Patents by Inventor Donald L. Tapley

Donald L. Tapley 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: 7535614
    Abstract: An electrical window control system and method thereof are provided, wherein the system includes a variable transmission window having first and second substantially transparent substrates that define an area, and a variable transmittance material that occupies at least a portion of the area. The system further includes a power source that supplies an electrical power, at least one light source that emits light towards the variable transmission window, and at least one sensor in optical communication with the light source, wherein the at least one sensor receives at least a portion of the light that propagates through at least one of the first and second substantially transparent substrates, and communicates a signal that corresponds to the received light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Donald L. Tapley, Robert R. Turnbull
  • Patent number: 6140933
    Abstract: A rearview mirror assembly is disclosed for use in a vehicle that includes a mirror housing, a mounting structure for pivotally mounting the mirror housing to the vehicle such that the mirror housing may be both vertically and horizontally tilted, a compass sensor disposed in the mirror housing and coupled to a compass processing circuit, and a tilt detector for detecting when the mirror housing has been tilted from a prior position and for generating and transmitting a tilt detection signal to the compass processing circuit. The compass processing circuit may then respond to the reception of the tilt detecting signal by compensating the compass reading and/or display or by recalibrating the compass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Mark D. Bugno, Jon H. Bechtel, Frederick T. Bauer, Donald L. Tapley, Timothy A. Bonardi, Robert R. Turnbull