Patents by Inventor Andy Woodrich

Andy Woodrich 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: 11840130
    Abstract: A virtual visor system is disclosed that includes a visor having a plurality of independently operable pixels that are selectively operated with a variable opacity. A camera captures images of the face of a driver or other passenger and, based on the captured images, a controller operates the visor to automatically and selectively darken a limited portion thereof to block the sun or other illumination source from striking the eyes of the driver, while leaving the remainder of the visor transparent. The virtual visor system advantageously adopts a gradient blocking mode for the optical state of the visor that includes a blocker and a transition gradient, which has the effect of making updates to optical state of the visor less distracting. Additionally, the transition gradient in the optical state of the visor makes the virtual visor system more robust against errors in positioning the blocker on the visor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ryan Todd, Jason Zink, Andy Woodrich
  • Patent number: 11813990
    Abstract: A virtual visor system is disclosed that includes a visor having a plurality of independently operable pixels that are selectively operated with a variable opacity. A camera captures images of the face of a driver or other passenger and, based on the captured images, a controller operates the visor to automatically and selectively darken a limited portion thereof to block the sun or other illumination source from striking the eyes of the driver, while leaving the remainder of the visor transparent. The virtual visor system advantageously updates the optical state with blocker patterns that including padding in excess of what is strictly necessary to block the sunlight. This padding advantageously provides robustness against errors, allows for a more relaxed response time, and minimizes frequent small changes to the position of the blocker in the optical state of the visor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ryan Todd, Jason Zink, Andy Woodrich
  • Publication number: 20230020536
    Abstract: A virtual visor system is disclosed that includes a visor having a plurality of independently operable pixels that are selectively operated with a variable opacity. A camera captures images of the face of a driver or other passenger and, based on the captured images, a controller operates the visor to automatically and selectively darken a limited portion thereof to block the sun or other illumination source from striking the eyes of the driver, while leaving the remainder of the visor transparent. The visor system advantageously detects certain combinations of facial expression and head gestures from which an error or issue with the operation of the visor system can be inferred. In response to such designated combinations of head gestures and facial expressions, the visor system adapts one or more operating or calibration parameters of the visor system to provide more accurate updates to the optical state of the visor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Ryan Todd, Jason Zink, Andy Woodrich
  • Publication number: 20230009396
    Abstract: A virtual visor system is disclosed that includes a visor having a plurality of independently operable pixels that are selectively operated with a variable opacity. A camera captures images of the face of a driver or other passenger and, based on the captured images, a controller operates the visor to automatically and selectively darken a limited portion thereof to block the sun or other illumination source from striking the eyes of the driver, while leaving the remainder of the visor transparent. The virtual visor system advantageously updates the optical state with blocker patterns that including padding in excess of what is strictly necessary to block the sunlight. This padding advantageously provides robustness against errors, allows for a more relaxed response time, and minimizes frequent small changes to the position of the blocker in the optical state of the visor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Ryan Todd, Jason Zink, Andy Woodrich
  • Publication number: 20220396127
    Abstract: A virtual visor system is disclosed that includes a visor having a plurality of independently operable pixels that are selectively operated with a variable opacity. A camera captures images of the face of a driver or other passenger and, based on the captured images, a controller operates the visor to automatically and selectively darken a limited portion thereof to block the sun or other illumination source from striking the eyes of the driver, while leaving the remainder of the visor transparent. The virtual visor system advantageously adopts a gradient blocking mode for the optical state of the visor that includes a blocker and a transition gradient, which has the effect of making updates to optical state of the visor less distracting. Additionally, the transition gradient in the optical state of the visor makes the virtual visor system more robust against errors in positioning the blocker on the visor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Inventors: Ryan Todd, Jason Zink, Andy Woodrich
  • Patent number: 11442300
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle comprises a medium arranged in front of a target in the vehicle, a target monitoring system arranged in front of the target in the vehicle capturing an image or a profile of the target, and a processing unit communicatively coupled the target monitoring camera to the medium, analyzed the captured image or profile of the target, wherein the processing unit arranged to analyze the obtained images or profile of the target and cause the medium to switch from a transparent mode to an opaque mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ryan P. Todd, Jason Zink, Andy Woodrich
  • Patent number: 10699651
    Abstract: A modular virtual visor system is for a vehicle disclosed. The modular virtual visor system includes camera for detecting an illumination level on a face of a driver; a plurality of LCD panel modules mounted within the vehicle, and a controller. Each LCD panel module has LCD pixels configured to, (i) in an opaque state, block light from passing through the LCD screen and, (ii) in a transparent state, allow light to pass through the LCD panel module. The controller is configured to selectively operate each of the LCD pixels of each LCD panel module in either the opaque state or the transparent state so as to block high intensity light sources from shining on the face of the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ryan P. Todd, Jason Zink, Andy Woodrich
  • Publication number: 20190096340
    Abstract: A modular virtual visor system is for a vehicle disclosed. The modular virtual visor system includes camera for detecting an illumination level on a face of a driver; a plurality of LCD panel modules mounted within the vehicle, and a controller. Each LCD panel module has LCD pixels configured to, (i) in an opaque state, block light from passing through the LCD screen and, (ii) in a transparent state, allow light to pass through the LCD panel module. The controller is configured to selectively operate each of the LCD pixels of each LCD panel module in either the opaque state or the transparent state so as to block high intensity light sources from shining on the face of the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Ryan P. Todd, Jason Zink, Andy Woodrich
  • Publication number: 20180314092
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle comprises a medium arranged in front of a target in the vehicle, a target monitoring system arranged in front of the target in the vehicle capturing an image or a profile of the target, and a processing unit communicatively coupled the target monitoring camera to the medium, analyzed the captured image or profile of the target, wherein the processing unit arranged to analyze the obtained images or profile of the target and cause the medium to switch from a transparent mode to an opaque mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Ryan P. Todd, Jason Zink, Andy Woodrich