    Abstract: System and method for filtering a misfire data stream having numerical values that indicate whether a firing of a cylinder was a misfire or a proper firing, to yield an optimum measurement misfire-rate for accurate and rapid determination of whether an engine is misfiring beyond a threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: John V. James, Nathan R. Soderborg, Timothy M. Feldkamp
  • Adjacent channel controller for radio receiver
    Patent number: 5307515
    Abstract: The radio receiver of the present invention detects the presence of adjacent channel interference in either the lower adjacent channel or the upper adjacent channel and shifts the received signals to remove the adjacent channel interference from the intermediate frequency passband, but only if the other adjacent channel is clear. A maximum amount of the desired signal is retained so that modulation distortion is low. Frequency limits for shifting of the desired signals prevent undesirable amounts of phase distortion from being introduced into the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Yao H. Kuo, John F. Kennedy
  • Multiple mode cellular telephone control device
    Patent number: 5303288
    Abstract: A mobile communication apparatus such as a cellular telephone for automotive use is provided with selectable modes for accessing stored telephone numbers either by speed-dial codes (i.e., memory storage location) or alphabetic names associated with each telephone number. A user interface is employed having an alpha mode for displaying and entering alphabetic names corresponding to telephone numbers. The alpha mode includes a jump function and a scrolling function for browsing stored alphabetic names. A normal mode is provided for storing telephone numbers at desired storage locations. A speed-dial mode is also provided for instant dialing of the most frequently called numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Paul E. Duffy, Jeffrey N. Golden, Louis J. Bresinski, Jr., Danny N. Korovesis
  • Printed circuit board having a commonized mounting pad which different sized surface mounted devices can be mounted
    Patent number: 5303122
    Abstract: The present invention provides a printed circuit board having a unique commonized pad upon which different sized surface mounted devices can be mounted. The preferred form of the commonized pad comprises two electrically conductive pads, each having a tapered portion that electrically connects a narrow portion to a wide portion. The present invention is advantageous over known pads in that it (1) allows for using different sizes of surface mounted devices without redesign and (2) it does not require wasting what might otherwise be antiquated inventory or continuation of an old process to use up what would be antiquated inventory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Clifford G. Adams, Jr., Donald P. Beaudoin, Arturo Ruiz-Miramontes
  • RF filter self-alignment for multiband radio receiver
    Patent number: 5280638
    Abstract: A variable frequency RF passband filter is aligned or calibrated to maximize the sensitivity of a radio receiver using reference frequencies obtained using a fixed frequency oscillator present in a different band tuning section of a multiband receiver. The intermediate frequencies of the various band sections of the multiband receiver are selected whereby a fixed frequency source in one band corresponds to an intermediate frequency employed in the band for which the tunable RF filter is being aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1994
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Sylvester P. Porambo, Robert D. Plowdrey
  • Fault detection and isolation in automotive wiring harness by time-domain reflectometry
    Patent number: 5268644
    Abstract: An automotive electrical system including a wiring harness incorporates the dedicated test line passing through critical connectors and components for allowing detection and isolation of improperly connected connectors. The dedicated test line can feed through expansion connectors, termination connectors, and junction blocks. Connector fault detection and isolation is achieved using time-domain reflectometry after final assembly, during vehicle servicing, or on-board during vehicle usage. A large number of expensive and inconvenient vehicle quits and tow-in's are avoided that would otherwise occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: David J. Klassen, Edward G. Anderson
  • Fault detection and isolation in automotive wiring harness including dedicated test line
    Patent number: 5264796
    Abstract: An automotive electrical system including a wiring harness incorporates a dedicated test line passing through critical connectors and components for allowing detection and isolation of improperly connected connectors. The dedicated test line can feed through expansion connectors, termination connectors, and junction blocks. Connector fault detection and isolation can be performed as a test after final assembly and during vehicle servicing. A large number of expensive and inconvenient vehicle quits and tow-in's are avoided that would otherwise occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1993
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: David J. Klassen, Edward G. Anderson
  • Digital anti-slosh system
    Patent number: 5257300
    Abstract: The input voltage from a fuel tank level sender is processed by an anti-slosh circuit which has a short time constant during a fast acquire operation and a longer time constant during normal operation. The slew rate of the output voltage provided to a gauge is determined by the clock rate of an up/down counter which is determined by switched resistances and a small valued capacitor. Either analog or digital anti-slosh outputs are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1993
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Robert M. Bennett, James T. Beaudry
  • Digitally controlled audio amplifier with voltage limiting
    Patent number: 5255324
    Abstract: An audio system employs a microcontroller to supervise the operation of an audio system including a digitally controlled audio processor which controls at least a wideband and a narrowband gain for the audio signal. The narrowband gain may preferably comprise a bass boost to the audio signal. Clipping distortion of the audio signal is avoided by sensing clipping in a power amplifier and reducing the digital commands for the wideband gain and the narrowband gain according to a method which reduces narrowband gain in preference to the wideband gain. After the narrowband gain is reduced to a predetermined gain, the wideband gain may be reduced if clipping persists. When clipping ceases, the narrowband gain is likewise restored to its original gain in preference to restoring of the wideband gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1993
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: James E. Brewer, Peter S. Abowd, Frank W. Raffaeli
  • Multipath noise minimizer for radio receiver
    Patent number: 5249233
    Abstract: A frequency modulation (FM) stereo broadcast receiver detects the onset of multipath interference and initiates corrective action to minimize the audible effects of multipath. Under an unacceptable multipath interference condition, a multipath detection signal disables the FM RF mixer thereby preventing any further energy in the multipath event from entering succeeding sections of the receiver. This action reduces noise generated by multipath interference and allows the output to return to normal in a shorter time. In another aspect of the invention, a phase-locked loop employed in a stereo decoder circuit is latched during the multipath disturbance in order to avoid rapid changes in the phase of the regenerated pilot employed in the stereo decoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1993
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: John F. Kennedy, Robert D. Plowdrey
  • Integrated cellular telephone and vehicular audio system
    Patent number: 5243640
    Abstract: An output transducer and amplifier are shared between an audio system and a cellular Phone in an automotive vehicle. An interface arbitrates between the program audio signals and the phone audio signals to select or deselect each of the audio signals depending on the status of each audio source. When only one source is in use then normally the audio signals from that source are selected. If both sources are turned on but a phone call is not in progress, then audio signals from both sources are simultaneously presented to the output transducers after summing. When a call is in progress, only the phone audio signals are selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1993
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Darby E. Hadley, Nicholas L. DiFiore, Jeffrey N. Golden
  • Frequency multiplexed analog-digital conversion
    Patent number: 5227794
    Abstract: A single analog-digital converter (either analog-to-digital or digital-to-analog) is employed to simultaneously digitize both an AC information signal and a low frequency or DC control signal. The separate signals are added prior to conversion and are separated according to their frequency after conversion. Thus, a DC control signal can be digitized without the need for a second converter and without substantially reducing the dynamic range available for converting the main information signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: J. William Whikehart
  • Digital quadrature radio receiver with two-step processing
    Patent number: 5222144
    Abstract: A digital signal processing (DSP) radio receiver employs a conventional analog RF tuner to produce an analog intermediate frequency. The receiver performs DSP functions of digitally sampling the analog intermediate frequency at a sampling rate f.sub.s, concurrently mixing, filtering, and sample-rate reducing the sampled intermediate frequency using a digital filter for inherently generating a near-zero complex intermediate frequency signal, and synchronously detecting the complex IF signal. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is employed to reproduce AM stereo signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: J. William Whikehart
  • Muting circuit using common mode rejection of differential amplifier
    Patent number: 5208865
    Abstract: Differential signals are employed in a distributed audio system to improve noise immunity of the low level differential signals transmitted between a main unit and a power amplifier. The power amplifier may be in an auxiliary output unit which is locally muted by employing a field-effect transistor connected between the differential signals. When the field-effect transistor is turned on by a mute signal, the common mode rejection of the differential amplifier is employed to mute the amplifier output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: James W. Friske, Andrew C. Krochmal
  • Front control panel for a combined automotive radio and cassette player
    Patent number: D334572
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: John T. Gauthier, Robert P. Scott, Jeff Burgy, John P. Stoddard, Robin Sarre
  • Control panel for an automotive radio/cassette
    Patent number: D343842
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1994
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: James H. Fowler, Nevenka Schumaker
  • Cellular phone remote control device
    Patent number: D346805
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Kyu D. Kim