Patents by Inventor Christopher P. Ricci

Christopher P. Ricci 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: 10124690
    Abstract: Techniques for electric vehicle systems, and in particular for positioning a charging panel of an electrical vehicle to receive a charge, are provided. In one embodiment, a system for positioning a charging panel of an electrical vehicle to receive a charge comprises an armature disposed on an electrical vehicle; a charging panel interconnected to the armature; and an actuator configured to maneuver the armature and position the charging panel relative to an external surface, the external surface in communication with a power source configured to provide a charge to the charging panel, wherein the charging panel is configured to receive the charge from the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 10093195
    Abstract: A system for vehicle charging comprising: an electrical storage unit disposed on a charge receiving vehicle; at least one integrated charging panel in electrical communication with the electrical storage unit, the at least one integrated charging panel configured to receive a charge at a charging site; a charge receiving vehicle controller configured to communicate with the charging site to determine a compatibility of the at least one integrated charging panel to receive charging from the charging site; wherein the at least one integrated charging panel receives a charge from the charging site wherein the charge receiving vehicle is charged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 10083604
    Abstract: Systems of an electrical vehicle and the operations thereof are provided that forms ad hoc autonomous vehicle networks to conserve bandwidth in receiving information from a remote source and sending information to the remote source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher P. Ricci, Abhishek Singhal
  • Patent number: 10080318
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems are provided to shield a passenger compartment of an electric vehicle from electromagnetic fields present during a wireless charging process. A charging system may include a power source and a charging plate wirelessly coupled to the power source, where the power source wirelessly transfers power to the charging plate. The system may further include at least one shield portion between the charging plate and a passenger compartment of the electric vehicle, where the at least one shield portion is configured to attenuate an electromagnetic field provided by the charging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 10079733
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a complete vehicle ecosystem are provided. Specifically, systems that when taken alone, or together, provide an individual or group of individuals with an intuitive and comfortable vehicular environment. The present disclosure includes a system to generate a vehicle communication system. The vehicle communication system can determine which devices are within the vehicle. From this determination, the vehicle communication system may create a universal bus and hotspot where applications, data, multimedia information, and resources can be shared both with the vehicle and with the other devices in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 10076960
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are described with respect to storing energy in an electric vehicle. At least one coil winding located in a wheel assembly is provided, where the wheel assembly includes a tire and a rim. At least one charge storage device located in the wheel assembly is provided. At least one electrical storage unit located within the electric vehicle is provided, where an induced charge resulting from the at least one winding passing through an electromagnetic field is stored in the at least one charge storage device and transferred to the at least one electrical storage unit via the rim of the wheel assembly. Moreover, a charging capacity for the at least one charge storage device may change to cause the electric vehicle to slow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 10071641
    Abstract: A system for charging an electrical storage unit of an electric vehicle through a contact device, the system comprising: the contact device interconnected to the electrical storage unit of an electric vehicle and configured to receive an electrical charge from an external power source; a contact arm interconnected to the contact device, the contact arm configured to position the contact device at a first position relative to the external power source; and a contact device controller interconnected to the contact arm and configured to control the contact arm wherein the first position is maintained; wherein the contact device receives the electrical charge from the external power source; wherein the electrical storage unit of the electric vehicle is charged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: NIO USA, INC.
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 10063697
    Abstract: Methods, systems, devices, modules, and/or computer instructions for redirecting calls in a home communication center are provided. More particularly, a home communication center can include a femtocell, a DECT interface, and/or a network interface. The home communication center can register one or more cellular communication devices with the home communication center; receive, from the femtocell, a call directed to one of the cellular communication devices; determine if a redirection rule applies to the call; if a redirection rule applies to the call, determine a DECT phone to receive the call; determine a phone number for the DECT phone; and, send the call to the DECT interface to call the phone number of the DECT phone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 10059342
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a complete vehicle ecosystem are provided. Specifically, systems that when taken alone, or together, provide an individual or group of individuals with an intuitive and comfortable vehicular environment. The present disclosure includes a system to create, modify, and maintain profiles associated with users. The user profiles are generated based on selectively collecting data associated with the users. Although each user profile may include settings, preferences, habits, and content associated with an individual user and/or vehicle, some user profiles may represent multiple users. These user profiles can change a configuration of a vehicle to match settings for a user, such as a driver and/or passenger. The configurations may also include the recognition of a unique set of gestures for a user. Further, the user profiles can be transferred from vehicle-to-vehicle and/or user-to-user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 10059213
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are described with respect to storing energy in an electric vehicle. At least one coil winding located in a wheel assembly is provided, where the wheel assembly includes a tire and a rim. At least one charge storage device located in the wheel assembly is provided. At least one electrical storage unit located within the electric vehicle is provided, where an induced charge resulting from the at least one winding passing through an electromagnetic field created by at least one power transmission line is stored in the at least one charge storage device and transferred to the at least one electrical storage unit via the rim of the wheel assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 10031523
    Abstract: Systems of an electrical vehicle and the operations thereof are provided that augments learned behaviors of one vehicle with learned behaviors of other vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher P. Ricci, Abhishek Singhal
  • Patent number: 10032319
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided that determines a need for communication with a third party vendor, retrieves a user rule from the memory (the user rule defines to which third party vendor the vehicle can send a first communication to address the need and defines a geographic location of the third party vendor relative to a current location of the vehicle, a monetary amount the vehicle can pay to a third party vendor for a product or service to address the need, and a time limit for the third party vendor to provide the product or service to address the need), based on the user rule, selects a third party vendor from among multiple possible third party vendors, and when determined by the user rule, automatically sends the first communication to the selected third party vendor to address the need. The first communication is associated with an order for the product or service, and the processor provides an authorization to the selected third party vendor to complete the order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 10023117
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a vehicle system that include determining whether a vehicle action is necessary and providing a notification to predetermined users. Sensors provide signals to a sensing control system to generate the notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 10020995
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a vehicle implementing one or more processing modules. These modules are configured to connect and interface with the various buses in the vehicle, where the various buses are connected with the various components of the vehicle to facilitate information transfer among the vehicle components. Each processing module is further modularized with the ability to add and replace other functional modules now or in the future. These functional modules can themselves act as distinct vehicle components. Each processing modules may hand-off processing to other modules depending on its health, processing load, or by third-party control. Thus, the plurality of processing modules helps to implement a middleware point of control to the vehicle with redundancy in processing and safety and security awareness in their applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Christopher P. Ricci, Douglas W. Swartz
  • Patent number: 10013878
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a traffic control system provide arrangements and processes for managing automated vehicles. The traffic control system can register vehicles and then control the operation of the vehicles through a section of roadway. The automated control includes the communication of directions and other messages that ensure the proper function of the vehicle while under the guidance of the traffic control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Christopher P. Ricci, Tadd F. Wilson
  • Patent number: 9994229
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a complete vehicle ecosystem are provided. Specifically, systems that when taken alone, or together, provide an individual or group of individuals with an intuitive and comfortable vehicular environment. The present disclosure includes a system to create, modify, and maintain profiles associated with users. The user profiles are generated based on selectively collecting data associated with the users. Although each user profile may include settings, preferences, habits, and content associated with an individual user and/or vehicle, some user profiles may represent multiple users. These user profiles can change a configuration of a vehicle to match settings for a user, such as a driver and/or passenger. The configurations may also include the recognition of a unique set of gestures for a user. Further, the user profiles can be transferred from vehicle-to-vehicle and/or user-to-user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 9984522
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an on board microprocessor that is programmed to receive and transmit multiple authentication factors or a key derived therefrom to a remote server to authenticate the vehicle or a vehicle occupant to a remote server. The multiple authentication factors comprise a plurality of an electronic address of a portable communication device of the occupant sensed by an on board sensor, a wireless remote signal description sensed by an on board sensor, a vehicle-related identifier, a vehicle parameter sensed by the on board processor, an environmental parameter sensed by the on board processor, and a passcode received by the microprocessor from the remote server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Publication number: 20180143035
    Abstract: Systems of an electrical vehicle and the operations thereof are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 9977593
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a complete vehicle ecosystem are provided. Specifically, systems that when taken alone, or together, provide an individual or group of individuals with an intuitive and comfortable vehicular environment. The present disclosure includes a system to recognize the drivers and/or passengers within the automobile. Based on the recognition, the vehicle may change a configuration of the automobile to match predetermined preferences for the driver and/or passenger. The configurations may also include the recognition of a unique set of gestures for the person. Further, the configuration can also include the tracking of health data related to the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: AUTOCONNECT HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Publication number: 20180130347
    Abstract: Systems of an electrical vehicle and the operations thereof are provided that forms ad hoc autonomous vehicle networks to conserve bandwidth in receiving information from a remote source and sending information to the remote source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Christopher P. Ricci, Abhishek Singhal