Patents by Inventor James A. Ruse

James A. Ruse 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).

  • Publication number: 20240025344
    Abstract: A vehicular cabin monitoring system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly configured for attaching at an interior portion of an equipped vehicle and having a having a mirror head accommodating a driver monitoring camera and first and second near infrared light emitters. When the equipped vehicle is a left hand drive vehicle, a beam of light emitted by the first near infrared light emitters is directed toward a driver-side front seating location of the left hand drive vehicle when the first near infrared light emitter emits near infrared light for a driver monitoring function. When the equipped vehicle is a right hand drive vehicle, a beam of light emitted by the second light emitting element is directed toward a driver-side front seating location of the right hand drive vehicle when the second near infrared light emitter emits near infrared light for the driver monitoring function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Justin E. Sobecki, Austen C. Peterson, Gregory A. Huizen, James A. Ruse, Yuesheng Lu, Martin Solar
  • Publication number: 20230339404
    Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a driver monitoring camera and first and second near-infrared light emitting elements accommodated by a mirror head. The light emitting elements are oriented at the mirror head so that (i) a beam of light emitted by the first light emitting element would be directed toward a driver's region of a left hand drive vehicle if the mirror assembly were installed in the LHD vehicle, and (ii) a beam of light emitted by the second light emitting element would be directed toward a driver's region of a right hand drive vehicle if the mirror assembly were installed in the RHD vehicle. The system enables and/or operates the first or second light emitting element for a driver monitoring function responsive to indication that the mirror assembly is installed or will be installed in a LHD vehicle or a RHD vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Justin E. Sobecki, Austen C. Peterson, Gregory A. Huizen, James A. Ruse, Yuesheng Lu, Martin Solar
  • Patent number: 11780372
    Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a driver monitoring camera and first and second near-infrared light emitting elements accommodated by a mirror head. The light emitting elements are oriented at the mirror head so that (i) a beam of light emitted by the first light emitting element would be directed toward a driver's region of a left hand drive vehicle if the mirror assembly were installed in the LHD vehicle, and (ii) a beam of light emitted by the second light emitting element would be directed toward a driver's region of a right hand drive vehicle if the mirror assembly were installed in the RHD vehicle. The system enables and/or operates the first or second light emitting element for a driver monitoring function responsive to indication that the mirror assembly is installed or will be installed in a LHD vehicle or a RHD vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignees: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC., MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Justin E. Sobecki, Austen C. Peterson, Gregory A. Huizen, James A. Ruse, Yuesheng Lu, Martin Solar
  • Publication number: 20230131471
    Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a driver monitoring camera and first and second near-infrared light emitting elements accommodated by a mirror head. The light emitting elements are oriented at the mirror head so that (i) a beam of light emitted by the first light emitting element would be directed toward a driver's region of a left hand drive vehicle if the mirror assembly were installed in the LHD vehicle, and (ii) a beam of light emitted by the second light emitting element would be directed toward a driver's region of a right hand drive vehicle if the mirror assembly were installed in the RHD vehicle. The system enables and/or operates the first or second light emitting element for a driver monitoring function responsive to indication that the mirror assembly is installed or will be installed in a LHD vehicle or a RHD vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Justin E. Sobecki, Austen C. Peterson, Gregory A. Huizen, James A. Ruse, Yuesheng Lu, Martin Solar
  • Publication number: 20210316026
    Abstract: A door handle assembly for a vehicular door of a vehicle includes a base portion disposed at the vehicular door, a handle portion, and an ultraviolet (UV) radiation emitter. The handle portion includes a grasping portion configured for a user to grasp when operating the door handle assembly. The handle portion is movable relative to the base portion by a user grasping the grasping portion to actuate a latch mechanism for opening the vehicular door. The UV radiation emitter, when electrically powered, irradiates at least the grasping portion of the handle portion with UV radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventor: James A. Ruse
  • Publication number: 20210156173
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior door handle assembly includes a bracket, a handle, and a clip. The handle, with the bracket mounted at an exterior door handle region of a vehicular door, is movable relative to the bracket by a user to actuate a latch mechanism for opening the door. The clip is attached at the bracket and engages a pivot end of the handle when the pivot end is inserted into the bracket, and retains the pivot end of the handle at the bracket when the pivot end of the handle is engaged with a pivot element of the bracket. The clip (i) limits movement of the handle relative to the bracket in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the bracket or handle, (ii) allows pivotal movement of the handle about the pivot element of the bracket, and (iii) allows for removal of the handle from the bracket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: James A. Ruse, Brett A. Gorby
  • Publication number: 20140292004
    Abstract: A door handle system includes a door handle assembly that is configured to mount at a handle region of a vehicle door and includes a handle portion fixedly disposed at the vehicle door and a strain gauge sensor. The strain gauge sensor is for sensing at least one of (i) grasping of the handle portion by a user and (ii) pulling at the handle portion by a user. Responsive to sensing by the sensor, a signal is communicated that causes a latch of the vehicle door to open to allow the user to open the vehicle door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: James A. Ruse
  • Patent number: 8466780
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a mirror casing and a reflective element and an indicator module having a housing, a circuit element and a lens element. The circuit element includes at least one light emitting diode. When the light emitting diode is powered, light emitted by the light emitting diode passes through the lens element. The housing includes at least one attachment element for mechanically attaching the indicator module at the mirror assembly. The lens element is disposed at an aperture of the mirror casing, whereby the lens element is viewable at the exterior of the mirror assembly and the housing of the indicator module is substantially concealed by the mirror casing. The indicator module provides a blind zone indicator that is operable to indicate to a driver of the vehicle that an object or other vehicle is detected at a side region of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, James A. Ruse, Craig Kendall
  • Patent number: 8331038
    Abstract: An afocal rearview mirror assembly for a motor vehicle having a side door and a dashboard includes a housing attached to the motor vehicle adjacent the side door and dashboard. The housing has a low-profile, rounded external portion and an internal portion. A selectively movable reflective element is enclosed within the housing, and has opposed curved surfaces for reflecting unfocused light rays from outside the external portion through the internal portion of the housing. A selectively movable lens is enclosed within the internal portion of the housing for controlling light transmitted from the selectively movable reflective element to an occupant of the motor vehicle. The selectively movable lens can converge the unfocused light rays reflected from the selectively movable reflective element to a focused image observable by the occupant of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph C. Snow, James A. Ruse, Keith D. Foote
  • Publication number: 20120200428
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a mirror casing and a reflective element and an indicator module having a housing, a circuit element and a lens element. The circuit element includes at least one light emitting diode. When the light emitting diode is powered, light emitted by the light emitting diode passes through the lens element. The housing includes at least one attachment element for mechanically attaching the indicator module at the mirror assembly. The lens element is disposed at an aperture of the mirror casing, whereby the lens element is viewable at the exterior of the mirror assembly and the housing of the indicator module is substantially concealed by the mirror casing. The indicator module provides a blind zone indicator that is operable to indicate to a driver of the vehicle that an object or other vehicle is detected at a side region of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, James A. Ruse, Craig Kendall
  • Patent number: 8164482
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly and a unitary indicator module disposed at the exterior rearview mirror assembly. The unitary indicator module includes a plurality of illumination sources disposed behind an at least partially light transmitting portion of the unitary indicator module. Light emitted by any of the illumination sources passes through the at least partially light transmitting portion for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle. The unitary indicator module is responsive to a control signal to indicate to the driver of the equipped vehicle a detected presence of another vehicle at least one of alongside the equipped vehicle and rearward of the equipped vehicle. The unitary indicator module is operable to indicate a degree of hazard at least one of alongside the equipped vehicle and rearward of the equipped vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, James A. Ruse, Craig Kendall
  • Publication number: 20110140917
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly and a unitary indicator module disposed at the exterior rearview mirror assembly. The unitary indicator module includes a plurality of illumination sources disposed behind an at least partially light transmitting portion of the unitary indicator module. Light emitted by any of the illumination sources passes through the at least partially light transmitting portion for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle. The unitary indicator module is responsive to a control signal to indicate to the driver of the equipped vehicle a detected presence of another vehicle at least one of alongside the equipped vehicle and rearward of the equipped vehicle. The unitary indicator module is operable to indicate a degree of hazard at least one of alongside the equipped vehicle and rearward of the equipped vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, James A. Ruse, Craig Kendall
  • Patent number: 7880596
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly that is mountable at an exterior side of a vehicle and has an inboard portion that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is mounted at the exterior side of the vehicle. A blind spot indicator is disposed at the inboard portion of the mirror casing of the mirror assembly. The blind spot indicator comprises at least one illumination source for indicating to the driver a detected presence of an object alongside of and/or rearward of the vehicle. The indicator may comprise a unitary indicator module that is mountable at the inboard portion of the mirror assembly. The indicator module may include an illumination source and circuitry and may be connectable to an electrical connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, James A. Ruse, Craig Kendall
  • Publication number: 20100238014
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior mirror assembly that is mountable at an exterior side of a vehicle and has an inboard portion that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is mounted at the exterior side of the vehicle. A blind spot indicator is disposed at the inboard portion of the mirror casing of the mirror assembly. The blind spot indicator comprises at least one illumination source for indicating to the driver a detected presence of an object alongside of and/or rearward of the vehicle. The indicator may comprise a unitary indicator module that is mountable at the inboard portion of the mirror assembly. The indicator module includes an illumination source and circuitry and is connectable to an electrical connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, James A. Ruse, Craig Kendall
  • Patent number: 7760111
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior mirror assembly that is mountable at an exterior side of a vehicle and has an inboard portion that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is mounted at the exterior side of the vehicle. A blind spot indicator is disposed at the inboard portion of the mirror casing of the mirror assembly. The blind spot indicator comprises an illumination source comprising at least one light emitting diode. The illumination source is disposed behind an at least partially light transmitting element, and light emitted by the illumination source passes through the at least partially light transmitting element for viewing by a driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, James A. Ruse, Craig Kendall
  • Publication number: 20100088855
    Abstract: A door handle assembly for a vehicle includes a bracket mountable to the vehicle door, a handle portion configured to pivotally attach to the bracket and an actuating element pivotally mounted to the bracket. The actuating element connects to a release mechanism of the vehicle door so as to actuate the release mechanism when the actuating element is pivoted relative to the bracket. The door handle assembly may include a counterweight pivotally mounted to the bracket, with the counterweight extending along the bracket, such that the counterweight and the bracket comprise a low profile assembly. The door handle assembly may include an inertial catch pivotally mounted to the bracket, wherein pivotal movement of the handle portion imparts a pivotal movement of the inertial catch during normal operation of the door handle assembly to open the vehicle door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: James A. Ruse, Brett A. Gorby
  • Publication number: 20090153359
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior mirror assembly that is mountable at an exterior side of a vehicle and has an inboard portion that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is mounted at the exterior side of the vehicle. A blind spot indicator is disposed at the inboard portion of the mirror casing of the mirror assembly. The blind spot indicator comprises at least one illumination source for indicating to the driver a detected presence of an object alongside of and/or rearward of the vehicle. The indicator may comprise a unitary indicator module that is mountable at the inboard portion of the mirror assembly. The indicator module includes an illumination source and circuitry and is connectable to an electrical connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, James A. Ruse, Craig Kendall
  • Patent number: 7492281
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior mirror assembly that is mountable at an exterior side of a vehicle and has an inboard portion that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is mounted at the exterior side of the vehicle. A blind spot indicator is disposed at the inboard portion of the mirror casing of the mirror assembly. The blind spot indicator comprises at least one illumination source for indicating to the driver a detected presence of an object alongside of and/or rearward of the vehicle. The indicator may comprise a unitary indicator module that is mountable at the inboard portion of the mirror assembly. The indicator module includes an illumination source and circuitry and is connectable to an electrical connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, James A. Ruse, Craig Kendall
  • Patent number: 7490946
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror system comprises a reflective element assembly, a base frame coupling the reflective element assembly to a vehicle, a support arm for coupling the reflective element assembly to the base frame, and a pivot connection for pivotally coupling the support arm to one of the base frame and the reflective element assembly. The pivot connection comprises a pedestal having at least two detent ribs, and an opening for receipt of the pedestal therethrough having at least two detent channels. Pivoting of one of the support arm relative to the base frame and the reflective element assembly relative to the support arm moves a first one of the at least two detent ribs out of a first one of the at least two detent channels and into a second one of the at least two detent channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, James A. Ruse
  • Publication number: 20080316054
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior mirror assembly that is mountable at an exterior side of a vehicle and has an inboard portion that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is mounted at the exterior side of the vehicle. A blind spot indicator is disposed at the inboard portion of the mirror casing of the mirror assembly. The blind spot indicator comprises at least one illumination source for indicating to the driver a detected presence of an object alongside of and/or rearward of the vehicle. The indicator may comprise a unitary indicator module that is mountable at the inboard portion of the mirror assembly. The indicator module includes an illumination source and circuitry and is connectable to an electrical connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, James A. Ruse, Craig Kendall