Patents by Inventor Todd Allen Brown
Todd Allen Brown 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: 7630805Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a housed sensor cluster generating a plurality of signals. An integrated controller includes a sensor signal compensation unit and a kinematics unit, wherein the sensor signal compensation unit receives at least one of the plurality of signals and compensates for an offset within the signal and generates a compensated signal as a function thereof. The integrated controller further generates a kinematics signal including a sensor frame with respect to an intermediate axis system as a function of the compensated signal and generates a vehicle frame signal as a function of the kinematics signal. A dynamic system controller receives the vehicle frame signal and generates a dynamic control signal in response thereto. A safety device controller receives the dynamic control signal and further generates a safety device signal in response thereto.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2007Date of Patent: December 8, 2009Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jianbo Lu, Todd Allen Brown, Li Xu, Joseph Carr Meyers
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Patent number: 7602279Abstract: A control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (10) has a first roll condition detector (64A), a second roll condition detector (64B), a third roll condition detector (64C), and a controller (26) that uses the roll condition generated by the roll condition detectors (64A-C) to determine a wheel lift condition. Other roll condition detectors may also be used in the wheel lift determination. The wheel lift conditions may be active or passive or both.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2008Date of Patent: October 13, 2009Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jianbo Lu, Michael Edward Brewer, Todd Allen Brown, Joseph Carr Meyers
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Publication number: 20090112435Abstract: A method and system for controlling vehicle stability may comprise determining whether a vehicle is oversteering or understeering and, if the vehicle is oversteering or understeering, determining an amount by which to reduce a speed of the vehicle to correct for understeering or oversteering and applying brake pressure to at least the rear brakes of the vehicle to reduce vehicle speed. The method and system also may comprise determining an engine torque reduction amount based on vehicle oversteer or understeer conditions, reducing engine torque by the determined amount or to zero if the determined amount of engine torque reduction is greater than an actual engine torque, and applying braking to at least the rear brakes of the vehicle if the determined amount of engine torque reduction is greater than the actual engine torque.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2007Publication date: April 30, 2009Inventors: Joseph Carr Meyers, Daniel Domek Eisele, Todd Allen Brown, Li Xu, Albert Chenouda Salib
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Publication number: 20090037050Abstract: A control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (10) has a first roll condition detector (64A), a second roll condition detector (64B), a third roll condition detector (64C), and a controller (26) that uses the roll condition generated by the roll condition detectors (64A-C) to determine a wheel lift condition. Other roll condition detectors may also be used in the wheel lift determination. The wheel lift conditions may be active or passive or both.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2008Publication date: February 5, 2009Inventors: JIANBO LU, Michael Edward Brewer, Todd Allen Brown, Joseph Carr Meyers
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Patent number: 7373227Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a housed sensor cluster generating a plurality of signals. An integrated controller includes a sensor signal compensation unit and a kinematics unit, wherein the sensor signal compensation unit receives at least one of the plurality of signals and compensates for an offset within the signal and generates a compensated signal as a function thereof. The integrated controller further generates a kinematics signal including a sensor frame with respect to an intermediate axis system as a function of the compensated signal and generates a vehicle frame signal as a function of the kinematics signal. A dynamic system controller receives the vehicle frame signal and generates a dynamic control signal in response thereto. A safety device controller receives the dynamic control signal and further generates a safety device signal in response thereto.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2007Date of Patent: May 13, 2008Assignee: Ford Global Technologies Ltd.Inventors: Jianbo Lu, Todd Allen Brown, Li Xu, Joseph Carr Meyers
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Patent number: 7323976Abstract: A control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (10) has a first roll condition detector (64A), a second roll condition detector (64B), a third roll condition detector (64C), and a controller (26) that uses the roll condition generated by the roll condition detectors (64A-C) to determine a wheel lift condition. Other roll condition detectors may also be used in the wheel lift determination. The wheel lift conditions may be active or passive or both.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2006Date of Patent: January 29, 2008Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLCInventors: Jianbo Lu, Michael Edward Brewer, Todd Allen Brown, Joseph Carr Meyers
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Patent number: 7302331Abstract: A roll control system (16) for an automotive vehicle (10) is used to detect if one of the plurality of wheels (12) is lifted. The system generates a pressure request to determine if the wheel has lifted. A roll control pressure request may also be generated. The wheel lift pressure is suppressed in response to the roll control pressure request. The system may also store a peak wheel speed after the initiation of a build cycle so that the peak wheel speed is used in the wheel lift determination. Also, the system may have an ABS monitor mode which uses the build and release cycles of the ABS system to determine whether a wheel has lifted.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2003Date of Patent: November 27, 2007Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Joseph Carr Meyers, Todd Allen Brown
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Patent number: 7239949Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a housed sensor cluster generating a plurality of signals. An integrated controller includes a sensor signal compensation unit and a kinematics unit, wherein the sensor signal compensation unit receives at least one of the plurality of signals and compensates for an offset within the signal and generates a compensated signal as a function thereof. The integrated controller further generates a kinematics signal including a sensor frame with respect to an intermediate axis system as a function of the compensated signal and generates a vehicle frame signal as a function of the kinematics signal. A dynamic system controller receives the vehicle frame signal and generates a dynamic control signal in response thereto. A safety device controller receives the dynamic control signal and further generates a safety device signal in response thereto.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2004Date of Patent: July 3, 2007Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jianbo Lu, Todd Allen Brown, Li Xu, Joseph Carr Meyers
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Patent number: 7233236Abstract: A control system (18) and method for an automotive vehicle (10) used for detecting lift of a wheel includes a speed sensor (20) coupled to the wheel producing a wheel speed signal and a torque control system (57) coupled to the wheel for generating an operating input torque to the wheel. A controller (26) is coupled to the torque control system (57) and the wheel speed sensor (20). The controller (26) determines a wheel response to the operating input torque and generates a wheel lift signal as a function of the operating input torque, the wheel speed signal and the wheel response.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2003Date of Patent: June 19, 2007Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jianbo Lu, Michael Edward Brewer, Todd Allen Brown, Joseph Carr Meyers
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Patent number: 7222007Abstract: A system (18) for controlling a safety system (44) of an automotive vehicle (10) includes a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36), a vehicle speed sensor (20), a lateral acceleration sensor (32), a yaw rate sensor, and a controller (26). The controller (26) determines a reference pitch in response to the longitudinal acceleration signal and the vehicle speed signal and a reference roll angle in response to the yaw rate signal, the wheel speed signal and the lateral acceleration signal. The controller (26) determines a roll stability index and a pitch stability index. The controller (26) determines an adjusted pitch angle in response to the reference pitch angle and the pitch stability index and an adjusted roll angle in response to the reference roll angle and the roll stability index. The controller (26) controls the safety system (44) in response to the adjusted roll angle and the adjusted pitch angle.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2004Date of Patent: May 22, 2007Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Li Xu, Todd Allen Brown, Joseph Carr Meyers, Hongtei Eric Tseng
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Patent number: 7194351Abstract: A control system (18) and method for an automotive vehicle includes roll rate sensor (34) generating a roll rate signal, a lateral acceleration sensor (32) generating a lateral acceleration signal, a pitch rate sensor (37) generating a pitch rate signal, a yaw rate sensor (28) generating a yaw rate signal and a controller (26). The controller (26) is coupled to the roll rate sensor (34), the lateral acceleration sensor, the yaw rate sensor and the pitch rate sensor. The controller (26) determines a roll velocity total from the roll rate signal, the yaw rate signal and the pitch rate signal. The controller (26) also determines a relative roll angle from the roll rate signal and the lateral acceleration signal. The controller (26) determines a wheel departure angle from the total roll velocity. The controller (26) determines a calculated roll signal from the wheel departure angle and the relative roll angle signal.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2003Date of Patent: March 20, 2007Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jianbo Lu, Todd Allen Brown
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Patent number: 7143864Abstract: A stability control system (24) for an automotive vehicle includes a plurality of sensors sensing the dynamic conditions of the vehicle. The sensors include a steering angle sensor (35) and a yaw rate sensor (28). The controller (26) is coupled to the steering angle sensor (35) and the yaw rate sensor (28). The controller (26) determines a desired yaw rate in response to the steering wheel angle input, determines a corrected steering wheel input as a function of the desired yaw rate of an ideal vehicle and the vehicle yaw rate, and controls the road wheel steer angle (front, rear, or both) steering actuator in response to the corrected steering wheel input, the yaw rate and the modified steering wheel input, vehicle speed, lateral acceleration, longitudinal acceleration, yaw rate, steering wheel angle, and road wheel angles.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2002Date of Patent: December 5, 2006Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC.Inventors: Keith Glenn Mattson, Douglas Scott Rhode, Todd Allen Brown
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Patent number: 7136731Abstract: A control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (10) has a roll angular rate sensor (34) and a lateral accelerometer (32) that are used to determine the body roll angle of the vehicle when a rollover event has been sensed. A rollover event sensor (27) may be implemented physically or in combination with various types of suspension, load or other types of lifting determinations.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2003Date of Patent: November 14, 2006Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jianbo Lu, Keith Glenn Mattson, Todd Allen Brown
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Patent number: 7136730Abstract: A yaw stability control system (18) is enhanced to include roll stability control function for an automotive vehicle and includes a plurality of sensors (28–39) sensing the dynamic conditions of the vehicle. The sensors may include a speed sensor (20), a lateral acceleration sensor (32), a yaw rate sensor (28) and a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36). The controller (26) is coupled to the speed sensor (20), the lateral acceleration sensor (32), the yaw rate sensor (28) and a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36). The controller (26) generates both a yaw stability feedback control signal and a roll stability feedback control signal. The priority of achieving yaw stability control or roll stability control is determined through priority determination logic. If a potential rollover event is detected, the roll stability control will take the priority.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2005Date of Patent: November 14, 2006Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jianbo Lu, Todd Allen Brown, Joseph Carr Meyers
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Patent number: 7132937Abstract: A control system (18) and method for an automotive vehicle (10) used for detecting lift of a wheel includes a passive wheel lift detector (58) that generates a passive wheel lift signal, an active wheel lift detector (60) that generates an active wheel lift signal, and an integrated wheel lift detector (62) coupled to the passive wheel lift detector (58) and the active wheel lift detector (60). The integrated wheel lift detector (62) generates a final wheel lift signal in response to the passive wheel lift signal and the active wheel lift signal. The final wheel lift signal may be used to control a safety device such as a rollover prevention system.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2003Date of Patent: November 7, 2006Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jianbo Lu, Joseph Carr Meyers, Keith Glenn Mattson, Todd Allen Brown
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Patent number: 7120528Abstract: A method of operating a hydraulic safety system 38 includes determining a relative roll angle, determining a relative a slip angle, determining a yaw rate and determining a pressure build rate for the hydraulic safety system 38 in response to a relative roll angle, the yaw rate, slip angle, and yaw rate. The method further includes determining a precharge pressure level in response to the relative roll rate, the slip angle and the yaw rate and controlling the safety system 38 in response to the precharge pressure level.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2005Date of Patent: October 10, 2006Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Albert Chenouda Salib, Hani Abdul Ghani, Mathijs Willem Geurink, Todd Allen Brown
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Patent number: 7109856Abstract: A control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (10) has a first roll condition detector (64A), a second roll condition detector (64B), a third roll condition detector (64C), and a controller (26) that uses the roll condition generated by the roll condition detectors (64A–C) to determine a wheel lift condition. Other roll condition detectors may also be used in the wheel lift determination. The wheel lift conditions may be active or passive or both.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2003Date of Patent: September 19, 2006Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jianbo Lu, Michael Edward Brewer, Todd Allen Brown, Joseph Carr Meyers
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Patent number: 7104617Abstract: A strategy is provided using feedback control algorithms to monitor and dynamically modify front and rear braking torque to maintain controllability in a vehicle that initially favors regenerative braking. Simple proportional-integral-derivative feedback controllers can be used. The controller can monitor wheel speed, lateral acceleration, yaw rate, and brake position to selectively activate non-regenerative braking independently for each individual wheel and regenerative braking in varying proportion based on at least one actual vehicle controllability value and at least one predetermined target value for controllability and optimization of energy recovery. Controllability factors can include predetermined longitudinal slip ratio, comparison of tire slip angle or yaw rate. For rear wheel drive configurations, the non-regenerative brakes can be applied to just one front axle wheel on the outside of a turn.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2002Date of Patent: September 12, 2006Assignee: Ford Motor CompanyInventor: Todd Allen Brown
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Patent number: RE40268Abstract: A system for detecting wheel lift of an automotive vehicle has a speed sensor (22) coupled to a wheel (12) of automotive vehicle (10). A torque control system (20) is coupled to wheel (12) to change the torque at the wheel. A controller (18) is coupled to the torque control system and a speed sensor. The controller (18) determines lift by changing the torque of the wheel, measuring the change in torque and indicating lift in response to change in torque which may be indicated by wheel speed.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2004Date of Patent: April 29, 2008Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Joseph Carr Meyers, Todd Allen Brown
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Patent number: RE40496Abstract: A stability control system (18) for an automotive vehicle includes a plurality of sensors (28-39) sensing the dynamic conditions of the vehicle. The sensors may include a speed sensor (20), a lateral acceleration sensor (32), a roll rate sensor (34), a yaw rate sensor (20) and a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36). The controller (26) is coupled to the speed sensor (20), the lateral acceleration sensor (32), the roll rate sensor (34), the yaw rate sensor (28) and a longitudinal acceleration sensor (36). The controller (26) determines a global roll attitude and a global pitch attitude from the roll rate, lateral acceleration signal and the longitudinal acceleration signal. The controller determines a roll gradient based upon a past raw roll rate and current raw roll rate, the roll angular rate signal and the lateral acceleration signal, a pitch gradient based upon a past raw pitch rate and current raw pitch rate the calculated pitch angular rate signal and the longitudinal acceleration signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2004Date of Patent: September 9, 2008Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jianbo Lu, Todd Allen Brown