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).

  • Publication number: 20180124664
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to determine that a cellular signal strength has dropped below a predefined threshold strength. The processor is also configured to request a new cellular carrier from a remote network, responsive to the determination that the signal strength has dropped below the threshold. Also, the processor is configured to receive carrier reprogramming instructions from the remote network, including a new cellular carrier subscription profile and swap a current subscription profile with the new cellular carrier subscription profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Oliver LEI, Allen R. MURRAY
  • Publication number: 20180089918
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for detection and protection against jam intercept and replay attacks. An example disclosed key fob includes a first wireless transceiver tuned to communicate via a first frequency band, second wireless transceiver tuned to communicate via a second frequency band, and a communicator. The first frequency band is different than the second frequency band. The example communicator sends a first message via the first wireless transceiver in response to activation of a first button. Additionally, the example communicator, in response to not receiving a second message via the second wireless transceiver, provides an alert.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Allen R. Murray, Oliver Lei
  • Patent number: 9925920
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes at least one sensor that can detect a first target vehicle in a first blind spot and a second target vehicle in a second blind spot. The first blind spot is associated with an adjacent lane relative to a host vehicle and the second blind spot is associated with an extended lane relative to the host vehicle. A processor can generate a first alert signal when the first target vehicle is detected and a second alert signal when the second target vehicle is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray, Tuan Anh Be, David Joseph Orris
  • Publication number: 20180062996
    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: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Oliver LEI, Allen R. MURRAY
  • Publication number: 20180061238
    Abstract: A roadway lane of a host vehicle is determined based on a sound from an impact between a tire of the host vehicle and a set of protrusions in a roadway. A communication is received from a target vehicle. The communication identifies a roadway lane of the target vehicle. The roadway lane of the host vehicle is compared to the roadway lane of the target vehicle. A vehicle subsystem is controlled in accordance with the communication based at least in part on whether the roadway lane of the host vehicle is the same as the roadway lane of the target vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray
  • Publication number: 20180048060
    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: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Tuan Anh Be, Allen R. Murray, David Joseph Orris, Oliver Lei
  • Patent number: 9894601
    Abstract: A vehicle carrier swap system includes a controller that, in response to a notification indicating first public land mobile network (PLMN) access signal quality is less than a threshold and successful registration with a second PLMN selected from a set of PLMNs made available by at least two subscriber identity modules associated with non-roaming partner carriers according to a priority defined by the carriers, provides network access using the second PLMN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Allen R. Murray, Oliver Lei
  • Publication number: 20180027476
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to wirelessly broadcast connection credentials including host identification, responsive to a group-creation instruction. The processor is also configured to receive a request from a joining vehicle to join a group. The processor is further configured to exchange available cellular connectivity options between a group-creating vehicle and the joining vehicle. Also, the processor is configured to establish a connection with the joining vehicle. The processor is additionally configured to select a connectivity option to provide cellular connectivity for the group and instruct a vehicle corresponding to the connectivity option to serve as a connectivity-host.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Oliver LEI, Allen R. MURRAY
  • Publication number: 20180023972
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to determine a navigation instruction execution location within a predefined distance from a vehicle location. The processor is also configured to communicate with a wireless transceiver to receive information identifying an intervening turn-option location, between the execution location and vehicle location. The processor is further configured to determine a distance between the vehicle location and turn-option location and display the determined distance on a navigation display, until the vehicle passes the turn-option location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Oliver LEI, Allen R. MURRAY
  • Publication number: 20170373384
    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: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Perry Robinson MacNeille, Allen R. Murray, Oliver Lei
  • Publication number: 20170365106
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to wirelessly receive crash indicia from a vehicle. The processor is also configured to access an occupant profile including medical data relating to an occupant of the vehicle, identify a public safety access point (PSAP), and send the medical data to the identified PSAP, in response to the crash indicia.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Oliver LEI, Allen R. MURRAY, Tuan Anh BE
  • Publication number: 20170366521
    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: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Oliver LEI, Allen R. MURRAY
  • Patent number: 9837706
    Abstract: A vehicle may include a conductive housing surrounding an antenna and defining an aperture having a size at least equal to a wavelength of signals radiated by the antenna. A controller may be configured to orient the conductive housing to direct the aperture at a direction of travel to guide electromagnetic radiation from the antenna. The controller may orient the conductive housing in response to receiving a cooperative adaptive cruise control signal from an established platoon of vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Cynthia M. Neubecker, Perry Robinson MacNeille, Omar Makke, Dehua Cui, David Allen Kowalski, Allen R. Murray, Oliver Lei
  • Publication number: 20170341576
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes at least one sensor that can detect a first target vehicle in a first blind spot and a second target vehicle in a second blind spot. The first blind spot is associated with an adjacent lane relative to a host vehicle and the second blind spot is associated with an extended lane relative to the host vehicle. A processor can generate a first alert signal when the first target vehicle is detected and a second alert signal when the second target vehicle is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray, Tuan Anh Be, David Joseph Orris
  • Publication number: 20170342760
    Abstract: An automated system is provided for closing a closure of a motor vehicle. That automated system includes a plurality of closures, a plurality of closure modules for opening and closing that plurality of closures and a control module. The control module is configured to monitor a transmission state of the motor vehicle and an open/close state of the plurality of closures and then close an open closure of the plurality of closures when the transmission is shifted out of park and the open closure is detected. A related method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Tuan Anh Be, Nicholas Colella, Allen R. Murray
  • Patent number: 9830816
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are disclosed for antenna validation for vehicle-to-vehicle communication. An example disclosed vehicle includes a wireless communication module and an antenna calibrator. The example antenna calibrator, for each of a plurality of validation responses received from second vehicles (a) determines an estimated received signal strength based on an estimated open path signal strength loss, and (b) in response to a difference between the estimated received signal strength and an actual received signal strength from the validation response not satisfying a threshold, provides an alert to occupants of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Allen R. Murray, Oliver Lei
  • Publication number: 20170339095
    Abstract: A system includes a vehicle modem; a storage maintaining paired device data including phone numbers of mobile devices; and a web server installed to a telematics control unit connected to a vehicle bus. The web server identifies a change in a network address of the vehicle modem, and in response, sends the changed network address to the mobile devices using short message service (SMS) messages addressed to the phone numbers of the mobile devices. A mobile device identifies a web request as including a hostname of a vehicle; accesses a virtual domain name server of the device to determine whether the mobile device locally maintains a network address for the hostname; if so, initiates a web connection to the network address, and if not, initiates the web connection using a network address resolved from the hostname via a remote domain name server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Oliver LEI, Allen R. MURRAY
  • Publication number: 20170339617
    Abstract: A system includes a vehicle-based processor configured to store SIM profiles of locally connectable wireless devices on a list in vehicle memory. The processor is also configured to monitor the network signal strengths of different networks associated with different SIM profiles as a vehicle travels and, if the signal strength of the presently connected network drops below a predetermined threshold, automatically select and connect to a different cellular network using an associated stored SIM profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Oliver LEI, Allen R. MURRAY, David Joseph ORRIS
  • Publication number: 20170301237
    Abstract: Systems and methods for intersection assistance using dedicated short range communications are disclosed. An example vehicle includes a dedicated short range communication transceiver and an intersection assistor. The example dedicated short range communication transceiver is configured to receive safety messages from other vehicles. The example intersection assistor is configured to, before the vehicle reaches an intersection, determine a likelihood that there will be space for the vehicle on the other side of the intersection, and display a recommendation on whether to proceed through the intersection based on the likelihood.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Perry Robinson MacNeille, Brian Bennie, Allen R. Murray, Cynthia M. Neubecker, Omar Makke, Noorulla Mohammed, Oliver Lei
  • Publication number: 20170298849
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a system and method for providing enhanced operator-controlled fuel saving modes for a vehicle to optimize fuel economy of a vehicle. In one embodiment, the fuel saving optimization system and method enables the operator to create fuel saving configurations which include operator input as to how to operate one or more devices while the vehicle is within a specific locale and under a specific conditions or in response to specific event occurring. The fuel saving optimization system stores each created fuel saving configuration for a future use, and executes each fuel saving configuration when the vehicle is under the specified conditions. In certain embodiments, the input is provided by the operator in real time or can be retrieved via past travel history data on a particular route which is stored in a database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Tuan Anh Be, Mark Douglas Malone, Nicholas Colella, Allen R. Murray