Patents Assigned to Global Technologies LLC
  • Patent number: 9188090
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an engine with a fuel vapor recovery system are disclosed. In one example approach, a method for an engine with a fuel vapor recovery system including a multi-tubular fuel vapor canister comprises directing air through a first set of adsorbent passages in the fuel vapor canister to purge fuel vapor therefrom while not directing air through a second set of adsorbent passages in the fuel vapor canister; and directing air through the second set of adsorbent passages to purge fuel vapor therefrom while not directing air through the first set of adsorbent passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Russell R. Pearce, Dennis Seung-Man Yang, Robert G. Ognjanovski
  • Patent number: 9187076
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for reducing audible clunks and objectionable drive feel in vehicles including start/stop systems. In one example, a vehicle engine is shutdown during vehicle coasting. The vehicle engine is then restarted, while the vehicle is moving with a torque converter clutch disengaged. A transmission clutch pressure is then adjusted during the restart based on a torque converter output speed relative to a torque converter input speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Felix Nedorezov, Hong Jiang, Davor David Hrovat, Alex O'Connor Gibson
  • Patent number: 9189879
    Abstract: Information about a device may be emotively conveyed to a user of the device. Input indicative of an operating state of the device may be received. The input may be transformed into data representing a simulated emotional state. Data representing an avatar that expresses the simulated emotional state may be generated and displayed. A query from the user regarding the simulated emotional state expressed by the avatar may be received. The query may be responded to.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dimitar Petrov Filev, Oleg Yurievitch Gusikhin, Fazal Urrahman Syed, Erica Klampfl, Thomas J. Giuli, Yifan Chen
  • Patent number: 9187937
    Abstract: A collapsible vehicle door pull handle comprises two separate pieces joined together by a break away feature. This arrangement allows the pull handle to be strong when the occupant pulls the vehicle door closed, but allows deflection because of the break away feature during a side impact event. The collapsible vehicle door pull handle comprises a handle, a base, an attachment member fitted to one of the handle and the base, and an elastic deformable portion having a keyway for receiving and holding the attachment member with the attachment portion being on the other of the base and the handle. A molded handle might enclose part of the handle or might enclose the entire handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Paul Schryer
  • Patent number: 9187019
    Abstract: A vehicle seating assembly includes a seatback. A seat base includes a first thigh support and a second thigh support. A self-locking cam system is operably coupled with the first thigh support and the second thigh support, including a torque tube. A plurality of cams are disposed along the torque tube and are operably coupled with a plurality of spring guides. The self-locking cam system is configured to move the first thigh support and the second thigh support from a lowered position to a raised position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alan George Dry, Gunnar Groesbeck, Johnathan Andrew Line
  • Patent number: 9187611
    Abstract: A polymeric foam has a thermoplastic polymer matrix defining multiple cells, the foam characterized by: (a) the polymer matrix having greater than 50 weight-percent copolymer containing at least two different monomers at least one of which is a methacrylate monomer, each monomer having a solubility parameter lower than 20 (megaPascals)0.5 and a chemical composition where twice the mass fraction of oxygen plus the mass fraction of nitrogen, fluorine and silicon is greater than 0.2; wherein the monomers comprise at least 90 weight-percent of all monomers in the copolymer; (b) at least one of the following: (i) a nucleation site density of at least 3×1014 effective nucleation sites per cubic centimeter of foamable polymer composition; (ii) an average cell size of 300 nanometer or less; (c) a porosity percentage greater than 30%; (d) an absence of nano-sized nucleating additive; and (e) a thickness of at least one millimeter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Stephane Costeux, Lingbo Zhu, Hyun Jeon, Shana P. Bunker, Thomas H. Kalantar
  • Patent number: 9188045
    Abstract: A method of monitoring an exhaust gas sensor coupled in an engine exhaust in an engine is provided. The method includes adjusting engine operation responsive to exhaust gas sensor degradation, the degradation identified during deceleration fuel shut-off (DFSO) and compensated based on whether vapor purge operation is occurring in the engine during DFSO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Adam Nathan Banker, Michael James Ulrich, Imad Hassan Makki, James Michael Kerns
  • Patent number: 9188505
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for performing a non-intrusive engine compression test. When compression testing is requested, a hybrid vehicle engine may be spun unfueled using energy from a battery driven electric motor. Changes in battery current over multiple engine cycles is used to infer cylinder compression parameters and assess cylinder compression degradation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Douglas Raymond Martin
  • Patent number: 9187007
    Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a controller configured to estimate battery capacity in accordance with a first state of charge estimation, a charge integration, and a second state of charge estimation. The first and second state of charge estimations are in accordance with time and temperature constraints and are such that the estimated battery capacity has limited uncertainty. The controller is further configured to generate an output based on the estimated battery capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yonghua Li, Richard Dyche Anderson
  • Patent number: 9188056
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for purging condensate from a charge air cooler to an engine intake while reducing misfire events related to the water ingestion. During the purging, a spark timing is adjusted based on the amount of condensate purged per cycle. The spark timing is adjusted differently when the condensate is purged during a tip-in versus a pro-active clean-out routine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher P. Glugla, Gopichandra Surnilla
  • Patent number: 9186982
    Abstract: A fuel tank having an interior space defined by a wall, a fill tube to admit fuel into the interior space, and a vent to discharge air and vapor from the interior space as the fuel is admitted. The vent includes a vent tube extending through the wall and downward into the interior space, and having a non-circular opening. In this manner ejection of fuel from the fill tube can be prevented reliably under a wide range of refueling conditions, and without imparting excessive length to the vent tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Damien Baldwin, Michael William Soltis, Jeffrey Dumler
  • Patent number: 9191135
    Abstract: A media content processor system including a control unit configured to receive radio data including metadata and media content and to identify an element of the actionable content based on parsing data fields of the metadata tagged as including elements of data other than the actionable content, and a method of identifying the same. The metadata represents actionable content for presentation to a user. The method includes receiving radio data, identifying an element of the actionable content included in the metadata of the radio data, generating an option, and providing the option to the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Richard Englert
  • Patent number: 9187588
    Abstract: A method of eluting metal ions from a bed of metal-loaded chelating resin wherein the resin includes a crosslinked styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer matrix with pendent methyleneaminopyridine or phosphonic acid groups and the method includes the step of passing an eluant through the bed to at least partially remove the metal ions from the chelating resin and create a metal-rich eluate, wherein the eluant includes an aqueous solution comprising an amino acid compound having a molecular weight less than 500 Daltons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignees: Dow Global Technologies LLC, Rohm and Haas Company
    Inventors: Charles R. Marston, Stephen M. Smith, Matthew L. Rodgers, Karen S. Eastman
  • Patent number: 9190868
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle includes a traction battery, an auxiliary battery and at least one controller. The at least one controller may be configured to cause a specified charge current to be provided to the traction battery and to cause another specified charge current to be provided to the auxiliary battery if the current being provided to the traction battery is increasing or decreasing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Allan Roy Gale, Paul Theodore Momcilovich, Michael W. Degner
  • Patent number: 9187389
    Abstract: A method of producing an alcohol compound from an organic acid compound including the step of heating a solution of the organic acid compound in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst including transition metal supported upon a cross-linked functional polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignees: Rohm and Haas Company, Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Brandon A. Rodriguez, Jose A. Trejo O'Reilly
  • Patent number: 9188058
    Abstract: Various methods for controlling a wastegate with an electric actuator including a bias are provided. In one example, the actuator is supplied with a first current when moving a wastegate valve toward a fully open position, and is supplied with a second current when moving a wastegate toward a fully closed position. The methods may ensure appropriate supply of boost to an engine even in the event of wastegate degradation while enabling engine downsizing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Amey Y. Karnik, Yan Wang, Vladimir V. Kokotovic
  • Patent number: 9188087
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for computing the flow rate at a suction port of an ejector arranged in series with an outlet of an engine system such as a fuel vapor purge system during certain conditions. In one example, the need for a sensor at an ejector suction port may be reduced by adjusting exhaust gas recirculation based on a flow rate at the ejector suction port, the flow rate based on a flow characteristic of the ejector and a flow characteristic of an engine system. The flow rate and a reductant concentration of gases from the engine system may then be used as a basis for compensation of a diluent concentration measurement taken by a gas constituent sensor arranged downstream of the ejector outlet in an engine intake passage, e.g. to improve adjustment of exhaust gas recirculation based on the compensated diluent concentration measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Publication number: 20150321576
    Abstract: Hybrid and electric vehicles include a traction battery including many interconnected cells. Effective battery control, such as cell balancing, may rely on an accurate state of charge value for each of the cells. A method to reduce the computational effort of the state of charge calculation is developed. An accurate pack level state of charge calculation is implemented and represents the average cell state of charge. An average cell voltage is based on a pack voltage measurement. A state of charge difference is calculated for each cell based on a difference between a cell voltage and the average cell voltage. The state of charge difference utilizes the pack state of charge and a characteristic voltage and state of charge relationship for the cell. The cell state of charge is the sum of the pack state of charge and the state of charge difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Tae-Kyung Lee
  • Publication number: 20150324708
    Abstract: A user is detected in a vicinity of a shared transportation vehicle by identifying a user device and determining a location of the user device. Parameters are determined for user travel of a route of the shared transportation vehicle. A message is targeted to a device of the detected user based on a location of the detected user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Skipp, Will Farrelly, Douglas Nicoll, Jonathan Scott, Richard Brown
  • Publication number: 20150321672
    Abstract: A location of a shared vehicle is identified. Shared vehicle usage data is obtained for the location. An instruction is provided to adjust an operating mode of the shared vehicle based at least on the shared vehicle usage data and the location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kristin Marie Schondorf, Eric H. Wingfield, Will Farrelly, Nikola Ristivojevich, Kathleen Blackmore, Marcus Mueller