Patents by Inventor Andrew L. Kennedy

Andrew L. Kennedy 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: 11390260
    Abstract: A parking brake apparatus is provided for a power unit having air brake parking components and to which a towed unit having air brake parking components can be connected. The parking brake apparatus comprises a controller arranged to monitor a pressure signal indicative of a delivery air pressure applied to the air brake parking components of the towed unit when the towed unit is connected to the power unit. The controller is also arranged to provide a status signal indicative of whether or not a towed unit is connected to the power unit based upon the pressure signal. The controller further enables the status signal to be processed to control application or release of any combination of air brake parking components of the power unit and the towed unit to park or unpark the power unit as well as the towed unit, if connected to the power unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: Girish Barade, Christopher H Hutchins, Thomas J Weed, Andrew L Kennedy
  • Patent number: 11318920
    Abstract: A brake controller in a vehicle determines braking profiles that may be exercised while operating the vehicle in autonomous or semi-autonomous conditions to decelerate the vehicle based on received commands or that may be exercised automatically in the event of a failure in a communication network of the vehicle or in other systems or components of the vehicle. The braking profiles decelerate the vehicle according to a deceleration profile. The execution of the deceleration profile may be initiated by a single command message received by the brake controller or it may be determined by the brake controller based on vehicle information. A safe state deceleration profile may be preselected by the controlling devices before the occurrence of a failure or an emergency situation, and then executed by the brake controller upon the occurrence of a failure or emergency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: BENDIX COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas A. Broyles, Subashish Sasmal, Thomas S. Miller, Jr., Andrew L. Kennedy, Phillip J. Kasper
  • Publication number: 20220048490
    Abstract: A parking brake apparatus is provided for a power unit having air brake parking components and to which a towed unit having air brake parking components can be connected. The parking brake apparatus comprises a controller arranged to monitor a pressure signal indicative of a delivery air pressure applied to the air brake parking components of the towed unit when the towed unit is connected to the power unit. The controller is also arranged to provide a status signal indicative of whether or not a towed unit is connected to the power unit based upon the pressure signal. The controller further enables the status signal to be processed to control application or release of any combination of air brake parking components of the power unit and the towed unit to park or unpark the power unit as well as the towed unit, if connected to the power unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: Girish Barade, Christopher H. Hutchins, Thomas J. Weed, Andrew L. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 11203333
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a trailer parking brake status indicator in a tractor is provided that allow an operator to deactivate the indicator when the tractor is operating without a trailer using a pre-existing operator interface. The apparatus includes means for determining whether a trailer is coupled to the tractor and a controller configured to execute, when a determination whether the trailer is coupled to the tractor cannot be made, a process for controlling activation and deactivation of the indicator. The process includes determining whether a speed of the tractor meets a predetermined condition relative to a predetermined speed. The process further includes monitoring, after determining that the speed of the tractor meets the predetermined condition relative to the predetermined speed, for an activation command to activate a parking brake on the trailer. The process further includes deactivating the trailer parking brake status indicator responsive to the activation command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: Andrew L. Kennedy, Christopher H. Hutchins, Daniel P. Zula, Girish Barade, Thomas J. Weed, Linda J. Burns, Rebecca J. Carter
  • Publication number: 20210269000
    Abstract: A brake controller in a vehicle determines braking profiles that may be exercised while operating the vehicle in autonomous or semi-autonomous conditions to decelerate the vehicle based on received commands or that may be exercised automatically in the event of a failure in a communication network of the vehicle or in other systems or components of the vehicle. The braking profiles decelerate the vehicle according to a deceleration profile. The execution of the deceleration profile may be initiated by a single command message received by the brake controller or it may be determined by the brake controller based on vehicle information. A safe state deceleration profile may be preselected by the controlling devices before the occurrence of a failure or an emergency situation, and then executed by the brake controller upon the occurrence of a failure or emergency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Nicholas A. Broyles, Subashish Sasmal, Thomas S. Miller, JR., Andrew L. Kennedy, Phillip J. Kasper
  • Patent number: 11091132
    Abstract: A method and controller are provided for delaying activation of autonomous emergency braking of a host vehicle, based on a determination that autonomous emergency braking is not needed because a forward vehicle in front of the host vehicle is turning out of the path of the host vehicle. The controller receives inputs from sensors arranged on the host vehicle and includes a processor for determining whether and when to activate autonomous emergency braking. The processor includes control logic that determines whether a forward vehicle is present in front of the host vehicle and whether the forward vehicle is expected to turn out of a path of the host vehicle prior to the host vehicle reaching a current position of the forward vehicle. Based on the inputs from the sensors, the control logic determines whether to delay activation of the autonomous emergency braking of the host vehicle for a time value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew L. Kennedy, Jeffrey M. Carbaugh, Nicholas A. Broyles
  • Publication number: 20200324743
    Abstract: A method and controller are provided for delaying activation of autonomous emergency braking of a host vehicle, based on a determination that autonomous emergency braking is not needed because a forward vehicle in front of the host vehicle is turning out of the path of the host vehicle. The controller receives inputs from sensors arranged on the host vehicle and includes a processor for determining whether and when to activate autonomous emergency braking. The processor includes control logic that determines whether a forward vehicle is present in front of the host vehicle and whether the forward vehicle is expected to turn out of a path of the host vehicle prior to the host vehicle reaching a current position of the forward vehicle. Based on the inputs from the sensors, the control logic determines whether to delay activation of the autonomous emergency braking of the host vehicle for a time value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Inventors: Andrew L. KENNEDY, Jeffrey M. CARBAUGH, Nicholas A. BROYLES
  • Publication number: 20200114896
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a trailer parking brake status indicator in a tractor is provided that allow an operator to deactivate the indicator when the tractor is operating without a trailer using a pre-existing operator interface. The apparatus includes means for determining whether a trailer is coupled to the tractor and a controller configured to execute, when a determination whether the trailer is coupled to the tractor cannot be made, a process for controlling activation and deactivation of the indicator. The process includes determining whether a speed of the tractor meets a predetermined condition relative to a predetermined speed. The process further includes monitoring, after determining that the speed of the tractor meets the predetermined condition relative to the predetermined speed, for an activation command to activate a parking brake on the trailer. The process further includes deactivating the trailer parking brake status indicator responsive to the activation command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Andrew L. Kennedy, Christopher H. Hutchins, Daniel P. Zula, Girish Barade, Thomas J. Weed, Linda J. Burns, Rebecca J. Carter
  • Patent number: 10137871
    Abstract: A controller for an adaptive braking system on a host vehicle identifies a first target in a lane of travel of the host vehicle; monitors for an active braking intervention request; monitors for other targets in adjacent lanes of travel to the host vehicle; and transmits a first braking signal at the output to control a braking action at a first braking level in response to receiving the active braking intervention request and identifying no other targets in adjacent lanes of travel to the host vehicle. If the controller identifies a second target in an adjacent lane of travel, then receives a travel signal indicative of change in the direction of travel of the host vehicle toward the second target; it will transmit a second braking signal to control the braking action at a second braking level. The second level of braking is different than the first level of braking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: Michael K. Lesher, Andrew L. Kennedy
  • Publication number: 20180208164
    Abstract: A controller for a driver assistance system comprises an output for transmitting a braking control signal and control logic. The control logic is capable of identifying a target vehicle, determining an intervention zone and determining an edge zone. The controller will transmit the braking control signal to request activation of the brakes on the host vehicle in response to the edge zone being equal to or less than zero and the target vehicle being within the intervention zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Carbaugh, Robert J. Custer, Andrew L. Kennedy, Subashish Sasmal
  • Publication number: 20180118176
    Abstract: A controller for an adaptive braking system on a host vehicle identifies a first target in a lane of travel of the host vehicle; monitors for an active braking intervention request; monitors for other targets in adjacent lanes of travel to the host vehicle; and transmits a first braking signal at the output to control a braking action at a first braking level in response to receiving the active braking intervention request and identifying no other targets in adjacent lanes of travel to the host vehicle. If the controller identifies a second target in an adjacent lane of travel, then receives a travel signal indicative of change in the direction of travel of the host vehicle toward the second target; it will transmit a second braking signal to control the braking action at a second braking level. The second level of braking is different than the first level of braking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Michael K. Lesher, Andrew L. Kennedy