Patents by Inventor Allen R. MURRAY

Allen R. MURRAY has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10542493
    Abstract: Systems and methods for managing communications equipment of a vehicle. The vehicle includes a first modem and a second modem coupled to the first modem. Responsive to the second modem wireless receiving first data for the first modem when the vehicle is in an inactive state, the first modem is in an off state, and the second modem is in a low power state, the vehicle is configured to wake the first modem from the off state, and process the first data via the first modem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Tuan Anh Be, Allen R. Murray, Noorulla Mohammed, David Joseph Orris, Vladyslav Slyusar, Alex Michael Heilala
  • Publication number: 20200008083
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to determine that a first modem, predesignated to provide first communication services, is unable to provide the first communication services. The processor is also configured to determine that the first communication services have priority over second communication services, provided by a second modem predesignated to provide the second communication services. Further, the processor is configured to cease second communication services on the second modem and repurpose the second modem to provide the first communication services, responsive to the priority determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Oliver LEI, Allen R. MURRAY
  • Patent number: 10523565
    Abstract: A telematics control unit (TCU) receives a short message service (SMS) message from a phone number of a mobile device and identifies an updated network address of the mobile device from the message. The TCU sends the updated network address of the mobile device to a packet data network (PDN) server configured to route data traffic between the network address of the mobile device and the vehicle. The PDN server communicates over a data network with a telematics control unit (TCU) of a vehicle and maintains a list of identification numbers of mobile devices and corresponding network addresses of the mobile devices for the TCU. The PDN server receives an updated network address associated with an identification number of a mobile device from the TCU; and updates the list with the updated network address of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray
  • Patent number: 10488209
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to receive a desired departure time and route for upcoming travel, from a vehicle computing system. The processor is also configured to determine a traffic level based on the received time for the received route. The processor is further configured to determine a vehicle charge level and recommend a new route or departure time if the vehicle charge level is projected to be sufficient to achieve travel-completion based on the new route or departure time in accordance with the recommendation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray
  • Patent number: 10484349
    Abstract: A mobile device includes a processor, a transceiver, and a storage maintaining vehicle associations including phone numbers of telematics control units of vehicles. The device is programmed to identify a change in network address of the transceiver; encrypt the changed network address; and send the encrypted network address to the telematics control units using short message service messages addressed to the phone numbers of the telematics control units. A vehicle includes a storage including paired device data having phone numbers and network addresses of mobile devices and a telematics control unit including a firewall and web server. The firewall is programmed to, in response to receipt of a message from one of the phone numbers including a network address of the mobile device, update the storage to indicate the network address as an originating address authorized to use the web server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray
  • Patent number: 10473793
    Abstract: A method is provided of enhancing GPS data of a host vehicle within a cluster. V2V messages within the cluster are exchanged. A respective vehicle having a highest GPS trust factor is identified utilizing GPS data within the V2V messages. The GPS data of the host vehicle is adjusted as a function of GPS position of the identified vehicle and relative position data between the host vehicle and the identified vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Cynthia M. Neubecker, Somak Datta Gupta, Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray
  • Patent number: 10439275
    Abstract: Systems and apparatus are disclosed for a multiple orientation antenna for vehicle communications. An example multiple orientation antenna includes a housing and a first and second set of shutters embedded into the housing. The example multiple orientation antenna also includes a waveguide disposed within the housing defining a first and second set of slot antennas. The slot antennas of the first set of slot antennas are oriented to facilitate horizontal communication. The slot antennas of the second set of slot antennas are oriented to facilitate vertical communication. Additionally, the example multiple orientation antenna includes a rotation motor to rotate the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Perry Robinson MacNeille, Allen R. Murray, Oliver Lei
  • Patent number: 10419916
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to determine availability of multiple cellular network connectivity via a multi-network cellular modem, responsive to detecting a reportable incident. The processor is also configured to place a plurality of simultaneous emergency calls, one on each available connectivity option, via the modem, responsive to the determination of multiple option availability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray
  • Patent number: 10377383
    Abstract: A system includes a processor. The system includes a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to identify a relative area within a specified distance from a first vehicle and free of another vehicle, identify a second vehicle within a second specified distance of the relative area, transmit the relative area to the second vehicle, and navigate the first vehicle to the relative area within a specified time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray
  • Patent number: 10374298
    Abstract: An antenna housing assembly includes: a first housing enclosing an antenna assembly and a grounding plate; a second housing enclosing the first housing and a heating ring defining apertures and comprising resistive heating elements; a wiper blade driven by a motor and rotatable about the second housing to clear snow from an exterior of the second housing. The antenna assembly and the grounding plate are located vertically above a top-most surface of the heating ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tuan Anh Be, Allen R. Murray, David Joseph Orris, Oliver Lei
  • Publication number: 20190223106
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to determine that a vehicle is in a predefined power-preservation state. The processor is also configured to determine a lowest transmit-power available cellular band for vehicle telematics services, responsive to the power-preservation state. The processor is further configured to disable all bands other than the lowest-power available band and use the lowest-power available band for vehicle communication as long as the power-preservation state persists.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray
  • Publication number: 20190219414
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to receive a route request including at least one ride-comfort parameter. The processor is also configured to determine a route including a road for which predefined comfort characteristics corresponding to the ride-comfort parameter meet the included ride-comfort parameter and return the route responsive to completing the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Oliver LEI, Allen R. MURRAY
  • Publication number: 20190208451
    Abstract: A system includes a wireless interface of a cellular tower and a processor of the tower. The processor is programmed to receive a message, including vehicle speed, from a vehicle connected to the tower over first and second network protocols, and responsive to determining that the vehicle speed exceeds a predefined threshold for the first network protocol, renegotiate connection of the vehicle to the tower to use a second network protocol but not the first network protocol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Oliver LEI, Allen R. MURRAY
  • Patent number: 10334394
    Abstract: An illustrative system includes a processor configured to receive a boundary defining a geo-fence and a vehicle identifier. The processor is also configured to associate a plurality of existing dedicated short range communication (DSRC) transceivers with the boundary and send the vehicle identifier to each of the associated DSRC transceivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray
  • Publication number: 20190176830
    Abstract: A system includes a processor. The system includes a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to identify a relative area within a specified distance from a first vehicle and free of another vehicle, identify a second vehicle within a second specified distance of the relative area, transmit the relative area to the second vehicle, and navigate the first vehicle to the relative area within a specified time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray
  • Publication number: 20190174396
    Abstract: A system comprises a processor configured to detect wireless device communication originating from a mobile device. The processor is also configured to determine that the mobile device is within a vehicle interior. The processor is further configured to instruct the mobile device to suppress communication designed to communicate device information to vehicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray
  • Patent number: 10302445
    Abstract: Embodiments include a method for providing navigation guidance to a vehicle using roadside infrastructure communicatively coupled to a wireless network, the method comprising receiving, from a first vehicle, a request for navigation guidance to a destination; determining a first maneuver for navigating towards the destination from an initial location; and transmitting the first maneuver to the first vehicle. Embodiments also include a vehicle comprising a wireless transceiver for communicating with roadside infrastructure forming a wireless network, and a processor configured to: select a first unit included in the roadside infrastructure based on proximity to an initial location of the vehicle; send, to the first unit, a user-entered request for navigation guidance to a destination; and receive, from the first unit, a first maneuver for navigating towards the destination from the initial location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray
  • Patent number: 10305527
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for communicatively coupling mobile devices to wireless local area networks of vehicles. An example vehicle includes a communication module for a wireless local area network including an internal antenna and an external antenna. The example vehicle also includes an antenna adjuster to communicatively couple, in response to determining a mobile device is inside a vehicle cabin, the internal antenna to the mobile device and to communicatively couple, in response to determining the mobile device is outside of the vehicle cabin, the external antenna to the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Tuan Anh Be, Allen R. Murray, David Joseph Orris, Oliver Lei, Noorulla Mohammed, Vladyslav Slyusar
  • Publication number: 20190155319
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to determine that a telematics control unit component temperature is above a predefined maximum temperature. The processor is also configured to send a message to a remote communication server notifying the server that packet communication will be disabled and disable packet communication, responsive to the determination. The processor is further configured to enable binary user-data-embedded SMS message handling for remote commands received from the server, responsive to disabling the packet communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray, Nicholas Colella, Ritesh Pandya
  • Patent number: 10295361
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to navigation systems and methods incorporating altitude data from a Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray