Patents by Inventor Thomas Lee Miller

Thomas Lee Miller 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).

  • Publication number: 20090195376
    Abstract: A system and method for notifying primary and second drivers about a status of a safety restraint in a vehicle is provided. A primary and secondary keys are adapted to be associated to the primary and secondary drivers. A key ignition device is positioned on each of the primary key and secondary keys. The key ignition device is adapted to generate driver status signals indicative of whether the driver the primary driver or the secondary driver. A controller is adapted to determine whether the driver of the vehicle is the primary driver or the secondary driver based on the driver status signals. The controller is further adapted to generate restraint status signals indicative of the status of the safety restraint. The controller is further adapted to selectively control the operation of generating the restraint signals based on whether the driver of the vehicle is the primary or secondary driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Lee Miller, Brian Bennie, Andrew D. Sarkisian, Matthew J. Dalebout, Lawrence Daniel Cepuran, Anthony Dwayne Cooprider, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Kevin Thomas Hille, Karl William Wojcik, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Terry Thomas Cwik
  • Publication number: 20090066487
    Abstract: A status indicator and reminder system for use with a vehicle having a tire sealant-containing temporary mobility kit is provided. The system includes a signal provided for viewing by the operator which indicates that the temporary mobility kit requires servicing. The need for servicing can be based on certain variables, including the passage of a pre-determined period of time or on changes in temperature which may impact the effective life of the sealing compound. In addition, the need for servicing can be based on a sensed of the temporary mobility kit from the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas Lee Miller, Kimberly Ann Steele, Scott Alan Watkins
  • Patent number: 6985076
    Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system (12) for a vehicle (10) has a plurality of tires (14a, b, c and d) in respective rolling locations and a spare tire (14e) generating a spare tire identification. A controller (22) starts the timer (44) and sets a tire status to a rolling status, a pending rolling status, a spare status or a pending spare status in response to the timer and the vehicle speed. The controller (22) stores the status and the spare tire identification in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Bennie, Frederick James Porter, Leena Shah, Thomas Michael McQuade, Thomas Lee Miller
  • Patent number: 6982636
    Abstract: A pressure monitoring system (12) for a tire (14a) of an automotive vehicle includes a first pressure sensor (94) coupled to the wheel, a pressure transmitter (90) coupled to the pressure sensor (94) whereby the transmitter generates a pressure signal. A controller (22) is coupled to the pressure transmitter. The controller (22) receives the pressure signal and in a first stage, compares the pressure signal to a pressure threshold to obtain a sensor status. In a second stage, the controller (22) qualifies the sensor status signal by generating a warning status in response to the sensor status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Bennie, Dilip B. Patel, Frederick James Porter, Leena Shah, Thomas Michael McQuade, Thomas Lee Miller
  • Patent number: 6952160
    Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system (12) for a vehicle (10) has a plurality of tires (14a-d) in respective rolling locations having a respective plurality of tire transmitters (16a-d) that generate a respective plurality of transmitter identification signals. A controller (22) is coupled to a counter that counts ignition cycle transitions. The controller enters a learn mode in response to the count and the brake condition signal. The system may also include a display for signaling the vehicle operator to perform a desired action. The controller generates a plurality of display signals on the display indicative of the respective plurality of tire locations and activates a timer when the plurality of transmitter identification signals are received before a predetermined time is counted by the timer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Bennie, Frederick James Porter, Leena Shah, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Thomas Michael McQuade, Thomas Lee Miller
  • Patent number: 6945087
    Abstract: A system (10) and method is provided for calibrating a tire pressure monitoring system using an EM transmitter (14). The present invention includes a first pressure sensor coupled to a wheel of an automotive vehicle (12). The EM pressure transmitter (14) is coupled to the pressure sensor (32). The transmitter (14) has a serial number associated therewith. An EM calibration device has a transmitting range. The EM transmitter device has an actuator. When the actuator is activated, a calibration signal (34) is transmitted within the transmitting range. The calibration signal causes the EM pressure transmitter (32) to transmit a serial number. A controller (16) is EM coupled to the pressure transmitter. The controller (16) receives the serial number and associates the serial number with a tire location of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Frederick James Porter, John LeBeau Rust, John Tenbusch, Thomas Michael McQuade, Thomas Lee Miller
  • Publication number: 20040255663
    Abstract: A system (10) and method is provided for calibrating a tire pressure monitoring system using an EM transmitter (14). The present invention includes a first pressure sensor coupled to a wheel of an automotive vehicle (12). The EM pressure transmitter (14) is coupled to the pressure sensor (32). The transmitter (14) has a serial number associated therewith. An EM calibration device has a transmitting range. The EM transmitter device has an actuator. When the actuator is activated, a calibration signal (34) is transmitted within the transmitting range. The calibration signal causes the EM pressure transmitter (32) to transmit a serial number. A controller (16) is EM coupled to the pressure transmitter. The controller (16) receives the serial number and associates the serial number with a tire location of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Frederick James Porter, John LeBeau Rust, John Tenbusch, Thomas Michael McQuade, Thomas Lee Miller
  • Patent number: 6784794
    Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system (12) for a spare tire of a vehicle (10) includes an indicator (52) and a timer (44) that generates a first time signal corresponding to the time the spare tire is used as a rolling tire and a second time signal corresponding to a time the spare tire is stowed. The temperature sensor (34) generates a temperature profile and a controller (22) that is coupled to the indicator, the timer, and the temperature sensor generates a spare tire warning signal in response to the temperature profile, the first time signal, and the second time signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Michael McQuade, Thomas Lee Miller
  • Patent number: 6745624
    Abstract: A system (10) and method is provided for calibrating a tire pressure monitoring system using an EM transmitter (14). The present invention includes a first pressure sensor coupled to a wheel of an automotive vehicle (12). The EM pressure transmitter (14) is coupled to the pressure sensor (32). The transmitter (14) has a serial number associated therewith. An EM calibration device has a transmitting range. The EM transmitter device has an actuator. When the actuator is activated, a calibration signal (34) is transmitted within the transmitting range. The calibration signal causes the EM pressure transmitter (32) to transmit a serial number. A controller (16) is EM coupled to the pressure transmitter. The controller (16) receives the serial number and associates the serial number with a tire location of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Frederick James Porter, John LeBeau Rust, John Tenbusch, Thomas Michael McQuade, Thomas Lee Miller
  • Publication number: 20030145645
    Abstract: A system (10) and method is provided for calibrating a tire pressure monitoring system using an EM transmitter (14). The present invention includes a first pressure sensor coupled to a wheel of an automotive vehicle (12). The EM pressure transmitter (14) is coupled to the pressure sensor (32). The transmitter (14) has a serial number associated therewith. An EM calibration device has a transmitting range. The EM transmitter device has an actuator. When the actuator is activated, a calibration signal (34) is transmitted within the transmitting range. The calibration signal causes the EM pressure transmitter (32) to transmit a serial number. A controller (16) is EM coupled to the pressure transmitter. The controller (16) receives the serial number and associates the serial number with a tire location of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick James Porter, John LeBeau Rust, John Tenbusch, Thomas Michael McQuade, Thomas Lee Miller