Patents by Inventor Michael G. Whitney

Michael G. Whitney 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: 11985713
    Abstract: The embodiments set forth herein disclose techniques for enabling a user device to seamlessly establish a secure, high-bandwidth wireless connection with a vehicle accessory system to enable the user device to wirelessly stream user interface (UI) information to the vehicle accessory system. To implement this technique, a lower-bandwidth wireless technology (e.g., Bluetooth) is used as an initial means for establishing a Wi-Fi pairing between the user device and the vehicle accessory system. Wi-Fi parameters associated with a Wi-Fi network provided by the vehicle accessory system can be communicated to the user device using the lower-bandwidth wireless technology. A secure Wi-Fi connection can then be established between the user device and the vehicle accessory system using the provided Wi-Fi parameters. The embodiments also disclose a technique for enabling the user device to automatically reconnect with the vehicle accessory system in a seamless manner (e.g., when returning to a vehicle).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel R. Borges, Sriram Hariharan, Matthew L. Semersky, Michael J. Giles, Andre M. Boule, Brian D. Pietsch, Artiom Shamis, Ganesha Adkasthala Ganapathi Bata, Christopher R. Whitney, Tanya G. Kancheva, Friedrich W. Drees
  • Patent number: 11927457
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle having sensors advantageously varied in capabilities, advantageously positioned, and advantageously impervious to environmental conditions. A system executing on the autonomous vehicle that can receive a map including, for example, substantially discontinuous surface features along with data from the sensors, create an occupancy grid based upon the map and the data, and change the configuration of the autonomous vehicle based upon the type of surface on which the autonomous vehicle navigates. The device can safely navigate surfaces and surface features, including traversing discontinuous surfaces and other obstacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Dirk A. Van Der Merwe, Arunabh Mishra, Christopher C. Langenfeld, Michael J. Slate, Christopher J. Principe, Gregory J. Buitkus, Justin M. Whitney, Raajitha Gummadi, Derek G. Kane, Emily A. Carrigg, Patrick Steele, Benjamin V. Hersh, Fnu G Siva Perumal, David Carrigg, Daniel F. Pawlowski, Yashovardhan Chaturvedi, Kartik Khanna
  • Patent number: 5934916
    Abstract: A rail member and ground clip assembly useable for mechanically and electrically coupling printed circuit boards to a chassis. The assembly has a stud protruding into an electrical contact opening in the rail member, a first end portion of the resilient electrical contact is disposed on a fastener boss proximate the electrical contact opening, a bifurcated curved portion of the resilient electrical contact protrudes at least partially through the electrical contact opening beyond a bottom side of the rail member, and the stud is disposed through an opening in the resilient electrical contact to engagably couple the resilient electrical contact to the rail member. The resilient electrical contact also includes a compression wave portion between the first end portion and the curved portion to bias the curved portion into engagement with the chassis. A non-threaded rivet fastens the rail member to the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: James F. Latal, Dorothy E. Kruglick, Michael G. Whitney, Richard C. Francke
  • Patent number: D305391
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Inventor: Michael G. Whitney