Patents by Inventor Steven L. Geerlings

Steven L. Geerlings 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: 9318017
    Abstract: A wireless control system for use in a vehicle and for use with a remote electronic system is provided. The wireless control system includes a transceiver for mounting in the vehicle. The transceiver is configured to communicate according to a Bluetooth communications standard. The transceiver is further configured to provide a control signal to the remote electronic system. The transceiver is also trainable to provide a carrier frequency and control information for the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd R. Witkowski, Kurt A. Dykema, Steven L. Geerlings, Mark L. Zeinstra, Robert F. Buege
  • Publication number: 20160101736
    Abstract: A trainable transceiver unit for mounting in a vehicle includes a transceiver circuit configured to reproduce the transmit control signals for operating a plurality of remote electronic devices, a user interface element, a battery configured to power the transceiver circuit and the user interface element, and a housing. The housing contains the transceiver circuit, the user interface element, and the battery and is integrated with a component of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Steven L. Geerlings, James E. Trainor, Carl L. Shearer, Thomas S. Wright
  • Publication number: 20160071348
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes a vehicle communication module in the vehicle, a remote start system in the vehicle, and a vehicle processor. The vehicle processor is configured to determine if the vehicle is in a garage, and further configured to receive an indication of a remote start request from the remote start system, receive a garage door status from a garage door opener using the vehicle communication module, and determine, based on the received garage door status, if a garage door is closed. In response to determining that the garage door is closed, the vehicle systems transmits a remote command to the garage door opener formatted to cause the garage door opener to open the garage door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Applicant: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Richard J. CHUTORASH, James E. Trainor, Jeffrey Golden, Steven L. Geerlings
  • Publication number: 20160020813
    Abstract: A communication system for a vehicle that includes a transceiver having a transmit antenna disposed adjacent to an exterior component of the vehicle, the transceiver being configured to transmit at least one signal to a receiver external to the vehicle. The communication system also includes a controller having a processor and a memory storage device, the memory storage device being configured to store the at least one signal and to output the at least one signal to the transceiver. The communication system also includes a remote receive antenna disposed within an interior of the vehicle and communicatively coupled to the memory storage device, wherein the remote receive antenna is configured to receive the at least one signal from a training transmitter and to output the at least one signal to the memory storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Applicant: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Horia-Eduard Pilat, Carl L. Shearer, Douglas C. Papay, Steven L. Geerlings
  • Publication number: 20150364033
    Abstract: A trainable transceiver for controlling a device includes a transceiver circuit, a control circuit coupled to the transceiver circuit, and memory coupled to the control circuit. The control circuit is configured to receive a signal from the device via the transceiver circuit. The control circuit is configured to determine a frequency of a channel used by the device based on the signal strength of the signal received from the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Applicant: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Todd R. Witkowski, Chris H. Vuyst, Thomas S. Wright, Steven L. Geerlings
  • Patent number: 9189952
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes a vehicle communication module in the vehicle, a remote start system in the vehicle, and a vehicle processor. The vehicle processor is configured to determine if the vehicle is in a garage, and further configured to receive an indication of a remote start request from the remote start system, receive a garage door status from a garage door opener using the vehicle communication module, and determine, based on the received garage door status, if a garage door is closed. In response to determining that the garage door is closed, the vehicle systems transmits a remote command to the garage door opener formatted to cause the garage door opener to open the garage door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard J. Chutorash, James E. Trainor, Jeffrey Golden, Steven L. Geerlings
  • Patent number: 9176482
    Abstract: Control systems for mounting in a vehicle and for transmitting a signal to a receiver associated with a device for opening or closing a movable barrier when the receiver receives an authorized signal are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Todd R. Witkowski, Carl L. Shearer, Steven L. Geerlings, Thomas D. Klaver
  • Publication number: 20150311935
    Abstract: A system for communicating information facilitates wireless communication between electronic devices. The system includes a transceiver provided in a vehicle. The transceiver communicates with an electronic device located external to the transceiver using a Bluetooth communications standard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Todd R. WITKOWSKI, Kurt A. Dykema, Steven L. Geerlings, Mark L. Zeinstra
  • Publication number: 20150302735
    Abstract: A system for installation in a vehicle and for controlling a remote device including a trainable transceiver, a camera, and a control circuit coupled to the trainable transceiver and the camera. The control circuit is configured to use the camera to identify the remote device by comparing information received via the camera to information stored in memory, and the control circuit is configured to automatically transmit an activation signal formatted to control the remote device in response to identifying the remote device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Geerlings, Todd R. Witkowski, Thomas S. Wright, Marc A. Smeyers, Jonathan E. Dorst, Douglas C. Papay
  • Publication number: 20150302731
    Abstract: A system for controlling a remote device includes a first trainable transceiver, a second trainable transceiver, and a cloud computing system configured to be in communication with the first trainable transceiver and the second trainable transceiver. The cloud computing system stores a code roll, and the cloud computing system transmits a current value of the code roll to the first trainable transceiver or the second trainable transceiver upon receiving a request transmission from the first trainable transceiver or the second trainable transceiver respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Geerlings, Todd R. Witkowski, Thomas S. Wright, Douglas C. Papay, Carl L. Shearer
  • Publication number: 20150302736
    Abstract: A system for installation in a vehicle and for controlling a remote device includes a camera, a trainable transceiver, and a control circuit coupled to the camera and the trainable transceiver. The control circuit is configured to use geographic location information to determine when to initiate a process of using the camera to identify the remote device and transmit an activation signal formatted to control the remote device. Upon initiation of the process, the control circuit is configured to use the camera to identify the remote device by comparing information received via the camera to information stored in memory, and wherein the control circuit is configured to automatically transmit an activation signal formatted to control the remote device, using the trainable transceiver, in response to identifying the remote device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Geerlings, Todd R. Witkowski, Thomas S. Wright, Marc A. Smeyers, Jonathan E. Dorst, Douglas C. Papay
  • Publication number: 20150302732
    Abstract: A system for controlling a remote device includes a mobile communications device and a trainable transceiver. The mobile communications device includes a display, a camera flash, a speaker, and a processing circuit coupled to the display, the camera flash, and the speaker. The trainable transceiver includes a transceiver circuit, a communications device, and a control circuit coupled to the transceiver circuit and the communications device. The trainable transceiver is configured to be in communication with the mobile communications device using the communications device, and the control circuit is configured to receive training information from the mobile communications device and train the trainable transceiver to communicate with the remote device based on the training information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas S. WRIGHT, Steven L. Geerlings, Todd R. Witkowski, Douglas C. Papay, Carl L. Shearer
  • Publication number: 20150302733
    Abstract: A trainable transceiver for installation in a vehicle and for controlling a remote device includes a transceiver circuit configured based on training information to communicate with the remote device, a communications device configured to communicate with a mobile communications device, and a control circuit coupled to the transceiver circuit, and coupled to the communications device. The control circuit is configured to transmit diagnostic information related to the trainable transceiver to a mobile communications device via the communications device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Todd R. Witkowski, Steven L. Geerlings, Thomas S. Wright, Marc A. Smeyers, Jonathan E. Dorst, Douglas C. Papay
  • Publication number: 20150302730
    Abstract: A system for installation in a vehicle and for controlling a device, the system including a trainable transceiver, communications electronics, and a processing circuit coupled to the trainable transceiver and the communications electronics. The processing circuit is configured to train the trainable transceiver to control a device using information received from a cloud computing system remote from the device and vehicle via the communications electronics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Geerlings, Todd R. Witkowski, Thomas S. Wright, Douglas C. Papay, Carl L. Shearer
  • Publication number: 20150302738
    Abstract: A trainable transceiver for installation in a vehicle and for controlling a remote device includes a transceiver circuit configured, based on training information, to control the remote device, a communications device configured to communicate with a mobile communications device, an output device, and a control circuit coupled to the transceiver circuit, coupled to the communications device, and coupled to the output device. The control circuit is configured to receive notification information from the mobile communications device via the communications device, and wherein the control circuit is configured to generate an output using the output device based on the notification information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven L. Geerlings, Todd R. Witkowski, Thomas S. Wright, Marc A. Smeyers, Jonathan E. Dorst, Douglas C. Papay
  • Patent number: 9024801
    Abstract: A method for configuring a transmitter device to transmit a recognized transmission to a receiving device is provided. The method includes transmitting a first transmission and transmitting a second transmission after the first transmission. The method further includes receiving, during the second transmission, a user input signal from an interface for receiving signals from one or more user interface elements. The method further includes storing an attribute associated with the second transmission in a memory device in response to the user input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Todd R. Witkowski, Steven L. Geerlings
  • Publication number: 20150022319
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes a vehicle communication module in the vehicle, a remote start system in the vehicle, and a vehicle processor. The vehicle processor is configured to determine if the vehicle is in a garage, and further configured to receive an indication of a remote start request from the remote start system, receive a garage door status from a garage door opener using the vehicle communication module, and determine, based on the received garage door status, if a garage door is closed. In response to determining that the garage door is closed, the vehicle systems transmits a remote command to the garage door opener formatted to cause the garage door opener to open the garage door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Richard J. Chutorash, James E. Trainor, Jeffrey Golden, Steven L. Geerlings
  • Patent number: 8897708
    Abstract: A system for communicating information facilitates wireless communication between electronic devices. The system includes a transceiver provided in a vehicle. The transceiver communicates with an electronic device located external to the transceiver using a Bluetooth communications standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Todd R. Witkowski, Kurt A. Dykema, Steven L. Geerlings, Mark L. Zeinstra
  • Patent number: 8878646
    Abstract: A communication system and method in which the communication system comprises a first communication module (11) and a second communication module (12). The first communication module (11) is located inside a vehicle (1), and the second communication module (12) is located in a garage door opener (3) and/or a home (2). A first information (11) relating to status information of the vehicle (1) is transmitted wirelessly between the first and second communication modules (11, 12). Additionally or alternatively, a second information is transmitted between the first and second communication modules (11, 12). The second information relates to status information of the garage door opener (3) and/or the home (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Richard J. Chutorash, James E. Trainor, Jeffrey Golden, Steven L. Geerlings
  • Publication number: 20140300457
    Abstract: A system for coupling to a vehicle and for causing actuation of a remote device via a control signal transmission includes a transmitter for causing the control signal transmission to the remote device. The system further includes a circuit configured to cause a back-up display to indicate status of the remote device in response to a status determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventor: Steven L. Geerlings