Patents by Inventor Stephane Melou

Stephane Melou 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: 10671220
    Abstract: Disclosed is a touchpad system forming a human-machine interface, intended for a vehicle steering wheel. The touchpad system includes a light source illuminating the touchpad and a camera capturing light coming from the touchpad. The touchpad includes a first marker able to reflect the light coming from the light source, and the touchpad, with the exception of the first marker, being transparent to the light emitted by the light source. The system is notable in particular in that pressure on the touchpad causes the touchpad to move and in that, when the touchpad is in a first position, the first marker is not visible to the camera and, when the touchpad is in a second position, the first marker is visible to the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Sebastien Champinot, Stephane Melou
  • Publication number: 20180292949
    Abstract: Disclosed is a touchpad system forming a human-machine interface, intended for a vehicle steering wheel. The touchpad system includes a light source illuminating the touchpad and a camera capturing light coming from the touchpad. The touchpad includes a first marker able to reflect the light coming from the light source, and the touchpad, with the exception of the first marker, being transparent to the light emitted by the light source. The system is notable in particular in that pressure on the touchpad causes the touchpad to move and in that, when the touchpad is in a first position, the first marker is not visible to the camera and, when the touchpad is in a second position, the first marker is visible to the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Sebastien CHAMPINOT, Stephane MELOU
  • Publication number: 20020034972
    Abstract: An operating device (1) is designed for fastening to a component which is circular in cross section, for example a steering-wheel rim or a steering-wheel spoke. For this purpose, two strap parts (6, 9) which are to be connected to each other are fitted to the operating device (1) for wrapping around the component. One strap part (6) is provided with a clamping lever (3) for pivoting it into a position beyond the dead center in which the strap parts (6, 9) are in a clamping position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Publication date: March 21, 2002
    Inventors: Peter Verbeek, Stephane Melou, Bruno Aubert