Patents by Inventor William James Bouse
William James Bouse 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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Publication number: 20230014442Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed a vehicle comprising a steering assist system, a steering wheel, a user interface, and a steering controller to detect, via the user interface, a request to move the steering wheel of a vehicle to a first rotational position, the steering wheel having a second rotational position, determine, based the first rotational position and a first parameter, a third rotational position having a first offset from the second rotational position, actuate, via the steering assist system, the steering wheel to the third rotational position, disengage the steering assist system, the disengagement causing the steering wheel to rotate to a fourth rotational position, and compare the first rotational position to the fourth rotational position to determine if the request has been satisfied.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2021Publication date: January 19, 2023Inventors: Miguel A. Bahena, Andrew Brow, Rachel Dockstader, Michael Puleri, William James Bouse
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Publication number: 20220289276Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed herein to center a steering wheel. An example vehicle includes a steering position sensor to identify a steering wheel position, a pinion angle identifier to compare a first steering position angle to a second steering position angle, the second steering position angle corresponding to a centered steering wheel position, and an angle modifier to adjust the first steering position angle to match the second steering position angle.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2021Publication date: September 15, 2022Inventors: Daniel James Nichols, William James Bouse, Justin Sekula, Alex Parker, Zhongzhou Yang
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Publication number: 20220289270Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed herein to center a steering wheel. An example vehicle includes a steering assistance system, an axle including a wheel, memory, and a processor to execute instructions to identify a first position of the wheel, detect a request to move the wheel to a second position, adjust the wheel from the first position to the second position via the steering assistance system, disengage the steering assistance system, the disengagement of the steering assistance system to cause the wheel to move to a third position, the third position offset from the second position by an angular offset in a first direction, adjust the wheel to a fourth position, the fourth position offset from the second position by the angular offset in a second direction different than the first direction, and disengage the steering assistance system, the disengagement of the steering assistance system to cause the wheel to move to the second position..Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2022Publication date: September 15, 2022Inventors: Daniel James Nichols, William James Bouse, Justin Sekula, Alex Parker, Zhongzhou Yang, Timothy Panagis, Zheng Tan, Bo Lin
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Patent number: 9975569Abstract: An automotive vehicle may include an engine, an electric power steering system and at least one controller. The at least one controller may, during an auto stop event of the engine, reduce at a first rate an available electric power steering system current to a non-zero threshold value before fuel to the engine is shut off and reduce at a second rate different than the first rate the available electric power steering system current from the non-zero threshold value to 0 after fuel to the engine is shut off.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2011Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Kirk Pebley, Sangeetha Sangameswaran, William James Bouse, John Michael Jakupco, Kevin Roy Harpenau
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Patent number: 9975573Abstract: An operation mode of a first actuator engaged with a steering rack is determined. An operation mode of a second actuator engaged with a steering column is determined. The operation mode of one of the first and second actuators is adjusted upon detecting a failure in the other of the first and second actuators. At least one of the steering rack and the steering column is actuated based on the operation mode. In an angle control mode, a predetermined steering angle is provided to the first and second actuators to adjust the steering rack according to the steering angle. In a torque control mode, a steering column torque from a torsion sensor disposed on the steering column is provided to the first and second actuators to adjust the steering rack according to the steering column torque.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2016Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Eric She, Nathaniel Abram Rolfes, William James Bouse
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Publication number: 20180029637Abstract: An operation mode of a first actuator engaged with a steering rack is determined. An operation mode of a second actuator engaged with a steering column is determined. The operation mode of one of the first and second actuators is adjusted upon detecting a failure in the other of the first and second actuators. At least one of the steering rack and the steering column is actuated based on the operation mode. In an angle control mode, a predetermined steering angle is provided to the first and second actuators to adjust the steering rack according to the steering angle. In a torque control mode, a steering column torque from a torsion sensor disposed on the steering column is provided to the first and second actuators to adjust the steering rack according to the steering column torque.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2016Publication date: February 1, 2018Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Eric She, Nathaniel Abram Rolfes, William James Bouse
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Patent number: 9616928Abstract: An autonomous steering system for a vehicle includes a park assist steering module configured to generate a first steering angle command across a communication network of the vehicle. A backup assist steering module is also configured to generate a second steering angle command across the communication network of the vehicle. A steering angle controller is configured to receive the first and second steering angle commands and generate a third steering angle command for controlling a steered wheel of the vehicle based on acceptable steering column torque conditions for the respective steering module.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2015Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Darrel Alan Recker, Kirt L. Eschtruth, Bradley G. Hochrein, William James Bouse
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Publication number: 20160280267Abstract: An autonomous steering system for a vehicle includes a park assist steering module configured to generate a first steering angle command across a communication network of the vehicle. A backup assist steering module is also configured to generate a second steering angle command across the communication network of the vehicle. A steering angle controller is configured to receive the first and second steering angle commands and generate a third steering angle command for controlling a steered wheel of the vehicle based on acceptable steering column torque conditions for the respective steering module.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2015Publication date: September 29, 2016Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Darrel Alan Recker, Kirt L. Eschtruth, Bradley G. Hochrein, William James Bouse
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Patent number: 8788178Abstract: An automotive vehicle includes an engine and at least one controller. The at least one controller receives information about steering angle velocity or steering input torque during an engine auto stop event, and determines whether to allow the engine to auto stop based on the received information.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2011Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Kirk Pebley, Sangeetha Sangameswaran, William James Bouse, Chester Gordon Hearn, John Michael Jakupco
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Publication number: 20120330508Abstract: An automotive vehicle may include an engine, an electric power steering system and at least one controller. The at least one controller may, during an auto stop event of the engine, reduce at a first rate an available electric power steering system current to a non-zero threshold value before fuel to the engine is shut off and reduce at a second rate different than the first rate the available electric power steering system current from the non-zero threshold value to 0 after fuel to the engine is shut off.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2011Publication date: December 27, 2012Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Kirk Pebley, Sangeetha Sangameswaran, William James Bouse, John Michael Jakupco, Kevin Roy Harpenau
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Publication number: 20120330529Abstract: An automotive vehicle includes an engine and at least one controller. The at least one controller receives information about steering angle velocity or steering input torque during an engine auto stop event, and determines whether to allow the engine to auto stop based on the received information.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2011Publication date: December 27, 2012Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Kirk Pebley, Sangeetha Sangameswaran, William James Bouse, Chester Gordon Hearn, John Michael Jakupco