The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 28, 1996
Filed:
Feb. 18, 1994
Herbert R Butterfield, Fenton, MI (US);
Michael D Rizzo, Waterford, MI (US);
Clark E McCall, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Joseph A Heller, Brighton, MI (US);
James V Clore, Howell, MI (US);
Joseph R Pastorek, Highland, MI (US);
Jonathan M Rathbun, Brighton, MI (US);
David C Poirier, Troy, MI (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
In a vehicle with a radio, a transmission, a brake, a throttle, a vehicle speed and a power antenna, a method of controlling the power antenna comprising the steps of: (a) determining whether the radio is in an on state; (b) determining if the transmission is one of: (i) in a neutral state and (ii) in an unengaged state; (c) determining if the brake is in an off state; (d) determining if the throttle is in an idle state; (e) determining if the vehicle speed is below a predetermined threshold; and (f) responsive to the determinations, if the radio is in the on state, the transmission is in one of: (i) the neutral state and (ii) the unengaged state, the brake is in the off state, the throttle is in the idle state and the speed is below the predetermined threshold, automatically retracting the power antenna, thereby preventing possible damage to the antenna by the automatic car wash.