Patents by Inventor Lawrence Daniel Cepuran

Lawrence Daniel Cepuran 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).

  • System and method for controlling one or more vehicle features based on driver status
    Patent number: 8258939
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a device for controlling one or more vehicle features for a primary driver and a secondary driver is provided. The device comprises at least one controller that is configured to receive at least one driver status signal indicative of the driver being one of the primary driver and the secondary driver and to determine whether the driver of the vehicle is the one of the primary driver and the secondary driver based on the at least one driver status signal. The controller is further configured to control one or more vehicle features and to prevent the one or more vehicle features from being disabled in response to determining that the at least one driver status signal indicates that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Lee Miller, Brian Bennie, Andrew D. Sarkisian, Matthew J. Dalebout, Lawrence Daniel Cepuran, Anthony Dwayne Cooprider, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Kevin Thomas Hille, Karl William Wojcik, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Terry Thomas Cwik, Scott Alan Watkins, Shimul Bhuva, Aaron Lewis Mills
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ONE OR MORE VEHICLE FEATURES BASED ON DRIVER STATUS
    Publication number: 20110082625
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a device for controlling one or more vehicle features for a primary driver and a secondary driver is provided. The device comprises at least one controller that is configured to receive at least one driver status signal indicative of the driver being one of the primary driver and the secondary driver and to determine whether the driver of the vehicle is the one of the primary driver and the secondary driver based on the at least one driver status signal. The controller is further configured to control one or more vehicle features and to prevent the one or more vehicle features from being disabled in response to determining that the at least one driver status signal indicates that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Lee Miller, Brian Bennie, Andrew D. Sarkisian, Matthew J. Dalebout, Lawrence Daniel Cepuran, Anthony Dwayne Cooprider, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Kevin Thomas Hille, Karl William Wojcik, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Terry Thomas Cwik, Scott Alan Watkins, Shimul Bhuva, Aaron Lewis Mills
  • System and method for controlling a safety restraint status based on driver status
    Patent number: 7868750
    Abstract: A system and method for notifying primary and second drivers about a status of a safety restraint in a vehicle is provided. A primary and secondary keys are adapted to be associated to the primary and secondary drivers. A key ignition device is positioned on each of the primary key and secondary keys. The key ignition device is adapted to generate driver status signals indicative of whether the driver the primary driver or the secondary driver. A controller is adapted to determine whether the driver of the vehicle is the primary driver or the secondary driver based on the driver status signals. The controller is further adapted to generate restraint status signals indicative of the status of the safety restraint. The controller is further adapted to selectively control the operation of generating the restraint signals based on whether the driver of the vehicle is the primary or secondary driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Lee Miller, Brian Bennie, Andrew D. Sarkisian, Matthew J. Dalebout, Lawrence Daniel Cepuran, Anthony Dwayne Cooprider, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Kevin Thomas Hille, Karl William Wojcik, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Terry Thomas Cwik
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A SAFETY RESTRAINT STATUS BASED ON DRIVER STATUS
    Publication number: 20090195376
    Abstract: A system and method for notifying primary and second drivers about a status of a safety restraint in a vehicle is provided. A primary and secondary keys are adapted to be associated to the primary and secondary drivers. A key ignition device is positioned on each of the primary key and secondary keys. The key ignition device is adapted to generate driver status signals indicative of whether the driver the primary driver or the secondary driver. A controller is adapted to determine whether the driver of the vehicle is the primary driver or the secondary driver based on the driver status signals. The controller is further adapted to generate restraint status signals indicative of the status of the safety restraint. The controller is further adapted to selectively control the operation of generating the restraint signals based on whether the driver of the vehicle is the primary or secondary driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Lee Miller, Brian Bennie, Andrew D. Sarkisian, Matthew J. Dalebout, Lawrence Daniel Cepuran, Anthony Dwayne Cooprider, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Kevin Thomas Hille, Karl William Wojcik, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Terry Thomas Cwik