Patents by Inventor John D. Charlesworth

John D. Charlesworth 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: 5629595
    Abstract: An apparatus and method in which a vehicle is guided along a path defined by a centerline and left and right boundaries parallel to and spaced laterally on opposite sides thereof and in which a passenger in the vehicle can steer it for lateral movement between the boundaries. The method and apparatus utilize an electrical conductor to define the center of the pathway and a sensor for sensing the position of the vehicle relative to the electrical conductor. Based on a comparison of the position of the vehicle and the steering command received from the passenger, as well as the steer angle position of the vehicle, the vehicle is confined to a predetermined envelope, while permitting the passenger to steer the vehicle within the envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: The Walt Disney Company
    Inventors: Kenneth D. Salter, Daniel A. Armstrong, John D. Charlesworth, Robert S. Bollinger