Patents by Inventor Tom Nelson

Tom Nelson 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: 20240385013
    Abstract: A vehicle has a long-range tracking system configured to provide vehicle tracking data to be shared remotely by the long-range tracking system. A trigger monitor detects a failure of the long-range tracking system to share the vehicle tracking data remotely. A tag transceiver is configured for local wireless data transfer with client devices outside the vehicle. The tag transceiver operates independently of the long-range tracking system, and the local wireless data transfer has a range less than 100 meters. The tag transceiver is responsive to detection of the failure of the long-range tracking system by the trigger monitor to 1) perform a local area beacon exchange with one or more client devices to estimate a vehicle location, and 2) request at least one of the client devices to relay a message containing the estimated vehicle location and a predetermined identifier of the vehicle to a remote site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Inventors: John R. Van Wiemeersch, Vivekanandh Elangovan, Tom Nelson
  • Patent number: 12097843
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a vehicle processor disposed to control a drive system, and a memory for storing executable instructions. The vehicle processor is programmed to execute the instructions to determine, via the vehicle processor, a localization of a mobile device using a tethered wireless connection between the mobile device and the vehicle, receive, via the processor, an absolute heading of the mobile device, determine, via the vehicle processor, based on the localization of the mobile device, a relative bearing angle from the mobile device to the vehicle. The system may use the tethered wireless connection and the relative bearing angle from the mobile device to the vehicle to determine that a user is actuating a Human Machine Interface (HMI) element indicative of user attention to a remote parking maneuver and complete the remote parking maneuver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hamid M. Golgiri, Vivekanandh Elangovan, Tom Nelson, Erick Michael Lovoie, Ryan Joseph Gorski
  • Patent number: 11821077
    Abstract: A sputtering target having a unitary body. The unitary body includes a planar substrate plate and a toroidal portion extending from a top surface of the substrate plate. The toroidal portion reduces non-uniform erosion against the plate caused by a magnetic field applied to the target. In use, the magnetic field is initially received at the toroidal portion. After the magnetic field wears down the toroidal portion, the magnetic field is received at the substrate plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Constantin Virgil Solomon, Christopher Yaw Bansah, Tom Nelson Oder
  • Patent number: 11794765
    Abstract: The disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for receiving proximity characteristics at a nomadic device, the proximity characteristics including mapped obstruction data identifying locations of one or more obstructions of an area surrounding a vehicle; calculating at last one unobstructed pose orientations for establishing a secure connection between the nomadic device and the vehicle based on the proximity characteristics, the unobstructed pose orientation determined at least in part on the mapped obstruction data; and displaying the unobstructed pose orientation on the nomadic device within an array of augmented reality pose orientations on the nomadic device. In some embodiments, the systems and methods include displaying an interactive overlay as a direction to a user of the nomadic device, the interactive overlay coaching the user to locate to the at least one unobstructive pose orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tom Nelson, Hemanth Yadav Aradhyula, Erick Michael Lavoie, Ryan Joseph Gorski
  • Patent number: 11704948
    Abstract: A method for forming bonded mobile device connection with a vehicle includes determining a request count comprising a plurality of Bluetooth advertisement requests received from a mobile device with respect to time, determining an invalid Consumer Access Key (CAK) transmission count associated with the plurality of Bluetooth advertisement requests, generating an active bond record with the request count and the invalid CAK transmission count, determining, based on the active bond record, that a Global Attribute Profile (GATT) service associated with the mobile device is inactive, and disabling a Bluetooth advertisement response setting associated with the GATT service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tom Nelson, Vivekanandh Elangovan
  • Publication number: 20230159019
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a vehicle processor disposed to control a drive system, and a memory for storing executable instructions. The vehicle processor is programmed to execute the instructions to determine, via the vehicle processor, a localization of a mobile device using a tethered wireless connection between the mobile device and the vehicle, receive, via the processor, an absolute heading of the mobile device, determine, via the vehicle processor, based on the localization of the mobile device, a relative bearing angle from the mobile device to the vehicle. The system may use the tethered wireless connection and the relative bearing angle from the mobile device to the vehicle to determine that a user is actuating a Human Machine Interface (HMI) element indicative of user attention to a remote parking maneuver and complete the remote parking maneuver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hamid M. Golgiri, Vivekanandh Elangovan, Tom Nelson, Erick Michael Lovoie, Ryan Joseph Gorski
  • Publication number: 20230065190
    Abstract: The disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for receiving proximity characteristics at a nomadic device, the proximity characteristics including mapped obstruction data identifying locations of one or more obstructions of an area surrounding a vehicle; calculating at last one unobstructed pose orientations for establishing a secure connection between the nomadic device and the vehicle based on the proximity characteristics, the unobstructed pose orientation determined at least in part on the mapped obstruction data; and displaying the unobstructed pose orientation on the nomadic device within an array of augmented reality pose orientations on the nomadic device. In some embodiments, the systems and methods include displaying an interactive overlay as a direction to a user of the nomadic device, the interactive overlay coaching the user to locate to the at least one unobstructive pose orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tom Nelson, Hemanth Yadav Aradhyula, Erick Michael Lavoie, Ryan Joseph Gorski
  • Publication number: 20220375285
    Abstract: A method for forming bonded mobile device connection with a vehicle includes determining a request count comprising a plurality of Bluetooth advertisement requests received from a mobile device with respect to time, determining an invalid Consumer Access Key (CAK) transmission count associated with the plurality of Bluetooth advertisement requests, generating an active bond record with the request count and the invalid CAK transmission count, determining, based on the active bond record, that a Global Attribute Profile (GATT) service associated with the mobile device is inactive, and disabling a Bluetooth advertisement response setting associated with the GATT service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tom Nelson, Vivekanandh Elangovan
  • Patent number: 11457364
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a system for re-establishing a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) pairing PIN key to repair a secure connection between a mobile device and vehicle. The system may detect an error state, and provide a prompt to the user to determine if they wanted to intentionally remove their account. Responsive to an affirmative response from the user that the removal of the connection credentials was intentional, the system may send a revoke request to a server associated with the vehicle. Responsive to a user input that indicates that the removal of the credentials was unintentional, the vehicle may fetch an encrypted PIN seed of the BLE pairing PIN from memory or request the PIN seed from the server. The PIN seed re-establishes the secured pairing of the mobile device and the vehicle infotainment system without undergoing a new device setup procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Thivierge, Jr., Tom Nelson, Ali Hassani
  • Publication number: 20220195584
    Abstract: A sputtering target having a unitary body. The unitary body includes a planar substrate plate and a toroidal portion extending from a top surface of the substrate plate. The toroidal portion reduces non-uniform erosion against the plate caused by a magnetic field applied to the target. In use, the magnetic field is initially received at the toroidal portion. After the magnetic field wears down the toroidal portion, the magnetic field is received at the substrate plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Constantin Virgil SOLOMON, Christopher Yaw BANSAH, Tom Nelson ODER
  • Patent number: 11345313
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aspects of authenticating a mobile device and providing a vehicle access key thereto when a previously registered mobile device is not accessible. In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method includes requesting at a first mobile device, access to a profile associated with controlling operations of a vehicle, the profile having stored thereon an access key for operating the vehicle, the access key having been previously installed on a second mobile device. The method further includes upon successful authorization, receiving the access key at the first device and operating the vehicle using the access key on the first mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jochen Schubert, Tom Nelson, Michael Andrew Simons, Ali Hassani, Hamid Golgiri, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Publication number: 20220007178
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a system for re-establishing a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) pairing PIN key to repair a secure connection between a mobile device and vehicle. The system may detect an error state, and provide a prompt to the user to determine if they wanted to intentionally remove their account. Responsive to an affirmative response from the user that the removal of the connection credentials was intentional, the system may send a revoke request to a server associated with the vehicle. Responsive to a user input that indicates that the removal of the credentials was unintentional, the vehicle may fetch an encrypted PIN seed of the BLE pairing PIN from memory or request the PIN seed from the server. The PIN seed re-establishes the secured pairing of the mobile device and the vehicle infotainment system without undergoing a new device setup procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Thivierge, JR., Tom Nelson, Ali Hassani
  • Publication number: 20210331646
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aspects of authenticating a mobile device and providing a vehicle access key thereto when a previously registered mobile device is not accessible. In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method includes requesting at a first mobile device, access to a profile associated with controlling operations of a vehicle, the profile having stored thereon an access key for operating the vehicle, the access key having been previously installed on a second mobile device. The method further includes upon successful authorization, receiving the access key at the first device and operating the vehicle using the access key on the first mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jochen Schubert, Tom Nelson, Michael Andrew Simons, Ali Hassani, Hamid Golgiri, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Patent number: 11010993
    Abstract: A device that includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor such that the device is programmed to identify a wearable device and a set of vehicle data from a vehicle. The user device sends a human machine interface (HMI) message to the wearable device. The HMI message is based at least in part on the set of vehicle data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yifan Chen, Padma Aiswarya Kolisetty, Basavaraj Tonshal, Kwaku O. Prakah-Asante, Hsin-Hsiang Yang, David Anthony Hatton, Johannes Geir Kristinsson, Krishnaswamy Venkatesh Prasad, Hussein F. Nasrallah, Tom Nelson
  • Patent number: 10562496
    Abstract: A vehicle includes antennas, memory, and processors. The processors are operable to execute a PEPS feature in association with a designated mobile device. Prior to causing the antennas to scan for the designated mobile device, the processors dynamically adjust a maximum number of wireless devices detectable by the antennas based on a total number of wireless devices that are currently wirelessly coupled to the antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Vivekanandh Elangovan, Tom Nelson
  • Patent number: 10284625
    Abstract: Embodiments generally relate to providing a method for remote download of content to a console. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing a web interface to a user on a display screen of a computing device, The web interface is configured to authenticate the user; display to the user a list of all items of content currently available for download by the user; accept input from the user selecting a first item of content from the list; and initiate download of the selected first item to a console registered to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
    Inventors: Jason Brownell, Chandrashekar Hassan Raju, Tom Nelson, Sugiharto Widjaja
  • Publication number: 20180286150
    Abstract: A device that includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor such that the device is programmed to identify a wearable device and a set of vehicle data from a vehicle. The user device sends a human machine interface (HMI) message to the wearable device. The HMI message is based at least in part on the set of vehicle data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: YIFAN CHEN, PADMA AISWARYA KOLISETTY, BASAVARAJ TONSHAL, KWAKU O. PRAKAH-ASANTE, HSIN-HSIANG YANG, DAVID ANTHONY HATTON, JOHANNES GEIR KRISTINSSON, KRISHNASWAMY VENKATESH PRASAD, HUSSEIN F. NASRALLAH, TOM NELSON
  • Publication number: 20150180935
    Abstract: Embodiments generally relate to providing a method for remote download of content to a console. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing a web interface to a user on a display screen of a computing device, The web interface is configured to authenticate the user; display to the user a list of all items of content currently available for download by the user; accept input from the user selecting a first item of content from the list; and initiate download of the selected first item to a console registered to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicants: Sony Network Entertainment International LLC, SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jason Brownell, Chandrashekar Hassan Raju, Tom Nelson, Sugiharto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 9035323
    Abstract: Improved semiconductor devices are fabricated utilizing nickel gallide and refractory borides deposited onto a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate. Varying the deposition and annealing parameters of fabrication can provide a more thermally stable device that has greater barrier height and a low ideality. This improvement in the electrical properties allows use of Schottky barrier diodes in high power and high temperature applications. In one embodiment, a refractory metal boride layer is joined to a surface of a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate. The refractory metal boride layer is deposited on the silicon carbon semiconductor substrate at a temperature greater than 200° C. In another embodiment, a Schottky barrier diode is fabricated via deposition of nickel gallide on a SiC substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Youngstown State University
    Inventor: Tom Nelson Oder
  • Publication number: 20140327017
    Abstract: Improved semiconductor devices are fabricated utilizing nickel gallide and refractory borides deposited onto a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate. Varying the deposition and annealing parameters of fabrication can provide a more thermally stable device that has greater barrier height and a low ideality. This improvement in the electrical properties allows use of Schottky barrier diodes in high power and high temperature applications. In one embodiment, a refractory metal boride layer is joined to a surface of a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate. The refractory metal boride layer is deposited on the silicon carbon semiconductor substrate at a temperature greater than 200° C. In another embodiment, a Schottky barrier diode is fabricated via deposition of nickel gallide on a SiC substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Tom Nelson Oder