Christopher M Kurpinski

7683764, Mar 23, 2010

Mar 22, 2007

11/689838

Christopher M. Kurpinski - Berkley MI, US
Thomas J. Keeling - Plymouth MI, US
Justin P. McBride - West Bloomfield MI, US
Toshihiro T. Wakamatsu - West Bloomfield MI, US
Michael A. Wiegand - Birmingham MI, US

DENSO International America, Inc. - Southfield MI

B60R 25/10

34042636, 307 102, 340 572, 34042613, 34042628, 34082572

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.

7688179, Mar 30, 2010

Dec 12, 2005

11/301076

Christopher M Kurpinski - Berkley MI, US
Justin P McBride - West Bloomfield MI, US
Keiichi Aoyama - Novi MI, US
Thomas J Keeling - Plymouth MI, US
Michael A Wiegand - Birmingham MI, US
Tanemichi Chiba - Novi MI, US
Hiroto Uesaka - West Bloomfield MI, US

DENSO International America, Inc. - Southfield MI

B60R 25/00

340 572, 340 564, 34082519

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.

7777615, Aug 17, 2010

Mar 20, 2008

12/052115

Masato Okuda - Novi MI, US
Christian Arthur Trager - Canton MI, US
Lisa Marie Brown - Ann Arbor MI, US
Michael Wiegand - Birmingham MI, US
Tanemichi Chiba - Novi MI, US
Christopher Kurpinski - Berkley MI, US
Jeffrey Edward Angeliu - Farmington MI, US
Hirohiko Yanagawa - Chiryu, JP
Yoshihisa Sato - Nagoya, JP
Toshihiro Wakamatsu - West Bloomfield MI, US
Justin McBride - West Bloomfield MI, US
Thomas Keeling - Plymouth MI, US

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Erlanger KY
Denso International America, Inc. - Southfield MI
Denso Corporation - Kariya-Shi

G08B 21/00

340431, 34053925, 3406862, 340687, 3406916, 348148, 280477

A system for assisting the alignment of a hitch pin mounted on the rear of a vehicle with a hitch socket mounted on the front of a trailer. The system includes a camera mounted to the vehicle and positioned to capture an image rearwardly of the vehicle. A video display is contained within the vehicle which displays the image captured by the camera. A processor is also contained in the vehicle which calculates a preferred path of travel of the vehicle to position the hitch pin in alignment with the hitch socket. The processor is programmed to provide instructions to an operator of the vehicle of the required steering to maintain the vehicle on the preferred path of travel. The processor recalculates the preferred path of travel whenever the vehicle veers from the preferred path of travel by a preset threshold.

8022808, Sep 20, 2011

Oct 1, 2007

11/906235

Christopher Kurpinski - Berkley MI, US
Thomas Keeling - Plymouth MI, US
Justin McBride - W. Bloomfield MI, US
Toshihiro Wakamatsu - W. Bloomfield MI, US
Michael Wiegand - Birmingham MI, US

DENSO International America, Inc. - Southfield MI

G05B 19/00
G05B 23/00
G06F 7/00
G06F 7/04
G06K 19/00
G08B 29/00
G08C 19/00
B60Q 1/00
H04B 1/38
H04B 3/00
H04Q 9/00
H04Q 1/00
B60R 25/00

340 561, 340 572, 3404255

A vehicle equipped with a passive key entry system may employ a method of controlling a vehicle power sliding door(s) or other door(s), to accomplish locking, unlocking, opening and closing of such doors. A switch on a door handle may be activated by a physical touch or touches of a user, after which, the method may proceed with inquiring and confirming if all vehicle doors are closed; inquiring and confirming if all vehicle doors are locked; inquiring and confirming if a valid passive entry key is exterior to and within range of the vehicle; unlocking a power sliding door with a lock motor; and opening the power sliding door with a door motor. Before actually performing a door opening, closing or locking, a passive entry key system on the vehicle may verify the presence of a passive entry key fob.

8077011, Dec 13, 2011

Mar 1, 2007

11/680755

Justin P. McBride - West Bloomfield MI, US
Thomas J. Keeling - Plymouth MI, US
Michael A. Wiegand - Birmingham MI, US
Christopher M. Kurpinski - Berkley MI, US
Toshihiro Wakamatsu - West Bloomfield MI, US

DENSO International America, Inc. - Soutfield MI

B60R 25/00
G06F 7/04
H04B 1/00
H04Q 9/00
H04Q 5/22

340 572, 340 101

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.

8093987, Jan 10, 2012

Feb 24, 2006

11/362586

Christopher Kurpinski - Berkley MI, US
Thomas Keeling - Plymouth MI, US
Michael Wiegand - Birmingham MI, US
Justin McBride - West Bloomfield MI, US
Keiichi Aoyama - Anjo, JP
Tanemichi Chiba - Novi MI, US

DENSO International America, Inc. - Southfield MI

G05B 19/00
G05B 23/00
G06F 7/00
G06F 7/04
G06K 19/00
G08B 29/00
G08C 19/00
H04B 1/00
H04B 3/00
H04Q 1/00
H04Q 9/00
B60R 25/10

340 564, 34042615

An electronic key system utilizes a single switch or sensor to perform multiple functions. The function of the single switch or sensor is changed based upon a condition of a component of the vehicle when a controller verifies the presence of a mobile unit. An indicator is utilized to tell an individual what the function of the switch screen is currently.

8427276, Apr 23, 2013

Feb 24, 2006

11/362585

Justin P McBride - West Bloomfield MI, US
Thomas J Keeling - Plymouth MI, US
Keiichi Aoyama - Novi MI, US
Tanemichi Chiba - Novi MI, US
Michael A Wiegand - Birmingham MI, US
Christopher M Kurpinski - Berkley MI, US

DENSO International America, Inc. - Southfield MI

B60R 25/00
G05B 19/00
G05B 23/00
G06F 7/00
G06F 7/04
G08B 29/00
G08C 19/00
H04B 1/00
H04B 3/00
H04Q 1/00
H04Q 9/00
G06K 19/00
H04B 1/02

340 564, 340 572

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.

20070200670, Aug 30, 2007

Feb 27, 2006

11/363144

Justin McBride - West Bloomfield MI, US
Thomas Keeling - Plymouth MI, US
Keiichi Aoyama - Aichi-ken, JP
Tanemichi Chiba - Novi MI, US
Michael Wiegand - Birmingham MI, US
Christopher Kurpinski - Berkley MI, US

H04L 9/32

340005720, 340005610, 340005230

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 primary mobile unit is within the first range and that the secondary mobile unit is within the second range.