Patents by Inventor William Paul Perkins

William Paul Perkins 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: 20170248951
    Abstract: Signals are from a plurality of sources representing aspects of the vehicle and an environment surrounding the vehicle. An autonomous confidence factor is developed based on component confidence levels for at least one of the signals. Control of the vehicle is transitioned between levels of autonomous control based at least in part on the autonomous confidence factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William Paul Perkins, David B. Kelley, Kenneth James Miller
  • Patent number: 9676443
    Abstract: A bicycle may include a detachable seat assembly configured to disconnect from a bicycle frame, the detachable seat assembly including a housing, a post extending from the housing and a seat supported by the post, the seat having two flaps extending from and foldable at a joint and configured to fold around the post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William Paul Perkins, Jason Ashley Cummins
  • Patent number: 9650039
    Abstract: A controller may maintain a last-known vehicle location, and, when satellite-positioning data is unavailable from a satellite-based positioning-system module, utilize compass data and stability control data to estimate a current vehicle location from the last-known vehicle location. The controller may avoid use of the compass data to estimate the current vehicle location when the vehicle is accelerating or decelerating in East or West headings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher James Hocking, Kenneth James Miller, Douglas Raymond Martin, William Paul Perkins, Thomas G. Leone
  • Patent number: 9650103
    Abstract: A bicycle having a drive-shaft connecting a crank to an internal hub gearbox on a rear wheel. The bicycle having a suspension system and a cantilevered rear stay that connects the rear wheel to the frame and maintains the hub in a relative radial distance from the crank to maintain contact of the drive-shaft with the crank and gearbox. The suspension system having a linearly moveable damping device disposed within the frame. A swing arm pivotally extends from the rear stay to the damping device. The pivotal connection of the rear stay to the frame, the linear connection of the damping device to the frame, and the pivotal connection of the swing-arm to both the rear stay and damping device provide a four-bar sliding mechanism to provide suspension for the rear wheel on the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: William Paul Perkins
  • Patent number: 9580130
    Abstract: A bicycle may include a detachable head subassembly comprising a fork configured to support a front wheel, and handlebars connected to the fork via a stem at least partially disposed in a head-tube. The head-tube has a first attachment feature. The bicycle may also include a frame having a second attachment feature. The first and second attachment features cooperate to releasably attach the head subassembly to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: William Paul Perkins
  • Patent number: 9580062
    Abstract: A method for increasing fuel economy of a vehicle such as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) having an engine and a battery each configured to supply power to propel the vehicle includes supplying power from the battery and operating the engine below peak efficiency to supply from the engine only the difference in power between a demanded power and the power which the battery can deliver when the demanded power exceeds the power which the battery can deliver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William Paul Perkins, Ming Lang Kuang, Shunsuke Okubo
  • Publication number: 20170028866
    Abstract: An electric vehicle display system may include a battery, an interface configured to present at least one selectable icon configured to control a battery powered vehicle feature, and a controller programmed to, in response to state-of-charge (SOC) data indicating that a trip range exceeds a possible driving range, update the selectable icon to indicate a suggested adjustment to the vehicle feature to decrease power demand of the feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Kenneth James MILLER, Douglas Raymond MARTIN, William Paul PERKINS
  • Publication number: 20170028850
    Abstract: A vehicle display system may include an interface that presents selectable icons. The system also includes a controller that receives vehicle condition data, assigns a relevancy level to at least one of the icons associated with a vehicle feature based on the data, and selects a display form for the at least one of the icons based on the relevancy level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Kenneth James MILLER, Douglas Raymond MARTIN, William Paul PERKINS
  • Patent number: 9545849
    Abstract: A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, controlling an electrified vehicle by increasing lift pedal regeneration in response to exceeding a system regeneration limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William Paul Perkins, Douglas Raymond Martin, Kenneth James Miller
  • Patent number: 9533674
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine; a fraction battery; and a controller or a battery control system having a controller. The controller is programed to respond to a predicted duration of charge sustaining operation for a drive cycle and a speed of the vehicle. When the predicted duration is greater than a predetermined duration and the speed is less than a speed threshold, the controller increases a state of charge threshold of the traction battery associated with triggering shut offs of the engine to reduce cycling of the engine during the drive cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth James Miller, Douglas Raymond Martin, William Paul Perkins
  • Publication number: 20160368366
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting grille shutters based on engine coolant temperature and a difference in aerodynamic drag between the grille shutter positions. In one example, the grille shutters may be adjusted into a position closer to a first smaller opening when a difference in aerodynamic drag between the first and second positions is large. In other examples, the grille shutters may be adjusted into a position closer to the second larger opening when a difference in aerodynamic drag between the first and second positions is small thus maintaining the engine at lower temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Kenneth James Miller, Douglas Raymond Martin, William Paul Perkins, Daniel Mark Schaffer, John Curtis Hickey
  • Publication number: 20160311399
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a seat belt height adjuster and a sensor configured to determine eye location of a driver of the vehicle. A control module is in communication with the sensor and the seat belt height adjuster. The control module is programmed to adjust a position of the seat belt height adjuster based at least on the eye location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth James Miller, William Paul Perkins
  • Publication number: 20160303968
    Abstract: A vehicle interface system may include an interface configured to present selectable features, and a controller programmed to generate a feature probability for each selectable feature based at least in part on at least one historical selection of each selectable feature at a time from vehicle key-on, and display certain of the selectable features based on the generated feature probabilities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Kenneth James MILLER, Douglas Raymond MARTIN, William Paul PERKINS
  • Publication number: 20160297239
    Abstract: A wheel is provided for a motor vehicle. The wheel includes a hub, a rim and a plurality of spokes that extend between the hub and the rim. At least one of the spokes includes an integral step having a slip resistant surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: William Paul Perkins, Kenneth James Miller
  • Publication number: 20160272196
    Abstract: A controller may maintain a last-known vehicle location, and, when satellite-positioning data is unavailable from a satellite-based positioning-system module, utilize compass data and stability control data to estimate a current vehicle location from the last-known vehicle location. The controller may avoid use of the compass data to estimate the current vehicle location when the vehicle is accelerating or decelerating in East or West headings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Christopher James HOCKING, Kenneth James MILLER, Douglas Raymond MARTIN, William Paul PERKINS, Thomas G. LEONE
  • Publication number: 20160257369
    Abstract: A bicycle may include a detachable seat assembly configured to disconnect from a bicycle frame, the detachable seat assembly including a housing, a post extending from the housing and a seat supported by the post, the seat having two flaps extending from and foldable at a joint and configured to fold around the post.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: William Paul PERKINS, Jason Ashley CUMMINS
  • Publication number: 20160257288
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle includes automatically controlling vehicle brakes to decelerate the vehicle at a braking deceleration rate in response to an anticipated stop at a traffic signal and an adaptive cruise control system being active. The method further includes, in response to the vehicle decelerating to an intermediate speed, releasing the vehicle brakes. The intermediate speed is determined such that, at the intermediate speed, a coasting distance to a full stop is approximately equal to a distance to the traffic signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Kenneth James MILLER, Douglas Raymond MARTIN, William Paul PERKINS
  • Patent number: 9434349
    Abstract: A system includes a seat belt height adjuster, a seat belt retractor includes a payout sensor, and a seat. The seat includes a seat position sensor and a weight sensor configured to measure a weight of an occupant of the seat. The system includes a control module in communication with the payout sensor, the seat position sensor, and the weight sensor. The control module is programmed to calculate a size of the occupant based at least on the payout and the seat position. The control module is programmed to adjust a position of the seat belt height adjuster based at least on the size and weight of the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William Paul Perkins, Kenneth James Miller
  • Publication number: 20160251052
    Abstract: A bicycle may include a detachable head subassembly comprising a fork configured to support a front wheel, and handlebars connected to the fork via a stem at least partially disposed in a head-tube. The head-tube has a first attachment feature. The bicycle may also include a frame having a second attachment feature. The first and second attachment features cooperate to releasably attach the head subassembly to the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventor: William Paul PERKINS
  • Publication number: 20160243958
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes a fraction battery, a powertrain coupled to the battery, and a controller or a battery management system having a controller. The controller is programmed to set a state of charge (SOC) target for the battery according to losses associated with the powertrain and an angle of inclination of the vehicle. The controller is programmed to respond to a SOC of the battery and a speed of the vehicle. When the SOC is greater than the target and the speed is greater than a threshold the controller is programmed to discharge the battery to achieve the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Kenneth James Miller, Douglas Raymond Martin, William Paul Perkins, Stephen Li-Chun Shen