Patents by Inventor Robert J. Dykhouse

Robert J. Dykhouse 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: 9871288
    Abstract: A vehicular door handle system includes a door handle assembly for a door of a vehicle. The door handle assembly includes a door handle portion that is graspable by a user to open the vehicle door. The door handle assembly includes an antenna circuit for a passive entry system of the vehicle. The antenna circuit includes at least an inductor in series electrical connection with a capacitor. The antenna circuit includes a resistor in series electrical connection with the inductor of the antenna circuit and the capacitor of the antenna circuit. The series electrical connection includes one of (i) the resistor being disposed between the inductor and the capacitor of the antenna circuit and (ii) the resistor not being disposed between the inductor and the capacitor of the antenna circuit. The resistor functions to reduce the Q factor of the antenna circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Robert J. Dykhouse
  • Publication number: 20170047648
    Abstract: A vehicular door handle system includes a door handle assembly for a door of a vehicle. The door handle assembly includes a door handle portion that is graspable by a user to open the vehicle door. The door handle assembly includes an antenna circuit for a passive entry system of the vehicle. The antenna circuit includes at least an inductor in series electrical connection with a capacitor. The antenna circuit includes a resistor in series electrical connection with the inductor of the antenna circuit and the capacitor of the antenna circuit. The series electrical connection includes one of (i) the resistor being disposed between the inductor and the capacitor of the antenna circuit and (ii) the resistor not being disposed between the inductor and the capacitor of the antenna circuit. The resistor functions to reduce the Q factor of the antenna circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventor: Robert J. Dykhouse
  • Patent number: 9481304
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror system suitable for use on a vehicle includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly, a mirror heating element and a control. The mirror assembly includes a mirror head portion mountable to a side of a vehicle and a reflective element supported at the mirror head portion. The mirror heating element is disposed at a rear side of the reflective element and operable to heat the reflective element. The control is operable to power the mirror heating element to heat the reflective element. The control controls heating of the mirror heating element responsive at least in part to a signal indicative of air flow at or around the exterior rearview mirror assembly and the reflective element of the equipped vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Robert J. Dykhouse
  • Patent number: 9484626
    Abstract: A door handle assembly for a door of a vehicle, with the door handle assembly configured to mount at a handle region of a vehicle door, includes an antenna circuit for an antenna of a passive entry system of the vehicle. The antenna circuit includes at least an inductor in series electrical connection with a capacitor. The antenna circuit includes a resistor in electrical connection with the inductor and the capacitor. The resistor is selected to provide a selected reduction of a quality factor or Q factor of the antenna circuit to a reduced level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Robert J. Dykhouse
  • Publication number: 20140361940
    Abstract: A door handle assembly for a door of a vehicle, with the door handle assembly configured to mount at a handle region of a vehicle door, includes an antenna circuit for an antenna of a passive entry system of the vehicle. The antenna circuit includes at least an inductor in series electrical connection with a capacitor. The antenna circuit includes a resistor in electrical connection with the inductor and the capacitor. The resistor is selected to provide a selected reduction of a quality factor or Q factor of the antenna circuit to a reduced level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventor: Robert J. Dykhouse
  • Publication number: 20110286096
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror system suitable for use on a vehicle includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly, a mirror heating element and a control. The mirror assembly includes a mirror head portion mountable to a side of a vehicle and a reflective element supported at the mirror head portion. The mirror heating element is disposed at a rear side of the reflective element and operable to heat the reflective element. The control is operable to power the mirror heating element to heat the reflective element. The control controls heating of the mirror heating element responsive at least in part to a signal indicative of air flow at or around the exterior rearview mirror assembly and the reflective element of the equipped vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Robert J. Dykhouse
  • Patent number: 7408451
    Abstract: An automatic dimming vehicle mirror system includes an automatic dimming mirror assembly having automatic dimming circuitry. The automatic dimming circuitry includes a mirror control and at least a first silicon-based photo sensor and a second silicon-based photo sensor. The first silicon-based photo sensor is sensitive to both visible light and infrared light. The second silicon-based photo sensor is sensitive principally to infrared light. The mirror control distinguishes headlamp sources from non-headlamp sources by a ratio of a signal indicative of light detected by the first photo sensor to a signal indicative of light detected by the second photo sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Rodney K Blank, Kenneth L Schierbeek, Marc A Smeyers, Robert J Dykhouse
  • Patent number: 6992573
    Abstract: A vehicular rearview mirror system suitable for use with a vehicle control, the vehicle control generating an output having a particular protocol representing a state of the output. The vehicle rearview mirror system includes a variable reflective element which assumes a partial reflectance level in response to a drive signal. The rearview mirror system further includes a mirror control that is responsive to the output of the vehicle control for generating at least one mirror control output. The at least one mirror control output includes a value for the drive signal. The mirror control determines the protocol of the output of the vehicle control including monitoring the output of the vehicle control in attempting to conclude a state of the output of the vehicle control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Rodney K. Blank, Kenneth L. Schierbeek, Marc A. Smeyers, Robert J. Dykhouse
  • Publication number: 20040105179
    Abstract: A vehicular rearview mirror system suitable for use with a vehicle control, the vehicle control generating an output having a particular protocol representing a state of the output. The vehicle rearview mirror system includes a variable reflective element which assumes a partial reflectance level in response to a drive signal. The rearview mirror system further includes a mirror control that is responsive to the output of the vehicle control for generating at least one mirror control output. The at least one mirror control output includes a value for the drive signal. The mirror control determines the protocol of the output of the vehicle control including monitoring the output of the vehicle control in attempting to conclude a state of the output of the vehicle control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Applicant: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rodney K. Blank, Kenneth L. Schierbeek, Marc A. Smeyers, Robert J. Dykhouse
  • Patent number: 5812321
    Abstract: A light-responsive vehicle control system is provided that is useful in the passenger compartment of a vehicle having a movable top, or cover, which may be opened to at least partially uncover the passenger compartment. The control system includes at least one control circuit which receives an input from the light sensor and produces an output to operate a device, such as an electro-optic mirror or the vehicle headlights, as a function of the light sensed by the light sensor and a sensitivity value. The control circuit is responsive to the position of the cover with respect to the passenger compartment to reduce the sensitivity level when the compartment is uncovered. The control circuit may filter a signal that is a function of light sensed by the light sensor according to a time-constant and be responsive to a reduction in the light level sensed by the light sensor to reduce the value of the time-constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Schierbeek, Robert J. Dykhouse, Niall R. Lynam