Patents Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC
  • Method for customizing a vehicle seat
    Patent number: 10744920
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a vehicle seat includes moving each of a set of first valves respectively associated with ones of a group of first bladders into an open position allowing the receipt of air into and fluidic communication among the group of first bladders, inflating the first group of bladders to a predetermined pressure, and closing each of the set of first valves to maintain an inflation level of each of the first bladders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gary Steven Strumolo, Jeroen Lem
  • Inter-vehicle cooperation for vehicle self height estimation
    Patent number: 10745005
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for inter-vehicle cooperation for vehicle self height estimation. An example vehicle includes an inter-vehicle communication module and a body control module. The body control module broadcasts a request for images via the inter-vehicle communication module. The body control module also performs semantic segmentation on the images, generates a composite image of the vehicle based on the segmented images, and generates a three dimensional representation of the vehicle based on the composite image. Using the three dimensional representation, the body control module determines a height of the vehicle, and based on the height, controls the vehicle to avoid obstacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Michael Herman, David A. Herman, David Joseph Orris, Nunzio DeCia, Stephen Jay Orris, Jr.
  • Variable compression ratio engine with hydraulically actuated locking system
    Patent number: 10746095
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a VCR engine. In one example, the VCR engine includes a VCR mechanism that mechanically locks the engine pistons at a high compression ratio or a low compression ratio, utilizing locking pins that engage with eccentrics. Movement of the locking pins may be actuated by a valve that controls hydraulic pressure in the VCR mechanism where varying the hydraulic pressure adjusts engagement/disengagement of the locking pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey Chottiner
  • Stop-start system for a motor vehicle
    Patent number: 10744996
    Abstract: A stop-start system and method for a motor vehicle include a controller configured to shut down an engine of the motor vehicle automatically when the motor vehicle is moving and a predetermined engine shut down condition is achieved, to perform a rolling stop-start operation; and a mechanically driven auxiliary vacuum pump coupled to a transmission gear or output shaft and configured to provide vacuum pressure to a brake booster of the motor vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to operate the auxiliary vacuum pump during the rolling stop-start operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Anthemios Philemon Petridis
  • Ventilated seat cushion
    Patent number: 10744914
    Abstract: A seat includes one or more cushions secured to a shell. The cushions include a 3D printed lattice of repeating cells. The cells may include nodes interconnected by branches. The nodes may be arranged in a cubic, parallelepiped, diamond, or other arrangement. The branches may extend directly between nodes or may be bent. The branches may extend from each node to an adjacent node that is closest to its point of attachment to the each node or the branches may be curved or bent to secure to a different adjacent node. The 3D printed lattice may include 3D printed barbs formed thereon that engage receptacles in the seat shell. The 3D printed lattice may be printed with a groove that engages a fastening structure on a cover or a separate fastening element. The cover may be a perforated sheet of material or fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Hyung Min Baek, Daniel Boccuccia
  • Variable thermal capacity charge air cooler
    Patent number: 10746088
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for variable thermal capacity charge air cooler (VTC-CAC). In one example, the VTC-CAC includes a plurality of cooling channels and an integrated bypass that diverts air around the cooling channels. Division of boosted intake air between the cooling channels and the bypass is regulated by a positioning of dual-gate mechanism that is adjusted in response to manifold charge temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hassan Farhat, Ravi Gopal
  • Methods and system for reactivating engine cylinders
    Patent number: 10746108
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reactivating cylinders of an engine that have been temporarily deactivated to conserve fuel are presented. The systems and methods adjust fuel injection quantity and timing of direct fuel injectors to reduce particulate emissions that may form in cylinders that are being reactivated due to reduced piston and combustion chamber temperatures that may occur in newly reactivated cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Todd Anthony Rumpsa
  • Object tracking in blind-spot
    Patent number: 10748295
    Abstract: A system includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to identify an object, including points on the object, to perform tracking of the object based on a motion model including a relationship of the points to one another, and to then output a location of one of the points in a blind spot based on the tracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Douglas Rogan
  • Methods and systems for an exhaust gas treatment arrangement
    Patent number: 10746115
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an exhaust aftertreatment arrangement. In one example, a system includes a LNT upstream of an SCR with an oxygen storage component arranged therebetween, and where a rich operation of an engine is limited based on an oxygen load of the oxygen storage component when an exhaust gas temperature is higher than a limit temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jan Harmsen, Maria Armiento, Mario Balenovic, Robert Ukropec, Christian Nederlof
  • Arrangement for tempering a battery, vehicle, and methods for heating and cooling a battery
    Patent number: 10749229
    Abstract: A system and method for heating or cooling a battery include a controller and a tempering circuit containing an auxiliary medium configured to exchange heat with a container having a latent heat storage medium, and a vehicle traction battery, a pump configured to circulate the auxiliary medium, and an activation device having a sealing element moveable to selectively expose a nucleation surface to the latent heat storage medium to trigger a phase change process and exchange heat with the auxiliary medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Zenner, Mazen Hammoud, Daniel Benjamin Kok
  • Vehicle air conditioning system and method for operating such a system
    Patent number: 10744857
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an air conditioning system for a vehicle including the steps of: calculating a water collection quantity in an evaporator during the operating period of a cooling mode of the air conditioning system, calculating a quantity of drainage water from the evaporator, determining a quantity of water present in the evaporator at a certain point in time, and comparing the determined quantity of water in the evaporator with a predetermined limit value at the point in time of starting the vehicle or at the point in time of starting the ventilation mode of the air conditioning system. The cooling mode of the air conditioning system is activated if the limit value is exceeded and otherwise the ventilation mode of the air conditioning system is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Walter Mayer, Markus Markowitz, Dietmar Fischer
  • Engine torque and torque converter bypass clutch slip control during vehicle launch
    Patent number: 10746291
    Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle includes, responsive to a command to launch the vehicle and while the vehicle is in a first gear, determining, at a controller, a feedforward component including a target engine torque and a target bypass clutch torque, and a feedback component that is based on an error between the target converter slip and a measured converter slip and between the target wheel torque and a measured wheel torque. The method further includes changing a commanded engine torque and a commanded bypass clutch torque based on the feedforward component and the feedback component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yang Xu, Weitian Chen, Stuart N. Ford, Zhengyu Dai, Qi Wang, Hong Jiang
  • Method and system for NVH control
    Patent number: 10746112
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for reducing driver dissatisfaction from NVH associated with cylinder deactivation. Audio and video feed is captured from inside a vehicle and analyzed to infer if a vehicle operator is distracted. If yes, then a VDE transition is scheduled to occur during the time when the driver is distracted and unlikely to notice the NVH.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Aed M. Dudar
  • Thermal management assembly for traction battery cells
    Patent number: 10749225
    Abstract: A vehicle traction battery assembly may include a traction battery cell, a case, and a thermal plate. The case may define a cavity to receive the traction battery cell and has a first side defining a first form feature. The thermal plate may be for positioning adjacent the traction battery cell and define a coolant channel sized for engagement with the case via the first form feature such that traction battery cell is in thermal communication with coolant flowing through the coolant channel. The first form feature may be serpentine-shaped or S-shaped. The first form feature may be castle-shaped from a cross-sectional plan view. The case may be multi-layered and include a first polymer layer, a second polymer layer, and an aluminum layer disposed between the polymer layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Joseph Robert, Alvaro Masias, Kent Snyder
  • Methods and apparatus to estimate a suspension displacement
    Patent number: 10745021
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for estimating a suspension displacement. An example apparatus includes a suspension motion determiner module programmed to output a signal to a first suspension assembly of a vehicle based on a first deflection of the first suspension assembly, the first deflection calculated based on a calculation and a second deflection of a second suspension assembly of the vehicle, the calculation selected based on whether the vehicle is utilized in a first mode or a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ahmed Mohamed, Joseph M. Raad, Russ Lee Norton, Jorge Rivas
  • Method and system for adjusting engine knock background noise of a variable displacement engine
    Patent number: 10746153
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a variable displacement engine that includes a knock control system. Fuel injection timing and cylinder firing patterns may be adjusted to maintain engine background noise levels so that the presence or absence of engine knock may be more reliably detected. Further, select variable engine displacement modes may be avoided so that engine background noise level changes may be reduced to improve engine knock detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohannad Hakeem, James Matthew Kindree, Christopher Paul Glugla, Lee B. McQuinn
  • System for dynamically allocating services between controllers in an automobile
    Patent number: 10750339
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a plurality of controllers configured to communicate over a network and programmed to perform a service by operation of a plurality of routines stored and executed in at least one of the controllers. The vehicle includes a gateway controller in communication with the controllers and programmed to transfer at least one of the routines from a first controller to a second controller responsive to performance data indicating reduced performance of the first controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Raghu Prabhudeva, Aishwarya Vasu
  • Transmission controls to mitigate line pressure instability
    Patent number: 10746298
    Abstract: Air ingestion into a transmission hydraulic system may lead to a number of issues. For example, the time to engage a hydraulically actuated parking mechanism may be excessive. As another example, the pump may not prime properly on a subsequent engine start. The air ingestion issue may be detected based on variability of transmission line pressure. When the line pressure variability exceeds a threshold, actions are taken to mitigate the potential issues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Joseph Gittins, Andrew James Myrna, Jessica Dyan Britton, Timothy Fedullo, Samuel Melville Glauber
  • System and method for battery charging
    Patent number: 10744892
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for expediting charging of a battery before entry into a zero emissions zone. In one example, the battery is charged with a ratio of motor torque drawn from a first electric motor of an electric turbocharger and a second electric motor of an HEV driveline. The ratio is coordinated with adjustments to an exhaust waste-gate and an intake throttle so as to maintain operator torque demand and propel the vehicle while charging the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Bell, Julia Helen Buckland, Tyler Kelly, Timothy Stolzenfeld, Baitao Xiao
  • Methods and system for automatically stopping an engine
    Patent number: 10746150
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a spark ignition engine that includes a particulate filter in the engine's exhaust system are described. In one example, a threshold temperature at which the spark ignition engine may be automatically stopped is adjusted according to an amount of soot that is stored in the particulate filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Justin Badger, Kenneth Frederick, Robert Hurley