Patents by Inventor Karl Murphy

Karl Murphy 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: 20080162027
    Abstract: A system that enables a vehicle to follow a traffic rule when traveling in a road network includes a database that stores data relating to at least one feature of the road network, a location detector that detects a location of the vehicle relative to the road network, a sensor that senses at least one object in a vicinity of the vehicle, and a processing system that controls the vehicle to autonomously obey at least one traffic rule, or provides a notification to a driver of the vehicle to enable the driver to obey at least one traffic rule, based on the detected location of the vehicle, data retrieved from the database relating to at least one feature of the road network, and data relating to at least one object sensed by the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicants: ROBOTIC RESEARCH, LLC, GENERAL DYNAMICS ROBOTIC SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Karl MURPHY, Alberto LACAZE, Mark DEL GIORNO
  • Patent number: 7000990
    Abstract: A vehicle foldable seat back recliner (20) is operable to permit movement of a foldable vehicle seat (14) so that its seat bottom (16) and seat back (18) store in either a folded vertical position or a folded horizontal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Porter Group LLC
    Inventors: Hsing Lung Lewis Liu, Wen H. Chiu, Karl A. Murphy
  • Patent number: 6991293
    Abstract: A vehicle seat support frame assembly (14) has a seat cushion base member (16) with opposite ends (20) and (22) pivotally connected to first and second legs (28, 40). The first legs (28) are also pivotally connected to the associated vehicle and the second legs (40) have first and second latches (50) and (52). Each first latch (50) provides securement of the associated second leg to the associated vehicle in the seating position, and each second latch (52) prevents pivoting between the second leg and the seat cushion base member end (22) to provide rigidity in the seating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Porter Group, LLC
    Inventors: Yue Lang, Edward H. Poulos, Karl A. Murphy, Hsing Lung Lewis Liu
  • Publication number: 20050218685
    Abstract: A vehicle seat attachment latch assembly (24) includes a latch (40) mounted for movement between latched and unlatched positions with respect to a striker (29) to secure and selectively release a vehicle seat with respect to a vehicle body. A latching wedge (48) is mounted on the latch (40) for movement therewith and for movement with respect thereto in cooperation with a bias (54) provided by a first spring (58) that moves a wedging surface 52 of the latching wedge (48) into wedging contact with the striker (29) with the latch (40) in its latched position in order to provide a rattle free attachment. A locking pawl (70) and a spring (78) cooperate to hold the latch (40) in its latched position or permit release thereof for movement to the unlatched position where the striker (29) is released.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Applicant: Porter Group, LLC
    Inventors: Hsing Lung Liu, Karl Murphy
  • Patent number: 6945585
    Abstract: A vehicle seat attachment latch assembly (24) includes a latch (40) mounted for movement between latched and unlatched positions with respect to a striker (29) to secure and selectively release a vehicle seat with respect to a vehicle body. A latching wedge (48) is mounted on the latch (40) for movement therewith and for movement with respect thereto in cooperation with a bias (54) provided by a first spring (58) that moves a wedging surface 52 of the latching wedge (48) into wedging contact with the striker (29) with the latch (40) in its latched position in order to provide a rattle free attachment. A locking pawl (70) and a spring (78) cooperate to hold the latch (40) in its latched position or permit release thereof for movement to the unlatched position where the striker (29) is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Porter Group, LLC
    Inventors: Hsing Lung Lewis Liu, Karl A. Murphy
  • Patent number: 6923504
    Abstract: A vehicle seat back recliner assembly (20) includes a pair of recliners (22) each of which has a locking mechanism (32) including an operator (74) having a control lever (76) that pivots in opposite directions to provide recliner locking and unlocking. The control lever is pivoted in one direction to move a pair of toothed pawls (68) through a pair of cams (72) to provide locking, and the control lever is pivoted in the other direction to move the cams so as to permit movement of the pawls for the unlocking and to also move the pawls from the locking positions to the unlocked positions to permit recliner adjustment. A release mechanism (32) of the recliner assembly includes a release actuator (82) and a cable assembly (84) that insure unlocking of both recliners (22) upon an unlocking actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Porter Group, LLC
    Inventors: Hsing Lung Lewis Liu, Karl A. Murphy
  • Patent number: 6883869
    Abstract: A vehicle seat back recliner (18) includes a locking mechanism (28) having a pair of toothed pawls (34) and a pair of cams (38) operated by a control (40) to provide locking and release between a stationary seat cushion mounted member (20) and a pivotal seat back member (24). A spring (68) of the control (40) biases the locking mechanism to a locked condition and upon release springs (50) move the toothed pawls (34) out of engagement with the toothed locking ring (32) to permit pivotal adjustment of the seat back member (24). In one embodiment, the cams (38) move in rectilinear directions and have flat actuating surfaces engaged with flat actuating surfaces of the pawls, while another embodiment has the cams (38?) moved in curved paths and having curved actuating surfaces slidably engaged with curved actuating surfaces of the pawls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Porter Group, LLC
    Inventors: Hsing Lung Lewis Liu, Karl A. Murphy, Brent C. Everett, Yue Lang
  • Publication number: 20050077770
    Abstract: A vehicle seat support frame assembly (14) has a seat cushion base member (16) with opposite ends (20) and (22) pivotally connected to first and second legs (28, 40). The first legs (28) are also pivotally connected to the associated vehicle and the second legs (40) have first and second latches (50) and (52). Each first latch (50) provides securement of the associated second leg to the associated vehicle in the seating position, and each second latch (52) prevents pivoting between the second leg and the seat cushion base member end (22) to provide rigidity in the seating position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Publication date: April 14, 2005
    Applicant: Porter Group, LLC
    Inventors: Yue Lang, Edward Poulos, Karl Murphy, Hsing Lewis Liu
  • Patent number: 6860560
    Abstract: A vehicle seat back recliner (24) includes a lock mechanism (50) having a locking pawl (52) for locking a seat back pivotal bracket (44) against pivoting with respect to a seat cushion stationary bracket (34) under the operation of an associated control cam (54) and a locking pawl catch (56). The catch (56) holds the locking pawl (52) in an unlocked position until the seat back is pivoted upwardly from a horizontal cargo position to an upright use position whereupon the catch releases the locking pawl and the control cam (54) maintains the locking pawl in its locked position. Pivoting of the control cam (54) against a spring bias provides release of the locking pawl (52) to permit seat back pivoting from a upright use position to the horizontal cargo position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Porter Group, LLC
    Inventors: Wen H. Chiu, Karl A. Murphy
  • Publication number: 20040195890
    Abstract: A vehicle seat back recliner (18) includes a locking mechanism (28) having a pair of toothed pawls (34) and a pair of cams (38) operated by a control (40) to provide locking and release between a stationary seat cushion mounted member (20) and a pivotal seat back member (24). A spring (68) of the control (40) biases the locking mechanism to a locked condition and upon release springs (50) move the toothed pawls (34) out of engagement with the toothed locking ring (32) to permit pivotal adjustment of the seat back member (24). In one embodiment, the cams (38) move in rectilinear directions and have flat actuating surfaces engaged with flat actuating surfaces of the pawls, while another embodiment has the cams (38′) moved in curved paths and having curved actuating surfaces slidably engaged with curved actuating surfaces of the pawls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicant: Porter Group, LLC
    Inventors: Hsing Lung Lewis Liu, Karl A. Murphy, Brent C. Everett, Yue Lang
  • Publication number: 20040189072
    Abstract: A vehicle seat back recliner (24) includes a lock mechanism (50) having a locking pawl (52) for locking a seat back pivotal bracket (44) against pivoting with respect to a seat cushion stationary bracket (34) under the operation of an associated control cam (54) and a locking pawl catch (56). The catch (56) holds the locking pawl (52) in an unlocked position until the seat back is pivoted upwardly from a horizontal cargo position to an upright use position whereupon the catch releases the locking pawl and the control cam (54) maintains the locking pawl in its locked position. Pivoting of the control cam (54) against a spring bias provides release of the locking pawl (52) to permit seat back pivoting from a upright use position to the horizontal cargo position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: Porter Group, LLC
    Inventors: Wen H. Chiu, Karl A. Murphy