Patents by Inventor Don D. Price

Don D. Price 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).

  • Resistance-based catalytic converter protection systems and configurations
    Patent number: 9227594
    Abstract: A catalytic converter protection system that includes a controller, a catalytic converter having a housing, and a shorting element that has two terminals and is coupled to the housing. The system also includes a connector having an internal resistor. The connector is electrically coupled to the controller and the two terminals. The controller monitors resistance of the internal resistor to determine continuity between the connector and the shorting element. The controller may activate an alarm element with a loss in continuity between the terminals and the shorting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric L. Reed, Don D. Price, John R. Van Wiemeersch
  • Capacitance-based catalytic converter protection systems and configurations
    Patent number: 9030310
    Abstract: A proximity-based catalytic converter protection system for a vehicle that includes a controller, and a catalytic converter, both located in the vehicle. The protection system further includes a pair of electrodes that are electrically coupled to the controller and located in proximity to the converter. The controller monitors capacitance between the electrodes to detect movement external to the vehicle near the converter. The controller may activate an alarm element upon detecting a change in capacitance between the electrodes that exceeds a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John R. Van Wiemeersch, Don D. Price, Eric L. Reed
  • RESISTANCE-BASED CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROTECTION SYSTEMS AND CONFIGURATIONS
    Publication number: 20140176320
    Abstract: A catalytic converter protection system that includes a controller, a catalytic converter having a housing, and a shorting element that has two terminals and is coupled to the housing. The system also includes a connector having an internal resistor. The connector is electrically coupled to the controller and the two terminals. The controller monitors resistance of the internal resistor to determine continuity between the connector and the shorting element. The controller may activate an alarm element with a loss in continuity between the terminals and the shorting element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Eric L. Reed, Don D. Price, John R. Van Wiemeersch
  • CAPACITANCE-BASED CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROTECTION SYSTEMS AND CONFIGURATIONS
    Publication number: 20140178253
    Abstract: A proximity-based catalytic converter protection system for a vehicle that includes a controller, and a catalytic converter, both located in the vehicle. The protection system further includes a pair of electrodes that are electrically coupled to the controller and located in proximity to the converter. The controller monitors capacitance between the electrodes to detect movement external to the vehicle near the converter. The controller may activate an alarm element upon detecting a change in capacitance between the electrodes that exceeds a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: John R. Van Wiemeersch, Don D. Price, Eric L. Reed