Patents by Inventor Fred Koberstein

Fred Koberstein 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: 11897437
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for sanitization of a vehicle interior, activating an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) system and operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the vehicle interior above an upper threshold temperature for a threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while the UVGI system may supplement the heat sanitizing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Fred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, M. Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco
  • Patent number: 11807072
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, while receiving power from an external power source and responsive to receiving a request for cleaning an interior of a vehicle, operating an electric heater of a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the interior above an upper threshold temperature for a first threshold duration using the power received from the external power source. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while vehicle battery power and fuel are conserved by using power supplied from the external power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Fred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, M. Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco
  • Publication number: 20220118951
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for cleaning an interior of a vehicle, adjusting a position of a sun shade based on at least one of an ambient temperature outside of the vehicle and a sun load of the vehicle, and operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the interior above an upper threshold temperature for a first threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Fred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco
  • Publication number: 20220118822
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, while receiving power from an external power source and responsive to receiving a request for cleaning an interior of a vehicle, operating an electric heater of a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the interior above an upper threshold temperature for a first threshold duration using the power received from the external power source. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while vehicle battery power and fuel are conserved by using power supplied from the external power source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Fred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco
  • Publication number: 20220118952
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for sanitization of a vehicle interior, activating an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) system and operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the vehicle interior above an upper threshold temperature for a threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes while the UVGI system may supplement the heat sanitizing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Fred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco
  • Patent number: 9969244
    Abstract: A vehicle air circulating system comprises a controller, an interior condition sensor attached to the controller, an instrument panel, and a deployable register assembly attached to the controller and pivotably attached to the instrument panel. The register assembly includes a first register and a second register and is movable between a closed position in which the first register is recessed within the instrument panel and is thus obstructed and an open position in which the first register is deployed. The second register remains unobstructed whether the register assembly is in its closed or open position. The deployable registers provide directional control for pull down conditions. Once the desired conditions are achieved, the deployable registers lower into the instrument panel and the other registers provide a larger opening to direct the air overhead at lower velocities keeping the vehicle cabin cool while not blowing in the direction of the occupants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James R. Hurd, Paul Bryan Hoke, Fred Koberstein
  • Publication number: 20140131026
    Abstract: A vehicle air circulating system comprises a controller, an interior condition sensor attached to the controller, an instrument panel, and a deployable register assembly attached to the controller and pivotably attached to the instrument panel. The register assembly includes a first register and a second register and is movable between a closed position in which the first register is recessed within the instrument panel and is thus obstructed and an open position in which the first register is deployed. The second register remains unobstructed whether the register assembly is in its closed or open position. The deployable registers provide directional control for pull down conditions. Once the desired conditions are achieved, the deployable registers lower into the instrument panel and the other registers provide a larger opening to direct the air overhead at lower velocities keeping the vehicle cabin cool while not blowing in the direction of the occupants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: James R. Hurd, Paul Bryan Hoke, Fred Koberstein