Patents by Inventor Thomas L. Mallak

Thomas L. Mallak 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: 11797785
    Abstract: An industrial vehicle comprising a tag reader, a reader module, and a diagnostic tag, wherein the diagnostic tag is coupled to the industrial truck within a read range of the tag reader. The reader module and the tag reader cooperate to identify the diagnostic tag and individual tags of a tag layout and the reader module discriminates between the individual tags of the tag layout and the diagnostic tag and the individual tags of the tag layout, correlates an identified individual tag of the tag layout with tag data, correlates an identified diagnostic tag with operation of the tag reader, and generates a missing tag signal if the diagnostic tag is not identified or the operation of the tag reader is not within specified operating parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Cole Steinbrunner, Thomas L. Mallak, Donald T. Meiring, Daniel D. Walton, Nicholas J. Sherman, James Michael Grannan
  • Publication number: 20220164553
    Abstract: An industrial vehicle comprising a tag reader, a reader module, and a diagnostic tag, wherein the diagnostic tag is coupled to the industrial truck within a read range of the tag reader. The reader module and the tag reader cooperate to identify the diagnostic tag and individual tags of a tag layout and the reader module discriminates between the individual tags of the tag layout and the diagnostic tag and the individual tags of the tag layout, correlates an identified individual tag of the tag layout with tag data, correlates an identified diagnostic tag with operation of the tag reader, and generates a missing tag signal if the diagnostic tag is not identified or the operation of the tag reader is not within specified operating parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Cole Steinbrunner, Thomas L. Mallak, Donald T. Meiring, Daniel D. Walton, Nicholas J. Sherman, James Michael Grannan
  • Patent number: 11288463
    Abstract: An industrial vehicle comprising a tag reader, a reader module, and a diagnostic tag, wherein the diagnostic tag is coupled to the industrial truck within a read range of the tag reader. The reader module and the tag reader cooperate to identify the diagnostic tag and individual tags of a tag layout and the reader module discriminates between the individual tags of the tag layout and the diagnostic tag and the individual tags of the tag layout, correlates an identified individual tag of the tag layout with tag data, correlates an identified diagnostic tag with operation of the tag reader, and generates a missing tag signal if the diagnostic tag is not identified or the operation of the tag reader is not within specified operating parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Cole Steinbrunner, Thomas L. Mallak, Donald T. Meiring, Daniel D. Walton, Nicholas J. Sherman, James Michael Grannan
  • Publication number: 20200082133
    Abstract: An industrial vehicle comprising a tag reader, a reader module, and a diagnostic tag, wherein the diagnostic tag is coupled to the industrial truck within a read range of the tag reader. The reader module and the tag reader cooperate to identify the diagnostic tag and individual tags of a tag layout and the reader module discriminates between the individual tags of the tag layout and the diagnostic tag and the individual tags of the tag layout, correlates an identified individual tag of the tag layout with tag data, correlates an identified diagnostic tag with operation of the tag reader, and generates a missing tag signal if the diagnostic tag is not identified or the operation of the tag reader is not within specified operating parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Cole Steinbrunner, Thomas L. Mallak, Donald T. Meiring, Daniel D. Walton, Nicholas J. Sherman, James Michael Grannan
  • Patent number: 10515237
    Abstract: An industrial vehicle comprising a tag reader, a reader module, and a diagnostic tag, wherein the diagnostic tag is coupled to the industrial truck within a read range of the tag reader. The reader module and the tag reader cooperate to identify the diagnostic tag and individual tags of a tag layout and the reader module discriminates between the individual tags of the tag layout and the diagnostic tag and the individual tags of the tag layout, correlates an identified individual tag of the tag layout with tag data, correlates an identified diagnostic tag with operation of the tag reader, and generates a missing tag signal if the diagnostic tag is not identified or the operation of the tag reader is not within specified operating parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Cole Steinbrunner, Thomas L. Mallak, Donald T. Meiring, Daniel D. Walton, Nicholas J. Sherman, James Michael Grannan
  • Publication number: 20180039799
    Abstract: An industrial vehicle comprising a tag reader, a reader module, and a diagnostic tag, wherein the diagnostic tag is coupled to the industrial truck within a read range of the tag reader. The reader module and the tag reader cooperate to identify the diagnostic tag and individual tags of a tag layout and the reader module discriminates between the individual tags of the tag layout and the diagnostic tag and the individual tags of the tag layout, correlates an identified individual tag of the tag layout with tag data, correlates an identified diagnostic tag with operation of the tag reader, and generates a missing tag signal if the diagnostic tag is not identified or the operation of the tag reader is not within specified operating parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Applicant: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Cole Steinbrunner, Thomas L. Mallak, Donald T. Meiring, Daniel D. Walton, Nicholas J. Sherman, James Michael Grannan
  • Patent number: 9818003
    Abstract: An industrial vehicle comprising a tag reader, a reader module, and a diagnostic tag, wherein the diagnostic tag is coupled to the industrial truck within a read range of the tag reader. The reader module and the tag reader cooperate to identify the diagnostic tag and individual tags of a tag layout and the reader module discriminates between the individual tags of the tag layout and the diagnostic tag and the individual tags of the tag layout, correlates an identified individual tag of the tag layout with tag data, correlates an identified diagnostic tag with operation of the tag reader, and generates a missing tag signal if the diagnostic tag is not identified or the operation of the tag reader is not within specified operating parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Cole Steinbrunner, Thomas L. Mallak, Donald T. Meiring, Daniel D. Walton, Nicholas J. Sherman, James Michael Grannan
  • Patent number: 9778656
    Abstract: Included are embodiments for multimode vehicular navigation control. Some embodiments include a vehicle that has a memory component and a vehicle control module (VCM), where the VCM includes a controller. Additionally, the memory component may store functional modes of operation and control modes of operation, each of the control modes of operation being associated with a mechanism for controlling the vehicle, and each of the functional modes of operation being associated with a desired function of the vehicle. In some embodiments the VCM receives control commands from a system operator and implements the control commands, utilizing the controller. In some embodiments, at least one of the control modes of operation is configured for automatic control of the vehicle and at least one of the control modes of operation is a torque control mode for providing a power signal directly to a vehicle motor, without utilization of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Lucas B. Waltz, Bing Zheng, Thomas L. Mallak, Steve Mangette
  • Publication number: 20160328582
    Abstract: An industrial vehicle comprising a tag reader, a reader module, and a diagnostic tag, wherein the diagnostic tag is coupled to the industrial truck within a read range of the tag reader. The reader module and the tag reader cooperate to identify the diagnostic tag and individual tags of a tag layout and the reader module discriminates between the individual tags of the tag layout and the diagnostic tag and the individual tags of the tag layout, correlates an identified individual tag of the tag layout with tag data, correlates an identified diagnostic tag with operation of the tag reader, and generates a missing tag signal if the diagnostic tag is not identified or the operation of the tag reader is not within specified operating parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Applicant: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Cole Steinbrunner, Thomas L. Mallak, Donald T. Meiring, Daniel D. Walton, Nicholas J. Sherman, James Michael Grannan
  • Patent number: 9002626
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a vehicular navigation control interface are included in the present disclosure. Some embodiments include a navigation system and a vehicle with a vehicle control module (VCM), a navigation control module (NCM), and a navigation control interface, where the VCM receives a manual command from an operator to implement a manual control function. In some embodiments the NCM receives an automatic command from the navigation system to implement an automatic control function via the VCM and the navigation control interface directly connects the VCM and the NCM to facilitate communication between the VCM and NCM for implementing automatic mode and for reporting implementation of a manual mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Company
    Inventors: Lucas B. Waltz, Bing Zheng, Thomas L. Mallak, Steve Mangette
  • Patent number: 8892294
    Abstract: Included are embodiments for providing vehicle control limits. One embodiment of a system includes a navigation system and a vehicle that includes a memory component that stores a program. Embodiments of the system are configured to receive an indication for automatic control of the vehicle, receive a route for the vehicle to reach a destination for completing a work order from the navigation system, and determine a vehicle limit, wherein the vehicle limit is based on a current state of the vehicle. Some embodiments are configured to communicate the vehicle limit from a vehicle control module (VCM) to a navigation control module (NCM), determine, via the NCM, an automatic command based on the destination and the vehicle limit and send the automatic command to a motor of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Lucas B. Waltz, Bing Zheng, Thomas L. Mallak, Steve Mangette
  • Publication number: 20140195076
    Abstract: Included are embodiments for providing vehicle control limits. One embodiment of a system includes a navigation system and a vehicle that includes a memory component that stores a program. Embodiments of the system are configured to receive an indication for automatic control of the vehicle, receive a route for the vehicle to reach a destination for completing a work order from the navigation system, and determine a vehicle limit, wherein the vehicle limit is based on a current state of the vehicle. Some embodiments are configured to communicate the vehicle limit from a vehicle control module (VCM) to a navigation control module (NCM), determine, via the NCM, an automatic command based on the destination and the vehicle limit and send the automatic command to a motor of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Lucas B. Waltz, Bing Zheng, Thomas L. Mallak, Steve Mangette
  • Publication number: 20140188324
    Abstract: Included are systems and methods for providing a vehicular navigation control interface. Some embodiments include a navigation system and a vehicle with a vehicle control module (VCM), a navigation control module (NCM), and a navigation control interface, where the VCM receives a manual command from an operator to implement a manual control function. In some embodiments the NCM receives an automatic command from the navigation system to implement an automatic control function via the VCM and the navigation control interface directly connects the VCM and the NCM to facilitate communication between the VCM and NCM for implementing automatic mode and for reporting implementation of a manual mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: CROWN EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lucas B. Waltz, Bing Zheng, Thomas L. Mallak, Steve Mangette
  • Patent number: 8718860
    Abstract: Included are embodiments for providing vehicle control limits. One embodiment of a system includes a navigation system and a vehicle that includes a memory component that stores a program. Embodiments of the system are configured to receive an indication for automatic control of the vehicle, receive a route for the vehicle to reach a destination for completing a work order from the navigation system, and determine a vehicle limit, wherein the vehicle limit is based on a current state of the vehicle. Some embodiments are configured to communicate the vehicle limit from a vehicle control module (VCM) to a navigation control module (NCM), determine, via the NCM, an automatic command based on the destination and the vehicle limit and send the automatic command to a motor of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Lucas B. Waltz, Bing Zheng, Thomas L. Mallak, Steve Mangette
  • Patent number: 8694194
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a vehicular navigation control are disclosed herein. Some embodiments include a navigation system and a vehicle with a vehicle control module (VCM), a navigation control module (NCM), and a navigation control interface, where the VCM receives a manual command from an operator to implement a manual control function. In some embodiments the NCM receives an automatic command from the navigation system to implement an automatic control function via the VCM and the navigation control interface directly connects the VCM and the NCM to facilitate communication between the VCM and NCM for implementing automatic mode and for reporting implementation of a manual mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Lucas B. Waltz, Bing Zheng, Thomas L. Mallak, Steve Mangette