Patents by Inventor Nicholas W. Pinto
Nicholas W. Pinto 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).
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Patent number: 11820206Abstract: A climate control device includes a radiant heater for radiating heat and a porous material attached to the radiant heater. The porous material desorbs a plurality of water molecules, in response to the porous material receiving heat from the radiant heater and raising a temperature of the water molecules in the porous material to a boiling temperature threshold. The porous material adsorbs the water molecules in response to the temperature of the water molecules falling below the boiling temperature threshold.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2021Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Nicholas W. Pinto, Anne M. Dailly, Kuo-huey Chen, Nathan Thompson
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Patent number: 11800684Abstract: A heat pipe is provided for cooling an electronic component of a printed circuit board. The heat pipe includes a tube having an inner diameter surface defining a bore, with the tube having first and second ends along the bore. The heat pipe further includes a sorbent material coated onto the inner diameter surface of the tube, a first liquid contained within the bore, and a second liquid adsorbed by the sorbent material. The second liquid has a second boiling temperature that is higher than a first boiling temperature of the first liquid. The first liquid vaporizes into a first vapor, in response to the tube receiving heat from the electronic component and the first liquid reaching the first boiling temperature. The second liquid is desorbed from the sorbent material and vaporizes into a second vapor in response to the second liquid reaching the second boiling temperature.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2021Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Nicholas W. Pinto, Chih-hung Yen, Nathan Thompson, Anne M. Dailly
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Patent number: 11725337Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described that combine a sorbent containing a flame retardant with a substrate, which is capable of responding to temperature increases to prevent, suppress, delay the spread of, or otherwise mitigate a proximal thermal event. A flame retardant system has a flame retardant material that is incorporated into a matrical sorbent material, which is incorporated into a substrate. The matrical sorbent material is configured to release the flame retardant material upon exposure to an elevated temperature, e.g., a temperature that is greater than 300° C. in one embodiment.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2021Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Nicholas W. Pinto, Anne M. Dailly, Kuo-Huey Chen, Nathan Thompson
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Patent number: 11718271Abstract: One general aspect includes a system having one or more heat pads installed at a vehicle, the one or more heat pads configured to provide infrared energy transmissions to a vehicle component to defrost, defog, or both defrost and defog a surface of the vehicle component. The system may also carry out the following steps: (a) determining that ice or fog or both ice and fog has accumulated on the surface of the vehicle component; and (b) based on the determination made in step (a), activating the one or more heat pads to defrost, defog, or both defrost and defog a surface of the vehicle component.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2020Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Nicholas W. Pinto, Kuo-huey Chen, Todd J. Gordon
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Patent number: 11602077Abstract: A heat dissipation device for an electronics cooling system having an electronic component includes a housing that defines a chamber. The device further includes a first liquid, which is contained within the chamber and has a first boiling temperature. The device further includes a sorbent material immersed within the first liquid. The device further includes a second liquid, which is adsorbed by the sorbent material and has a second boiling temperature that is above the first boiling temperature. The first liquid vaporizes into a first vapor, in response to the first liquid reaching the first boiling temperature. The second liquid is desorbed from the sorbent material, in response to the second liquid and the sorbent material reaching a desorption temperature that is below the second boiling temperature. The second liquid vaporizes into a second vapor, in response to the second liquid reaching the second boiling temperature.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2021Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Chih-hung Yen, Nicholas W. Pinto, Anne M. Dailly, Nathan Thompson
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Patent number: 11479148Abstract: A system and method for personalization of adjustable features of a vehicle. The system includes a processor and an actuator. The processor detectors key points of a person from a two-dimensional image and predicts a pose of the person. The processor translates a respective position of the key points from a two-dimensional coordinate system to a three-dimensional coordinate system based in part on the pose and measurements of distances between the key points. The processor determines a baseline configuration of an adjustable feature of the vehicle based in part on measurements between the key points in the three-dimensional coordinate system. The processor causes an actuator to adjust the adjustable feature to conform to the baseline configuration.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2019Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Yasen Hu, Kausalya Singuru, Shiming Duan, Yao Hu, Nicholas W. Pinto, Bradley R. Frieberg
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Publication number: 20220316131Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described that combine a sorbent containing a flame retardant with a substrate, which is capable of responding to temperature increases to prevent, suppress, delay the spread of, or otherwise mitigate a proximal thermal event. A flame retardant system has a flame retardant material that is incorporated into a matrical sorbent material, which is incorporated into a substrate. The matrical sorbent material is configured to release the flame retardant material upon exposure to an elevated temperature, e.g., a temperature that is greater than 300° C. in one embodiment.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2021Publication date: October 6, 2022Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Nicholas W. Pinto, Anne M. Dailly, Kuo-Huey Chen, Nathan Thompson
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Publication number: 20220232737Abstract: A heat dissipation device for an electronics cooling system having an electronic component includes a housing that defines a chamber. The device further includes a first liquid, which is contained within the chamber and has a first boiling temperature. The device further includes a sorbent material immersed within the first liquid. The device further includes a second liquid, which is adsorbed by the sorbent material and has a second boiling temperature that is above the first boiling temperature. The first liquid vaporizes into a first vapor, in response to the first liquid reaching the first boiling temperature. The second liquid is desorbed from the sorbent material, in response to the second liquid and the sorbent material reaching a desorption temperature that is below the second boiling temperature. The second liquid vaporizes into a second vapor, in response to the second liquid reaching the second boiling temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2021Publication date: July 21, 2022Inventors: Chih-hung Yen, Nicholas W. Pinto, Anne M. Dailly, Nathan Thompson
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Publication number: 20220232735Abstract: A heat pipe is provided for cooling an electronic component of a printed circuit board. The heat pipe includes a tube having an inner diameter surface defining a bore, with the tube having first and second ends along the bore. The heat pipe further includes a sorbent material coated onto the inner diameter surface of the tube, a first liquid contained within the bore, and a second liquid adsorbed by the sorbent material. The second liquid has a second boiling temperature that is higher than a first boiling temperature of the first liquid. The first liquid vaporizes into a first vapor, in response to the tube receiving heat from the electronic component and the first liquid reaching the first boiling temperature. The second liquid is desorbed from the sorbent material and vaporizes into a second vapor in response to the second liquid reaching the second boiling temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2021Publication date: July 21, 2022Inventors: Nicholas W. Pinto, Chih-hung Yen, Nathan Thompson, Anne M. Dailly
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Publication number: 20220219510Abstract: A climate control device includes a radiant heater for radiating heat and a porous material attached to the radiant heater. The porous material desorbs a plurality of water molecules, in response to the porous material receiving heat from the radiant heater and raising a temperature of the water molecules in the porous material to a boiling temperature threshold. The porous material adsorbs the water molecules in response to the temperature of the water molecules falling below the boiling temperature threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2021Publication date: July 14, 2022Inventors: Nicholas W. Pinto, Anne M. Dailly, Kuo-huey Chen, Nathan Thompson
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Patent number: 11167769Abstract: A vehicle including an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) and operator-adjustable devices is described. Controlling the vehicle includes identifying a vehicle operator, and capturing a plurality of operator-selectable settings associated with the plurality of operator-adjustable devices for the vehicle operator. A base profile and a second profile are determined for the vehicle operator based upon the first subset associated with non-autonomous operation of the vehicle and the second subset associated with ADAS, respectively. The plurality of operator-adjustable devices are controlled to the operator-selectable settings associated with the base profile when the vehicle is operating in the non-autonomous mode, and the plurality of operator-adjustable devices are controlled to the operator-selectable settings associated with the second profile when the vehicle is being controlled at least in part by one or more of the subsystems of the ADAS.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2019Date of Patent: November 9, 2021Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Kausalya Singuru, Donald K. Grimm, Bakhtiar B. Litkouhi, Yasen Hu, Nicholas W. Pinto, Yao Hu, Shiming Duan, Bradley R. Frieberg
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Publication number: 20210206351Abstract: One general aspect includes a system having one or more heat pads installed at a vehicle, the one or more heat pads configured to provide infrared energy transmissions to a vehicle component to defrost, defog, or both defrost and defog a surface of the vehicle component. The system may also carry out the following steps: (a) determining that ice or fog or both ice and fog has accumulated on the surface of the vehicle component; and (b) based on the determination made in step (a), activating the one or more heat pads to defrost, defog, or both defrost and defog a surface of the vehicle component.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 2, 2020Publication date: July 8, 2021Inventors: Nicholas W. Pinto, Kuo-huey Chen, Todd J. Gordon
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Patent number: 11045897Abstract: A workpiece is described, and includes a substrate, a cable, and a cover piece. A portion of the cable is joined to the substrate employing a vibration welding tool, and the cover piece is interposed between the portion of the cable and the vibration welding tool during the joining.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2019Date of Patent: June 29, 2021Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Teresa J. Rinker, Wayne W. Cai, Michael P. Balogh, Nicholas W. Pinto
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Publication number: 20210049385Abstract: A system and method for personalization of security features of a vehicle. The system includes a memory having computer readable instructions and one or more processors for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions controlling the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations include detecting a person in a cabin of a vehicle. At least one adjustable vehicle setting is detected in relation to the person in the cabin of the vehicle. The adjustable vehicle setting is compared to a stored adjustable vehicle setting in a first user profile. Operation of the vehicle by the person in the cabin of the vehicle is enabled based on the comparison and a permitted level of access from the first user profile.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2019Publication date: February 18, 2021Inventors: Nicholas W. Pinto, Kausalya Singuru, Shiming Duan, Yasen Hu, Yao Hu, Bradley R. Frieberg, Gary L. Jones, Thomas M. Forest
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Publication number: 20210039521Abstract: A system and method for personalization of adjustable features of a vehicle. The system includes a processor and an actuator. The processor detectors key points of a person from a two-dimensional image and predicts a pose of the person. The processor translates a respective position of the key points from a two-dimensional coordinate system to a three-dimensional coordinate system based in part on the pose and measurements of distances between the key points. The processor determines a baseline configuration of an adjustable feature of the vehicle based in part on measurements between the key points in the three-dimensional coordinate system. The processor causes an actuator to adjust the adjustable feature to conform to the baseline configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2019Publication date: February 11, 2021Inventors: Yasen Hu, Kausalya Singuru, Shiming Duan, Yao Hu, Nicholas W. Pinto, Bradley R. Frieberg
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Publication number: 20200398860Abstract: A vehicle including an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) and operator-adjustable devices is described. Controlling the vehicle includes identifying a vehicle operator, and capturing a plurality of operator-selectable settings associated with the plurality of operator-adjustable devices for the vehicle operator. A base profile and a second profile are determined for the vehicle operator based upon the first subset associated with non-autonomous operation of the vehicle and the second subset associated with ADAS, respectively. The plurality of operator-adjustable devices are controlled to the operator-selectable settings associated with the base profile when the vehicle is operating in the non-autonomous mode, and the plurality of operator-adjustable devices are controlled to the operator-selectable settings associated with the second profile when the vehicle is being controlled at least in part by one or more of the subsystems of the ADAS.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2019Publication date: December 24, 2020Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Kausalya Singuru, Donald K. Grimm, Bakhtiar B. Litkouhi, Yasen Hu, Nicholas W. Pinto, Yao Hu, Shiming Duan, Bradley R. Frieberg
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Patent number: 10670162Abstract: A fluid bypass valve includes a valve member disposed within a valve chamber of a housing. A temperature based actuating mechanism moves the valve member between a first position and a second position in response to a temperature change. A temporary flow control device undergoes a one-time only shape change between a first shape and a second shape. The temporary flow control device enables fluid communication between a first port and a second port when exhibiting the first shape, and does not enable fluid communication between the first port and the second port when exhibiting the second shape. The temporary flow control device exhibits the first shape when having an initial temperature less than or equal to a second pre-defined temperature, and exhibits the second shape in response to a first heating of the temporary flow control device to a temperature that is greater than the second pre-defined temperature.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2017Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Xiujie Gao, Nicholas W. Pinto, Scott R. Webb, Nilesh D. Mankame, Richard J. Skurkis
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Patent number: 10632561Abstract: Disclosed are weld electrode plugs with polymeric inserts for loss-of-cooling detection, methods for making or for using such weld electrode plugs, and electric welding systems equipped with loss-of-cooling detection plugs. A disclosed loss-of-cooling detection assembly includes a plug that attaches to the weld shank of a welding system such that the plug fluidly couples to a coolant bore within the shank. The plug includes a plug body with a clearance hole extending therethrough. An insert detachably mounts to the plug such that the insert fluidly seals the clearance hole. This insert is fabricated from a polymeric material, such as a shape memory polymer, that alters a physical property, such as shape/size, of the insert responsive to changes in temperature and/or pressure of coolant fluid in the shank's bore. When this physical property is altered, the insert unseals the clearance hole causing a detectable leak of fluid from the shank.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2017Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Anthony L. Smith, Joseph L. Jablonski, Richard J. Skurkis, Nicholas W. Pinto
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Publication number: 20200016685Abstract: A workpiece is described, and includes a substrate, a cable, and a cover piece. A portion of the cable is joined to the substrate employing a vibration welding tool, and the cover piece is interposed between the portion of the cable and the vibration welding tool during the joining.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2019Publication date: January 16, 2020Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Teresa J. Rinker, Wayne W. Cai, Michael P. Balogh, Nicholas W. Pinto
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Patent number: 10500765Abstract: A die face monitoring system may include an upper die having an upper die face and an upper die opening extending towards the upper die face. Similarly, a lower die may include a lower die face and a lower die opening extending towards the lower die face. The lower die face is arranged to confront the upper die face and form a concavity therebetween. Furthermore, a plurality of sensors are mounted on a press, with each sensor corresponding to each one of the upper and lower die openings. Each sensor emits a beam of light towards and receives a reflection from a target surface within the upper and lower die openings in order to calculate a distance thereto.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2016Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Venkateshwar R Aitharaju, Nicholas W Pinto, IV