Celebrity Inventors
Glam girl Heddy Lamar may have used her good looks to good effect on the silver screen, but she put her smarts to better use as an inventor. During World War II, she co-patented a frequency-switching system for torpedo guidance that was considered years ahead of its time.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8179244 | Remote control system and method having reduced vulnerability to noise A remote control system and method having reduced vulnerability to noise. In an environment having noise at a frequency of infrared signals transmitted by a remote controller, errors and malfunctions in a remote control receiving device such as a set top box are con... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8054170 | Characterizing and representing images A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium for characterizing and representing images. A plurality of feature descriptors for a plurality of images are received, where each feature descriptor encodes a respective feature in an image, and where each featu... | 11/08/2011 |
| 8049608 | System and method for calculating electrically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brake cylinder piston travel A system for determining a distance of travel of a brake cylinder piston includes a brake cylinder having the brake cylinder piston, a pressure transducer operationally coupled to the brake cylinder and configured to determine a pressure measurement within the brake... | 11/01/2011 |
| 7437231 | Brake system providing at least one enable signal to brake controllers and method of using same A braking system includes a brake control system (BCS) (26) having a first output (30) and a second output (32), a first controller (34) having a brake command input (38) connected to the BCS first output (30), a direct enab... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7415325 | Method and apparatus for data interchange between a tractor vehicle and a trailer vehicle A method and apparatus for data interchange between a tractor vehicle and a trailer vehicle coupled thereto. A first electronic device provided in or on the tractor is connected via a data link to a second electronic device provided in or on the trailer; the first a... | 08/19/2008 |
| 7398141 | Gravity based brake stroke sensor methods and systems Methods and systems for measuring a brake stroke of an air brake assembly utilize a sensor, such as an accelerometer, mountable on a movable component, such as a brake cam shaft, of the air brake assembly that is external of the brake chamber of the air brake assemb... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7383120 | Methods and apparatus for adjusting frequency and/or PWM-based sensors A sensor module adjustment circuit includes a device have a position between minimum and maximum positions. First and second position sensors sense the position of the device and generate first and second position values, respectively. A sensor module includes first... | 06/03/2008 |
| 7373224 | Brake monitoring system for heavy vehicles A brake monitoring system for use on a motor vehicle includes a sensor connected to each brake actuator shaft on the motor vehicle for monitoring the position and travel of the brake actuator shaft and for generating and transmitting a brake condition signal; a data... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7325887 | Parking-braking in vehicles A parking braking system for a brake in a vehicle wherein, upon moving a parking brake selector to a park position, the brake is arranged to be mechanically locked or latched into place by means of a variable position park latch mechanism which is adapted to co-oper... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7328092 | Method and device for monitoring brake signals in a vehicle The invention relates to a method and device for monitoring brake signals in a vehicle with a gearbox control unit and engine control unit. An error recognition or a plausibility control of said brake signals is carried out. Brake light signals can be received by a ... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7266938 | Circuit for a transmission shaft rotation sensor A circuit for use with an apparatus such as a tractor having an output device such as a mower deck or snow thrower, comprising a user operated switch and a position sensing switch to detect the rotational direction of a shaft such as an output axle, so that the oper... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7237748 | Landing gear method and apparatus for braking and maneuvering Aircraft landing gear comprised of a wheel hub motor/generator disks stack, includes alternating rotor and stator disks mounted with respect to the wheel support and wheel. The wheel hub motor/generator can provide motive force to the wheel when electrical power is ... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7226018 | Landing gear method and apparatus for braking and maneuvering Aircraft landing gear comprised of a wheel hub motor/generator disks stack, includes alternating rotor and stator disks mounted with respect to the wheel support and wheel. The invention can provide motive force to the wheel when electrical power is applied, e.g. pr... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7203585 | Device for controlling a start of a vehicle A device for controlling a start of a vehicle by conducting the shifting operation of a transmission mounted on a vehicle by using a gear change actuator, that includes a starting gear change instruction device that instructs a change of a predetermined starting gea... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7189187 | Control apparatus and method for vehicular automatic transmission A control apparatus for a vehicular automatic transmission includes a control portion that executes a neutral control in which the control portion places the automatic transmission in a neutral state by reducing an application load on a frictional apply device insid... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7190258 | Alarm for a livestock trailer and method of use thereof Embodiments of an alarm circuit/device located in a livestock trailer that activates during the braking and/or turning of a trailer and tow vehicle combination is described along with a method of use. Upon activation, livestock in the trailer, such as horses, sheep ... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7179197 | Clutch state determining device If a user presses a clutch pedal to perform gear-shifting operation while a vehicle is traveling, a clutch disc, which has been engaged with a flywheel rotating with an engine, is brought to partial clutch engagement and slides on an end surface of the flywheel to g... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7175006 | Apparatus and method for sensing disc brake actuator position For an air-operated disc brake there is provided an internal brake actuator stroke indicator which provides an indication, readily ascertained from outside the brake caliper, of the amount of actuator stroke remaining in a disc brake apparatus before a remaining ava... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7145442 | Vehicle operation display system An apparatus, method, system and/or image editing process for presenting visual displays to the driver of a motor vehicle regarding the real time operating condition of the vehicle systems and components. These include the anti-lock braking system, the stability of ... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7137674 | Reverse driving signal A method of generating a reverse driving signal for a vehicle includes the step of activating an actuator, such as a vehicle stop light switch, a predetermined number of times within a predetermined period of time. A braking system for a vehicle includes an actuator... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7126463 | PWM and variable frequency based position indicators A control system includes a device having a position between minimum and maximum positions. A first position sensor senses the position of the device and generates a first position value. A second position sensor senses the position of the device and generates a sec... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7114597 | Spring loaded cylinder A spring storage cylinder, for the generation of braking forces for the auxiliary and parking brake effect, comprises a piston, arranged in a housing, which may be displaced for the operation of a brake lever. The piston is pretensioned against the brake lever by a ... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7102495 | Method for preventing collisions involving motor vehicles A collision prevention method for motor vehicles is provided, in which method obstacles in front of the vehicle are detected by an on-board positioning system, a collision probability is calculated from the position data, and one or more responses to prevent a colli... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7059690 | Visual air brake notification device A brake notification device for notifying an individual whether the brake system is active or inactive includes a housing including a flexible conduit having opposed end portions removably connected thereto and to a pneumatically controlled valve of the vehicle brak... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7038578 | Fault reporting system for a motor vehicle A defect reporting system for a vehicle having at least one electronic control unit, includes a check-control module that is connected with the at least one control unit and receives a report from the latter. An indicating device is connected with the check-control ... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7034673 | Method for monitoring an electrohydraulic vehicle braking system Method for monitoring an electrohydraulic braking system. The volume uptake is determined by the elasticity within the wheel brake that is subjected to certain fluctuations, on the one hand, and to a much greater degree by the clearance that is present, on the other... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7017326 | Transmission rotation sensor switch A sensor for use with a transmission system, where the transmission system has a housing, an input driven by an engine and at least one rotating component, such as a shaft, located in the housing and driven by the input. The sensor is comprised of an actuator, which... | 03/28/2006 |
| 7014016 | Brake pad clearance sensor A brake actuator assembly includes a sensor mounted to a push rod which is in communication with a transceiver antenna. The sensor provides positional information of the push rod relative to the antenna. A clearance between a friction element and a rotating brake me... | 03/21/2006 |
| 7009508 | Method and apparatus for determining a brake overheating condition A vehicle includes at least one wheel and an associated brake. Especially if the vehicle is traveling down an incline, the brake may overheat from prolonged use. The present invention provides an operator warning device which alerts the operator to a possible or act... | 03/07/2006 |
| 7004551 | Vehicular motor-driven brake device A vehicular motor-driven brake apparatus includes an open circuit in which reciprocation of a master cylinder generating a brake pressure is caused by an actuator that operates according to a pedal operation amount, and brake fluid discharged from a wheel cylinder d... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6998813 | Device for generation of a signal dependent on rotational speed for an electric motor, in particular for an electronically-commutated DC motor The invention provides a device to generate an rpm-dependent signal, or a tachogenerator, having a plurality of magnet elements with alternating polarity which are arranged and distributed around the circumference of the rotor shaft. The magnet elements preferably t... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6951528 | Method for operating a motor-driven vehicle To avoid damaging the electrical braking system of a motor vehicle due to driving with an applied parking brake, the parking brake is automatically released, if the speed of the motor vehicle exceeds a prescribed minimum value, and the drive unit of the motor vehicl... | 10/04/2005 |
| 6943675 | Locomotive hand brake alarm A hand brake system (40) for a rail vehicle providing a hand brake position alarm (76) before a train is moved with a hand brake not fully released. A switch (56) detects the position of a hand brake drive chain (18) to provide a brake en... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6943676 | Clutch protection system A system for protecting the clutch of a vehicle from a harmful operating state. Included in the clutch protection system are means for monitoring the operating state of the clutch, along with means for estimating the amount of energy being dissipated by the clutch. ... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6927681 | Mixed air amount alarm device A mixed air amount alarm device is provided which determines the amount of air present in a hydraulic circuit between a hydraulic pressure source and an instrument driven by hydraulic pressure, and produces an alarm if the air amount is excessive, a situation is pre... | 08/09/2005 |
| 6891468 | Vehicle brake monitoring system A vehicle brake monitoring system including processing units receiving signals from each of the several brake stroke sensors mounted on a vehicle. The sensors adapted to generate signal corresponding to stroke movement of the brakes. The system adapted to process th... | 05/10/2005 |
| 6888451 | Method of monitoring the power spring of a spring brake actuator A method of monitoring the condition of a power spring of a pneumatic spring brake actuator of a vehicle by comparing the stroke of the push rod during normal braking and by actuating the parking brake, wherein a defective power spring is indicated when the differen... | 05/03/2005 |
| 6844812 | Vehicular brake warning apparatus issuing warning when target deceleration differs from actual deceleration A brake operation amount detection device detects an operation amount of a brake pedal, and a target deceleration computation device computes a target deceleration corresponding to an operation amount that the driver intends to achieve. Further, an actual decelerati... | 01/18/2005 |
| 6812828 | Method and device for the automated actuation of a clutch The invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising a drive motor and a gearbox with a device for automatically actuating a clutch in the drivetrain, and to a control method. According to said method, if the gear ratio is less than a threshold value and the actuatio... | 11/02/2004 |
| 6810316 | Brake device for vehicle A brake device includes an actuator which is provided on a wheel side of a vehicle having a suspension, the actuator generates a braking force by being electrically driven. A drive controller is also provided for receiving a signal regarding the braking force from a... | 10/26/2004 |
