Patents by Inventor Rodney L. Larson

Rodney L. Larson 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: 11970111
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting arm and a mirror head at one end of the mounting arm distal from an attachment portion of the mounting arm that is configured for attachment at a vehicle. A mirror reflective element is fixedly attached at the mirror head. An innermost side of the mirror reflective element is attached at a front side of an attachment plate. The mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of the mirror head relative to the mounting arm when the driver of the vehicle operates an electrically-operable actuator. The attachment plate includes wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate and circumscribes and spans the perimeter circumferential edge of the glass substrate and does not encroach onto and does not overlap the front surface of the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: John T. Uken, Darryl P. De Wind, Keith D. Foote, Joseph M. Mambourg, Rodney K. Blank, Mark L. Larson, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 11970113
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a forward-viewing camera located behind and viewing through a vehicle windshield, a rearward-viewing camera located at a rear of the vehicle, and a common image processor operable for processing captured image data. A video display screen is located within the interior cabin of the vehicle viewable by a driver of the vehicle. The common image processor processes first image data captured by the forward-viewing camera to detect at least one vehicle present exterior the equipped vehicle. Responsive to the vehicle being shifted into a reverse gear and while the driver is executing a reversing maneuver, video images derived from image data captured by at least the rearward-viewing camera are displayed by the video display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew D. Weller, Mark L. Larson, Ian A. McCabe, Niall R. Lynam, Rodney K. Blank, Joseph P. McCaw, John T. Uken
  • Publication number: 20240067091
    Abstract: A vehicular video camera display system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a casing and an electrochromic reflective element, with a video display device disposed in the casing behind the electrochromic reflective element. With the interior rearview mirror assembly disposed at the in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle, a video display screen of the video display device is operable to display video images that are viewable through the electrochromic reflective element by a driver of the vehicle. Image data captured by a rearward-viewing video camera is communicated as a digital signal from the rearward-viewing video camera via a cable to control circuitry disposed at the interior rearview mirror assembly. The video display device displays video images that are derived, at least in part, from image data communicated via the cable from the rearward-viewing video camera to the control circuitry disposed at the interior rearview mirror assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Rodney K. Blank, Mark L. Larson, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 5452344
    Abstract: The present invention describes an FSK carrier communication systems for transmitting and receiving data on a electric utility line even in the presence of extreme noise. The present invention uses a unique FSK transmit and receive protocol to distinguish between noise and actual data. By careful selection of the space and mark frequencies transmitted on the power line and by using a unique variable width data-bit protocol, the receiver can distinguish between actual data and corrupted information due to noise spikes with nearly error free communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Datran Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Rodney L. Larson
  • Patent number: 5381462
    Abstract: A utility meter reading and communications system gathers data from utility meters and sends that data to a utility company's central data collection point (host computer) via phone lines. The system places a call on the user's telephone line at a specified time and date and transmits data using dual-tone multifrequency (DTMF) format. The system ensures that users still may use the telephone line by sensing off-hook conditions initiated by a resident's telephone and immediately dropping the line to reestablish dial tone for the residential customer. The system uses a variety of error-detection procedures and communications protocols to ensure a high degree of reliability in communicating data to and from the central office and the utility meter system. The system also uses communications protocols and handshaking to ensure accurate data communication and allow immediate interruptions of communications should the customer attempt to use the telephone line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Assignee: Datran Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Rodney L. Larson, Donald L. Meyer
  • Patent number: 4550247
    Abstract: Computer programs or other informational data are recorded on one or more sheets in the form of lines of optical bar code. At least one Control Array line containing characters which define the format for the program or other informational data to be transmitted to a specific digital computer is included in the optical bar code in addition to the data lines which contain characters representing the particular program of other information. A bar code scanner scans the lines of optical bar code and converts the scanned marks and spaces of the optical bar code into digital data representative of the characters in the line which is scanned. The digital data from the Control Array line is stored as Control Array data, and the digital data from one or more data lines are stored as program or informational data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1985
    Assignee: Databar Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur J. Winter, Rodney L. Larson