Patents by Inventor Nunzio DeCia

Nunzio DeCia 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: 10266149
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are disclosed for unlocking a vehicle. An example vehicle unlock system includes a remote computing device configured to determine that the remote computing device will enter a compromised status in which the remote computing device cannot communicate with a server, responsively request an electronic key, and unlock the vehicle using the electronic key. The system also includes a server configured to store and transmit the electronic key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nunzio DeCia, David A. Herman, Nicholas Alexander Scheufler, David Joseph Orris, Stephen Jay Orris, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10217297
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for control module activation to monitor vehicles in a key-off state. An example system includes a vehicle at a location in a key-off state that includes a sensor for collecting damage detection data, a camera module including a camera for collecting damage identification data, and a communication module. The example system also includes a remote processor to receive the damage detection data from the communication module and detect damage to the vehicle based upon the damage detection data. The remote processor also is to send, responsive to detecting the damage, an activation signal to activate the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nunzio DeCia, David A. Herman, Arun Dutta, Bill Dierker, Justin Cartwright
  • Publication number: 20180351388
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are disclosed for unlocking a vehicle. An example vehicle includes a power system, a remote unlock system controlled by a remote unlocking device, and a door applique. The door applique comprises a wireless charger coupled to the power system, configured to charge the remote unlocking device, and a ridge configured to engage the remote unlocking device, wherein the wireless charger is configured to charge the remote unlocking device for a limited time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: David Joseph Orris, Nunzio DeCia, Stephen Jay Orris, David A. Herman, Howard Paul Tsvi Linden, Nicholas Alexander Scheufler
  • Patent number: 10137848
    Abstract: A vehicle wireless beacon scheduling system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a vehicle including steering, an accelerator, brakes, a processor, and memory. The system also includes a beacon optimizer module coupled to the processor comprising driver driving pattern data stored in the memory, and a beacon scheduler module coupled to the processor and configured to transmit Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) data from the vehicle in advance of a predicted trip in the vehicle by a driver based on the driver driving pattern data. The beacon scheduler module is configured to dynamically adjust at least one of a transmission time, a transmission rate, and a transmission duration of the BLE data from the vehicle based on a probability of a trip taken by the driver in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nunzio DeCia, Stephen Jay Orris, Jr., David A. Herman, Nicholas Alexander Scheufler, Richard D. Bridgewater
  • Publication number: 20180304836
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for control module activation of vehicles in a key-off state. An example system includes a vehicle at a location in a key-off state that includes a battery, a communication module, and an infotainment unit to activate and present media responsive to the communication module receiving an activation signal. The example system also includes a remote processor to determine a charge level of the battery, identify a parking duration for the location, and send the activation signal responsive to the charge level being less than a threshold associated with the parking duration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Nunzio DeCia, David A. Herman, Arun Dutta, Bill Dierker, Justin Cartwright
  • Publication number: 20180308293
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for control module activation to monitor vehicles in a key-off state. An example system includes a vehicle at a location in a key-off state that includes a sensor for collecting damage detection data, a camera module including a camera for collecting damage identification data, and a communication module. The example system also includes a remote processor to receive the damage detection data from the communication module and detect damage to the vehicle based upon the damage detection data. The remote processor also is to send, responsive to detecting the damage, an activation signal to activate the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Nunzio DeCia, David A. Herman, Arun Dutta, Bill Dierker, Justin Cartwright
  • Publication number: 20180306598
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for control module activation of vehicles in a key-off state to determine driving routes. An example system includes a vehicle at a location in a key-off state. The vehicle includes a communication module to receive an activation signal and a telematic control unit. The telematic control unit is to activate upon receipt of the activation signal and determine and present a route from the location. The example system also includes a remote processor to determine the location, identify an event and an end time based upon the location, and send an activation signal based upon the end time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Nunzio DeCia, David A. Herman, Arun Dutta, Bill Dierker, Justin Cartwright
  • Patent number: 10093138
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for monitoring tires of vehicles via personal area networks. An example vehicle includes a body, nodes spaced apart on the body, a tire, a transceiver coupled to the tire, and a tire detector. The tire detector is to determine a tire position based on wireless communication between the transceiver and the nodes, identify a duration that the tire is at the tire position, and present a warning to rotate the tire position when the duration is greater than a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nunzio DeCia, David A Herman, Arun Dutta
  • Publication number: 20180229560
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for monitoring tires of vehicles via personal area networks. An example vehicle includes a body, nodes spaced apart on the body, a tire, a transceiver coupled to the tire, and a tire detector. The tire detector is to determine a tire position based on wireless communication between the transceiver and the nodes, identify a duration that the tire is at the tire position, and present a warning to rotate the tire position when the duration is greater than a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Nunzio DeCia, David A. Herman, Arun Dutta
  • Patent number: 10043326
    Abstract: Systems and methods for driver identification using vehicle approach vectors are disclosed. An example disclosed vehicle includes a plurality of beacons configured to connect to a first mobile device and a second mobile device. The example vehicle also includes a plurality of ultrasonic sensors. The example vehicle includes a driver identifier configured to predict trajectories for the first and second mobile devices based on information received from the plurality of beacons and the plurality of ultrasonic sensors, and determine which one of the mobile devices is associated with a driver based on the predicted trajectories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nunzio DeCia, Stephen Jay Orris, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9928746
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for vehicle-to-vehicle cooperation to marshal traffic. An example disclosed cooperative vehicle includes an example vehicle-to-vehicle communication module and an example cooperative adaptive cruise control module. The example cooperative adaptive cruise control module determines a location of a traffic cataract. The example cooperative adaptive cruise control module also coordinates with other cooperative vehicles to form a platoon of standard vehicles. Additionally, the example cooperative adaptive cruise control module coordinates with other the cooperative vehicles to move the formed platoon through the traffic cataract at a constant speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Perry Robinson MacNeille, Joseph Wisniewski, Nunzio DeCia
  • Publication number: 20180082590
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for vehicle-to-vehicle cooperation to marshal traffic. An example disclosed cooperative vehicle includes an example vehicle-to-vehicle communication module and an example cooperative adaptive cruise control module. The example cooperative adaptive cruise control module determines a location of a traffic cataract. The example cooperative adaptive cruise control module also coordinates with other cooperative vehicles to form a platoon of standard vehicles. Additionally, the example cooperative adaptive cruise control module coordinates with other the cooperative vehicles to move the formed platoon through the traffic cataract at a constant speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Perry Robinson MacNeille, Joseph Wisniewski, Nunzio DeCia
  • Patent number: 9919740
    Abstract: A method for controlling a lane keep assist system comprises the combination of predicting that a driver may initiate a lane change without using a turn indicator switch and temporarily deactivating the lane keep assist system in response to such prediction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Nunzio DeCia, Dave A. Herman, Stephen Jay Orris, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20180018179
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for intelligent pre-boot and setup of vehicle systems. An example disclosed vehicle includes first sensors to detect a person within a user set in a first radius around the vehicle, second sensors to detect the person within a second radius around the vehicle; and a boot controller. The example boot controller activates vehicle subsystems in a first mode in response to detecting the person within the first radius. Additionally, the boot controller activates the vehicle subsystems in a second mode in response to detecting the person within the second radius.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Nicholas Alexander Scheufler, David A. Herman, Nunzio DeCia, Stephen Jay Orris, JR.
  • Publication number: 20180001870
    Abstract: Example on-demand driver (ODD) systems and methods are described herein. An example method includes generating, with an ODD system, a softkey for a vehicle associated with an agreement between a driver-in-need (DIN) and an ODD, monitoring, with the ODD system, a location of an ODD device carried by the ODD, and transmitting, with the ODD system, the softkey to the ODD device when the ODD device is detected as being within a proximity of the vehicle. In the example method, the softkey is used to unlock the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Dave A. Herman, David Joseph Orris, Nicholas Scheufler, Nunzio Decia, Stephen Jay Orris
  • Patent number: 9850839
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to assist a vehicle ascending a hill are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a trailer connection component configured to determine whether a trailer is connected to the vehicle. The example apparatus also includes a road geometry component configured to determine a slope of a road on which the vehicle is driving. The example apparatus also includes a vehicle payload component configured to determine a gross vehicle weight of the vehicle. The example apparatus also includes a throttle adjuster configured to adjust a throttle based on the gross vehicle weight to maintain a set speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nunzio DeCia, Stephen Jay Orris, Jr., David A. Herman, Richard D. Bridgewater, Nicholas Alexander Scheufler
  • Publication number: 20170364069
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for autonomous behavior override utilizing an emergency corridor. An example disclosed system includes an autonomous vehicle, infrastructure nodes, and an emergency router. The example autonomous vehicle sends an emergency request in response to detecting an occupant experiencing a medical emergency. The example infrastructure nodes are distributed across a municipal area. The example emergency router selects a route from a first location of the autonomous vehicle to an emergency response facility. The example emergency router also selects the infrastructure nodes that are along the route. Additionally, the example emergency router instructs the selected infrastructure nodes to broadcast messages to create an emergency corridor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Nicholas Colella, Stephen Jay Orris, JR., David A. Herman, Nicholas Alexander Scheufler, Nunzio DeCia
  • Publication number: 20170278326
    Abstract: Systems and methods for driver identification using vehicle approach vectors are disclosed. An example disclosed vehicle includes a plurality of beacons configured to connect to a first mobile device and a second mobile device. The example vehicle also includes a plurality of ultrasonic sensors. The example vehicle includes a driver identifier configured to predict trajectories for the first and second mobile devices based on information received from the plurality of beacons and the plurality of ultrasonic sensors, and determine which one of the mobile devices is associated with a driver based on the predicted trajectories.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Nunzio DeCia, Stephen Jay Orris, JR.
  • Publication number: 20170263117
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to determine traffic density over a road segment. The processor is also configured to model traffic parameters to maximize traffic flow over the road segment, based on the traffic density and travel characteristic data received from a plurality of vehicles exiting the road segment. The processor is further configured to determine a speed to density curve, using the model, that would maximize traffic flow and send the speed to density curve to a vehicle entering the road segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Perry Robinson MACNEILLE, Nunzio DECIA, Joseph WISNIEWSKI, Andrea Bowes CHOWANIC
  • Publication number: 20170225711
    Abstract: A method for controlling a lane keep assist system comprises the combination of predicting that a driver may initiate a lane change without using a turn indicator switch and temporarily deactivating the lane keep assist system in response to such prediction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nunzio DeCia, Dave A. Herman, Stephen Jay Orris, JR.