Patents by Inventor William Wurz

William Wurz 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: 20240149691
    Abstract: A system and method to manage charging priority for at least one accessory includes the steps of: providing one or more charging stations for the at least one accessory, monitoring vehicle power status, and monitoring accessory charging status. Additionally, the allocation of power supplied to the one or more charging stations is managed based on priority requirements as determined per each accessory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Pietro Buttolo, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Brendan Diamond, William Wurz, Eric Scott Levine
  • Publication number: 20240051619
    Abstract: An adjustable base plate system includes a first track structure configured to extend along one side of a vehicle cargo area and a second track structure configured to extend along an opposite side of a vehicle cargo area. At least one base plate has a first edge and a second edge opposite of the first edge, wherein the first edge is supported by the first track structure and the second edge is supported by the second track structure. The first track structure and the second track structure each comprise at least a first tier track and a second tier track such that a distance between a bottom surface of the at least one base plate and a support surface of the vehicle cargo area can be adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Matthew B. Rutman, Eric Scott Levine, Michael M. Azzouz, Stuart C. Salter, Jeffrey R. Sturges, William Wurz, David Brian Glickman
  • Publication number: 20240051470
    Abstract: An adjustment system includes at least one base plate, at least one accessory supported by the at least one base plate, and a controller that receives input from at least one sensor. The controller determines a position of the at least one accessory on the at least one base plate and makes a recommendation to adjust a position of the at least one accessory within the vehicle cargo area to increase aerodynamic efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Brendan Diamond, David Brian Glickman, Eric Scott Levine, William Wurz, Matthew B. Rutman
  • Publication number: 20240025423
    Abstract: A base plate system includes at least one base plate configured to support at least one accessory and at least one sensor that is configured to determine at least one characteristic of the at least one accessory and/or the at least one base plate. A controller uses the at least one characteristic to estimate a stress and/or strain caused by the at least one accessory on the at least one base plate and predicts how the stress and/or strain could change depending on position of the at least one accessory and/or orientation of the at least one base plate within a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, David Brian Glickman, Brendan Diamond, William Wurz, Shawn Ferret, William Jackson
  • Publication number: 20230406139
    Abstract: A power allocation method includes monitoring at least one first device that can be recharged by a vehicle, monitoring at least one second device that can be electrically powered by the vehicle, and adjusting a charging of the at least one first device based on an operation of the at least one second device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, William Wurz, Zeljko Deljevic, Vyas Darshan Shenoy, Ryan J. O'Gorman, William David Treharne, Seth Anthony Bryan, Angel Porras
  • Publication number: 20230246467
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for coordinating and controlling power flow during bidirectional energy transfer events between an electrified vehicle and one or more charging trailers. The systems and methods may prioritize energy transfers between each connected energy unit based on various parameters, including but not limited to battery prognostic information, driving habits/predicted behavior, user preferences, etc. Charge energy may be transferred to the appropriate energy unit using a semi-automated approach to meet customer needs with varying levels of priority according to an energy transfer prioritization control strategy that is derived from the various inputs that are considered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Stuart C. SALTER, Ryan O'GORMAN, William David TREHARNE, Lorne FORSYTHE, Peter PHUNG, William WURZ, Clive MCKENZIE
  • Publication number: 20230246471
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for coordinating and controlling power flow during bidirectional energy transfer events between an electrified vehicle and one or more charging trailers. The systems and methods may prioritize energy transfers between each connected energy based on a charge priority selection that may be manually input by a user of the system. Charge energy may be transferred to the appropriate energy unit using such a manual approach to meet customer needs with varying levels of priority according to an energy transfer prioritization control strategy that is derived from various inputs that are considered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Stuart C. SALTER, Ryan O'GORMAN, William David TREHARNE, Lorne FORSYTHE, Peter PHUNG, William WURZ, Clive MCKENZIE
  • Patent number: 11701950
    Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes, among other things, a cargo bed of a vehicle, a passenger side rail mounted to a passenger side wall assembly of the cargo bed, and a driver side rail mounted to a driver side wall assembly of the cargo bed. A crossbar is slidably coupled to the passenger and driver side rails. The crossbar is slidable along the passenger and driver side rails between a forward position and a rearward position. The crossbar is closer to a cab of the vehicle when the crossbar is in the forward position than when the crossbar is in the rearward position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, William Wurz, David Brian Glickman, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Pietro Buttolo
  • Patent number: 11679709
    Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes, among other things, a cargo bed of a vehicle, a first crossbar spanning the cargo bed, and a second crossbar spanning the cargo bed. The first and second crossbars are slidable relative to the cargo bed. The first and second crossbars are slidable relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, William Wurz, David Brian Glickman, Pietro Buttolo, Paul Kenneth Dellock
  • Publication number: 20230130534
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture for vehicle turning in confined spaces are disclosed herein. An example apparatus disclosed herein instructions, at least one memory, a processor to execute the instructions to operate a first brake of a first wheel of a vehicle, operate a second brake of a second wheel of the vehicle, determine a frictional coefficient of a driving surface of the vehicle by rotating a third wheel of the vehicle, determine based on the frictional coefficient, if a turn command can be conducted by the vehicle, and when the turn command can be conducted, conduct the turn command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Kenneth Patrick Mchugh, Terry R. Lobsinger, Brandon Cameron, William Wurz, Z Deljevic, David Brian Glickman, Paul Kenneth Dellock
  • Publication number: 20230110675
    Abstract: A vehicle receives designation of a coverage area for deployment of a portable network comprised of a plurality of wireless-equipped toolboxes and determines a plurality of toolboxes available for use in the network based on indications to the vehicle from a plurality of toolboxes that they are usable in the network. The vehicle determines a placement of the available toolboxes within the coverage area to achieve a wireless network having at least one box location capable of reaching a location designated as a vehicle parking location with wireless communication, the location determined by the vehicle based at least in part on the ability of the vehicle to reach the location and a known cellular signal available at the location. The vehicle provides guidance for deployment of individual toolboxes of the plurality of toolboxes at deployment locations according to the determined placement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Matthew B. RUTMAN, Brendan F. DIAMOND, John Robert VAN WIEMEERSCH, Eric Scott LEVINE, William WURZ
  • Publication number: 20230116745
    Abstract: An accessory attachment system includes a baseplate that provides an attachment interface on a support surface. The baseplate is configured to engage with at least one accessory via the attachment interface to secure the accessory to the support surface. The attachment interface provides a plurality of different mounting positions for the at least one accessory. At least one mounting foot is associated with the at least one accessory and is configured to be selectively coupled to the attachment interface to provide a desired one of the plurality of different mounting positions. The at least one mounting foot includes an adjustment feature to account for any warpage of the support surface when the at least one accessory is mounted in the desired one of the plurality of different mounting positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Matthew B. Rutman, Michael M. Azzouz, Michael Lozano, Jeffrey R. Sturges, William Wurz, David Brian Glickman, Eric Scott Levine
  • Publication number: 20230106934
    Abstract: A pop-up charger management method includes assessing an expected charge demand based on communications from a plurality of electrified vehicles, and, in response to the expected charge demand, starting at least one generator of a pop-up charger. A pop-up charger assembly can include at least one generator; at least one battery; a control module configured to, in response to an expected charge demand, start the at least one generator, the expected charge demand based on communications from a plurality of electrified vehicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Ryan O'Gorman, William Wurz, Peter Phung, David Kennedy
  • Patent number: 11607987
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a vehicle headlamp assembly comprising at least one laser and a controller in communication with the vehicle headlamp assembly to control the at least one laser to provide a plurality of functions. An input device is configured to receive input commands to control the at least one laser to provide a selected one of the plurality of functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Aaron B. Johnson, Luciano Lukacs, Paul Kenneth Dellock, David Brian Glickman, William Wurz
  • Publication number: 20230063296
    Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes, among other things, a cargo bed of a vehicle, a first crossbar spanning the cargo bed, and a second crossbar spanning the cargo bed. The first and second crossbars are slidable relative to the cargo bed. The first and second crossbars are slidable relative to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, William Wurz, David Brian Glickman, Pietro Buttolo, Paul Kenneth Dellock
  • Publication number: 20230061449
    Abstract: A vehicle assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a cargo bed of a vehicle and a crossbar spanning the cargo bed. The crossbar is slidable relative to the cargo bed. A lift assist device is mounted to the crossbar. The assembly can include a passenger side rail mounted to a passenger side wall assembly of the cargo bed, and a driver side rail mounted to a driver side wall assembly of the cargo bed. The crossbar can be slidably coupled to both the driver side rail and the passenger side rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, William Wurz, David Brian Glickman, Annette Lynn Huebner, Kristin Ann Hellman
  • Publication number: 20230055433
    Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes, among other things, a cargo bed of a vehicle, a passenger side rail mounted to a passenger side wall assembly of the cargo bed, and a driver side rail mounted to a driver side wall assembly of the cargo bed. A crossbar is slidably coupled to the passenger and driver side rails. The crossbar is slidable along the passenger and driver side rails between a forward position and a rearward position. The crossbar is closer to a cab of the vehicle when the crossbar is in the forward position than when the crossbar is in the rearward position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, William Wurz, David Brian Glickman, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Pietro Buttolo
  • Publication number: 20230010224
    Abstract: A vehicle winch control assembly includes, among other things, a winch, and a vehicle input device that is reassigned to control the winch. The vehicle input device can be an accelerator pedal. A vehicle winch control method includes, among other things, reassigning a vehicle input device, and, after the reassigning, controlling a winch using the vehicle input device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, William Wurz, Ryan J. O'Gorman, Peter Phung, David Brian Glickman
  • Publication number: 20230009408
    Abstract: An electrified vehicle winch includes, among other things, a winch and a charge port connector that connects to a charge port of an electrified vehicle. The winch is powered through the charge port connector. A winch operating method includes, among other things, operating a winch to move a load and, during the operating, powering the winch through a charge port of the electrified vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, William Wurz, Ryan J. O'Gorman, Peter Phung, David Brian Glickman
  • Publication number: 20150027057
    Abstract: Doors such as garage doors can be automated by pushing commands to a removable device attached to the garage door. The state of the door (e.g. whether the door is open or closed) may be obtained from a position sensor located within a removable device. An implementation may indicate, over a wireless network, the state of the door to a user. The user may send a command to a wireless transmitter located within the device to change the state of the door. An implementation may also send a signal to the door to change the state of the door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Freeman Britt, Jr., William Wurz, Shawn Ellis, Paul Heninwolf