Patents Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC
  • Patent number: 12269402
    Abstract: A vehicle electrical distribution system includes an electrical box having at least one power outlet. The electrical box is configured to be moved between a stowed position where the electrical box is housed within a compartment of a vehicle, and an deployed position where the electrical box is outside the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Vyas Darshan Shenoy, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Jesse Rene Diephuis, David Brian Glickman, Michael John Harmon
  • Patent number: 12269458
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for emissions control of a hybrid vehicle. An instruction to switch from a combustion engine power mode of the hybrid vehicle to an electric power mode of the hybrid vehicle is received. A temperature of a catalyst associated with a combustion engine of the hybrid vehicle is identified, where exhaust gases from the combustion engine are passed over the catalyst. If the temperature of the catalyst is at, or above, a threshold level, the hybrid vehicle is switched to the electric power mode, and the combustion engine is switched off. If the temperature of the catalyst is below the threshold level, the hybrid vehicle is switched to the electric power mode, and the catalyst temperature is maintained at, or above, the threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Deakin, Justin Lloyd
  • Patent number: 12269389
    Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes a mid-gate assembly disposed between a passenger compartment and a cargo bed of a vehicle. The mid-gate assembly has a pass-through opening and a hatch that is pivotably coupled to the mid-gate assembly at a position vertically above a floor of the cargo bed. The hatch is configured to move back-and-forth between a closed position that closes the pass-through opening and an open position that permits access between the passenger compartment and the cargo bed through the pass-through opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael M. Azzouz
  • Patent number: 12269423
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes an imaging device located on the vehicle and oriented to capture images, memory storing one or more pet profiles, and a controller processing the captured images to detect a pet and determining at least one of an estimated pose of the pet and a gait of the pet, wherein the processor determines a bone structure of the pet from the at least one estimated pose and gait and compares the bone structure to the one or more pet profiles to detect an authorized pet, the controller controlling one or more vehicle related features based on the detected authorized pet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence Amadi, Stuart C. Salter, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Hussein H. Berry, Annette Lynn Huebner, Marguerite Lynn Kimball
  • Patent number: 12272323
    Abstract: A computing device may determine a first illumination value based on a first sub-area of an image of a display. The display may include LED zones. The first sub-area may be centered on the image. The computer may define a plurality of second sub-areas of the image based on the LED zones, determine second illumination values of the second sub-areas, compare the second illumination values to a value range, the value range being defined by at least one of an addition and a subtraction of the first illumination value and a threshold value, and actuate the display based on comparing the second illumination values to the value range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dongwoo Kim, Mark Larry, Biaohe Guo
  • Patent number: 12269375
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly convertible between a use position and a non-use position. The vehicle seat assembly includes a seat with a seat cushion support, a seatback, a base that connects to a vehicle, a front pivot linkage supported by the base by a first joint and pivotally connected to the seat cushion support by a second joint, and a rear foot pivotally supported by the base by a third joint. A pivoting movement of the rear foot about the third joint is lockable. The rear foot is connected to the seatback by a fourth joint. The vehicle seat also includes a fifth joint that connects the seatback to the seat cushion support, wherein the fourth joint is a latch and the fifth joint provides a free pivot, and wherein the fourth joint is latched when the seat moves from the use position to a boarding non-use position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kurt Leon Kormos, Rabindranath Persad, Thomas J. Susko, Frank Glenn Walega
  • Patent number: 12269398
    Abstract: A vehicle includes at least one camera that captures at least one image of a region external to the vehicle. The vehicle includes an environmental control system of the vehicle having at least one of lighting control and climate control for the vehicle. The vehicle includes control circuitry configured to process a first set of images of the plurality of images at a first sampling rate, determine a brightness condition of the region external to the vehicle based on processing the first set of images, process a second set of images of the plurality of images at a second sampling rate different than the first sampling rate, detect a shift in the brightness condition based on the second set of images, and control the environmental control system in response to the shift in the brightness condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Robert Schroeter, Justin Miller, Anna Marie-Sophia Hoff
  • Patent number: 12269326
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to an autonomous vehicle configurable for transportation of either passengers, cargo, or both. The various aspects of this disclosure, which include moveable seat assemblies, a door arrangement, and storage bins, among other things, provide the vehicle with increased functionality and versatility, leading to more efficient vehicle use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael John Harmon, Robert Walker
  • Patent number: 12269365
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems and methods for coordinating and executing in-flight energy transfer events between vehicles. Energy may be transferred from a towing or leading vehicle to a towed or trailing vehicle, from the trailing vehicle to the leading vehicle, or both during the in-flight energy transfer events. The proposed systems may further be configured to coordinate the terms and conditions of a service agreement between the leading and trailing vehicles, coordinate the publication of a service experience rating from a user of the leading and/or trailing vehicle, and/or coordinate the termination of the in-flight charging event by either user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, James Baumbick, Ryan J. O'Gorman, Katherine Howard-Cone, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Peter Phung, Annette Lynn Huebner
  • Publication number: 20250108829
    Abstract: A method for marshalling a vehicle includes: receiving signals from a set of infrastructure sensors associated with a vehicle management system; processing the signals from the set of infrastructure sensors and the signals from one or more sensors on-board the vehicle; sending the processed signals to the vehicle as one or more vehicle commands; receiving signals from the one or more sensors on-board the vehicle; and processing the one or more vehicle commands and the signals from the one or more sensors on-board the vehicle to generate new commands that are sent to the vehicle to marshal the vehicle to a location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2023
    Publication date: April 3, 2025
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mario Anthony Santillo, Yousaf Rahman, Erol Dogan Sumer
  • Publication number: 20250108871
    Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory, and the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to receive a plurality of proposed longitudinal distances for a vehicle being designed and determine a predicted metric of a predefined frontal impact to the vehicle using the proposed longitudinal distances. The proposed longitudinal distances are measured along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle between structural landmarks in a front end of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2023
    Publication date: April 3, 2025
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: S.M. Iskander Farooq, Mohammad Omar Faruque, Geeta Rani, Dean M. Jaradi
  • Publication number: 20250108764
    Abstract: A vehicle door including a trim panel located on an interior side of the door and a holder assembly coupled to the door trim panel including a ring provided on the trim panel and a rotatable hook pivotally coupled to the ring and rotatable between a stowed position within the ring and an outwardly deployed position to support an object such as a mobility assist device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2023
    Publication date: April 3, 2025
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Evelyn Pires, Gabriela Betancourt
  • Patent number: 12264515
    Abstract: Vehicle assemblies are provided that include movable door assemblies. Examples of vehicle assemblies with movable door assemblies include charge port housing assemblies and fuel fill housing assemblies. An exemplary vehicle assembly may include an override retainer. The override retainer may include a flexible flap or clip that is configured to deflect or otherwise distort to release a latching assembly from the door assembly when a manual override force is applied to the door assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Shaw, William Barrett, William Ethan-Alexander McClure
  • Patent number: 12266972
    Abstract: A method for applying varnish to a stator of an electric motor includes depositing varnish onto an outer laminate of the stator, accumulating the deposited varnish with a ridge on the outer laminate, and directing the accumulated varnish into a slot of the outer laminate with the ridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Akash Changarankumarath Pradeepkumar, Singar Rathnam
  • Patent number: 12267989
    Abstract: A controller reduces power output of an inverter of an electric drive system while a sensed temperature associated with the inverter, a sensed current output of the inverter, and parameter values of a busbar of the inverter are indicative of a predicted temperature of the busbar being greater than a threshold to maintain busbar temperature lower than the threshold. The current output of the inverter may be outputted over the busbar. The parameter values are obtainable from a thermal model of the busbar. The thermal model may be derived from testing a test version of the inverter under different drive cycles in which for each a set of information is recorded including a sensed temperature of the test inverter, a sensed current output of the test inverter, and a sensed temperature of the busbar of the test inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Monty J. Anderson, William Robert Brown, Papiya Bagchi
  • Publication number: 20250100476
    Abstract: A grommet for a wiring hole comprising an extendable body that is configured in a first sized ring and extendable into a second sized ring larger than the first sized ring, a lip extending around the extendable body and configured to engage a wiring hole for passing one or more wires, and one or more snap locks for locking the extendable body in the extended configuration disposed within the wiring hole on a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2023
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Douglas Christian Lipp
  • Publication number: 20250104469
    Abstract: A monitoring system for a vehicle environment includes a biometric sensor that captures biometric information of a participant, a database that stores biometric data of a security event cohort, and control circuitry in communication with the biometric sensor. The control circuitry is configured to compare the biometric information to the biometric data to detect one or more matches, communicate an indication of a result of the comparison of the biometric information to the biometric data in one of a first privacy mode and a second privacy mode, and select between the first privacy mode and the second privacy mode based on the result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jake Schwartz, Ryan Edwin Hanson, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Publication number: 20250102586
    Abstract: A system, such as an electrified vehicle, includes a battery, such as a traction battery. The controller controls the battery based on adaptive sampled electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements of the battery. The controller may perform the adaptive sampled EIS measurements. The controller may use the adaptive sampled EIS measurements to identify values of parameters of a model, such as an equivalent circuit model (ECM), of the battery. The controller may use the model, with the identified values of the parameters, to detect an internal state of the battery whereby the controller detects the internal state of the battery based on the adaptive sampled EIS measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nathan Kempema, David Bilby
  • Publication number: 20250100545
    Abstract: A vehicle parking assist system is disclosed. The system may include a detection unit configured to detect real-time presence, position, and orientation of a plurality of markers disposed on a parking space with respect to a vehicle. The system may further include a memory configured to store a historical vehicle movement pattern associated with the vehicle relative to the plurality of markers to park the vehicle in the parking space. The system may further include a processor configured to obtain a request to park the vehicle in the parking space. Responsive to obtaining the request, the processor may obtain the historical vehicle movement pattern and the real-time inputs. Based on the historical vehicle movement pattern and the real-time inputs, the processor may cause a vehicle movement to park the vehicle in the parking space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2023
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sari Alejandra Name, Federico Emilio Mejia
  • Publication number: 20250100353
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a housing. A first cooling block is defined within the housing. The first cooling block includes a coolant inlet, a refrigerant inlet, and a first gyroid structure that defines a first set of coolant channels and a first set of refrigerant channels. A second cooling block is defined within the housing. The second cooling block includes a coolant outlet, a refrigerant outlet, and a second gyroid structure that defines a second set of coolant channels and a second set of refrigerant channels. A perforated barrier plate is interposed between the first cooling block and the second cooling block. The first set of coolant channels is in fluid communication with the second set of coolant channels via perforations in the barrier plate. The first set of refrigerant channels is in fluid communication with the second set of refrigerant channels via perforations in the barrier plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Xiaogang Zhang