Patents by Inventor Christopher TARCHALA

Christopher TARCHALA 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: 11981186
    Abstract: A method and system for a responsive climate control interface are disclosed. The climate control interface includes an interactive element further comprised of a climate settings map and a climate setting selector. The climate setting selector can be moved to different locations on the climate settings map in order to select a climate setting with a particular temperature and fan speed. The appearance of both the climate settings map and the climate setting selector can be changed as the climate change selector is moved in order to visually indicate temperature and fan speed settings. The system also includes a haptic feedback module that can convert climate settings into haptic feedback levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Christopher Tarchala, Hanna Gee, Megan Colleen Sundquist
  • Patent number: 11698637
    Abstract: A method and system for providing a companion autonomous vehicle are described. In one embodiment, a method includes linking a companion autonomous vehicle to at least one vehicle, device, or user. The companion autonomous vehicle is tethered to the at least one vehicle, device, or user such that the companion autonomous vehicle is configured to stay within a predetermined range of the at least one vehicle, device, or user. The method further includes operating the companion autonomous vehicle to travel along with the tethered at least one vehicle, device, or user within the predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takero Arima, Christopher Tarchala
  • Patent number: 11631087
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically reconfiguring a user interface based on a product lifecycle that changes a visual appearance of a product image in the user interface to reflect its age or ownership duration is described. In one embodiment, a method includes determining one or more products owned by a user and an ownership period associated with an age or ownership duration of each product. The ownership period is compared to a product lifecycle for the product and, based on the comparison, one or more temporal effects are overlaid onto a base product image for the product. The one or more temporal effects change a visual appearance of the base product image in a user interface on a user device in communication with the unified product application to reflect the age or ownership duration of the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Christopher Tarchala, Hanna Gee, Megan Colleen Sundquist
  • Patent number: 11573676
    Abstract: A method and system for managing contextual views within an application interface are disclosed. The method includes displaying a first view within an application interface that provides information about a user selected vehicle. The method also includes displaying a second view within an application interface that provides information about an environment. The second view may present an interactive three-dimensional model that provides an immersive experience. The application may switch between the first view and the second view according to user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Christopher Tarchala, Hanna Gee, Jonathan Palmer Neill, Caitlyn Zhishang Hain
  • Publication number: 20220405773
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically reconfiguring a user interface based on a product lifecycle that changes a visual appearance of a product image in the user interface to reflect its age or ownership duration is described. In one embodiment, a method includes determining one or more products owned by a user and an ownership period associated with an age or ownership duration of each product. The ownership period is compared to a product lifecycle for the product and, based on the comparison, one or more temporal effects are overlaid onto a base product image for the product. The one or more temporal effects change a visual appearance of the base product image in a user interface on a user device in communication with the unified product application to reflect the age or ownership duration of the product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher TARCHALA, Hanna GEE, Megan Colleen SUNDQUIST
  • Patent number: 11494785
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically reconfiguring a user interface based on a product lifecycle that changes a visual appearance of a product image in the user interface to reflect its age or ownership duration is described. In one embodiment, a method includes determining one or more products owned by a user and an ownership period associated with an age or ownership duration of each product. The ownership period is compared to a product lifecycle for the product and, based on the comparison, one or more temporal effects are overlaid onto a base product image for the product. The one or more temporal effects change a visual appearance of the base product image in a user interface on a user device in communication with the unified product application to reflect the age or ownership duration of the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Christopher Tarchala, Hanna Gee, Megan Colleen Sundquist
  • Publication number: 20220342418
    Abstract: A method and system for providing a companion autonomous vehicle are described. In one embodiment, a method includes linking a companion autonomous vehicle to at least one vehicle, device, or user. The companion autonomous vehicle is tethered to the at least one vehicle, device, or user such that the companion autonomous vehicle is configured to stay within a predetermined range of the at least one vehicle, device, or user. The method further includes operating the companion autonomous vehicle to travel along with the tethered at least one vehicle, device, or user within the predetermined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Takero ARIMA, Christopher TARCHALA
  • Publication number: 20220314749
    Abstract: A method and system for a responsive climate control interface are disclosed. The climate control interface includes an interactive element further comprised of a climate settings map and a climate setting selector. The climate setting selector can be moved to different locations on the climate settings map in order to select a climate setting with a particular temperature and fan speed. The appearance of both the climate settings map and the climate setting selector can be changed as the climate change selector is moved in order to visually indicate temperature and fan speed settings. The system also includes a haptic feedback module that can convert climate settings into haptic feedback levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher TARCHALA, Hanna GEE, Megan Colleen Sundquist
  • Publication number: 20220317857
    Abstract: A method and system for managing contextual views within an application interface are disclosed. The method includes displaying a first view within an application interface that provides information about a user selected vehicle. The method also includes displaying a second view within an application interface that provides information about an environment. The second view may present an interactive three-dimensional model that provides an immersive experience. The application may switch between the first view and the second view according to user input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher TARCHALA, Hanna GEE, Jonathan Palmer NEILL, Caitlyn Zhishang Hain
  • Publication number: 20220318759
    Abstract: A method and system for efficiently scheduling vehicle test drives is disclosed. A user of an application can search for vehicles at nearby dealerships. Upon receiving the search results, the user can easily remove undesired vehicles from the list. After removing all undesired vehicles from the list, the user can request test drive scheduling for all the vehicles via a single interface. The system may then communicate with vendors to determine test drive appointment availability and present the user with only dates for which there are available appointments for all of the vehicles. The system may allow a user to select appointment times from a drop-down menu. The system may also generate an optimized schedule by considering the distances between vendors, estimated duration of each appointment, and a starting location for the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher TARCHALA, Hanna GEE, Caitlyn Zhishang HAIN
  • Publication number: 20220318815
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically reconfiguring a user interface based on a product lifecycle that changes a visual appearance of a product image in the user interface to reflect its age or ownership duration is described. In one embodiment, a method includes determining one or more products owned by a user and an ownership period associated with an age or ownership duration of each product. The ownership period is compared to a product lifecycle for the product and, based on the comparison, one or more temporal effects are overlaid onto a base product image for the product. The one or more temporal effects change a visual appearance of the base product image in a user interface on a user device in communication with the unified product application to reflect the age or ownership duration of the product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher TARCHALA, Hanna GEE, Megan Colleen SUNDQUIST
  • Patent number: 11454972
    Abstract: A method and system for providing a companion autonomous vehicle are described. In one embodiment, a method includes linking a companion autonomous vehicle to at least one vehicle, device, or user. The companion autonomous vehicle is tethered to the at least one vehicle, device, or user such that the companion autonomous vehicle is configured to stay within a predetermined range of the at least one vehicle, device, or user. The method further includes operating the companion autonomous vehicle to travel along with the tethered at least one vehicle, device, or user within the predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takero Arima, Christopher Tarchala
  • Patent number: 11188925
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically reconfiguring a user interface based on a product lifecycle that changes a visual appearance of a product image in the user interface to reflect its age or ownership duration is described. In one embodiment, a method includes determining one or more products owned by a user and an ownership period associated with an age or ownership duration of each product. The ownership period is compared to a product lifecycle for the product and, based on the comparison, one or more temporal effects are overlaid onto a base product image for the product. The one or more temporal effects change a visual appearance of the base product image in a user interface on a user device in communication with the unified product application to reflect the age or ownership duration of the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Christopher Tarchala, Hanna Gee, Megan Colleen Sundquist
  • Patent number: 11186217
    Abstract: Delivery of a modularly reconfigurable vehicle may include receiving a request for the modularly reconfigurable vehicle, including a desired configuration associated with the modularly reconfigurable vehicle and a location associated with the request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Geoffrey Woo Honda, James Marion Cournyer, Fong Loon Pan, Craig Mitchell, Shinji Maeshiro, Christopher Tarchala
  • Publication number: 20210070216
    Abstract: Delivery of a modularly reconfigurable vehicle may include receiving a request for the modularly reconfigurable vehicle, including a desired configuration associated with the modularly reconfigurable vehicle and a location associated with the request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Geoffrey Woo Honda, James Marion Cournyer, Fong Loon Pan, Craig Mitchell, Shinji Maeshiro, Christopher Tarchala
  • Publication number: 20200341468
    Abstract: A method and system for providing a companion autonomous vehicle are described. In one embodiment, a method includes linking a companion autonomous vehicle to at least one vehicle, device, or user. The companion autonomous vehicle is tethered to the at least one vehicle, device, or user such that the companion autonomous vehicle is configured to stay within a predetermined range of the at least one vehicle, device, or user. The method further includes operating the companion autonomous vehicle to travel along with the tethered at least one vehicle, device, or user within the predetermined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventors: Takero ARIMA, Christopher TARCHALA