Patents by Inventor Douglas Scott Rhode
Douglas Scott Rhode has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9248858Abstract: The trailer backup assist system has a human machine interface coupled to a controller having a setup module, a calibration module, an activation module and a control module configured to receive trailer measurements, apply trailer measurements, activate and control vehicle systems to calibrate and implement a curvature control algorithm that controls the reverse movement of the vehicle-trailer combination in a manner consistent with a driver request.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2013Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: Ford Global TechnologiesInventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Roger Arnold Trombley, Christopher Nave, John Shutko, Matt Y. Rupp, Kenneth Michael Mayer, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Martin Fitzpatrick Frey, Douglas Scott Rhode, David Dean Smit
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Publication number: 20150367886Abstract: A trailer backup assist system, according to one embodiment, provides a sensor that senses a hitch angle between a trailer and a vehicle. The trailer backup assist system also provides a selection device for selecting a longitudinal direction of the trailer or the vehicle in a static orientation. Further, the trailer backup assist system provides a controller that generates a steering command to the vehicle when reversing based on the hitch angle to guide the trailer in the selected longitudinal direction. The controller determines a kinematic relationship of the trailer and the vehicle based on a length of the trailer and a wheelbase of the vehicle, whereby the steering command is generated based on the kinematic relationship.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2014Publication date: December 24, 2015Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Douglas Scott Rhode
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Patent number: 9212926Abstract: A vehicle is operated at least partially autonomously. A predicted path of the vehicle is monitored to identify an object with which the vehicle is likely to collide. A graphical user interface (GUI) is provided that includes the predicted path, a proposed path for the vehicle to avoid a collision with an object, and the vehicle. A selection is made to follow one of the predicted path and the proposed path. The GUI is updated to include the selected one of the predicted path and the proposed path, along with a location of the vehicle on the selected one of the predicted path and the proposed path.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2013Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Christopher Attard, Shane Elwart, Jeff Allen Greenberg, Rajit Johri, John P. Joyce, Devinder Singh Kochhar, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Douglas Scott Rhode, Matt Y. Rupp, John Shutko, Roger Arnold Trombley, Louis Tijerina, Hongtei Eric Tseng, Andrew Waldis
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Publication number: 20150314663Abstract: A vehicle includes a sensor configured to detect a first road feature, an adjustable suspension system, and a processing device. The processing device is configured to determine, using a drive history map, a location of the vehicle based on the first road feature and apply a suspension profile to the suspension system. The suspension profile is associated with a second road feature identified by the drive history map, which is at a different location from the first road feature.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2014Publication date: November 5, 2015Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Douglas Scott Rhode, Shane Elwart, Nanjun Liu, Thomas Edward Pilutti
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Patent number: 9174649Abstract: A vehicle sub-system controller is configured to receive a first message and a second message, wherein the first message includes at least a command for the controller, and the second message includes at least a target value for the controller to achieve. A fault may be detected with respect to the first message; and an adjustment to the sub-system may be locally determined in the sub-system controller to achieve the target value.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2014Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Rajit Johri, Andrew Brown, Scott J. Lauffer, Sarra Awad Yako, Shane Elwart, Douglas Scott Rhode, Alex Maurice Miller, Tobias John Pallett, John A. Lockwood
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Patent number: 9164955Abstract: A trailer back-up assist apparatus comprises an obstacle sensing system operable to output information characterizing proximity of a object adjacent to a vehicle-trailer combination while the vehicle-trailer combination is being backed toward a targeted location and a trailer back-up assist system correction apparatus coupled to the obstacle sensing system. The trailer back-up assist system uses the information characterizing proximity of the object to determine if a path of the vehicle-trailer combination needs to be altered to limit a potential of the vehicle-trailer combination colliding with the object and implements a path correction action to alter the path of travel of the vehicle-trailer combination to reduce the potential for the vehicle-trailer combination colliding with the object.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2013Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: Ford Global TechnologiesInventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Douglas Scott Rhode, Darrel Alan Recker
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Publication number: 20150274169Abstract: Vehicle operating systems are autonomously operated. A transient in an upcoming path of the vehicle is determined from a comparison of vehicle path data and vehicle status data to a threshold of mechanism first operating system. Operational parameters for one of first and second operating systems are selected according to the comparison. The selected operational parameters are applied to the operation of the one of the first and second operating systems.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2014Publication date: October 1, 2015Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Christopher Attard, Dale Scott Crombez, Jerome Charles Ivan, John P. Joyce, James Robert McBride, Wayne Williams, Paul Joseph Szuszman, Peter Worrel, Hai YU, John Shutko, Jeff Allen Greenberg, Rajit Johri, Devinder Singh Kochhar, Hongtei Eric Tseng, Douglas Scott Rhode
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Publication number: 20150251666Abstract: One of a condition affecting a vehicle and a planned action of the vehicle are identified. An instruction is provided to actuate movement of a steering wheel in the vehicle, wherein the movement is determined according to the one of the condition and the planned action.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2014Publication date: September 10, 2015Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Christopher Attard, Shane Elwart, Jeff Allen Greenberg, Rajit Johri, John P. Joyce, Devinder Singh Kochhar, Douglas Scott Rhode, John Shutko, Louis Tijerina, Hongtei Eric Tseng
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Patent number: 9129528Abstract: A vehicle comprises a communication interface for enabling information to be communicated to a and from an occupant of the vehicle and a trailer back-up assist system coupled to the communication interface. The trailer back-up assist system is operable for determining a selected width of a lane within which the vehicle and an attached trailer are to be backed from a current position of the vehicle to reach a targeted location for the attached trailer and for outputting to the occupant of the vehicle via the communication interface information characterizing an ability of the vehicle to be backed within the lane from the current position of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2013Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: Ford Global TechnologiesInventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Douglas Scott Rhode, Darrel Alan Recker
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Publication number: 20150178998Abstract: Data is collected during operation of a vehicle. A determination is made that a confidence assessment of at least one of the data indicates at least one fault condition. A first autonomous operation affected by the fault condition is discontinued, where a second autonomous operation that is unaffected by the fault condition is continued.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2014Publication date: June 25, 2015Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Christopher Attard, Shane Elwart, Jeff Allen Greenberg, Rajit Johri, John P. Joyce, Devinder Singh Kochhar, Douglas Scott Rhode, John Shutko, Hongtei Eric Tseng
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Publication number: 20150149017Abstract: A vehicle operator is identified. Based at least in part on the operator's identity, one or more parameters are determined specifying a mode for autonomously operating the vehicle. The vehicle is autonomously operated at least in part according to the one or more parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2013Publication date: May 28, 2015Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Christopher Attard, Shane Elwart, Jeff Allen Greenberg, Rajit Johri, John P. Joyce, Devinder Singh Kochhar, Douglas Scott Rhode, John Shutko, Louis Tijerna, Eric Hongtei Tseng, Wilford Trent Yopp
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Publication number: 20150149023Abstract: A vehicle includes at least one autonomous driving sensor configured to monitor at least one condition while operating in an autonomous mode. The vehicle further includes a processing device configured to identify at least one occupant, select a profile associated with the occupant, and autonomously operate at least one subsystem according to the selected profile and the at least condition monitored by the at least one autonomous driving sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2013Publication date: May 28, 2015Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Christopher Attard, Shane Elwart, Jeff Allen Greenberg, Rajit Johri, Devinder Singh Kochhar, Douglas Scott Rhode, John Shutko, Eric Hongtei Tseng
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Publication number: 20150149088Abstract: A vehicle is operated at least partially autonomously. A predicted path of the vehicle is monitored to identify an object with which the vehicle is likely to collide. A graphical user interface (GUI) is provided that includes the predicted path, a proposed path for the vehicle to avoid a collision with an object, and the vehicle. A selection is made to follow one of the predicted path and the proposed path. The GUI is updated to include the selected one of the predicted path and the proposed path, along with a location of the vehicle on the selected one of the predicted path and the proposed path.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2013Publication date: May 28, 2015Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Christopher Attard, Shane Elwart, Jeff Allen Greenberg, Rajit Johri, John P. Joyce, Devinder Singh Kochhar, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Douglas Scott Rhode, Matt Y. Rupp, John Shutko, Roger Arnold Trombley, Louis Tijerina, Hongtei Eric Tseng, Andrew Waldis
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Publication number: 20150149018Abstract: A wearable computing device in a vehicle is identified by a vehicle in a computer. Collected data is received relating to autonomous operation of the vehicle. A message is sent to the wearable computing device based at least in part on the collected data.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2013Publication date: May 28, 2015Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Christopher Attard, Shane Elwart, Jeff Allen Greenberg, Rajit Johri, John P. Joyce, Devinder Singh Kochhar, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Douglas Scott Rhode, Matt Y. Rupp, John Shutko, Roger Arnold Trombley, Hongtei Eric Tseng, Andrew Waldis
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Patent number: 9037312Abstract: A system and method of calculating a heading angle for a trailer that is being backed by a vehicle. A trailer backup assist control module, in communication with a hitch angle detecting apparatus, receives a hitch angle and determines displacement of left and right vehicle wheels using information supplied by vehicle wheel speed sensors while the vehicle is backing the trailer. A vehicle heading angle is determined using left and right wheel displacement information and a known vehicle track width. A trailer heading angle is then calculated using the vehicle heading angle and the hitch angle.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2013Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: Ford Global TechnologiesInventors: Douglas Scott Rhode, Darrel Alan Recker, Erick Michael Lavoie
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Publication number: 20150134183Abstract: A trailer backup steering input apparatus is coupled to a vehicle. The trailer backup steering input apparatus comprises a rotatable control element (e.g., a knob) and a rotatable control element movement sensing device. The rotatable control element biased to an at-rest position between opposing rotational ranges of motion. The rotatable control element movement sensing device is coupled to the rotatable control element for sensing movement of the rotatable control element. The rotatable control element movement sensing device outputs a signal generated as a function of an amount of rotation of the rotatable control element with respect to the at-rest position, a rate movement of the rotatable control element, and/or a direction of movement of the rotatable control element with respect to the at-rest position.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2015Publication date: May 14, 2015Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Douglas Scott Rhode, Matthew Y. Rupp, David Dean Smit, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Roger Arnold Trombley
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Patent number: 8972109Abstract: A trailer backup steering input apparatus is coupled to a vehicle. The trailer backup steering input apparatus comprises a rotatable control element (e.g., a knob) and a rotatable control element movement sensing device. The rotatable control element biased to an at-rest position between opposing rotational ranges of motion. The rotatable control element movement sensing device is coupled to the rotatable control element for sensing movement of the rotatable control element. The rotatable control element movement sensing device outputs a signal generated as a function of an amount of rotation of the rotatable control element with respect to the at-rest position, a rate movement of the rotatable control element, and/or a direction of movement of the rotatable control element with respect to the at-rest position.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2011Date of Patent: March 3, 2015Assignee: Ford Global TechnologiesInventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Douglas Scott Rhode, Matt Y. Rupp, David Dean Smit, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Roger Arnold Trombley
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Publication number: 20140379217Abstract: The trailer backup assist system has a human machine interface coupled to a controller having a setup module, a calibration module, an activation module and a control module configured to receive trailer measurements, apply trailer measurements, activate and control vehicle systems to calibrate and implement a curvature control algorithm that controls the reverse movement of the vehicle-trailer combination in a manner consistent with a driver request. When incorrect trailer measurements have been entered, the trailer backup assist system recognizes the error, initiates a warning and requests corrective action to correct the trailer measurements. Default values for a maximum controllable curvature limit and a maximum controllable angle replace the limits calculated and applied by the calibration model that used incorrect trailer measurements, until corrected trailer measurements may be entered by the driver.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2014Publication date: December 25, 2014Inventors: Matt Y. Rupp, David Dean Smit, Roger Arnold Trombley, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Erick Michael Lavoie, Christopher Scott Nave, John Shutko, Kenneth Michael Mayer, Martin Fitzpatrick Frey, Douglas Scott Rhode
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Publication number: 20140379219Abstract: A vehicle has a trailer backup steering input apparatus, a trailer backup assist control module coupled to the a trailer backup steering input apparatus, and an electric power assist steering system coupled to the trailer backup assist control module and. The trailer backup steering input apparatus is configured for outputting a trailer path curvature signal approximating a desired curvature for a path of travel of a trailer towably coupled to the vehicle. The trailer backup assist control module is configured for determining vehicle steering information as a function of the trailer path curvature signal. The electric power assist steering system is configured for controlling steering of steered wheels of the vehicle as a function of the vehicle steering information.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2014Publication date: December 25, 2014Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC, The Regents of the University of MichiganInventors: Douglas Scott Rhode, David Dean Smit, Erick Michael Lavoie, Martin Fitzpatrick Frey, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Taehyun Shim, Matt Y. Rupp, Roger Arnold Trombley
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Patent number: 8909426Abstract: A vehicle has a trailer backup steering input apparatus, a trailer backup assist control module coupled to the a trailer backup steering input apparatus, and an electric power assist steering system coupled to the trailer backup assist control module and. The trailer backup steering input apparatus is configured for outputting a trailer path curvature signal approximating a desired curvature for a path of travel of a trailer towably coupled to the vehicle. The trailer backup assist control module is configured for determining vehicle steering information as a function of the trailer path curvature signa. The electric power assist steering system is configured for controlling steering of steered wheels of the vehicle as a function of the vehicle steering information.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2011Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, The Regents of The University of MichiganInventors: Douglas Scott Rhode, David Dean Smit, Erick Michael Lavoie, Martin Fitzpatrick Frey, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Taehyun Shim, Matt Y. Rupp, Roger Arnold Trombley