Patents Assigned to SMR Patent S.a.r.l.
  • Patent number: 10395125
    Abstract: An object detection and classification system includes at least one image sensor mounted on a vehicle and configured to capture an image of a portion of the environment surrounding the vehicle. The image may be stored and analyzed to detect and classify objects visible in the captured image. Keypoints are extracted from the image and evaluated according to a feature function. A new descriptor function depending on the distance in complex space between a query point and the keypoints in the image and on the feature value of the keypoints may be sampled to produce a sample value. The sample value may trigger a signal to the operator of the vehicle to respond to the object if the sample value classifies the object as satisfying a potential hazard condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: SMR PATENTS S.A.R.L.
    Inventor: Firas Mualla
  • Patent number: 10214140
    Abstract: An elongate automotive illumination assembly includes an elongate housing; at least one light source; an elongate lens having an apex region and a pair of spaced-apart blade portions. The spaced-apart blade portions extend away from the apex region to define a generally V-shaped cross-section with the apex region including an elongate light emitting surface. The blade portions connect to the elongate housing to define an enclosure. An elongate light guide guides light from the at least one light source to the elongate light emitting surface. The elongate light guide includes a body extending away from the light source(s) towards the elongate light emitting surface. The light guide is housed within the enclosure and between the blades of the lens such that the light emitting surface of the light guide is adjacent to the light emitting surface of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SMR Patents S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Simon Belcher, James Dickson, Jacob Messenger, Gary Dekievit, Sam Thoday
  • Patent number: 10202079
    Abstract: An improved rear-view device for a motor vehicle includes an electronic device with at least one housing device, comprising at least one floor piece and a cover piece configured to be arranged on the floor piece. The floor piece and the cover piece, in the joined state, delimit an at least almost completely closed cavity. At least one first retaining means of a retaining unit, fixes the housing device in or on the rear-view device. At least one electronic module comprises at least one conductor unit and at least one contact means connected with the conductor unit. The conductor unit is arranged on a surface of the floor piece and/or cover piece and turned towards the cavity. The conductor unit comprises at least one carrier and at least one conductor track applied directly to the carrier. The contact means extends through the cover piece and/or through the floor piece with at least one protruding contact section and is accessible externally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: SMR Patents S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Andreas Herrmann, Artem Rudi
  • Patent number: 10155484
    Abstract: A rear-view side mirror assembly includes a base for attachment to a vehicle, one or more support arms extending from the base, and a rearview housing attached to the support arm and configured for telescoping movement along the support arm. A camera is attached within the housing. In some cases, the camera is attached to the support arms so as to remain stationary relative to the mirror base and vehicle as the mirror head telescopes inward and outward. An elongated aperture in the mirror head housing ensures that the camera lens is not occluded as the mirror head telescopes between a retracted position and an extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: SMR Patents S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Paul Henion, Darryl Brooks, Gary Sinelli
  • Patent number: 10124722
    Abstract: A control circuit controls at least one lighting device in a vehicle, preferably in a motor vehicle and includes at least a first output channel and at least a second output channel. The first output channel is adapted to provide a first maximum current, and the second output channel is adapted to provide a second maximum current. At least the first and second output channels are suited to be combined into a third output channel, wherein the third output channel provides a third maximum current. The third maximum current corresponds to the sum of at least a share of the first maximum current and at least a share of the second maximum current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: SMR PATENTS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Romeo Wieczorek, Andreas Herrmann
  • Patent number: 10118554
    Abstract: A rear view element folding device for a motor vehicle is disclosed for approaching at least one pivot position of an element housing relative to an element foot that can be mounted on the motor vehicle. The rear view element folding device locks or unlocks at least one resting position of the element housing relative to the element foot. A method for triggering such a rear view element folding device is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: SMR PATENTS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Romeo Wieczorek, Peter Hein, Alexander Czechowicz, Andreas Herrmann
  • Patent number: 10066069
    Abstract: The present invention relates to decorative coatings for plastic substrates, the decorative coatings ideally being stable and durable coatings that are spectrally tunable to permit the selection of a variety of appearances, and ideally providing a decorative metal finish. More particularly the present invention provides for a plastic substrate having a decorative coating including a spectrally controlling system and a stress controlling system. The spectrally controlling system includes alternating absorbing layers and transparent layers, and the stress controlling system controls the overall residual stress of the decorative coating to within a desired range. Further provided are methods for applying to a plastic substrate a decorative coating having a spectrally controlling system and a stress controlling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignees: SMR PATENTS S.A.R.L., THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
    Inventors: Colin James Hall, Drew Raymond Evans, Simon David Field, Dean Caruso
  • Patent number: 10053011
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a driving device of an electric folding type side view mirror for a vehicle, comprising: an upper case (30) in which a motor seating part is formed; an electric motor (40), installed inside the upper case (30), for generating rotation power; a worm gear (11) installed at a rotational axis (14) of the electric motor (40); a worm wheel gear (12), connected to the worm gear (11), for transferring the rotation power; a lower case (20) formed with fixing means (21, 22); a cap spring (14) fixed to the lower case (20) by the fixing means (21, 22) and a cap (13), mounted at a top of the cap spring (14), for receiving a lower end of the rotational axis (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: SMR PATENT S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Il-Sung Yu, Dong Myeong Park
  • Patent number: 9987989
    Abstract: An adjustable rearview device, especially a side-view mirror for a motor vehicle, has a mirror head, a mirror base and at least one joint device. The joint device is arranged between the mirror head and mirror base and includes at least one elastomeric element and an axis of rotation around which the mirror head can move. The mirror head is configured to move, particularly by rotating or folding relative to the mirror base, from a first functional position to at least one second functional position. In the first functional position, the elastomeric element holds the mirror head. In at least one second functional position, the elastomeric element is stretched or compressed. The adjustable rearview device has at least one electrical conductor, which extends at least between the mirror base and mirror head. The electrical conductor is elastically deformable at least in the direction of its longitudinal dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: SMR Patents S.A.R.L.
    Inventor: Andreas Herrmann
  • Patent number: 9974194
    Abstract: An electronic circuit board unit for an electronic module installed in a vehicle rear view device. The electronic circuit board unit has a base plate, at least one printed circuit board, and at least one plug connection for an electronic and physical connection between the printed circuit board and the base plate. The electronic circuit board has at least one first receiver for mounting an electronic consumer unit of the electronic module and being attachable or attached to the base plate or to one of the at least one printed circuit board. There is at least one second connector attachable or attached to the base plate or to the at least one printed circuit board for connecting at least one further electronic consumer unit of the electronic module to the driver circuit of the base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: SMR Patent S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Artem Rudi, Romeo Wieczorek, Andreas Herrmann, Nitesh Shah
  • Patent number: 9942510
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for processing input image data by an image processing device, to reach a desired visual effect within an output image, wherein input image data are stored within an input memory device and the input image data are transferred based on data of a lookup table into respective output image data stored within an output memory device, the lookup table being generated based on at least one data remapping function to reach the desired visual effect, wherein further the entries within the lookup table are arranged in such a way that when processing the lookup table the input memory device is addressed in a sequential reading order; a computer readable medium having stored thereon program code to carry out the inventive method as well as an image processing device to carry out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SMR Patents S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Heinz-Erwin Schäffer, Oleg Konevsky
  • Patent number: 9914393
    Abstract: A pivot mechanism for a vehicle external rear view mirror assembly is disclosed. The mechanism includes: a base frame portion and a case frame portion mounted to the base frame portion for rotation about a pivot axis. A detent is operable between the base frame portion and the case frame portion. A spring mechanism clamps the case frame portion to the base frame portion and includes a compression spring disposed around the axis and a spring tie. The spring has first and second tie ends spaced apart from each other and connected by a tie shaft. The tie shaft passes through the spring. The spring tie shaft includes a spring tie reaction feature, whereby in a deployed position, a torque applied to the case frame portion about an axis orthogonal to the axis by an external force is resisted by the spring tie reaction feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: SMR Patents S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Nathan Di Giusto, Simon Orme, Simon Belcher, Daniel Joseph Flynn
  • Patent number: 9879840
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light guide for a vehicle lighting unit, having at least one light-conducting body, which conducts the light along at least one light direction; and at least one, in particular band-shaped, optically active flat material which interacts with the light guided into the body in order to produce a light effect. The light guide according to the invention is characterized in that the flat material with its longitudinal extension direction along the direction of light of the light-conducting body in the light-conducting body is completely surrounded and embedded by the same at least transversely to the direction of longitudinal extent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: SMR PATENTS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Daniel Fritz, Heiko Hoeber
  • Patent number: 9862321
    Abstract: A rear-view side mirror assembly includes a base for attachment to a vehicle, one or more support arms extending from the base, and a mirror head attached to the support arm and configured for telescoping movement along the support arm. A camera is fixedly attached to the support arm so as to remain stationary relative to the mirror base and vehicle as the mirror head telescopes inward and outward. An elongated aperture in the mirror head housing ensures that the camera lens is not occluded as the mirror head telescopes between a retracted position and an extended position. A lens cleaning system is adapted to wipe the lens clean each time the housing telescopes between inboard and outboard positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: SMR PATENTS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Paul Henion, Darryl Brooks, Gary Sinelli
  • Patent number: 9834145
    Abstract: The invention relates to an actuator for a power fold mechanism of a rear view device for a vehicle, which is preferably for a motor vehicle. The actuator includes at least one actuator pin and at least one drive element arranged on the actuator pin to be rotatable at least partially around the actuator pin. At least one first shape memory alloy (SMA) element, in particular having the form of a SMA wire is connected to the at least one drive element. At least one retraction element is connected to the at least one first SMA element and biased by the retraction element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: SMR PATENTS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Romeo Wieczorek, Michael Swienty
  • Patent number: 9819343
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a capacitive touch panel comprising a transparent panel substrate, a front surface of the substrate comprising a conductive translucent layer which, in use, is visible to a user; at least one light source associated with the back surface, wherein the light source is switchable between an ‘on’ state in which an illuminated icon is visible on the front surface of the cover panel and an ‘off’ state in which the illuminated icon is not visible on the front surface of the cover panel, wherein the light source is switchable from the off state to the on state by a change in capacitance of the conductive translucent layer; at least one switch associated with the back surface, wherein the switch is activable by a user pressing the touch panel in the vicinity of the illuminated icon to provide an output signal capable of performing a function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SMR Patents S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Shane Randell Koehne, Simon David Field, Brad Alexander Gibson, Jacob Heath Messenger
  • Patent number: 9815410
    Abstract: A rear-view side mirror assembly includes a base for attachment to a vehicle, one or more support arms extending from the base, and a mirror head attached to the support arm and configured for telescoping movement along the support arm. A camera is fixedly attached to the support arm so as to remain stationary relative to the mirror base and vehicle as the mirror head telescopes inward and outward. An elongated aperture in the mirror head housing ensures that the camera lens is not occluded as the mirror head telescopes between a retracted position and an extended position. A flexible track covers portions of the elongated aperture on alternate sides of the lens as the housing telescopes relative to the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SMR Patents S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Paul Henion, Darryl Brooks, Gary Sinelli
  • Publication number: 20170320438
    Abstract: A rear-view device for a motor vehicle with vibration damping, includes at least one rear-view element which is mounted in a housing in an adjustable manner relative to the housing via an adjusting drive, where the adjusting drive includes at least one motor which can be adjusted via a control or regulating device in order to adjust the field of view, and the control or regulating device controls or regulates the motor via the energizing process of the motor depending on at least one variable, which is selected from a first detected variable and/or at least one second stored variable, during a driving process in order to counteract movements of the at least one rear-view element relative to the housing by adjusting the motor, said movements being caused in particular by the movements of the motor vehicle during the driving process of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: SMR PATENTS S.A.R.L.
    Inventor: Bernd SÜLZLE
  • Patent number: 9656601
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymeric substrate being coated with a reflective coating, particularly a chromium-based reflective coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignees: SMR Patents S.A.R.L., University Of South Australia
    Inventors: Drew Raymond Evans, Kamil Zuber, Colin James Hall, Simon David Field, David Derry Chamberlain, Andrew Brian Little, Simon Belcher, Eugene Schmirin, Mark Delaine, James Nicholas Dickson
  • Patent number: 9643532
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a lamp for vehicles is disclosed in which a housing, a light conductor, and a clear lens are produced as one unit out of plastic in a 3-component injection procedure. The refractive index of the plastic of the clear lens is selected to be different from the refractive index of the plastic of the light conductor. The boundary between clear lens and the light conductor adjacent to it is formed with a structure. Because of the difference of the two refractive indexes and the structure at the given light admission on at least one light incoupling area at one end of the light conductor, light outcoupling areas are defined along the extent of the light conductor and out of the lamp. The invention furthermore relates to a side-view mirror arrangement of a vehicle having a lamp manufactured in this manner, preferably in the form of a blinker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: SMR PATENTS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Raimund Negel, Arne Schmierer, Daniel Fritz