Patents by Inventor Charles A. Massoll

Charles A. Massoll 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: 20100064250
    Abstract: A method for displaying content items of a navigation system for a vehicle includes the steps of obtaining a scrolling input from a user, determining a value pertaining to the input, and displaying the content items at a first scrolling rate if the value is greater than a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: JAMISON C. SCHROEDER, CHARLES A. MASSOLL, JOHN P. WEISS
  • Patent number: 7532958
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for real-time assessment of driver workload by a vehicle device. To determine driver workload, the system monitors the driver interaction with the vehicle device. The driver interaction is then used to determine an estimated driver workload based on the driver interaction. In one embodiment, the vehicle device has one or more buttons configured to be pressed by the driver and each of the one or more buttons has an assigned driver workload value. The system sums the workload value of the buttons pressed by the driver over a moving time window to determine the estimated driver workload.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Robert B. Powers, Charles A. Massoll, David E Bojanowski, Richard A. Young, Bijaya Aryal, Linda S. Angell
  • Patent number: 7463961
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for adaptively locking out a display on a vehicle device based on user interaction. A method begins by counting a number of user initiated display changes with an event counter, and timing the user initiated display changes with an event timer. The method continues by comparing the number of user initiated display changes in the event counter to an allowable number of user initiated display changes corresponding to the time in the event timer, and disabling the display for a display lockout time period if the number of user initiated display changes exceeds the allowable number of user initiated display changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Robert B. Powers, Charles A. Massoll, David E Bojanowski, Richard A. Young, Linda S. Angell
  • Publication number: 20070002032
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for an adaptive display lockout system. The apparatus comprises means for monitoring user initiated display changes with a device having a display and one or more inputs, means for comparing the user initiated display changes to a display lockout criteria, and means for temporarily disabling the display if the user initiated display changes meets or exceeds the display lockout criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Powers, Charles Massoll, David Bojanowski, Richard Young, Linda Angell
  • Publication number: 20060293799
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for real-time assessment of driver workload by a vehicle device. To determine driver workload, the system monitors the driver interaction with the vehicle device. The driver interaction is then used to determine an estimated driver workload based on the driver interaction. In one embodiment, the vehicle device has one or more buttons configured to be pressed by the driver and each of the one or more buttons has an assigned driver workload value. The system sums the workload value of the buttons pressed by the driver over a moving time window to determine the estimated driver workload.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Robert Powers, Charles Massoll, David Bojanowski, Richard Young, Bijaya Aryal, Linda Angell
  • Publication number: 20060290470
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for determining access to private stored in an automobile. The apparatus comprises a means for identifying user classification. The apparatus further comprises a means for selecting an information access state based on the user classification. The apparatus further comprises a means for restricting access to private data based, at least in part, on the information access state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Charles Massoll, Scott Geisler, Robert Powers
  • Publication number: 20060286543
    Abstract: An assisted learning (AL) system for a vehicle including vehicle systems with input devices is provided. The AL system includes: memory that stores usage instructions for the input devices; an AL input device; an audio output device; and a control module that retrieves a respective one of the usage instructions associated with a selected one of the input devices when the selected one of the input devices is actuated after the AL input device is actuated and that outputs the usage instructions to the audio output device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Publication date: December 21, 2006
    Inventors: Robert Powers, Charles Massoll, Mark Person, Rodney Gooden, Vivian Williams, Joel Lutz, David Bojanowski, Irwin Karwick