Patents by Inventor Nicholaus SPUNAR

Nicholaus SPUNAR 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: 11577696
    Abstract: An HVAC case configured to heat airflow for a vehicle HVAC system. The HVAC case has a defrost outlet, a primary demist outlet, a secondary demist outlet, and an airflow control door. The airflow control door is configured to control airflow through each one of the defrost outlet, the primary demist outlet, and the secondary demist outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Belanger, Kyle Stabile, Nicholaus Spunar, Li Zhang
  • Patent number: 11225123
    Abstract: An HVAC case for a vehicle including an airflow outlet defining a first outlet area having a first width and a first depth, and a second outlet area having a second width and a second depth. The first outlet area is larger than the second outlet area. A ramped surface is adjacent to the second outlet area. An airflow control door is movable to an open position, a partially closed position in which the airflow control door obstructs airflow through the first outlet area and permits airflow through the second outlet area, and a fully closed position in which the airflow control door obstructs airflow through both the first outlet area and the second outlet area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholaus Spunar, Brian Belanger, Li Zhang
  • Patent number: 11186143
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for a vehicle. The HVAC system includes an airflow inlet case defining a fresh air inlet and a recirculation air inlet. The airflow inlet case includes an evaporator and a filter both aligned with an axis of rotation of a blower configured to draw airflow through the airflow inlet case into a heater case. The recirculation air inlet faces the heater case. The airflow inlet case is configured to be mounted on an engine side of a vehicle firewall such that the recirculation air inlet is at the firewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicholaus Spunar, Brian Belanger
  • Patent number: 11110775
    Abstract: An airflow turning device with airflow control channels for an outlet of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) case that directs airflow to a plurality of different vehicle outlets. The airflow control channels extend from an inner upstream side of the outlet to an outer downstream side of the outlet. Different ones of the plurality of channels have different lengths to generate a varied pressure drop at the outer downstream side in response to airflow blown into the plurality of channels from the inner upstream side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nicholaus Spunar, Paul Laurentius
  • Patent number: 11104202
    Abstract: A vehicle airflow system includes a centrifugal fan and an air diffuser. The centrifugal fan is configured to direct air radially outward from a rotational axis of the fan. The air diffuser has a plurality of air deflectors that are disposed radially about the fan. The air deflectors have curved surfaces. Each curved surface defines an airflow channel that has an inlet extending radially outward from a periphery of the centrifugal fan and an outlet extending axially away from the diffuser relative to the rotational axis of the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc., Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kyle Stabile, Brian Belanger, Nicholaus Spunar, Xiaomin Chen
  • Patent number: 10987996
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for a vehicle that comprises one or more sensors configured to obtain information indicating a physical state of a baby. A wireless transceiver may be included and in communication with a mobile device. The transceiver may be configured to connect mobile device with a camera configured to monitor the baby. A controller may also be in communication with the one or more sensors and the wireless transceiver. The controller may be configured to determine the physical state of the baby utilizing the information obtained from the one or more sensors. The controller may also be configured activate one or more vehicle systems in response to the physical state of the baby and to output on a vehicle display or the mobile device a notification to a user indicating the physical state of the baby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignees: DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Vikas Upmanue, Te-Ping Kang, Yu Zhang, Jordan Necovski, Bilal Alasry, Sean Bleicher, Doua Vang, Eleanor Duke, Nicholaus Spunar
  • Publication number: 20210046799
    Abstract: An HVAC case for a vehicle including an airflow outlet defining a first outlet area having a first width and a first depth, and a second outlet area having a second width and a second depth. The first outlet area is larger than the second outlet area. A ramped surface is adjacent to the second outlet area. An airflow control door is movable to an open position, a partially closed position in which the airflow control door obstructs airflow through the first outlet area and permits airflow through the second outlet area, and a fully closed position in which the airflow control door obstructs airflow through both the first outlet area and the second outlet area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Nicholaus SPUNAR, Brian BELANGER, Li ZHANG
  • Patent number: 10908677
    Abstract: A system in a vehicle includes one or more sensors configured to obtain input from an occupant of the vehicle. The system also includes a controller in communication with the one or more sensors, wherein the controller is configured to, receive the input from the one or more sensors, determine a mood of the occupant utilizing at least the input, and output a solution to a vehicle display in response to the mood of the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Vikas Upmanue, Yu Zhang, Bilal Alasry, Te-Ping Kang, Jordan Necovski, Sean Bleicher, Doua Vang, Eleanor Duke, Nicholaus Spunar
  • Publication number: 20200406713
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for a vehicle. The HVAC system includes an airflow inlet case defining a fresh air inlet and a recirculation air inlet. The airflow inlet case includes an evaporator and a filter both aligned with an axis of rotation of a blower configured to draw airflow through the airflow inlet case into a heater case. The recirculation air inlet faces the heater case. The airflow inlet case is configured to be mounted on an engine side of a vehicle firewall such that the recirculation air inlet is at the firewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Nicholaus SPUNAR, Brian BELANGER
  • Publication number: 20200307520
    Abstract: An HVAC case configured to heat airflow for a vehicle HVAC system. The HVAC case has a defrost outlet, a primary demist outlet, a secondary demist outlet, and an airflow control door. The airflow control door is configured to control airflow through each one of the defrost outlet, the primary demist outlet, and the secondary demist outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Brian BELANGER, Kyle STABILE, Nicholaus SPUNAR, Li ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20200310528
    Abstract: A system in a vehicle includes one or more sensors configured to obtain input from an occupant of the vehicle. The system also includes a controller in communication with the one or more sensors, wherein the controller is configured to, receive the input from the one or more sensors, determine a mood of the occupant utilizing at least the input, and output a solution to a vehicle display in response to the mood of the occupant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Vikas UPMANUE, Yu ZHANG, Bilal ALASRY, Te-Ping KANG, Jordan NECOVSKI, Sean BLEICHER, Doua VANG, Eleanor DUKE, Nicholaus SPUNAR
  • Publication number: 20200282803
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for a vehicle that comprises one or more sensors configured to obtain information indicating a physical state of a baby. A wireless transceiver may be included and in communication with a mobile device. The transceiver may be configured to connect mobile device with a camera configured to monitor the baby. A controller may also be in communication with the one or more sensors and the wireless transceiver. The controller may be configured to determine the physical state of the baby utilizing the information obtained from the one or more sensors. The controller may also be configured activate one or more vehicle systems in response to the physical state of the baby and to output on a vehicle display or the mobile device a notification to a user indicating the physical state of the baby.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Vikas UPMANUE, Te-Ping KANG, Yu ZHANG, Jordan NECOVSKI, Bilal ALASRY, Sean BLEICHER, Doua VANG, Eleanor DUKE, Nicholaus SPUNAR
  • Patent number: 10764536
    Abstract: A system in a vehicle comprising one or more sensors configured to obtain cognitive-load data indicating a cognitive load of an occupant of the vehicle, a controller in communication with the one or more sensors, wherein the controller is configured to determine a cognitive load of the occupant utilizing at least the cognitive-load data in response to an initiation of a video conference session, and output on a vehicle display a first user interface in connection with the video conference session when the cognitive load exceeds a threshold and a second user interface in connection with the video conference session when the cognitive load is below a threshold, wherein the second user interface includes video of the video conference session and the first user interface excludes video of the video conference session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu Zhang, Bilal Alasry, Te-Ping Kang, Vikas Upmanue, Jordan Necovski, Sean Bleicher, Doua Vang, Eleanor Duke, Nicholaus Spunar
  • Publication number: 20200213560
    Abstract: A system in a vehicle comprising one or more sensors configured to obtain cognitive-load data indicating a cognitive load of an occupant of the vehicle, a controller in communication with the one or more sensors, wherein the controller is configured to determine a cognitive load of the occupant utilizing at least the cognitive-load data in response to an initiation of a video conference session, and output on a vehicle display a first user interface in connection with the video conference session when the cognitive load exceeds a threshold and a second user interface in connection with the video conference session when the cognitive load is below a threshold, wherein the second user interface includes video of the video conference session and the first user interface excludes video of the video conference session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Yu ZHANG, Bilal ALASRY, Te-Ping KANG, Vikas UPMANUE, Jordan NECOVSKI, Sean BLEICHER, Doua VANG, Eleanor DUKE, Nicholaus SPUNAR
  • Patent number: 10674003
    Abstract: A system in a vehicle, comprising a transceiver configured to communicate with one or more mobile devices in a vehicle, wherein the one or more mobile devices are configured to initiate a voice session with a remote phone, one or more sensors configured to collect data indicating a presence of passengers in the vehicle, a controller in communication with the one or more sensors and the transceiver, wherein the controller is configured to determine the presence of passengers in the vehicle utilizing the data indicating the presence of passengers in the vehicle, and send data indicating the presence of passengers in the vehicle to the remote phone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignees: DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Te-Ping Kang, Yu Zhang, Bilal Alasry, Vikas Upmanue, Jordan Necovski, Sean Bleicher, Doua Vang, Eleanor Duke, Nicholaus Spunar
  • Patent number: 10666901
    Abstract: A system in a vehicle comprises one or more sensors configured to obtain occupant information indicating a stress level of an occupant of the vehicle. The system also includes a wireless transceiver in communication with a mobile device including a camera configured to monitor the occupant, and a controller in communication with the one or more sensors and the wireless transceiver, wherein the controller is configured to determine a stress-level of the occupant utilizing at least the occupant information, initiate a video conference session on the mobile device between the occupant and one or more contacts of the occupant in response to the determination of the stress level of the occupant exceeding a threshold, and output on a vehicle display the video conference between the occupant and the one or more contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Yu Zhang, Bilal Alasry, Te-Ping Kang, Vikas Upmanue, Jordan Necovski, Sean Bleicher, Doua Vang, Eleanor Duke, Nicholaus Spunar
  • Publication number: 20200122546
    Abstract: A vehicle airflow system includes a centrifugal fan and an air diffuser. The centrifugal fan is configured to direct air radially outward from a rotational axis of the fan. The air diffuser has a plurality of air deflectors that are disposed radially about the fan. The air deflectors have curved surfaces. Each curved surface defines an airflow channel that has an inlet extending radially outward from a periphery of the centrifugal fan and an outlet extending axially away from the diffuser relative to the rotational axis of the fan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Kyle STABILE, Brian BELANGER, Nicholaus SPUNAR, Xiaomin CHEN
  • Publication number: 20200114726
    Abstract: An airflow turning device with airflow control channels for an outlet of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) case that directs airflow to a plurality of different vehicle outlets. The airflow control channels extend from an inner upstream side of the outlet to an outer downstream side of the outlet. Different ones of the plurality of channels have different lengths to generate a varied pressure drop at the outer downstream side in response to airflow blown into the plurality of channels from the inner upstream side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Nicholaus SPUNAR, Paul LAURENTIUS
  • Patent number: 10595177
    Abstract: A system in a vehicle including a primary caregiver vehicle device of a primary caregiver providing care to a companion. The primary caregiver vehicle device includes a wireless transceiver in communication with a secondary caregiver device of a secondary caregiver. The primary caregiver device includes a controller in communication with the wireless transceiver. The controller is configured to receive a request to transmit a companion profile of the companion to the secondary caregiver device. The companion profile includes data changing over time in response to data received from the primary caregiver vehicle device and the secondary caregiver device. The controller is further configured to transmit the companion profile from the primary caregiver vehicle device to the secondary caregiver device in response to the request to transmit the companion profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Jordan Necovski, Yu Zhang, Bilal Alasry, Te-Ping Kang, Vikas Upmanue, Sean Bleicher, Doua Vang, Eleanor Duke, Nicholaus Spunar
  • Patent number: 10506370
    Abstract: A system in a vehicle comprises one or more transceivers configured to communicate data with a remote server, and a processor in communication with the transceiver and programmed to determine a location of the vehicle in response to data received from one or more sensors indicating a location of the vehicle/ The processor is further programmed to determine a trigger event associated with a point-of-interest (POI) in response to the data received from the remote server, receive data from the remote server indicating one or more contacts associated with the POI and locations of the one or more contacts, and output on a display a contact list in response to at least the data indicating the trigger event, wherein the contact list is generated utilizing at least the location of the one or more contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA INC.
    Inventors: Bilal Alasry, Te-Ping Kang, Vikas Upmanue, Yu Zhang, Jordan Necovski, Sean Bleicher, Doua Vang, Eleanor Duke, Nicholaus Spunar