US Patent Issued to TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA on May 13 for "Extended coverage for a sensor along a complex contour" (Michigan Inventor)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 12 -- United States Patent no. 12,297,683, issued on May 13, was assigned to TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA INC. (Plano, Texas).

"Extended coverage for a sensor along a complex contour" was invented by Frank A. Richards (Ann Arbor, Mich.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "Apparatuses and methods for controlling an operation of a powered system by extending the coverage of a sensor along a complex contour. An apparatus comprises a structure and a safety system that includes a sensor, a hinge, and a contoured panel. The structure (e.g., a vehicle door) has a first edge in which at least a portion of the first edge has a complex contour. The sensor is at...