Patents by Inventor Thomas J Keeling
Thomas J Keeling 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).
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Patent number: 9024721Abstract: An apparatus for changing the state of a vehicle closure is disclosed. The apparatus includes a primary mobile unit, a secondary mobile unit, and a detection device. The detection device is operable to automatically detect whether the primary mobile unit is within a first range of the detection device, and whether the secondary mobile unit is within a second range of the detection device. The apparatus further includes a controller operable to change the state of the vehicle closure when the detection device detects that the secondary mobile unit is within the second range while the primary mobile unit is detected within the first range.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2011Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.Inventors: Justin P. McBride, Thomas J. Keeling, Keiichi Aoyama, Tanemichi Chiba, Michael A. Wiegand, Christopher M. Kurpinski
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Patent number: 8427276Abstract: An apparatus for automatically initiating a plurality of vehicle functions is disclosed. The apparatus includes a mobile unit and a detection device operable to automatically detect whether the mobile unit is within a first zone. The detection device is further operable to automatically detect whether the mobile unit is within a second zone. The first zone and the second zone are outside the vehicle, and the first zone encompasses the second zone. The apparatus further includes a controller that is operable to initiate a first vehicle function when the detection device detects that the mobile unit is within the first zone. The controller is also operable to initiate a second vehicle function when the detection device detects that the mobile unit is within the second zone.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2006Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.Inventors: Justin P McBride, Thomas J Keeling, Keiichi Aoyama, Tanemichi Chiba, Michael A Wiegand, Christopher M Kurpinski
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Publication number: 20110316669Abstract: An apparatus for changing the state of a vehicle closure is disclosed. The apparatus includes a primary mobile unit, a secondary mobile unit, and a detection device. The detection device is operable to automatically detect whether the primary mobile unit is within a first range of the detection device, and whether the secondary mobile unit is within a second range of the detection device. The apparatus further includes a controller operable to change the state of the vehicle closure when the detection device detects that the secondary mobile unit is within the second range while the primary mobile unit is detected within the first range.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2011Publication date: December 29, 2011Applicant: DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Justin P. McBride, Thomas J. Keeling, Keiichi Aoyama, Tanemichi Chiba, Michael A. Wiegand, Christopher M. Kurpinski
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Patent number: 8077011Abstract: An apparatus for automatically initiating a plurality of vehicle functions is disclosed. The apparatus includes a mobile unit and a detection device operable to automatically detect whether the mobile unit is within a first zone. The detection device is further operable to automatically detect whether the mobile unit is within a second zone. The first zone and the second zone are outside the vehicle, and the first zone encompasses the second zone. The apparatus further includes a controller that is operable to initiate a first vehicle function when the detection device detects that the mobile unit is within the first zone. The controller is also operable to initiate a second vehicle function when the detection device detects that the mobile unit is within the second zone.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2007Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.Inventors: Justin P. McBride, Thomas J. Keeling, Michael A. Wiegand, Christopher M. Kurpinski, Toshihiro Wakamatsu
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Patent number: 7688179Abstract: A hands-free vehicle door opener utilizes a spring-loaded mechanical pushing device, or other method, to open a vehicle door a few inches upon a laser emitting device sensing a foot in its emitted laser. The laser is emitted from the laser emitter upon the key fob of a smart key being validated by the vehicle's smart key validation system when a user approaches the vehicle with the smart key fob. When the laser beam is interrupted, a signal is sent from a smart ECU to a door lock ECU, which unlocks the vehicle door. Next, a signal is sent to a door open ECU to unlatch the vehicle door. Upon door unlatching, the spring-loaded pushing device pushes open the vehicle door. Instead of a laser emitting device being used as the sensor, a device with electrical contacts, an ultrasonic wave emitting sensing device, or other device could be used.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2005Date of Patent: March 30, 2010Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.Inventors: Christopher M Kurpinski, Justin P McBride, Keiichi Aoyama, Thomas J Keeling, Michael A Wiegand, Tanemichi Chiba, Hiroto Uesaka
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Patent number: 7683764Abstract: A method of unlocking a vehicle, which includes initiating an auto-lock command, searching an area surrounding the vehicle for a valid key fob, and sending a normal request from interior antenna if a valid key fob is not found. The method further includes sending a wide area request from an interior antenna if the valid key fob is not found from the normal request. The method includes locking the doors if the valid key fob is not found. The method provides a warning and does not lock the doors if the valid key fob is found.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2007Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.Inventors: Christopher M. Kurpinski, Thomas J. Keeling, Justin P. McBride, Toshihiro T. Wakamatsu, Michael A. Wiegand
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Publication number: 20090240845Abstract: A communication system includes a communication device and a controller that detects input supplied to a vehicle subsystem. The controller consequently causes the communication device to output operational instruction information about the subsystem.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2008Publication date: September 24, 2009Applicant: DENSO International America, Inc.Inventors: Michael A. Wiegand, Christopher M. Kurpinski, Justin P. McBride, Thomas J. Keeling, Toshihiro Wakamatsu
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Patent number: 7561030Abstract: A vehicle remote control system can have a transmitter transmitting a signal, a receiver receiving the signal, and a control device in communication with the receiver and controlling at least one operation of the vehicle. A selected operation may be executable by the signal. The vehicle remote control system includes a microphone that can determine an ambient noise volume and an ambient noise frequency in an area around the vehicle and is in communication with the control device. Furthermore, the vehicle remote control system includes a speaker that is able to generate an answer signal to confirm that the selected operation was executed. The speaker is in communication with the control device which generates an answer signal as a function of ambient noise volume and the ambient noise frequency in the area surrounding the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2007Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.Inventors: Justin P. McBride, Thomas J. Keeling, Christopher M. Kurpinski, Toshihiro T. Wakamatsu, Michael A. Wiegand
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Patent number: 7539565Abstract: A remote vehicle access system for a vehicle comprises a navigation module that determines a location of the vehicle. A vehicle control module receives an unlock request and one of unlocks a first door and unlocks at least the first door and a second door according to the unlock request and the location of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2006Date of Patent: May 26, 2009Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.Inventors: Justin P McBride, Thomas J Keeling, Michael A Wiegand
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Publication number: 20080231433Abstract: A vehicle remote control system can have a transmitter transmitting a signal, a receiver receiving the signal, and a control device in communication with the receiver and controlling at least one operation of the vehicle. A selected operation may be executable by the signal. The vehicle remote control system includes a microphone that can determine an ambient noise volume and an ambient noise frequency in an area around the vehicle and is in communication with the control device. Furthermore, the vehicle remote control system includes a speaker that is able to generate an answer signal to confirm that the selected operation was executed. The speaker is in communication with the control device which generates an answer signal as a function of ambient noise volume and the ambient noise frequency in the area surrounding the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2007Publication date: September 25, 2008Applicant: DENSO International America, Inc.Inventors: Justin P. McBride, Thomas J. Keeling, Christopher M. Kurpinski, Toshihiro T. Wakamatsu, Michael A. Wiegand
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Publication number: 20080231417Abstract: A method of unlocking a vehicle, which includes initiating an auto-lock command, searching an area surrounding the vehicle for a valid key fob, and sending a normal request from interior antenna if a valid key fob is not found. The method further includes sending a wide area request from an interior antenna if the valid key fob is not found from the normal request. The method includes locking the doors if the valid key fob is not found. The method provides a warning and does not lock the doors if the valid key fob is found.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2007Publication date: September 25, 2008Applicant: DENSO International America, Inc.Inventors: Christopher M. Kurpinski, Thomas J. Keeling, Justin P. McBride, Toshihiro T. Wakamatsu, Michael A. Wiegand
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Publication number: 20070200672Abstract: An apparatus for automatically initiating a plurality of vehicle functions is disclosed. The apparatus includes a mobile unit and a detection device operable to automatically detect whether the mobile unit is within a first zone. The detection device is further operable to automatically detect whether the mobile unit is within a second zone. The first zone and the second zone are outside the vehicle, and the first zone encompasses the second zone. The apparatus further includes a controller that is operable to initiate a first vehicle function when the detection device detects that the mobile unit is within the first zone. The controller is also operable to initiate a second vehicle function when the detection device detects that the mobile unit is within the second zone.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2007Publication date: August 30, 2007Applicant: DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Justin P. McBride, Thomas J. Keeling, Michael Wiegand, Christopher M. Kurpinski, Toshihiro Wakamatsu