Patents Assigned to Alps Automotive, Inc.
  • Patent number: 7710288
    Abstract: A self-powered sensor detects or measures an event by converting one form of energy into another form. The converted energy may be conditioned and regulated to drive a wireless transmitter and encoder. A receiver may detect and validate a received message. If validated, the message may be processed or decrypted and processed to determine what has been identified or requested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Alps Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Seguchi, James Dulgerian
  • Publication number: 20070182535
    Abstract: A self-powered sensor detects or measures an event by converting one form of energy into another form. The converted energy may be conditioned and regulated to drive a wireless transmitter and encoder. A receiver may detect and validate a received message. If validated, the message may be processed or decrypted and processed to determine what has been identified or requested.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: ALPS AUTOMOTIVE, INC.
    Inventor: Koji Seguchi
  • Patent number: 6961644
    Abstract: A dual haptic system control system in a vehicle includes a first haptic controller disposed on a steering wheel of a vehicle and a second haptic controller disposed on a console separated from the steering wheel. The first haptic controller is a mini-haptic interface that controls a smaller set of functions than the second haptic controller. Redundancies are built in between the first and second haptic controllers so that at least some of the functions of the first haptic controller are also controlled by the second haptic controller. The steering wheel is devoid of stalk switches, with the first and second haptic controllers, in conjunction with switches and menu keys on the steering wheel controlling these functions. The display illustrates the functions that are operable from the present state of the system as buttons that contain both text (of the button function) and graphics (of the button function and any sub-functions available).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Alps Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent Mercier, Ronald William Stencel, James Bruce Dulgerian, Wilhelm Leichtfried, Charles McDowell, Stephen Mezzomo, Eric Strebel, Patrick Ludlow
  • Patent number: 6954134
    Abstract: A crystal-less keyless entry system includes a microprocessor or micro controller, a timing circuit, and a radio frequency circuit. The timing circuit is a unitary part of the microprocessor. When configured to compensate for power up delays in the radio frequency circuit, the microprocessor outputs data having stretch times that compensate for power up delays in the radio frequency circuit. The stretch times do not substantially vary the substantially constant bit time periods of the output data. When configured to detect a switch activation, the microprocessor transmits a bit within a period that includes a debounce time interval. The method of transmitting data using a crystal-less remote keyless entry system includes selecting a bit from a data stream and encoding the bit with a Manchester like encoding process. The Manchester like encoding process debounces a switch between logic levels of the encoded data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Alps Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Wilhelm Leichtfried, Robert Pizzuti
  • Patent number: 6903288
    Abstract: A window switch for a motor vehicle includes a first switch and a second switch. The first switch is position within a vehicle for selecting a window. The second switch is positioned adjacent to the first switch. A rotary motion of the second switch raises or lowers the selected window in discrete increments. A method of controlling the translation of multiple windows within a motor vehicle includes selecting one or more of a passenger or a driver side windows by activating one or more window keys and simultaneously raising or lowering one or more of the selected windows in discrete increments by activating a multifunction switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Alps Automotive, Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis Varga
  • Patent number: 6864800
    Abstract: A crystal-less keyless entry system includes a micro controller, a timing circuit, a memory, and a radio frequency circuit. The memory and timing circuit are a unitary part of the microprocessor. The memory is programmed with a compensation that adjusts an output frequency of the timing circuit such that the output frequency of the timing circuit does not coincide with a frequency discontinuity that occurs within an output of the timing circuit. A method of calibrating the crystal-less keyless entry system includes programming the temperature compensation and a voltage compensation in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Alps Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Wilhelm Leichtfried, Charles McDowell, James Dulgerian
  • Patent number: 6643598
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a remote keyless entry system adjusts a timing circuit that is a unitary part of a microprocessor. The method drives a plurality of inputs to the microprocessor to a logic state, monitors the output of the microprocessor, and programs a calibration factor within the microprocessor based on the output of the microprocessor. The calibration factor controls an output frequency of the timing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Alps Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Wilhelm Leichtfried, Charles McDowell, James Dulgerian
  • Patent number: 5967837
    Abstract: An assembly for mounting an electric/electronic device (300) to a printed circuit board (PCB) (310) of an electronic system. The printed circuit board (310) is provided with first and second openings (311 and 312, respectively). The assembly includes a connector (320) mounted on a first side of the PCB (310) and the device (300) mounted on a second side of the PCB (310), the device (300) including a bushing (302) which extends through the first opening (311) and is fastened to the connector (320) by a nut (330). Male leads (304) of the device (300) are each plugged into a female terminal opening (324) of the connector (320) through the second opening (312). The connector (320) also includes leads having first ends located in the female terminal (323) for contacting the male device leads (304), and second ends which are soldered to conductive traces formed on the PCB (310) for providing connections between the PCB (310) and the device (300). Nut (330) is used to fasten bushing (302) to connector (320).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Alps Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce M. Wolfe, Hirofumi Kawano