Patents by Inventor Jeff A. Simpson

Jeff A. Simpson 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: 7600827
    Abstract: An anti-rollback control system for a vehicle having a brake system includes a brake pedal that is operable to induce a brake pressure in the brake system and a control module that holds the brake pressure equal to a hold pressure that is based on an incline angle to inhibit rollback of the vehicle when pressure is relieved from the brake pedal. The control module initiates forward propulsion of the vehicle based on a driver input and reduces the brake pressure from the hold pressure concurrent to initiating the forward propulsion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Goro Tamai, Jeff A. Simpson, William L. Aldrich, III, Birendra P. Bhattarai
  • Patent number: 4898464
    Abstract: A system and method are provided using a photodetector array for producing an output signal which is compensated for the effects of ambient light, photodetector bias, and the like, wherein the output signal contains information indicative of the position of the object. The preferred embodiment is useful for vehicular wheel alignment and includes left and right wheel units for coupling to respective left and right steerable wheels of a vehicle, and a central microcomputer and CRT display operably coupled with each wheel unit. Each preferred wheel unit includes a photodetector array operably connected to a wheel unit microcomputer and a laser beam source directing a laser beam toward the array of the other wheel unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Bee Line Company
    Inventors: Glenn A. Thorne, Robert D. Joy, Jeff A. Simpson