Patents by Inventor Roger Arnold Trombley

Roger Arnold Trombley 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).

  • Publication number: 20200247197
    Abstract: A vehicle control system comprises a sensor configured to capture sensor data and a controller configured to identify a coupler position of a trailer in the sensor data. The controller is further configured to control a vehicle alignment routine aligning the hitch with the coupler position and control an emergency braking operation in response to detecting an obstruction in the sensor data. The controller is configured to suppress the emergency braking operation in response to the obstruction corresponding to the coupler in the sensor data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Luke Niewiadomski, Eric L. Reed, Roger Arnold Trombley, Robert D. Klosek
  • Publication number: 20200189336
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes a vehicle brake system, an accelerometer mounted on the vehicle, and a controller. The controller receives a first signal from the accelerometer and, during reversing of the vehicle in a longitudinal direction, transmits an actuation signal to the vehicle brake system when the first signal from the accelerometer indicates a deceleration in the longitudinal direction above a predetermined rate within a predetermined time interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Arnav Sharma, Douglas Rogan, Luke Niewiadomski, Shannon Brooks-Lehnert, Roger Arnold Trombley
  • Publication number: 20200171897
    Abstract: A vehicle hitching assistance system includes a controller identifying a trailer coupler within a specified area relative to the vehicle. The specified area is defined between a maximum distance and a minimum distance from a rear of the vehicle and within left and right lateral vehicle control limits. The controller also outputs a steering signal to the vehicle to cause the vehicle to steer to align a hitch ball of the vehicle with the coupler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Li Xu, Roger Arnold Trombley, Luke Niewiadomski, Kyle Simmons, Kenneth Michael Mayer, Shannon Brooks-Lehnert, Seyed Armin Raeis Hosseiny, Bo Bao, Katherine Rouen
  • Publication number: 20200156425
    Abstract: A vehicle hitching assistance system includes a controller acquiring image data from the vehicle and deriving a vehicle path to align a center of a hitch ball of the vehicle with a centerline of a trailer coupler within the image data. The controller also outputs a video image including a representation of a simplified path from the hitch ball to the coupler and outputs a steering signal to cause the vehicle to steer along the vehicle path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Li Xu, Kyle Simmons, Shannon Brooks-Lehnert, Katherine Rouen, Roger Arnold Trombley, Bo Bao, Seyed Armin Raeis Hosseiny
  • Publication number: 20200148018
    Abstract: A vehicle hitch assistance system includes a powered suspension system supporting a rear of the vehicle at a height and a controller. The controller acquires position data for a coupler of a trailer, determines when the position data indicates that a hitch ball of the vehicle is aligned with the coupler, and causes the powered suspension system to raise the height of the rear portion of the vehicle until a threshold resistance value is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Luke Niewiadomski, Roger Arnold Trombley
  • Publication number: 20200148257
    Abstract: A driver assistance system for a vehicle having a hitch includes a trailer detection system, a steering system, and a controller. The controller determines that a trailer is not coupled with the hitch and outputs a reverse hitching path control signal to the steering system and determines that the trailer is coupled with the hitch and outputs a trailer backing path control signal to the steering system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Luke Niewiadomski, Donald Jacob Mattern, Roger Arnold Trombley, Aleksey Shepelev, Chen Zhang
  • Publication number: 20200130744
    Abstract: A vehicle hitching assistance system includes a controller acquiring image data from the vehicle and identifying a trailer within a specified area of the image data and then identifying a coupler of the trailer. The specified area is less than a total field of the image data. The controller then outputs a steering signal to the vehicle to cause the vehicle to steer to align a hitch ball of the vehicle with the coupler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Luke Niewiadomski, Douglas Rogan, Shannon Brooks-Lehnert, Chen Zhang, Roger Arnold Trombley, Peter Ling, Kenneth Michael Mayer, Seyed Armin Raeis Hosseiny, Bo Bao, Steven Wayne Friedlander
  • Publication number: 20200108679
    Abstract: A hitch assist system is provided herein. The hitch assist system includes a mobile device remotely disposed from a vehicle and configured to receive a user input for adjusting an alignment position of a hitch assembly of a vehicle. A controller is configured to generate commands for maneuvering the vehicle such that the hitch assembly is moved to an adjusted position at which the hitch assembly is aligned with a coupler of a trailer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Hamid M. Golgiri, Luke Niewiadomski, Erick Michael Lavoie, Roger Arnold Trombley
  • Patent number: 10609340
    Abstract: A vehicle and trailer display system is disclosed. The display system includes a plurality of imaging devices disposed on the vehicle, each having a field of view. The display system further includes a screen disposed in the vehicle operable to display images from the imaging devices. A controller is in communication with the imaging devices and the screen and is operable to receive a hitch angle corresponding to the angle between the vehicle and the trailer. Based on the hitch angle, the controller is operable to select a field of view of an imaging device to display on the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sudipto Aich, Roger Arnold Trombley, John Shutko, Alex Maurice Miller
  • Publication number: 20200073398
    Abstract: A vehicle system comprises a hitch ball mounted on a vehicle. The system further comprises a plurality of sensor devices comprising an ultrasonic sensor and an image sensor. A controller is configured to process image data from the image sensor identifying a coupler position of a trailer. The controller is further configured to process ultrasonic data from the ultrasonic sensor identifying a proximity of the trailer. Based on the proximity of the trailer, the system is configured to identify the trailer in a detection range of the image sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Luke Niewiadomski, Erick Michael Lavoie, Eric L. Reed, Chen Zhang, Roger Arnold Trombley, Douglas J. Rogan, Bruno Sielly Jales Costa
  • Patent number: 10543870
    Abstract: A hitch assist system is provided herein that includes a sensing system configured to detect a trailer proximate a vehicle. A steering system is configured to alter a path of the vehicle. A transmission system has one or more gears therein. A controller is disposed within the hitch assist system and is configured to control the steering system of the vehicle along a path to align a hitch ball with a coupler of the trailer, detect a fault of the steering system or a gear change in the transmission system and pausing the control of the vehicle, and monitor the coupler during repositioning of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Luke Niewiadomski, Chen Zhang, Roger Arnold Trombley, Erick Michael Lavoie
  • Publication number: 20200023902
    Abstract: A hitch assist system is provided herein that includes a sensing system configured to detect a trailer proximate a vehicle. A steering system is configured to alter a path of the vehicle. A transmission system has one or more gears therein. A controller is disposed within the hitch assist system and is configured to control the steering system of the vehicle along a path to align a hitch ball with a coupler of the trailer, detect a fault of the steering system or a gear change in the transmission system and pausing the control of the vehicle, and monitor the coupler during repositioning of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Luke Niewiadomski, Chen Zhang, Roger Arnold Trombley, Erick Michael Lavoie
  • Publication number: 20190389262
    Abstract: A vehicle system is configured to control a trailer alignment routine. The system comprises a hitch ball mounted on a vehicle and a controller configured to identify a coupler position of a trailer. The controller is further configured to control motion of the vehicle to an aligned position, wherein the hitch ball is aligned with the coupler position. In response to the aligned position, the controller activates a service brake holding the vehicle and while maintaining the service brake activation, the controller activates a parking brake.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Luke Niewiadomski, Shannon Brooks-Lehnert, Roger Arnold Trombley, Kenneth Michael Mayer, Chen Zhang
  • Publication number: 20190308663
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC, The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Douglas Scott Rhode, David Dean Smit, Erick Michael Lavoie, Martin Fitzpatrick Frey, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Taehyun Shim, Matt Y. Rupp, Roger Arnold Trombley
  • Publication number: 20190293442
    Abstract: A system includes a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to determine a route based on at least one of (a) an amount of snow accumulation, and (b) a predicted amount of remediation material, for each of a plurality of road segments, actuate a vehicle to follow the route, and actuate at least one of a snow plow and a material spreader on the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Luke Niewiadomski, Erick Michael Lavoie, Roger Arnold Trombley
  • Patent number: 10370030
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC, The Regents of the University of Michigan Office Tech. Transfer, University of Michigan
    Inventors: Douglas Scott Rhode, David Dean Smit, Erick Michael Lavoie, Martin Fitzpatrick Frey, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Taehyun Shim, Matt Y. Rupp, Roger Arnold Trombley
  • Patent number: 10279803
    Abstract: A backup assist system for a vehicle reversing a trailer includes a brake module and a throttle module. The system further includes a controller having a vehicle speed detector and coupled with the brake module and the throttle module for implementing a backup mode including detecting an adverse operating condition and then adjusting at least one of the brake module and the throttle module and terminating the backup mode upon detecting the adverse operating condition for a time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Roger Arnold Trombley, Thomas Edward Pilutti, Nathaniel Abram Rolfes, Michael Hafner
  • Patent number: 10279839
    Abstract: A steering input system for a trailer backup assist system includes an input apparatus having a housing and a user-manipulable input element coupled with the housing. The system further includes a controller determining a state of a use condition of the input apparatus and, based on the state of the use condition, one of implementing or disabling a trailer backup assist mode. The trailer backup assist mode generates a vehicle steering command based on an instantaneous position of the input element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Roger Arnold Trombley
  • Publication number: 20190121351
    Abstract: A hitch assist system and method are provided herein. A human machine interface is configured to receive user-input specifying a target travel direction of a vehicle. A controller is configured to generate commands for autonomously maneuvering the vehicle in the target travel direction, identify a hitch coupler of a trailer based on input received from an object detection system, and request additional user-input updating the target travel direction if the hitch coupler is unable to be identified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Luke Niewiadomski, Roger Arnold Trombley, Dongran Liu, Yi Zhang, Douglas Rogan, Chen Zhang, Shannon Brooks-Lehnert, Vidya Nariyambut murali
  • Patent number: 10266175
    Abstract: A plurality of targets are identified. A path for each target is predicted. A threat number for each target is determined based at least in part on the predicted paths. The threat number indicates a probability of a collision between the respective target and a host vehicle. One or more vehicle subsystems in the host vehicle is actuated based on the threat numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Alex Maurice Miller, Roger Arnold Trombley, Kun Deng, Ahsan Qamar, Sarra Awad Yako