Patents by Inventor Nick Hoffman

Nick Hoffman 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).

  • Vehicle airbag system with variable deployment
    Patent number: 12637026
    Abstract: A safety system for an occupant of a vehicle includes an airbag selectably inflatable by an inflator operably connected to the airbag, one or more deployment mechanisms operably connected to the airbag to control deployment of the airbag, and a controller operably connected to the one or more deployment mechanisms. The controller is configured to modify operation of the one or more deployment mechanisms as a result of detecting one or more characteristics of the occupant. A method of operating a safety system for vehicle occupant includes detecting one or more characteristics of an occupant of a seat of the vehicle, adjusting one or more deployment mechanisms of the safety system as a result of the one or more characteristics, and deploying an airbag operably connected to the one or more deployment mechanisms. Adjustment of the one or more deployment mechanisms modifies deployment of the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2025
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Manuel Forero Rueda, Chin-Hsu Lin, Mitesh Lalwala, Ryan Aaron Gellner, Nick Hoffman