Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Tuttle
  • Patent number: 7870848
    Abstract: A system for managing fuel-vapor emission from a fuel tank of a vehicle using a vortex-effect flow separator coupled in the fuel-vapor purging system of the vehicle. The warmer-flow outlet of the separator is coupled to the engine intake, and the cooler-flow outlet is coupled to the fuel tank. In this way, less fuel vapor is delivered to the engine intake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Shane Elwart, Michael Igor Kluzner, James Michael Kerns
  • Patent number: 7872668
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods for receiving a local input video signal, processing the video signal, and providing a processed video signal to a local digital television display panel. A communications port includes an Ethernet or other communications network connector for allowing access to the video signal processing system by a remote device. This allows a remote user to remotely diagnose, debug, and even modify operation of the video signal processing system. In certain examples, this involves downloading a Lua script that can take partial or complete control over operation of the video signal processing system from resident instruction code. In certain examples, the video signal processing system includes pipelined image analysis or processing stages. Video signal data intermediate to such processing, or the processed video signal being provided to the local display can be communicated to the remote user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: John Mead, Carl J. Ruggiero, Thomas Moxon
  • Patent number: 7866148
    Abstract: A method of operating an engine for a vehicle includes operating the cylinder to achieve controlled autoignition of an air and a fuel mixture within the cylinder. During a transient condition, such as a gear change, an exhaust throttle is adjusted to maintain controlled autoignition within the cylinder. In this way, it is possible to sustain autoignition operation throughout the gear change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Jonathan O'Neill
  • Patent number: 7869666
    Abstract: An image processing system and method, in which a plurality of image processing operations are dynamically controlled based on dynamically changing tag data associated with pixels being processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventor: Carl J. Ruggiero
  • Patent number: 7869933
    Abstract: A method of operation for an engine including an electrically actuated engine valve in a cylinder head, with at least an actuator coupled to the valve, the method including applying a potential to generate a current indicative of temperature in the actuator at least partially during a substantially non-moving condition of the actuator and adjusting a timing of the application of the potential based on valve location in the cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yan Wang, Alex O'Connor Gibson, Vladimir V. Kokotovic, Allan Roy Gale, Philip Thomas Koneda, Allan Joseph Kotwicki, Marvin Paul Kraska
  • Patent number: 7869930
    Abstract: A method of controlling fuel supplied to an engine is provided. The engine includes at least one cylinder having a port injection fuel injector being supplied with fuel from at least one of a first fuel storage tank and a second fuel storage tank and a direct injection fuel injector being selectively supplied with fuel from one of the first fuel storage tank and the second fuel storage tank. The method includes at a first condition, supplying at least some of a second type of fuel from the second fuel storage tank to the direct injection fuel injector and supplying at least some of a first type of fuel from the first fuel storage tank to the port injection fuel injector, and at a second condition, supplying at least some of the first type of fuel from the first fuel storage tank to the direct injection fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Albert Stein, Kevin Durand Byrd
  • Patent number: 7869929
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling an internal combustion engine are provided. The method may include opening and closing an intake valve respectively at first opening and closing timings of a cylinder cycle during an engine start when a temperature of the internal combustion engine is below a predetermined temperature, and opening and closing the intake valve respectively at second opening and closing timings of a cylinder cycle during an engine start when a temperature of the internal combustion engine is above the predetermined temperature. The second closing timing may be later than the first closing timing and after a bottom dead center of an intake stroke of the cylinder cycle. The second opening timing may be earlier than the first opening timing, and a difference between the first and second closing timings may be greater than a difference between the first and second opening timings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Sugihara
  • Patent number: 7866303
    Abstract: A method for starting an internal combustion engine having direct fuel injection, comprising of adjusting a number of direct injections per combustion cycle based on a cylinder event number from a first cylinder event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Storhok, Eric Curtis, Zheng Xu, Jianwen Yi, Eric Krengel
  • Patent number: 7867133
    Abstract: A method for controlling an engine and a supplemental torque apparatus of a vehicle, such as a hybrid vehicle. During a transient gear change where the engine temporarily encounters a low load and low speed operating condition, the system increases loading on the engine via the supplemental torque apparatus so that a cylinder can continue auto-ignition combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Themi Philemon Petridis, Jonathan O'neill, Harald Stoffels
  • Patent number: 7869932
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for controlling engine operation of an engine that may be shut-down during engine idle stop conditions. The engine may include a high pressure direct injection fuel system. In one embodiment, a method stops the engine when a temperature of a fuel rail is below a threshold during a selected engine idle stop condition. On the other hand, when the temperature of the fuel rail is above the threshold, engine operation is maintained during the selected engine idle stop condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Mathew Alan Boesch
  • Patent number: 7870204
    Abstract: An e-mail system is disclosed that overcomes many deficiencies of, but is backward compatible with, existing e-mail systems. Embodiments of the system may include various features, including but not limited to: (1) secure transfer of e-mail messages, without the need for users to replace existing e-mail clients or to change e-mail addresses; (2) tracking of all actions performed in connection with an e-mail transmission; (3) the ability for a recipient to view information about an e-mail message, optionally including information about how other addressees have responded to it, before deciding whether to retrieve the e-mail message; (4) the aggregation of entire e-mail conversations into a single threaded view; (5) the ability to include both private and public messages in a single e-mail communication; (6) sender control over downstream actions performed in connection with an e-mail message; (7) flexible control over cryptographic methods used to encrypt emails messages for storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: 0733660 B.C. Ltd.
    Inventors: Thierry LeVasseur, Esteban Astudillo, Matt McLean, Derek Houg, Kung Ming Chen, Jeremy Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 7866702
    Abstract: An energy absorbing anchor for securing a child safety seat to a mounting portion of a vehicle and coupling to a tether of the child safety seat is provided. The energy absorbing anchor comprises a bracket including a first end having a tether coupling portion, and a tapered hole having a wide portion adjacent to the first end and a narrow portion opposite to the first end; and a protrusion extending through the tapered hole to secure the bracket to the mounting portion of the vehicle wherein the protrusion is positioned to be adjacent to the wide portion of the tapered hole and wherein the narrow portion of the tapered hole is narrower than a width of the protrusion; wherein, when the bracket is pulled in tension, the protrusion is drawn along a length of the tapered hole towards the narrower portion, thereby deforming a portion of walls of the tapered hole to widen the tapered hole, the walls of tapered hole being configured to increasingly absorb energy as a width of the tapered hole decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Murphy, Reddy Malapati
  • Patent number: 7870205
    Abstract: An e-mail system is disclosed that overcomes many deficiencies of, but is backward compatible with, existing e-mail systems. Embodiments of the system may include various features, including but not limited to: (1) secure transfer of e-mail messages, without the need for users to replace existing e-mail clients or to change e-mail addresses; (2) tracking of all actions performed in connection with an e-mail transmission; (3) the ability for a recipient to view information about an e-mail message, optionally including information about how other addressees have responded to it, before deciding whether to retrieve the e-mail message; (4) the aggregation of entire e-mail conversations into a single threaded view; (5) the ability to include both private and public messages in a single e-mail communication; (6) sender control over downstream actions performed in connection with an e-mail message; (7) flexible control over cryptographic methods used to encrypt emails messages for storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: 0733660 B.C. Ltd.
    Inventors: Thierry LeVasseur, Esteban Astudillo, Matt McLean, Derek Houg, Kung Ming Chen, Jeremy Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 7861515
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a performance of an oxygen sensor is disclosed. One embodiment comprises determining a first air/fuel ratio from a signal from an exhaust oxygen sensor; determining a second air/fuel ratio from a temperature upstream of the particulate filter, a pressure differential across the particulate filter and one or more of an airflow into the engine and a fuel flow into the engine; comparing the first air/fuel ratio and the second air/fuel ratio; and diagnosing an error condition of the oxygen sensor if the first air/fuel ratio does not meet a predetermined condition relative to the second air/fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Avra Brahma
  • Patent number: 7865310
    Abstract: An information provision apparatus mounted in a driver's vehicle, including a vehicle approach determiner configured to execute a vehicle approach determination process to determine whether or not an opponent vehicle is likely to approach the driver's vehicle at a future time, based on driving information including information as to whether a blinker of the driver's vehicle is in an on-state or in an off-state at a current time, and driving information including information as to whether a blinker of the opponent vehicle is in an on-state or in an off-state, and a notification device configured to inform a driver driving the driver's vehicle of an opponent vehicle that is likely to approach the driver's vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Nakano, Akira Nakaya
  • Patent number: 7865290
    Abstract: A system for controlling a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine with electromagnetic valve actuation, comprising of at least one cylinder with an engine cylinder valve, a second controller operably coupled to the engine cylinder valve, said second controller configured to adjust at least one of the valve opening and closing timing of the engine cylinder valve, and a first controller connected with the second controller over a first link and a second link, wherein the first controller is configured to send an engine position indication signal to the second controller over the first link and receive a status signal from the second controller over the second link, and wherein the first controller outputs a synchronization degradation signal responsive to a synchronization error between the engine position indication signal and the status signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alex O'Connor Gibson, Donald Lewis, Nate Trask, Brian C. Moorhead, Vincent J. Winstead
  • Patent number: 7856976
    Abstract: A gas mask with device for supplying a liquid into the interior space of the gas mask includes a feed tube (6) for drinking liquid that can be fastened to the mask body of the gas mask (3) in a simple manner. A circumferential bead (10) with holes (11), into which a closing plug (8) on the gas mask (3) can be inserted, is provided on the feed tube (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Drager Safety AG & Co. KGaA
    Inventor: Ruediger Mueller
  • Patent number: 7856978
    Abstract: An anesthesia apparatus with a breathing circuit (1) has improved initiation of anesthesia for the patient. The gas mixture dispensed into the breathing circuit (1) is circulated in a first operating state without release to a patient until a preset anesthetic concentration is set in the breathing circuit (1). The respiration of the patient connected to the anesthesia apparatus takes place in a subsequent second operating state with the gas mixture set in the first operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Dräger Medical GmbH
    Inventor: Ralf Dittmann
  • Patent number: D629690
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Inventors: Jeff Cresswell, Donald G. Carlson
  • Patent number: D629691
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Inventors: Jeff Cresswell, Donald G. Carlson