Daniel T Bartz

US Patent:

8131442, Mar 6, 2012

Filed:

Nov 28, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/946556

Inventors:

Pamela I. Labuhn - Shelby Township MI, US
Charles A. Green - Canton MI, US
James N. Nickolaou - Clarkston MI, US
Patrick J. O'Leary - Clinton Township MI, US
Daniel J. Bartz - Lake Orion MI, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

B60K 31/06

US Classification:

701 93, 180170

Abstract:

A method for operating a cruise control system for a vehicle. The method can identify certain low speed environments, like parking lots, where usage of the cruise control system is usually inappropriate and can disable the system accordingly. According to one embodiment, a full speed range adaptive (FSRA) cruise control system compares a steering wheel position to a steering wheel threshold to determine if the vehicle is operating in an inappropriate low speed environment and, if so, disables the cruise control system accordingly.

US Patent:

20070001830, Jan 4, 2007

Filed:

Jun 30, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/171509

Inventors:

Oguz Dagci - Sterling Heights MI, US
Donald Grimm - Utica MI, US
Varsha Sadekar - Sterling Heights MI, US
Daniel Bartz - Lake Orion MI, US
Sarmad Hermiz - Troy MI, US
William Hamilton - Rochester MI, US

International Classification:

B60Q 1/00

US Classification:

340438000

Abstract:

A method for monitoring vehicle speed is provided. The method includes receiving a current speed of a vehicle and a current speed limit associated with a current location of the vehicle. A current speed range is calculated by comparing the current speed of the vehicle to the current speed limit. Operator alert preferences including a caution range and a warning range are accessed. An alert responsive to the current speed range and to the operator alert preferences is communicated to the operator of the vehicle. The alert includes one or more caution attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is within the caution range. The alert includes one or more warning attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is within the warning range. The alert includes one or more at speed attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is not within the caution range or the warning range.

US Patent:

20110169957, Jul 14, 2011

Filed:

Jan 14, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/687321

Inventors:

Daniel James Bartz - Rochester Hills MI, US

Assignee:

FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

H04N 7/18
G01S 15/00
G01P 3/36
G01S 13/58

US Classification:

348149, 367 89, 356 27, 342104, 348E07085

Abstract:

A method for processing an image of the exterior of a vehicle includes transmitting successive camera images from a camera to a processor. Optical flow vectors from the multiple camera images are estimated. The optical flow vectors are compared and objects located on the ground are separated from objects located above the ground. Vehicle motion is estimated. Data from the successive camera images is processed to create an estimated three-dimensional (3D) bird's eye view image, and the bird's eye view image is displayed.